How to save Gandrel in Baldur's Gate 3

(Image credit: Larian Studios)

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If you find Gandrel in Baldur's Gate 3, things can get out of hand pretty quickly if you don't keep Astarion under control, or you say the wrong thing to this unassuming NPC. Like many other choices or situations in Larian's latest RPG, the wrong move can land you in hot water—or otherwise lead to unwanted consequences that are hard to recover from. Unless you're save scumming of course, and then it's probably fine.

If you do find yourself in trouble when you first venture into the Sunlit Wetlands, or you've come away from your exchange with Gandrel with a less-than-ideal outcome and want to do better the next time, I'll explain the consequences for each dialogue choice. Here's how to save Gandrel without sacrificing Astarion.

Baldur's Gate 3 Gandrel: How to save this NPC

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You'll first meet Gandrel near the Riverside Teahouse waypoint, in the west of the Sunlit Wetlands. He's off in a little glade to the side of the road and seems like a friendly enough fellow. Talk to him and you'll learn that he's a Gur, who are a travelling people, and Astarion isn't too fond of them.

Gandrel will tell you he's a monster hunter searching for very specific prey, and depending on how much you know about Astarion, Gandrel may or may not mention Astarion by name. There are four very different outcomes to this conversation.

If you let the conversation progress and don't interrupt Astarion in any way, he will kill Gandrel.
If you already know Astarion's secret at this point and Gandrel names him as the one he's hunting, you can hand Astarion over. This causes Astarion to permanently leave your party.
If you reveal Astarion's identity but try to leave, you'll have to fight Gandrel.
You can talk to Gandrel but choose to leave at any point without revealing Astarion's identity.

Each step in the dialogue is self-explanatory and will lead to one of the outcomes above. Just remember that if you leave Astarion unchecked and do nothing, he will kill Gandrel.

As to whether you should save Gandrel? That is currently unclear. He pops up again at the Gur Camp area, in the north-east of Rivington when you first arrive at Baldur's Gate in Act three, though presumably the quest you get from there would go ahead whether Gandrel was there or not.

If you do decide to let him die, you can loot Gandrel's Inspiration, a two-handed heavy crossbow which gives you Advantage against Monstrosity-type enemies.

Sarah started as a freelance writer in 2018, writing for PCGamesN, TechRadar, GamingBible, Red Bull Gaming and more. In 2021, she was offered a full-time position on the PC Gamer team where she takes every possible opportunity to talk about World of Warcraft and Elden Ring. When not writing guides, most of her spare time is spent in Azeroth—though she's quite partial to JRPGs too. One of her fondest hopes is to one day play through the ending of Final Fantasy X without breaking down into a sobbing heap. She probably has more wolves in Valheim than you.