Heroes of Baldur's Gate 1&2 Tier List
scheele
Member Posts: 85
Heroes of Baldur's Gate 1&2 Tier List
I present to the esteemed forum members a biased highly opinionated rating of companions from both parts of Baldur's Gate. IMHO, such a top list has been long overdue (and they are highly popular for Heroes 3, for example)... The evaluation of companions is aggregate, based on a multitude of factors, with stats taking primacy over lore. So, make sure not to write if you disagree and your favorite heroes are being offended! 😉
S-tier
All the first four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are evil, brutal bastards, which sort of hints...) So, these guys are the lowest in morals, but at the very top of the list.
A-tier
There are plenty of options to choose from, with a wide spectrum of classes and races.
B-tier
Combat skills and other abilities are above average, or it’s a male/female mage.
C-tier
Solid mid-tier. It is what it is.
D-tier
Thieves and borderline average companions. Those tracking toward the bottom are dangerously close to being pure porcelain)
F-tier
None answer'd this; but after Silence spake.
A Vessel of a more ungainly Make:
"They sneer at me for leaning all awry;
What! did the Hand then of the Potter shake?
I present to the esteemed forum members a biased highly opinionated rating of companions from both parts of Baldur's Gate. IMHO, such a top list has been long overdue (and they are highly popular for Heroes 3, for example)... The evaluation of companions is aggregate, based on a multitude of factors, with stats taking primacy over lore. So, make sure not to write if you disagree and your favorite heroes are being offended! 😉
S-tier
All the first four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are evil, brutal bastards, which sort of hints...) So, these guys are the lowest in morals, but at the very top of the list.
1. Edwin
10.0 🂱
(10.0 - 0.0)
"...round he throws his baleful eyes,
That witnessed huge affliction and dismay,
Mixed with obdurate pride and steadfast hate..."
Edwin Odesseiron - well, this grumbler in red is a walking package of spells. A top-tier Mage and a Conjuration specialist, he can be recruited in both games and the midquel. Even though Edwin is Lawful Evil, he is a perfect match for those who want to choose a lesser, "gentler" evil. He is like a dog that barks a lot but rarely bites. Sure, he complains a ton - pretty much like a rusty old alarm clock - but you get used to it over time.
The Thayan’s friendly dynamic with Alora didn't vanish in the second game either, and it's properly fleshed out by mods. And you absolutely have to let him take out Dynaheir, that’s just a given.
Additional content: Edwin Romance (for a sharp female protagonist), another top-notch romance with Minya, plus a ton of stuff in Heroes, Thieves and Moneylenders, including his personal quest and plenty of banter. In the Detective Guild, our Thayan friend gets a chance to scribe magic scrolls.
2. Korgan
9.9 🃑
(10.0 - 0.3 + 0.2)
"Wha will be a traitor knave?
Wha can fill a coward's grave!
Wha sae base as be a slave?
Let him turn and flee!"
Well, what can I say: the Axe of Unyielding in one hand, Crom Faeyr in the other, and just show the dwarf who he needs to smash. The best fighter in the game, no doubt. The beard (obviously), alcoholism, and a Scottish accent are included Independent, freedom-loving, and smart in his own way. As for the cons: Korgan is just about the only companion who will readily attack the party if you pick a fight with him during a conversation (if you taunt him when re-hiring); on top of that, he greedily demands five hundred (!) coins at every single time you re-hire him.
Additional content: represented by three mods, which is quite decent overall. In Heroes, Thieves and Moneylenders, Korgy has his own story arc; there's also a friendship mod by Lava, and a micro-nano tavern-drinking mod by Graoumf.
3. Sarevok
9.7 🃁
(10.0 - 0.5 + 0.2)
"...somewhere in sands of the desert
A shape with lion body and the head of a man,
A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun..."
The villain, fiend, and big bad of the first game has almost no downsides as an ultra-OP fighter with god-tier stats. Bald, brutal, and cruel. As Gorion's murderer, I never recruited him, but his moments of repentance are likely well-crafted in the Sarevok's Remorse component (UB2). I docked him half a point straight away for recruitment, since it happens in Chapter 8 of the second game (!). On the flip side, Sarevok became so enlightened in his understanding that he scored himself an extra +1 to Constitution, +3 to Charisma, and most importantly - got smarter by +3 (even though he lost two Wisdom points in the process). This allows you to immediately dual-class him into a Mage, which is exactly what makes him so utterly OP.
