One of the most important decisions in Baldur’s Gate 3 you make already in Act 1: Do you help the Tieflings or support the Goblins? A player wants to be evil for the hot Drow but cannot fully commit due to animal welfare.
What is the player’s goal? On reddit, S1ebenfinger writes that he loves, adores, and cherishes the dark elf Minthara. Minthara is one of the possible companions in the game and is recruited by most players in an evil run.
S1ebenfinger also wants to have her on his team but could do without the necessary Goblin celebration in his camp:
In Act 1, you have to decide whether to help the Tieflings in the Emerald Grove and stand against the Goblins. Alternatively, you can raid the Emerald Grove together with the Goblins and Minthara. If you help the Tieflings, you will have a Tiefling party in your camp. If you help the Goblins, they will invite themselves to you.
Depending on your decisions, this party is the first opportunity to become intimate with some companions – including Minthara.
More about the decision can be read here:
The hot Drow is coming to visit – But the dog must suffer
What is the problem? At the Goblin party, things get rougher than at the Tiefling party. This primarily affects the dog Kratzer, whom you can find and recruit during Act 1.
Kratzer is a friendly and lovable companion. With the ability Talk to Animals
, you can even have conversations with him. He also regularly brings you gifts and is useful in combat. Many players take him along in every run. Your companions even have their own lines in case you should ever lose Kratzer.
However, at the Goblin party, Kratzer is mistreated: One of the visiting Goblins chases the whimpering dog through the camp.
S1ebenfinger writes that he would draw the red line right there: This dog is under his protection; he cannot attack the Goblin. That would trigger a fight in the camp and end the celebrations. A hot encounter with Minthara would probably no longer be on the table.
How does the player solve the dilemma? S1ebenfinger writes that he would rather completely skip the party and the hot night with Minthara. Exactly that is also the solution to the riddle for him:
He clears the way for the Goblins into the Emerald Grove but then retreats into the mountain pass: There you find the Githyanki cradle that Lae’zel is searching for. If you quest through here and then return to the Goblin camp or the Grove, the invasion has already taken place. However, you have not earned a Goblin celebration with your absence.
However, Minthara survives, and you will meet her later as if you had actively fought against the Emerald Grove, in the Towers of the Moonrise.
For animal welfare, against the Tieflings – Nevertheless, Drow love
What does the community say about it? reddit user ElGordo94 writes somewhat cynically, I can excuse mass murder but not animal cruelty.
The quote is a slight variation of a line from the series “Community.” In Season 3, Episode 6, the character Britta says she can excuse racism but not animal cruelty.
ErikTheBeard responds to the reddit thread, how funny he finds that the character Volo is locked in a cage at the Goblin party. More about Volo and who the quirky fellow really is can be read here:
reddit user Humorousphlegmflam points out that a hyena is also mistreated. Another comment adds that the same hyena would even think it deserved the mistreatment.
Overall, however, the Goblin party does not fare particularly well with the players.
Can Minthara be obtained differently? At the release of Baldur’s Gate 3, not yet. However, now you can. But you must side with the Tieflings:
Accept the quest to help the Tieflings and raid the Goblin camp. It is important that you do not kill Minthara during your confrontation but only knock her out. Whether a blow should kill or only incapacitate can be set in the passive features.
If you clear the camp but only take Minthara out of action, you will have the Tiefling party. Kratzer will not be mistreated there, and the hyena will not appear either. However, Volo is not locked in a cage but participates in the celebrations if you have rescued him.
If you make it to Act 2, Minthara’s storyline proceeds as if you had fought against the Emerald Grove. You should then be able to further advance her story.
On whose side did you actually fight in Act 1? And why? Is there a companion who always determines your runs in Baldur’s Gate 3? Let us know in the comments – We’re curious. One of your camp visitors is still mysterious. A player now has a dark theory about why a powerful NPC never heals you.
