Baldur’s Gate 3 Gale companion guide – location, best BG3 build, endings

Want to learn more about Gale in Baldur’s Gate 3? This potent Wizard is one of the many companions you’ll stumble across in Larian Studios’ RPG. With a rather interesting backstory and some powerful offensive capabilities, it’s no wonder that players often pick him to join their party.

As a Human, he doesn’t receive racial bonuses like other Baldur’s Gate 3 races. But his spell kit lets him deal devastating amounts of damage. He’s a great help at locations like Baldur’s Gate 3 Dank Crypt. Read on to learn more about how Gale functions in the game.

Who is Gale in Baldur’s Gate 3?

Gale is a companion who is a powerful spellcaster in Baldur’s Gate 3. With access to a variety of spells, he’s useful in nearly every situation. As a kindhearted soul, you gain his approval by helping the people of Faerun with their problems. Remember that Astarion, one of Baldur’s Gate 3 companions, won’t take too kindly to anything that doesn’t involve deception.

He’s aware of the tadpole in his brain and asks to join your party to get rid of it. You’ve got one to deal with too so it’s a common goal.

Where is Gale in Baldur’s Gate 3?

To find Gale, you’ll want to head over to the Roadside Cliffs. This is a waypoint you can find very early in the game after the tutorial. Simply head north of the crashed Nautiliod ship and onto the dirt roads, and you’ll find it.

You’ll find the waypoint portal there seems to be acting up, and there’s a person trapped inside it. Pass a skill check and you’ll be able to free the trapped individual – Gale. After this you can speak to him and either have him join your party or head to your camp.

Gale’s background and inspiration

Inspiration points are gained by performing tasks that adhere to a character’s background. These let you reroll skill checks at important moments in the game. This applies to Baldur’s Gate 3 companions as well as the main player. Gale has a Sage background. Learning about magic and its history will help you get Inspiration points. Here are some background goals for the Sage in Baldur’s Gate 3:

• A Natural Alliance – Recognise the druid and Harper armour.
• The Phases Unfold – Solve the moon puzzle sealing the door to the Underdark.
• Secrets Of The Matron – Read the obscure text by a drow matron.
• Reanimator – Correctly follow Gale’s instructions to resurrect him.
• The Forbidden Arcane – Read Omeluum’s notes on illithid magic.

To know more about backgrounds, check out our Baldur’s Gate 3 backgrounds guide.

Gale feats

Here are the best feats for Gale in Baldur’s Gate 3:

• Spell Sniper: You learn a cantrip, and the number you need to roll a Critical Hit while attacking with a spell is reduced by 1. This effect can stack.
• Ability Improvement: Gain two ability points. Improve Intelligence.

Gale’s starting skills and attributes

Gale joins your party with a humble Quarterstaff, a Simple Robe, and Simple Boots. Without proficiency in Armour, consider using the Mage Armour spell to bolster his defences. He has a surprisingly decent Constitution for a Wizard though. His Strength is pretty low though so don’t try any Acrobatics with him. Here are the skills Gale is proficient with:

• Arcana
• History
• Insight
• Investigation

And here are Gale’s best ability scores:

• Strength: 8
• Dexterity: 16
• Constitution: 14
• Intelligence: 16
• Wisdom: 10
• Charisma: 10

Read about Baldur’s Gate 3 abilities and how they affect skills to make the most use of Gale. These can make a difference in how you use him across the Baldur’s Gate 3 Acts.

Gale companion quest guide

Gale’s companion quest is titled The Wizard of Waterdeep. It doesn’t need you to go out of your way too much. At camp, the human Wizard will reveal that he needs to consume rare magical items to keep his unique condition under control. You’ll find these on your playthrough across D&D’s Forgotten Realms setting. This will let you complete his quest in Act 1. Here are some of the items Gale needs in Baldur’s Gate 3:

• The Amulet of Selune’s Chosen in the Shattered Sanctum
• The Disintegrating Night Walkers in Grymforge
• The Idol of Silvanus in the Druid Grove
• The Iron Flask in The Risen Road
• The Necromancy of Thay in the Blighted Village
• The Shadow of Menzoberranzan in the Underdark
• The Staff of Crones in the Sunlit Wetlands
• The Sword of Justice in the Risen Road

✓

Did you know?