Additional content: besides the aforementioned Unfinished Business for Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn, there's also Sarevok Friendship by Aeryn available. It's also worth mentioning that Sarevok is present in BG3 as well.
4. Dorn
9.6 🂡
(10.0 - 0.5 + 0.1)
"Sword hilts grow cold in the clutching hand,
And desperation, like a bird, beats at the temple,
And the heart goes wild with hatred!"
The perfect candidate for an evil party. While his actions in BG1 (EE) were driven by understandable revenge, by the second game the half-orc completely flies off the handle. Bill the Butcher once said that "This is fresh meat. We need to tenderize this meat a little bit. flesh needs to be bruised before you eat it,"
but this fanged orc has gone way too far - he's completely pounded in the head and gone to the darkest side in BG2 EE. On the flip side - Dorn's stats, attributes, and special abilities are excellent, the character himself is well-fleshed-out, and IMHO, he is the most well-written companion out of the entire Beamdog quartet (Dorn, Neera, Rasaad, and Hexxat). His romance with a male PC is also worth a separate mention, as it’s genuinely great. Therefore, it feels like picking Dorn isn't just about gaining the gameplay advantages of a strong companion, but rather a choice of whether the player can tolerate such an individual.
Additional content: Dorn Friendship by Lava. Well, what kind of friend — such a "friendship", you've been warned)
10.0 🂱
(10.0 - 0.0)
"...round he throws his baleful eyes,
That witnessed huge affliction and dismay,
Mixed with obdurate pride and steadfast hate..."
Edwin Odesseiron - well, this grumbler in red is a walking package of spells. A top-tier Mage and a Conjuration specialist, he can be recruited in both games and the midquel. Even though Edwin is Lawful Evil, he is a perfect match for those who want to choose a lesser, "gentler" evil. He is like a dog that barks a lot but rarely bites. Sure, he complains a ton - pretty much like a rusty old alarm clock - but you get used to it over time.
The Thayan’s friendly dynamic with Alora didn't vanish in the second game either, and it's properly fleshed out by mods. And you absolutely have to let him take out Dynaheir, that’s just a given.Additional content: Edwin Romance (for a sharp female protagonist), another top-notch romance with Minya, plus a ton of stuff in Heroes, Thieves and Moneylenders, including his personal quest and plenty of banter. In the Detective Guild, our Thayan friend gets a chance to scribe magic scrolls.
2. Korgan
9.9 🃑
(10.0 - 0.3 + 0.2)
"Wha will be a traitor knave?
Wha can fill a coward's grave!
Wha sae base as be a slave?
Let him turn and flee!"
Well, what can I say: the Axe of Unyielding in one hand, Crom Faeyr in the other, and just show the dwarf who he needs to smash. The best fighter in the game, no doubt. The beard (obviously), alcoholism, and a Scottish accent are included
Independent, freedom-loving, and smart in his own way. As for the cons: Korgan is just about the only companion who will readily attack the party if you pick a fight with him during a conversation (if you taunt him when re-hiring); on top of that, he greedily demands five hundred (!) coins at every single time you re-hire him.Additional content: represented by three mods, which is quite decent overall. In Heroes, Thieves and Moneylenders, Korgy has his own story arc; there's also a friendship mod by Lava, and a micro-nano tavern-drinking mod by Graoumf.
3. Sarevok
9.7 🃁
(10.0 - 0.5 + 0.2)
"...somewhere in sands of the desert
A shape with lion body and the head of a man,
A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun..."
The villain, fiend, and big bad of the first game has almost no downsides as an ultra-OP fighter with god-tier stats. Bald, brutal, and cruel. As Gorion's murderer, I never recruited him, but his moments of repentance are likely well-crafted in the Sarevok's Remorse component (UB2). I docked him half a point straight away for recruitment, since it happens in Chapter 8 of the second game (!). On the flip side, Sarevok became so enlightened in his understanding that he scored himself an extra +1 to Constitution, +3 to Charisma, and most importantly - got smarter by +3 (even though he lost two Wisdom points in the process). This allows you to immediately dual-class him into a Mage, which is exactly what makes him so utterly OP.
Additional content: besides the aforementioned Unfinished Business for Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn, there's also Sarevok Friendship by Aeryn available. It's also worth mentioning that Sarevok is present in BG3 as well.
