In the BG3 Save the Refugees quest, you'll need to side with the Tieflings, Druids, or Goblins. This depicts one of those choices, along with one of the Tieflings in the Grove.
Screenshot by Destructoid

Should you side with the Tieflings, Druids, or Goblins in Baldur’s Gate 3?

Not as clear-cut as it sounds.

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?

Recommended Videos

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.


Destructoid is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more about our Affiliate Policy
Author
Image of Cody Perez
Cody Perez
Contributing Writer - Cody has been a huge fan of Destructoid for more than a decade as well as a freelance writer for various publications. Now working for Destructoid, he has the chance to share his passion for Final Fantasy XIV, Pokemon, Call of Duty, and many more games.
Author
Image of Zoey Handley
Zoey Handley
Staff Writer - Zoey is a gaming gadabout. She got her start blogging with the community in 2018 and hit the front page soon after. Normally found exploring indie experiments and retro libraries, she does her best to remain chronically uncool.