In the event of Gale’s death in Baldur’s Gate 3, he will drop a pouch. When this pouch is picked up, you will see a mirror image of Gale appear that will give you instructions on reviving Gale without the need of Withers.

This isn’t an exhaustive list, however. As long as an item is enchanted with magic, it’ll work to stabilize his condition. However, each time he consumes an artifact, it’ll sate his condition’s hunger less and less.

On the third occasion of this happening, the consumption will barely affect his condition. At this point, he’ll reveal the truth behind his problem. Gale was a lover to the Goddess of Magic herself, Mystra. In an attempt to win her approval and gain access to the true power of the Weave, which Mystra forbids mortals from attaining, he sought out a powerful relic.

This relic was a fragment of the Weave itself – a leftover piece from an ancient battle when the Weave was shattered and magic itself almost destroyed. Convinced that finding and bringing this lost fragment of the Weave back to Mystra would please her, Gale hunted it down. But the fragment – called a Netherese Orb – instead bound itself to Gale, taking the place of his heart. If it’s not constantly fed magic to keep it dormant, it’ll erupt in a cataclysmic detonation, destroying everything around it across a massive area of land.

Once you learn the truth of his condition, you can choose to keep helping him and stay by his side. Upon reaching the entry to Act 2, you’ll run into a new face – Gale’s previous mentor and legendary wizard Elminster. He’ll reveal that he’s come for Gale with a message from Mystra – a path to forgiveness. Recognizing the threat that The Absolute poses, Mystra offers Gale forgiveness in exchange for him tracking down the Heart of The Absolute, and detonating his Netherese orb to destroy it.

From here, it’ll be up to you whether or not to help Gale sacrifice himself or to find another way.

How to raise Gale’s approval

Here’s how to raise Gale’s approval in Baldur’s Gate 3:

• Tell Shadowheart in Camp that finding a healer is your top priority.
• Successfully deceive Lae’zel’s captors when she’s in her cage.
• Persuade Aradin and Zevlor to calm down.
• Convince Rolan to stay in Druid Grove.
• Agree to help Wyll save the refugees in Druid Grove.
• Invite Wyll to camp.
• Show Guex in the Druid Grove your sword fighting technique.
• Say that the Druids overreacted when speaking to Marriko and Locke in Druid Grove.
• Crush the Tadpole outside of the Druid Grove.
• Convince the Owlbear not to kill you in its cave.
• Invite the Owlbear cub to the camp.
• Attempt to heal the Owlbear cub in the camp when they are wounded.
• Convince Krolla to take the Owlbear cub after playing the game and after talking to the Owlbear cub. Paying will not earn his approval.
• Tell Scratch (dog) that he can come to your Camp if his friend doesn’t wake up.
• Help Auntie Ethel when she’s confronted by Johl and Demir.
• Agree to help Zevlor.
• Make Novice Crusher kiss your foot in the Goblin Camp.
• Tell Minthara that “I’m also on a hunt-You are my prey” in the first dialogue with her.
• Help Karlach in Hunt the Devil quest.
• Sympathetic behaviors.
• Fight the fake god Boooal in the Festering Cove.
• Insist on helping Mayrina when talking to Auntie Ethel at her house.
• Find the evidence of Kagha working with Shadow Druids and expose her. (Quest: Save the refugees)
• Bring Mayrina back home. (Quest: Save Mayrina)
• Point out that Mayrina is being forced by Auntie Ethel to do things. (Quest: Save Mayrina)
• Defy Kagha by not making a habit of threatening children.
• Help improve Alfira’s song in Druid Grove.
• Drink from the Well in the Putrid Bog. (Quest: Save Mayrina)
• Intervene in the dispute between Arka and the imprisoned goblin in the Makeshift Prison.
• Save Arabella from imprisonment in the Emerald Grove. (Quest: Save Arabella)
• Persuade Nettie to provide the antidote to the poison she administered.
• Reassure Lae’zel in the Camp that she will survive and please Vlaakith.
• End the lives of the dying hyenas in The Risen Road.
• Find Doni to see the Dragon’s Lair.

