Players often find themselves asking whether they should recruit a hireling in BG3, especially when facing difficult encounters or when their current party composition does not fully match the demands of the next quest. Hirelings offer a flexible way to adjust your party, experiment with new class combinations, and strengthen weak areas without replacing your favorite companions. However, recruiting one also means managing resources, balancing personality-driven storytelling with gameplay efficiency, and deciding how much role-playing depth you want in your adventure. Understanding the advantages and limitations helps players choose the approach that best fits their playstyle.
What Is a Hireling in BG3?
In Baldur’s Gate 3, a hireling is a customizable character that can join your party in place of a companion. Hirelings are created through Withers and can fill almost any role you need, from tank to healer to ranger or spellcaster. Unlike companions who come with personal stories, questlines, and relationships, hirelings are purely functional. They exist to serve as additional party members without narrative involvement, making them an appealing option for players focused on strategy and combat efficiency.
This system is especially helpful during mid to late game, when player builds become more specialized and certain fights demand specific party synergies. For example, if you lack a dedicated healing class or need a rogue with high dexterity for locked doors and traps, a hireling can fill that gap without reshuffling your entire team.
Why Players Consider Recruiting a Hireling
There are several reasons players wonder whether they should recruit a hireling in BG3. Some want more versatility, while others want to experiment with class builds or improve their party’s chances in challenging encounters.
Improving Party Composition
Not all companions available in the game fit every setup. You might find yourself missing a cleric, a bard, or a heavy frontline fighter depending on the choices you’ve made. Hirelings give you the freedom to craft the exact class you need. If your party is too fragile, bringing in a paladin or barbarian can instantly make battles easier. Likewise, if you lack spellcasting variety, a wizard or sorcerer hireling can add much-needed elemental diversity.
Experimenting With Multiple Builds
BG3’s class system encourages creativity, and many players enjoy testing different build paths. Hirelings allow you to try out new multiclass setups without committing your main character to a specific direction. This is especially helpful for players who want to explore advanced builds such as gish hybrids, stealth-based casters, or support-focused clerics.
Handling Challenging Encounters
As the game progresses, certain fights become dramatically harder without proper party balance. Areas with high enemy density, magic-heavy encounters, or enemies resistant to specific damage types may require specialized party members. A hireling can be tailored to counter the exact weakness of your current party, making the difference between victory and repeated reloads.
Compensating for Injured or Busy Companions
Sometimes companions temporarily leave your party due to story events or personal quests. If you suddenly lose a key role, a hireling can fill that void until your companion returns. This keeps the flow of the game moving without forcing you to rearrange your entire playstyle.
Reasons Some Players Avoid Hirelings
Not everyone wants to recruit a hireling. Some players prefer a more immersive experience, prioritizing narrative depth over mechanical optimization.
Lack of Personality and Story
Hirelings do not speak, interact, or contribute to story development. If you enjoy party banter, romance, or character-driven quests, you may find them less appealing. For many players, companions are one of BG3’s strongest features, and replacing them with silent characters may weaken the emotional impact of the game.
Cost and Resource Management
Recruiting a hireling is not free. Although the price is reasonable, players early in the game may prefer spending their gold on gear, potions, or camp supplies rather than party upgrades. This makes hirelings more attractive in the mid or late game when money becomes easier to accumulate.
Potential Overreliance on Min-Maxing
Some players fear that relying too heavily on hirelings can make the game feel too mechanical. When party members become just tools, rather than full characters, strategic optimization can overshadow exploration, dialogue, and emotional storytelling.
Are Hirelings Good for New Players?
New players often struggle with difficulty spikes and may wonder if hirelings make the game easier. The answer depends on how comfortable you are with the core mechanics.
Hirelings can help beginners learn the value of balanced party composition. By experimenting with different classes, new players gain insight into roles such as tanking, controlling, supporting, and dealing damage. However, using hirelings too soon may prevent players from experiencing the rich companion narratives that define the strength of BG3’s storytelling.
How to Build an Effective Hireling
If you decide to recruit a hireling, understanding how to build them effectively is crucial. Their customization options allow for highly optimized setups tailored to your party’s needs.
Choose a Clear Role
Avoid creating hybrid hirelings unless you already have a stable party. Hiring a pure class such as fighter, cleric, or rogue ensures they excel at their job without spreading abilities too thin. A clear role is easier to manage during combat and reduces micromanagement.
Pick Complementary Skills
Evaluate what your party lacks. If no one can pick locks or disarm traps, assign the hireling to a dexterity-based role. If your team needs healing or buffs, choose a cleric or bard. Complementary skills prevent gaps in party strategy.
Balance Their Ability Scores
Building a hireling is similar to building a normal character. Strength-based characters need high STR, while casters need INT, WIS, or CHA. Properly distributed stats ensure they perform efficiently.
Equip Them Wisely
Hirelings start with basic gear, so upgrading their weapons and armor is essential. Good equipment dramatically enhances their usefulness, especially in battles with multiple enemies or resistant foes.
Situations Where Recruiting a Hireling Is Highly Recommended
While hirelings are optional, certain scenarios almost demand their use for smoother gameplay.
-
When your party lacks healing or defensive support.
-
When you want to run a challenge build without compromising your main party.
-
When a companion temporarily leaves due to personal quests.
-
When you want to clear difficult dungeons requiring specific roles.
-
When playing on higher difficulty settings that require precise strategies.
Situations Where You Might Skip Hiring
Some players enjoy BG3 more without relying on hirelings. Here are times when recruiting one may be unnecessary
-
You want to experience maximum story content and relationships.
-
Your party already covers all essential roles.
-
You are challenging yourself with a thematic or narrative-driven party.
-
You prefer to rely on companions’ unique personalities and dialogue.
So, Should You Recruit a Hireling in BG3?
The answer depends on your goals. If you want mechanical flexibility, stronger party balance, or access to new builds, then hiring a customizable ally is an excellent choice. Players who prioritize combat variety, tactical solutions, or heavy role-play customization will find hirelings incredibly useful. On the other hand, if you prefer deep character interactions and emotional storytelling, sticking with companions may be the better path.
Ultimately, the question “should I recruit a hireling BG3” is less about right or wrong and more about how you want to shape your adventure. Because hirelings do not replace companions—they simply offer options—you can choose to use them only when needed or build your entire strategy around them. Either way, they add depth, flexibility, and personalization to your journey across the Forgotten Realms.