4. Dorn
9.6 🂡
(10.0 - 0.5 + 0.1)
"Sword hilts grow cold in the clutching hand,
And desperation, like a bird, beats at the temple,
And the heart goes wild with hatred!"
The perfect candidate for an evil party. While his actions in BG1 (EE) were driven by understandable revenge, by the second game the half-orc completely flies off the handle. Bill the Butcher once said that "This is fresh meat. We need to tenderize this meat a little bit. flesh needs to be bruised before you eat it,"
but this fanged orc has gone way too far - he's completely pounded in the head and gone to the darkest side in BG2 EE. On the flip side - Dorn's stats, attributes, and special abilities are excellent, the character himself is well-fleshed-out, and IMHO, he is the most well-written companion out of the entire Beamdog quartet (Dorn, Neera, Rasaad, and Hexxat). His romance with a male PC is also worth a separate mention, as it’s genuinely great. Therefore, it feels like picking Dorn isn't just about gaining the gameplay advantages of a strong companion, but rather a choice of whether the player can tolerate such an individual.Additional content: Dorn Friendship by Lava. Well, what kind of friend — such a "friendship", you've been warned)
A-tier
There are plenty of options to choose from, with a wide spectrum of classes and races.
5. Minsc
9.5 🃞
A hero in every sense of the word! Bald, feeble-minded bold and brave, charismatic, and equipped with his beloved hamster Boo
(or perhaps Boo is equipped with Minsc, depending on how you look at it). He rightfully holds the status of an iconic companion, boasting tons of fan art, fanfiction, and a cozy spot as a companion in BG3 (eat your heart out, Sarevok 
). The only reason Minsc didn’t make it to S-tier is that he was held back by the Ranger class, which is weaker compared to a pure Fighter.
Additional content: A vast number of mods include banters for Minsc and Boo. Naturally, Lava couldn't resist creating the Minsc Friendship mod for them, and The Kidnapping of Boo by Cliffette (a component of UB2) is also well worth a mention.
6. Keldorn
9.4 🃎
The true boss of this gym. Anyone who isn't as brutal as this venerable paladin is just a regular jabroni boy (which means pretty much everyone else, including the MH). And anyone who dares to write any crap about Keldorn in their review will instantly have their head slammed into the keyboard and 1{1sdopdgp7zvnygeyayushglropyaffpffp
Additional content: There is an option to romance him (Keldorn Romance by Berelinde); I'm sure everything will be totally proper and highly moral. I wonder how paladins even reproduce anyway? Probably just from immodest glances
7. Coran
9.3 🂾
Well, taking the lucky number seven spot is the elf who, unlike Sir Keldorn, didn't get the scars on his face in battle, but rather from pillows in the cozy bedrooms of his mistresses)). This young(?) and carefree womanizer is the best archer in the game, in both games, always. Putting the Mana Bow in his hand is an absolute win condition - no foe will ever manage to reach the MH with that kind of setup.
Additional content: Smiling Imp put some serious sweat into the relationship between Coran and Safana (bg1-npc-in-soatob), so it makes perfect sense to recruit and keep them together. I should note that Smiling Imp skimped on the elf's HP (44 for a level 9 Fighter / level 9 Thief multi-class, if I recall correctly), so you'll need to cover Coran's squishy body with some good armor so he doesn't drop dead all the time.
8. Baeloth
9.2 🂮
Devilishly good stats, witty, smart, and on top of that, he has a mod for the second game. Honestly, a drow sorcerer as a replacement for Edwin - or to back him up - is more than viable.
Additional content: The aforementioned Baeloth's Deal by dark0dave.
9. Viconia
9.1 🂭
Only her squishy Constitution stopped her from climbing higher on the list, because she is the best cleric in the game. By the way, Viconia was done dirty in BG3, being relegated to a second-rate villain (and they aged her too! :x)
Additional content: Tons of it in the form of banters in other NPC mods; there's also Viconia Friendship by K'aeloree.
10. Imoen
9.1 🂽
The most superb, absolutely one of the best romances in the entire modding world. Imoen is gorgeous in any party setup
Additional content: Her romance, first and foremost.