And here’s what you shouldn’t do as these lower Gale’s approval:

• Prod Gale to tell you more about himself by succeeding in a Wisdom check.
• Join Lae’Zal against the Tieflings if you Persuade them to free her.
• Smear dung on your face when Sentinel Olak asks you to.
• Read the Necromancer Tome from Search the Cellar.
• Agree to open the gate for goblin raiders.
• Tell Raphael you would do anything to remove the tadpole.
• When the player emulates the roar of a mind flayer while talking to Lorin.
• Pocket the ring when Mattis asks you to choose heads or tails.
• Kill the Owlbear Cub and its parent.

Best Gale build in Baldur’s Gate 3 explained – Evocation Wizard

Here are the features that Gale has access to as an Evocation Wizard in Baldur’s Gate 3:

• Evocation Savant (Level 2): This halves the cost of learning Evocation spells from Scrolls.
• Sculpt Spells (Level 2): You can create pockets of safety within your Evocation spells. Allies automatically succeed in their Saving Throws and take no damage from your Evocation spells.
• Potent Cantrip (Level 6): Your Cantrips become harder to evade. When a creature succeeds its Saving Throw against one of your cantrips, it still takes half the cantrip’s damage but suffers no additional effects.
• Empowered Evocation (Level 10): Your grasp of Evocation magic has tightened and you can add your Intelligence Modifier to damage rolls with any Evocation spells. This improves their damage.

Level 1 – 4

Consider these cantrips if you go the Evocation Wizard route with Gale at level 1:

• Ray of Frost: This attack reduces enemy movement speed so it’s great against melee attackers.
• Acid Spash: Reducing an enemy’s armour with this increases their odds of being hit by other attacks. It’s a good way to start combat.
• Fire Bolt: The standard damage dealer in every Wizard’s spellbook. Pairing with Grease lets you deal solid area damage.

And here are the six spells you should pick up at level 1 as Gale in BG3:

• Mage Armour: Boost an unarmored creature’s armour class to 13 + Dex modifier. This will reduce the probability of enemies landing attacks on weaker characters like Gale.
• Magic Missile: 3 darts of 1d4 +1 Force damage that don’t miss are a good way to deal some damage without worrying about finishing someone off.
• Thunderwave: This deals 2d8 Thunder damage while pushing enemies away from you. While this can be used defensively, it’s great for pushing enemies off cliffs. Wizards aren’t exactly known for their Strength so a simple Shove action might not be enough.
• Grease: This spell is perfect for making enemies fall Prone. Pair this with Fire Bolt to ward enemies away.
• Sleep: While you can only use it on enemies with a combined health total of 24 HP at first, it’s a good spell in the early game.
• Chromatic Orb: This sphere lets you pick what kind of elemental damage you want to deal, making it a versatile attack to have. You can take advantage of enemy weaknesses this way.

At level 1, you will also have Arcane Recovery, letting you recover two level 1 spell slots or one level 2 spell slot. Out of the above spells, prepare Thunderwave, Magic Missile, Mage Armour, and Sleep.

At level 2, Gale gets to pick between a subclass. Here’s a primer on Baldur’s Gate 3 classes and subclasses if you’d like to learn more. While Abjuration focuses on defensive options like nullifying magic and banishing foes, Evocation is a more damage-oriented option. We’re going with Evocation School for our build. This grants access to Sculpt Spells and Evocation Savant.

Here are two good spells to pick at level 2 for Gale as an Evocation Wizard in Baldur’s Gate 3:

• Find Familiar: This versatile spell lets you summon a fey spirit that takes the form of an animal of your choosing. Be it exploring crevices or attacking and distracting enemies, this is a good option to have.
• Feather Fall: This spell eliminates Falling damage for a short period, making it a good option for exploration. You can also use this to access one of the Baldur’s Gate 3 Underdark entrances.

At level 3, you get a level 1 and two level 2 spell slots. Misty Step helps you teleport out of danger or reposition yourself while Scorching Ray deals a ton of fire damage. You can also use Misty Step to quickly gain elevation or ambush enemies.

Reaching level 4 lets you access Baldur’s Gate 3 feats. While you may want to consider Magic Initiate options to give Gale more spell slots, you can also choose to boost his high Intelligence stat instead (up to 18). You also get another level 2 spell slot, another cantrip, and two additional spells. For spells, consider Flaming Sphere for damage and Mirror Image for a solid defensive spell that grants 3 duplicates with +3 Armour Class each to your Wizard. As for the cantrip, Blade Ward halves damage from Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing attacks.

