Baldur’s Gate 3 offers countless paths forward, and Faerun’s freedom of choice is one of the best parts of the RPG experience. Early in Act 1, you see this through the ongoing conflict between the Tiefling refugees, the Emerald Grove’s Druids, and the Goblin Army approaching their doorstep. But when it comes to the BG3 Save the Refugees questline, who should you side with among these three?
Who should you side with in Baldur’s Gate 3 Act 1?
It’s a complicated situation when it comes to picking a side in the three-way Baldur’s Gate 3 Act 1 conflict. There’s no wrong answer here, but if you’re struggling to choose, I suggest siding with the Tieflings unless you really want Minthara. This way, you can still recruit Halsin to your party and even eliminate Kagha if you want, which is what I did. Ultimately, this route can please two factions instead of just one.
Regardless, some NPCs are gone for good, while others remain with you through the end, all depending on your decisions. So, here’s what happens if you choose to side with certain factions in the battle.
What happens if you side with the Tieflings
Upon arriving in the Emerald Grove, the Druids threaten to kick out the Tiefling refugees. The Tieflings’ ultimate goal is to reach the city of Baldur’s Gate, and siding with them doesn’t have to make you enemies with the Druids. Choosing to protect the Tieflings still allows you to recruit Halsin while maintaining peace in the grove.
There’s multiple avenues to get you through this route, so make sure to pick up quests like “Kill Kagha” and “Investigate Kagha” to fully see things to the end. The former ensures you’re enemies to the Druids, while the latter keeps things civil in the Grove.
If you want to side with the Tieflings but still want to recruit Minthara you’ll need to use non-lethal attacks to render her unconscious. Otherwise, there are still plenty of other characters that return. You’ll get to see the Tieflings later in the story and even have characters like Dammon and Rolan help you with Karlach’s overheating problems. This path also preserves your relationship with Wyll.
What happens if you side with the Druids
If you side with the Druids and Kagha, she’ll want you to kick the Tieflings out of the Emerald Grove. This will lock you out of all Tiefling storylines later on and force you to kill the refugees—which is quite depressing.
You’ll be able to recruit Halsin this way, but this side doesn’t offer much else to be worth it. After all, you’ll still have to defeat the Goblin Army, along with losing the Tieflings.
What happens if you side with the Goblin Army and Minthara
If you pick Minthara’s side, you’ll lose out on everything from both the Tieflings and Druid sides. This means you won’t be able to recruit Halsin, even if he lives, and you’ll have a harder time solving Karlach’s problems.
This doesn’t sit well with some of your allies, either, as several party members will dislike this route. On the reverse side, you’ll have an easier time reaching the Underdark since you won’t face as many enemies and you’ll be able to recruit Minthara as an ally, which is the only way to do this.
If you are going a more evil route or really like Minthara, forgo all of the good options in the BG3 Save the Refugees questline so you can befriend the Goblin Army.
How to recruit Minthara in BG3
To recruit Minthara in Baldur’s Gate 3, you’ll need to find and free her from Moonrise Towers in Act 2 of the game. That is to say, none of the outcomes above will give you the opportunity immediately. That’s also to say, so long as she survived Act 1.
When you find Minthara at Moonrise, she’s in hot water. She’s being interrogated by Z’rell and Ketheric, and you’ll need to convince them (with wisdom rolls) to keep her alive. If you succeed, they still plan to wipe her memories. You’ll need to free her, either by duping the guards (with charisma rolls) or by using force. It will then be a matter of leading her out of Moonrise Towers. Afterward, she’ll visit your camp and you can then recruit her to your party.