9.5 🃞
A hero in every sense of the word! Bald, feeble-minded bold and brave, charismatic, and equipped with his beloved hamster Boo
(or perhaps Boo is equipped with Minsc, depending on how you look at it). He rightfully holds the status of an iconic companion, boasting tons of fan art, fanfiction, and a cozy spot as a companion in BG3 (eat your heart out, Sarevok ). The only reason Minsc didn’t make it to S-tier is that he was held back by the Ranger class, which is weaker compared to a pure Fighter.Additional content: A vast number of mods include banters for Minsc and Boo. Naturally, Lava couldn't resist creating the Minsc Friendship mod for them, and The Kidnapping of Boo by Cliffette (a component of UB2) is also well worth a mention.
6. Keldorn
9.4 🃎
The true boss of this gym. Anyone who isn't as brutal as this venerable paladin is just a regular jabroni boy (which means pretty much everyone else, including the MH). And anyone who dares to write any crap about Keldorn in their review will instantly have their head slammed into the keyboard and 1{1sdopdgp7zvnygeyayushglropyaffpffp
Additional content: There is an option to romance him (Keldorn Romance by Berelinde); I'm sure everything will be totally proper and highly moral. I wonder how paladins even reproduce anyway? Probably just from immodest glances
7. Coran
9.3 🂾
Well, taking the lucky number seven spot is the elf who, unlike Sir Keldorn, didn't get the scars on his face in battle, but rather from pillows in the cozy bedrooms of his mistresses)). This young(?) and carefree womanizer is the best archer in the game, in both games, always. Putting the Mana Bow in his hand is an absolute win condition - no foe will ever manage to reach the MH with that kind of setup.
Additional content: Smiling Imp put some serious sweat into the relationship between Coran and Safana (bg1-npc-in-soatob), so it makes perfect sense to recruit and keep them together. I should note that Smiling Imp skimped on the elf's HP (44 for a level 9 Fighter / level 9 Thief multi-class, if I recall correctly), so you'll need to cover Coran's squishy body with some good armor so he doesn't drop dead all the time.
8. Baeloth
9.2 🂮
Devilishly good stats, witty, smart, and on top of that, he has a mod for the second game. Honestly, a drow sorcerer as a replacement for Edwin - or to back him up - is more than viable.
Additional content: The aforementioned Baeloth's Deal by dark0dave.
9. Viconia
9.1 🂭
Only her squishy Constitution stopped her from climbing higher on the list, because she is the best cleric in the game. By the way, Viconia was done dirty in BG3, being relegated to a second-rate villain (and they aged her too! :x)
Additional content: Tons of it in the form of banters in other NPC mods; there's also Viconia Friendship by K'aeloree.
10. Imoen
9.1 🂽
The most superb, absolutely one of the best romances in the entire modding world. Imoen is gorgeous in any party setup
Additional content: Her romance, first and foremost.
B-tier
Combat skills and other abilities are above average, or it’s a male/female mage.
11. Jan Jansen
9.0 🃏
12. Dynaheir
9.0 🃩
13. Xzar
9.0 🃟
A mad necromancer making it into B-tier? That’s exactly right - this lunatic necromancer made it, and the two casters before him did too. And all because the 2nd Edition is unbalanced, and mages completely rule the endgame, bending all other classes over.
14. Jaheira
9.0 🃍
Be that as it may, mama-Jaheira still became an available companion in BG3, which is great to see :good:
15. Nalia
9.0 🃝
16. Anomen
9.0 🂻
17. Xan
9< 🃋
18. Corwin
9< 🃫
A sweet lady, an archer, an athlete, and just a real beauty! Her modded romance is highly non-canonical and shakes the foundations of the genre with sexual depravities, but it’s written quite briskly, I'll give it that.
19. Kagain
9< 🂫
Almost the last one in the B-tier, but he managed to squeeze through thanks to his titanic Constitution.
20. Solaufein
9< 🃛
A close call, but the drow from Jastey's mod managed to hold his ground in the tier thanks to his excellent magic resistance and beautifully written interactions with the party and the surface world. The fact that he can act as a 7th companion also heavily boosted his ranking.
21. Shar-Teel
9< 🂠
Favoritism shown to friends, family, and mistresses... let's see: eight letters, starts with "n"... nepotism? Nah, let's be real - my favorite psycho amazon simply threatened to cut my throat if I didn't put her in the B-tier! Thankfully, she finally got her own proper romance mod, so now she can chop heads and break hearts at the same time) 
22. Neera
9< 🃴
23. Aerie
9< 10 of Hearts
24. Kivan
9< 10 of Spades
9.0 🃏
12. Dynaheir
9.0 🃩
13. Xzar
9.0 🃟
A mad necromancer making it into B-tier? That’s exactly right - this lunatic necromancer made it, and the two casters before him did too. And all because the 2nd Edition is unbalanced, and mages completely rule the endgame, bending all other classes over.