Level 5 – 8

With access to level 3 spells at level 5, pick Fireball and Haste. The latter is particularly useful to support an ally by granting them an extra action. And at level 6, you gain the Potent Cantrip feature. Counterspell and Glyph of Warding are your defensive and offensive spell picks respectively.

At level 7, you get to use level 4 spell and gain an additional prepared spell. We recommend Ice Storm and Banishment for multiple weaker enemies and a boss respectively. Gain another feat at level 8. Consider the Spell Sniper feat. When you pick this, the number you need to roll a Critical Hit while attacking with a spell is reduced by 1. You also get another cantrip so pick Eldritch Blast As for spells, Greater Invisibility and Blight are good picks. Blight deals an absurd 8d8 necrotic damage.

Level 9 – 12

At level 9, pick Cloudkill and Conjure Elemental. The latter is particularly lethal as the Earth Elemental can stun enemies. You don’t need concentration for it either. And at level 10, Gale will gain the Empowered Evocation feature. As for spells, Telekinesis and Cone of Cold are good options. Pick True Strike for the cantrip as it grants advantage on your next attack roll.

At level 11, you finally get level 6 spells. Pick Disintegration and Globe of Invulnerability. The latter lets your party turtle up to avoid massive damage. And Disintegration is one of the most powerful single-target spells in the game. Level 12 brings with it two more spells and we recommend Chain Lightning and Heroes’ Feast. The former is a solid lightning damage spell that leaps between targets while Heroes’ Feast increases max HP by 2d10 and cures all ailments for 12 guests. As for the feat, opt for Ability Improvement once more to raise your Intelligence by 2.

Wizards can also spend gold to learn spells from scrolls they find in Faerun. This makes him a versatile class with access to other class spells like the Cleric’s Guiding Bolt. This spell even lets Gale take advantage of his Intelligence stat to boost its damage. Cantrips can be used without exhausting spell slots. With Baldur’s Gate 3 max level being 12, expect Gale to make short work of bunches of enemies as long as they don’t get to him.

How to romance Gale

Gale can be romanced at the refugee celebration after saving the Druid Halsin. Remember that you’ll need to have a high enough approval rating with Gale to do this. Speak with him during the celebration as he practices an incantation. Eventually, the dialogue will have you performing some skill checks so save in advance.

After this, you’ll get to connect to the Weave and you can choose to picture holding his hand or kissing him. He responds positively to these choices in the Weave scene. On another night, you’ll find him struggling to cast magic at a campfire. Console him and then proceed to your bedroll. You can then choose to spend a night with Gale.

All Baldur’s Gate 3 Gale endings explained

Here are the endings you can witness with Gale in BG3:

• Gale uses the Netherese Orb to destroy the Netherbrain, losing his life in the process.
• If Gale chooses to betray Orpheus, he kills him by stabbing him and then takes the three stones used to control the Absolute. He becomes the villain you were supposed to destroy.
• Gale reunites with Mystra once more. Here, he has multiple choices to pick from. Choosing to become a new god does not impress her. It is heavily hinted that Gale dies over the course of his adventures after the game ends.
• Instead, offering Mystra the crown in the Karsite Weave grants the possibility of connecting with her once more. Gale’s relationship with the goddess is rekindled.
• And if you chose to take the special tadpole that turns you into a Mind Flayer, Mystra will let you restore himself to his original form. This also includes an invitation to Elysium with Gale becoming the Chosen One.

And that’s everything you need to know about Gale in Baldur’s Gate 3. Baldur’s Gate 3 multiplayer lets a friend take control of companions like this Human Wizard to make the most of his powers. Or you can ask them to try out Baldur’s Gate 3 character creation to make a custom character like yours. Remember that they can’t jump in and out of your single-player saves with a custom character though.

Our Baldur’s Gate 3 review sheds more light on the role that companions and their arcs play in the game. And check out some Baldur’s Gate 3 tips and tricks if you’re just entering the Forgotten Realms. Baldur’s Gate 3 cheats can spice up your next game session. And our best Baldur’s Gate 3 mods enhance Gale’s abilities even further.

Baldur’s Gate 3 Gale Companion Guide – FAQ

What is the best build for Gale Baldur’s Gate 3?

Abjuration School build is the best Gale build in Baldur’s Gate 3.

Is Gale romanceable in Baldur’s Gate 3?

Yes, you can romance Gale in Baldur’s Gate 3.