Daria "Foxdari" Sedelnikova Halsin is a powerful wood elf druid and one of the leaders of the Emerald Grove. He plays a significant role in the storyline of Baldur's Gate 3 and can become an ally if certain conditions are met.
The druid has a deep love for nature, even having a bear as a lover whom he met while in animal form. He possesses powerful combat spells. In this guide, we will cover everything you need to know about Halsin: where to find him, how to recruit him, and an overview of his abilities.
About the character
Image: Ensigame
- Race: Elf
- Subrace: Wood Elf
- Class: Druid
- Subclass: Circle of the Moon
- Location: Shattered Sanctum
- Starting Health: 38
- Equipment: Light armor
- Skills: Athletics, Stealth, Nature, Animal Handling, Perception, Survival
- Voice Actor: Dave Jones
Basic Character Stats:
| Strength | Dexterity | Constitution | Intelligence | Wisdom | Charisma |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 14 | 14 | 8 | 17 | 12 |
Halsin is a pre-made character in the game, meaning players cannot create him from scratch. His stats cannot be changed at will since Larian Studios has pre-balanced them based on his race and class.
Overview
Image: steamcommunity.com
- Appearance: Halsin is a tall and muscular wood elf with slightly curly dark hair that reaches his shoulders. He has a tanned complexion and green eyes. His face is marked with tattoos and scars resembling claw marks from a wild animal. He wears traditional druidic robes, with leaves adorning his shoulders, and gloves made from wide plant stems.
- Personality: Halsin is wise and balanced, deeply respecting nature and its forces, and holds the druids of the grove in high regard.
- Behavior: While cautious around strangers, Halsin is always willing to listen and help those who share his love for nature and its traditions. He is close to all the druids and animals in the grove and once even promised to introduce a boar to a wild female. He often speaks in metaphors, comparing everything around him to the flora and fauna, and speaks slowly, carefully choosing his words. Despite his gentle nature, Halsin is a strict leader who has managed to unite the druids of the Emerald Grove and earn their loyalty. He prefers resolving conflicts through diplomacy rather than force.
Yet, there is still something wild about Halsin. He can let off steam, roar like a bear, and even invite the protagonist for a private moment in the forest, even if the player is already in a relationship.
Backstory before the game
Image: steamcommunity.com
In his youth, Halsin was a restless adventurer, eager to uncover all the mysteries of nature. His curiosity led him deep into the dark recesses of the Underdark, where he began studying its unique flora. The druid was captured by a powerful drow house, fervent followers of the goddess Lolth. The matron of the house, fascinated by her exotic prisoner, made Halsin her personal plaything, keeping him bound to her bed for her own pleasure.
Halsin patiently bided his time, studying his captors. His opportunity for escape came when the drow house was attacked, drawing the drow’s attention elsewhere. Seizing the moment, the druid broke his chains and fled to freedom.
Later, Halsin played a part in an epic battle against darkness. Alongside the druids of the Emerald Grove and the Harpers, he fought against the followers of the goddess Shar, led by Ketheric Thorm. The victory was hard-won — Shar, enraged, cursed the lands, severing Halsin's connection to the spirit of nature and his friend Thaniel. The high druid perished in the battle, and Halsin inherited his title.
Image: steamcommunity.com
Becoming archdruid, Halsin led the survivors to safety. Yet, even centuries later, he admits he never sought the position. The burden of leadership weighs on him, causing him to long for his old adventures. Nevertheless, Halsin fulfills his duty with honor, protecting the Emerald Grove and safeguarding its secrets.
Halsin was also a member of an adventuring party searching for the mysterious Nightsong artifact. Their quest led them to the abandoned Temple of Selune, but they were ambushed by goblins. Halsin was captured, which marks the beginning of his story in Baldur’s Gate 3. The player will ultimately decide the fate of the archdruid and the entire Emerald Grove.
Racial traits
As a wood elf, Halsin possesses heightened senses and intuition, as well as great speed due to his Fleet of Foot ability, allowing him to cover more ground in battle than other races.
Like all elves, Halsin has the Fey Ancestry ability, which grants immunity to sleep spells and advantage on saving throws against charm effects. Another shared trait is Darkvision, enabling Halsin to see in darkness up to a range of 12 feet.
Class Features
Warriors in Dungeons & Dragons are strong tanks, capable of withstanding powerful melee attacks and dealing significant damage. Their power comes from their primary attributes — Strength or Dexterity.
| Title | Description |
|---|---|
Wild Shape | Every druid can shapeshift into a wild animal by using an action and consuming a Wild Shape Charge. The form of the animal depends on the subclass. However, Halsin, following the Circle of the Moon path, can shapeshift using a bonus action and has access to an exclusive transformation — the bear form. |
We’ve already written a detailed guide on the Druid class in Baldur's Gate 3.