14. Jaheira
9.0 🃍
Be that as it may, mama-Jaheira still became an available companion in BG3, which is great to see :good:
15. Nalia
9.0 🃝
16. Anomen
9.0 🂻
17. Xan
9< 🃋
18. Corwin
9< 🃫
A sweet lady, an archer, an athlete, and just a real beauty! Her modded romance is highly non-canonical and shakes the foundations of the genre with sexual depravities, but it’s written quite briskly, I'll give it that.
19. Kagain
9< 🂫
Almost the last one in the B-tier, but he managed to squeeze through thanks to his titanic Constitution.
20. Solaufein
9< 🃛
A close call, but the drow from Jastey's mod managed to hold his ground in the tier thanks to his excellent magic resistance and beautifully written interactions with the party and the surface world. The fact that he can act as a 7th companion also heavily boosted his ranking.
21. Shar-Teel
9< 🂠
Favoritism shown to friends, family, and mistresses... let's see: eight letters, starts with "n"... nepotism? Nah, let's be real - my favorite psycho amazon simply threatened to cut my throat if I didn't put her in the B-tier!
Thankfully, she finally got her own proper romance mod, so now she can chop heads and break hearts at the same time) 22. Neera
9< 🃴
23. Aerie
9< 10 of Hearts
24. Kivan
9< 10 of Spades
C-tier
Solid mid-tier. It is what it is.
25. Yeslick
9< 10 of Diamonds
26. Mazzy
9< 10 of Clubs
27. Ajantis
9< 9 of Hearts
28. Tiax
9< 9 of Spades
29. Valygar
9< 9 of Clubs
30. Wilson
9< 9 of Diamonds
31. Branwen
9< 8 of Clubs
32. Quayle
9< 8 of Diamonds
33. Faldorn
9< 8 of Spades
34. Cernd
9< 8 of Hearts
9< 10 of Diamonds
26. Mazzy
9< 10 of Clubs
27. Ajantis
9< 9 of Hearts
28. Tiax
9< 9 of Spades
29. Valygar
9< 9 of Clubs
30. Wilson
9< 9 of Diamonds
31. Branwen
9< 8 of Clubs
32. Quayle
9< 8 of Diamonds
33. Faldorn
9< 8 of Spades
34. Cernd
9< 8 of Hearts
D-tier
Thieves and borderline average companions. Those tracking toward the bottom are dangerously close to being pure porcelain)
35. Hexxat
9< 7 of Spades
36. Montaron
9< 7 of Clubs
37. Alora
9< 7 of Hearts
38. Moddie
9< 7 of Diamonds
39. Grey
9< 6 of Diamonds
40. Haer'Dalis
9< 6 of Clubs
9< 7 of Spades
36. Montaron
9< 7 of Clubs
37. Alora
9< 7 of Hearts
38. Moddie
9< 7 of Diamonds
39. Grey
9< 6 of Diamonds
40. Haer'Dalis
9< 6 of Clubs
F-tier
None answer'd this; but after Silence spake.
A Vessel of a more ungainly Make:
"They sneer at me for leaning all awry;
What! did the Hand then of the Potter shake?
41. Khalid
8< 6 of Hearts
42. Rasaad
8< 6 of Spades
43. Safana
8< --
44. Garrick
8< --
45. Eldoth
8< --
46. Skie
8< --
47. Keto
8< --
*A new portrait of Keto was created by lgoon17 8< 6 of Hearts
42. Rasaad
8< 6 of Spades
43. Safana
8< --
44. Garrick
8< --
45. Eldoth
8< --
46. Skie
8< --
47. Keto
8< --
Post edited by scheele at
0
Comments
I’m not ever very interested *scores*, at least not the high or low of them. The nature of D&D is that there are always ways to fix/modify/boost in one way or another. And really, that’s the fun of the game. Trying to make something of marginal characters is a big part of what gives us so much replayability.
Class, experience and skills ultimately matter more than scores.
To me, it’s that plus the *character* of the character that determine who will be on my team.
And I’ll never use those “s-tier” characters. No evil for me, ever.
Sorry for being the curmudgeon!
As for your question - well, since there's an impressive roster of heroes, a tier list is simply inevitable.