Summary
It would appear that Elminster sends a simulacrum to visit Gale inBaldur’s Gate 3, instead of making a true appearance himself. While Elminster is primarily known for being a powerful wizard from Ed Greenwood’s novels, he also played an important role in the firstBaldur’s Gatetitle, where he observed (and later on guided) the player character during their fateful quest to confront Sarevok. The part he plays inBaldur’s Gate 3largely concerns Gale, to the point where Elminster brushes off players who either lose the scholar from Waterdeep or fail to recruit him.
It’s important to note that out of all thecompanions inBaldur’s Gate 3, Gale uniquely offers an alternate way to successfully “end” the campaign a whole Act earlier than usual, provided certain conditions are met – with the primary one being to bring Gale to the confrontation with Ketheric Thorm in Act 2. While Elminster primarily plays a role as Mystra’s messenger, the old wizard is also responsible for planting the idea of using Gale’s orb to destroy the Heart of the Absolute, though this outcome can hardly be considered a preferred ending for the people of the Sword Coast.
Elminster Does Not Make An Actual Appearance in Baldur’s Gate 3
However, perhaps the most curious thing about Elminster’s appearance inBaldur’s Gate 3is that he’s technically not even there. As shared by banalnadas on Twitter, players who examine Elminster at any point in the campaign will find out that he’s classified as a construct, rather than a humanoid. This distinction is very important, as one of the 7th Level spells inDungeons & Dragonshappens to be Simulacrum, the ability to shape an illusory duplicate of a beast or humanoid within range of the caster. The illusory duplicate is explicitly stated to be a construct, which lines up with the Elminster thatBaldur’s Gate 3players come across near the entrance to the Shadow-Cursed Lands.
While this does not diminish the message that Elminster imparts on Gale, it is hilariously on-brand for a Level 20 Wizard to convey it through a Simulacrum. Ultimately, there are many differentendings for Gale inBaldur’s Gate 3, and the player’s influence over the course of the campaign affects the final outcome.
Though Elminster’s Simulacrum only shows up for two scenes in total, many fans would argue that it’s one of the stronger cameos in the entire game. TheEpilogue ofBaldur’s Gate 3added in Patch 5 arguably concludes the base game’s story, but it also implies that there may be more adventures with the same cast of characters in the near future, with hopefully another small cameo by Elminster – even if it’s by his Simulacrum once again.
