How to get Halsin to join your party in Baldur’s Gate 3

Halsin is one of the coolest characters in Baldur’s Gate 3, and is one of the most desirable party members to adventure alongside. Is that because he’s a Druid who can turn into a bear? Yes. And does the fact you can have sex with him in his bear form have anything to do with his popularity? ...maybe. (Okay, yes, definitely.)

But Halsin is a bit of a tease. Even once he joins you in camp, you’ll need to work for hours before he’ll officially join your party for combat and quests. And no, you can’t romance him until he’s in your party either.

Halsin is an act 2 and act 3 party member only, and you won’t be able to officially recruit him until after you’ve reached the Last Light Inn in the Shadow-cursed Lands. However, if you’re reading this well before that, you’ll probably want to know where to find Halsin in act 1 — which is where you’ll need to rescue him so he can be in the rest of the game.

In this Baldur’s Gate 3 guide, we’ll teach you how to rescue Halsin and the steps you’ll need to take to actually recruit him to your party — so you can get to know him a little better on the battlefield and in the bedroom.

How to find Halsin’s location in the Goblin Camp in BG3

Image: Larian Studios via Polygon

You’ll first hear about Halsin, the First Druid, at the Emerald Grove. The Druids will ask you to find their leader as you’re attempting to resolve the Goblin v. Druid v. Tiefling conflict at the start of the game.

Make your way into the Goblin Camp and into the Shattered Sanctum — the main area of the camp. From the entrance, go to the room near the back right, called the Worg Pen. Load in and you’ll find yourself in a small prison where some Goblins are tormenting a captive bear. Talk to the Goblins and demand they release the bear to initiate combat. The bear will break out of the prison and help you. Clean out the room with the bear’s help and it’ll reveal itself to be Halsin.

Image: Larian Studios via Polygon

Halsin then wants you to kill the three True Soul leaders of the Goblin Camp. Finish up this quest and head back to the Emerald Grove. With his people safe, Halsin will agree to accompany you on your journey to Moonrise Tower, the evil lair you’ll face down in act 2.

But Halsin will only hang out in your camp and occasionally talk to you as an advisor. Proceed through the main campaign — taking The Underdark or The Mountain Pass — until you reach The Last Light Inn, which is where Halsin’s real quest begins.

How to recruit Halsin to your party in BG3 once you rescue him

Image: Larian Studios via Polygon

If you’re a big Halsin fan, you’re going to need some serious patience. Halsin will only join your party for real once you finish a major quest for him in act 2 — apparently, rescuing his entire grove and solving a refugee crisis isn’t good enough for the First Druid. Whatever.

Here’s every step you’ll need to take to recruit Halsin to your party, from the Goblin Camp rescue in act 1 to the Art Cullagh quest in act 2.

1. Reach the Emerald Grove and learn about Halsin.
2. Infiltrate the Goblin Camp and rescue Halsin from the Worg Pen.
3. Kill the True Soul leaders in the Goblin Camp and rescue the Emerald Grove.
4. Leave the Emerald Grove with Halsin, who will hang out in your camp as a mentor.
5. Proceed through Baldur’s Gate 3 until you reach the Shadow-touched Lands in act 2.
6. Head into the Last Light Inn and then go back to Halsin in your camp.
7. Find Art Cullagh, the cursed and sleeping man in the Last Light Inn bunks.
8. Go back to Halsin and tell him that Art Cullagh mentioned Thaniel.
9. Talk to Art Cullagh again in the Last Light Inn, alongside Halsin.
10. Read the “Art’s Last Orders” letter to receive a quest.
11. Follow the quest to the House of Healing.
12. Kill Malus Thorm, the evil doctor, and take Art’s Battered Lute off the body.
13. Return to Art Cullagh at Last Light Inn and play him a song with his lute.
14. Aid Halsin by defending him on the beach while he travels into a portal.
15. Talk to Halsin back in camp and he’ll offer to join your crew to finish out the quest and break the curse on the Shadow-touched Lands.

Once you complete all of these steps, you’ll be able to use Halsin in combat and take him around the world with you. However, the curse on the Shadow-touched Lands is still very much a threat, and you’ll receive the act’s bad ending if you take on Ketheric Thorm in Moonrise Tower without breaking it.

If you need help finishing the quest with Halsin, check out our guide on how to lift the Shadow Curse in Baldur’s Gate 3.