Minsc (voiced by Mattew Mercer) is the last companion whom you can recruit during Act 3 of Baldur’s Gate 3. He belongs to the Ranger class and appeared in earlier game installments. However, recruiting Minsc is more complicated than recruiting the other members as it requires you to save and recruit Jaheira in the Moonrise Towers during Act 2.
Minsc location in Baldur’s Gate 3
After recruiting Jaheira, she will give you her companion quest, The High Harper, at the start of Act 3. This quest will take you to the House of Counting, where you must solve the Counting House Vault puzzle to progress. You will become aware of Minsc’s presence and that he has been infected with the Mind Flayer tadpole. Minsc is now traveling with a shapeshifter, Jaheira, and you can find him in the sewers of the Lower City.
Enter the Lower City Sewers through the Manhole near Bloomridge Park to search for Minsc. You will find a puzzle in Abandoned Cistern (X: -200, Y: 867). To solve this puzzle, you must raise the water temperature and level to the optimum point simultaneously by using two valves.
To solve the Abandoned Cistern Valve puzzle, follow these steps:
- Ungroup the party and choose one character. If the water level rises to a critical level, the whole party will take damage if you don’t ungroup.
- Click on the water level valve and let the water level rise.
- Wait a few seconds (4-5 seconds) and activate the temperature valve.
- As the temperature rises a bit faster, both level and temperature will hit the optimum point simultaneously. If done perfectly, the gate will open, and you can enter now.
Fighting Minsc and keeping him alive
You will find Minsc and the fake Jaheira behind the door. It is important to save your game before the fight, as this one is brutal. First, kill all the minions and fake Jaheira. By doing this, all your focus will be on Minsc now. Keep hitting Minsc until he is near death. At this point, switch to non-lethal attacks and incapacitate him.
If you kill Minsc, Jaheira will leave your party instantly. This will also fail The High Harper companion quest and your chances to romance her.
Recruit Minsc by restricting the Absolute’s Control
Jaheira wants to save Minsc and free him from Absolute’s control. This can only be done with the help of the Emperor. However, he won’t be inclined to help Minsc, but Jaheira will force him to. He will offer Minsc the same protection he provides you against the Absolute.
Once Minsc is free of Absolute’s mind control in Baldur’s Gate 3, he will run further down the sewers. He will break down some walls to find his companion hamster, Boo. Talk to Minsc, and he will gladly join your party, and you can romance him later.
