Familiars in Baldur's Gate 3 - magical spirits summoned by a spell, taking the form of a small animal or other creature. There are a total of 3 different magical companions in BG9. The sorcerer's familiars can perform various tasks, and their characteristics and abilities depend on the chosen image.
In this guide, we will talk about the summoning of a familiar, and what classes can have this spell. Read on to find out which summoned magical pet is best in Baldur's Gate 3.
In a separate guide, they told who is better to play for and made class overview Baldur's Gate 3.
How to Summon a Familiar in Baldur's Gate 3
Spell "Summon Familiar» has level 1 and belongs to the school Incarnations. Only characters of a certain class or subclass can summon a familiar:
Archetype |
Opening level | Requirements | Feature |
| Wizard | 1 level | - | - |
| Arcane Trixer | 3 level | - | - |
| Otherworldly Knight | 3 level | - | - |
| Sorcerer (warlock) | 3 level | When choosing the Gift of the Treaty, select "Chain agreement. | Does not consume a spell slot; summoning demonic familiars is available. |
| Pathfinder | 1 level | For the Nature Explorer choose "Beast Tamer». | Does not consume a spell slot. |
When using Summon Familiar outside of combat will not be spent spell slot, and the summoned companion won't disappear even if you remove the spell from the prepared ones.
All familiars in Baldur's Gate 3
The magical ability to obtain a familiar opens up new possibilities for the character, which can be used both in battle and in peaceful exploration of locations. All companions, with the exception of the warlock's and Skryab's familiars, are available immediately after unlocking the spell. Next, we’ll give a brief overview of all available companions and tell you about their features.
In a separate article on our website there is Baldur's Gate 3 interactive map, which will help in exploring the world and finding the necessary objects.
Cat Cat)
The cat has little health and weak damage, so it is a non-combat companion aimed at stealth. This familiar has night vision and reduced fall damage. The special skill "Meow" and the jump give the opportunity to distract enemies, which will allow you to trap them or avoid an unwanted encounter.
Frog (toad)
The frog does not have a lot of health, but its toxin offensive ability can cause significant inconvenience to the enemy. The toxin can reduce the chance of a successful Dexterity saving throw, which is especially useful for increasing the chance to hit with spells that have a low stat.
Rat
The rat can use a contagious bite to infect an enemy for 10 turns, temporarily reducing the enemy's Constitution saving throw. Also, this familiar can easily crawl into hidden spaces that are otherwise impossible to access.
Crab
The crab has a paralyzing blow, which can deal good damage, as well as reduce the movement of the enemy by 3 meters. The crippling hold of this familiar will also allow you to deal more damage to the enemy for 2 turns.
The only way to realize the crab's full potential is to use it against melee fighters.
Raven
Raven has low health, but has average damage, and his special ability allows him to temporarily blind an enemy for the duration of his turn. Blinding provides a significant advantage to all party , regardless of class. This familiar can fly, so it can easily explore a location without putting its owner in danger.
Spider
The spider has a good supply of health, and also has a skill that allows you to walk on the web without slowing down. The magical pet has a weak strike that compensates for the venomous bite that deals additional damage over several turns. Like a cat, a spider can see in the dark and jump. The latter have a decent distance and increase the familiar's mobility quite well.
Bes (imp)
Imp is famous for its excellent health and good line resistance, so it is very tenacious. This familiar has diabolical vision, which allows you to see the combo potential of the enemy, and the invisibility skill will help you ambush or hide in time. The imp is capable of dealing high damage with both normal and poisonous attacks, and it can also fly, which makes the imp not only a combat creature, but also an auxiliary creature.
Quasit (beast)
Where to find a quasit: location "extinct village(in the basement of the doctor's house).
The Quasit is survivable due to its health and resistances, and its claws can deal good damage. This familiar has invisibility and fright skills that can be used once per short rest. Quasit, unlike other companions, can interact with the outside world, so, for example, he can open doors for his master.
Shkryab (dog)
Where to find Shkryab: to the left of the location "Surroundings of the Emerald Grove" (over the bridge).
Shkryab is an ordinary dog that can become a character's companion, but there is an opportunity to make him your familiar:
- Communicate well with your dog.
- Interact with Shkryab as often as possible.
- Stroke and praise your dog.
After these regular actions, the hero will receive the spell "Summon Familiar: Skryab».
In a separate guide, they told in more detail, how to take Shkryab to the squad.
Best familiar in BG3
Choosing a familiar is an important task, because despite the large list of available skins, you should use the most useful summoned companion. To summarize the review of familiars:
- Raven and Bes – the best and universal choice for summoning, because creatures with flight have good mobility, so they are equally useful both in combat and in exploring the world.
- Quasit – a good combat familiar with a large supply of health and useful skills, and the beast’s ability to interact with the outside world can protect the owner from dangerous actions.
- Rat, Frog, Cat и Dog - situational companions that, due to their special skills, should be used for a specific combat tactic or playstyle.
Other magical companions are significantly inferior to the listed creatures, so their summoning is considered ineffective.
We hope this guide helped you find out which familiar is best in Baldur's Gate 3. Share in comments, which magical beast you summon most often. In a special section on our website, read other useful BG3 manuals.
