Baldur's Gate 3: Should You Convince Companions To Take Illithid Powers?

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Both the player character and their companions can use Illithid Powers in , but not everyone takes to them in quite the same way. Illithid Powers comprise a menu of 25 different, often unique, super-powered abilities accessible to those infected by Mind Flayer Parasites. There are a wide variety of them to suit every possible build, with options for offense, defense, buffs, and debuffs. They're as useful in a fight as they are dangerous, and there are some consequences for using Illithid Powers in . But to what extent do those apply to Tav's party members?

[Warning: This article contains minor spoilers for a possible bad ending of Baldur's Gate 3.]

Any parasite-infested playable character can use these powerful skills. Unfortunately, non-Origin characters in like Halsin, Minthara, Minsc, and all the hirelings don't have tadpoles in their brains, so they can't access them. That leaves Astarion, Gale, Karlach, Lae'zel, Shadowheart, and Wyll able to take on Illithid Powers. It's one thing for the player character to use them, but another thing entirely to foist more parasites upon their already infected and deeply concerned party members. As with any choice in, there are a few risks and what-ifs to watch out for.

The companions in Baldur’s Gate 3 are all great, but there’s one crucial thing none of them have. It may be missed, but there are good reasons why.

From a mechanical standpoint, companions should definitely make liberal use of Illithid Powers in , as long as the player modulates their hunger for more. There may be perils that come along with using Illithid Powers, but the perks that they offer are just too good to ignore. A wide range of applications make Illithid Powers suitable for any style of play, covering advantages in everything from roleplaying to combat.

One great example of the versatility of Illithid Powers lies in the ability Favorable Beginnings. This choice gives the user a passive bonus, adding their Proficiency to the first roll they make