Outlander Origin
Currently, Halsin is the archdruid and protector of the Emerald Grove, but in his youth, he was led by a life of adventure — until his party took an arrow to the knee. If the player rescues the druid and invites him to join the party, the wise elf, with a glimmer in his eye, agrees. Larian Studios made the right choice by giving this adventurer the Outlander backstory.
Halsin is inspired by exploration and journeys into the wilderness, possessing the skills to survive far from civilization.
| Characteristics | Description |
|---|---|
| Athletics | Strength helps him maintain balance when enemies try to shove him and aids in knocking down foes more successfully. |
| Survival | Halsin can easily find hidden chests in the wild and instantly distinguish a bear's den from an owlbear's lair. |
Halsin BG3 Build
In Baldur's Gate 3, there are many classes, and for all of them (except rogue), players can select three feats by the time they reach level 12. Let’s take a closer look at the best feat for Halsin if you’re playing with the "vanilla" Circle of the Moon subclass.
- Tavern Brawler: This feat improves accuracy and increases unarmed damage. In Halsin's case, this means you’ll deal more damage while fighting in bear form.
- Alert: Grants +5 to initiative and makes it impossible to be surprised. It’s one of the few abilities that works while the druid is in animal form.
- War Caster: At level 12, take this feat to cast combat spells, shapeshift, and maintain concentration while in animal form.
Image: steamcommunity / Halsin BG3 Build
Remember, druids of the Circle of the Moon specialize in shapeshifting, so the best combat efficiency comes from choosing feats that support this. We’ve listed three feats that will enhance your Halsin. If you prefer a spellcasting playstyle, you might want to switch to another subclass, which can be done at camp by paying a small fee to Withers.
For more tips on building a Druid in Baldur's Gate 3, check out our guide.
Where to find Halsin
You can recruit the mighty druid in the first act of the game. After the crash, as you explore the area, you’ll encounter a skirmish between goblins and tieflings. After the fight, talk to the druids, and they will inform you that their leader has been captured. If you plan to recruit Halsin, agree to help, as you’ll be rewarded by the NPCs.
Image: Ensigame / Goblin Camp
Shattered Sanctum is part of the large Goblin Camp location, where Halsin is held captive. You’ll find him imprisoned in bear form behind bars.
Halsin’s Questline Options
- Rescue: The party can sneak into the prison and free Halsin. He’ll propose fighting the goblins right then and there. If you agree, the entire camp will turn hostile, leading to a long and challenging battle. To minimize losses, especially on higher difficulty levels, it’s advised to first eliminate some of the goblins individually, poison the food cauldron, and perhaps incapacitate some NPCs stealthily. This way, you’ll still assist Halsin but can fight on your own terms. You can also start the battle directly from the prison, but it’ll be harder to navigate, and you’ll need to keep Halsin’s health up by healing him during the fight.
- Combat: You can choose to join the Absolute’s forces and side with the goblins. In this case, you won’t need to rescue Halsin, but you won’t be able to recruit him into your party.
How to romance Halsin
Image: steamcommunity / How to romance Halsin
Halsin is polyamorous and can be in an intimate relationship with multiple beings, including the protagonist and a bear in the forest. He’s also open to indulging with drow prostitutes in Act 3 and won’t shy away from offering intimacy even if you’re in a relationship with another companion.
If you’re romancing Shadowheart, Astarion, or Karlach, you can also make Halsin your lover, effectively having two partners.
You can initiate a romance with Halsin only in Act 3, as the druid is focused on saving his friends and the cursed land before then. At first, you can only flirt with him, show interest, and build friendship points.
Image: steamcommunity / Halsin romance
The legendary intimate encounter in bear form can be unlocked only after amassing a high friendship score or camping in Lower City and completing the Lift the Shadow Curse mission, where you heal Oliver.
Although Halsin is the first to propose intimacy, if you’re in a relationship, he will ask you to speak with your other partner and get their permission. However, this isn’t mandatory. Here’s how companions react to Halsin’s request for a night together:
- Shadowheart approves of the proposal and will ask you to tell her how it went.
- Astarion will be anxious but will agree if you convince him that your relationship won’t be affected.
- Karlach doesn’t fully understand the idea, but she’ll support you if you insist.
- Lae'zel, Wyll, and Gale won’t agree to the proposition, and you’ll have to end the relationship with them if you want to be with Halsin.
During the intimate scene, you can choose the druid’s form. Halsin will initially approach in his human form, but during the foreplay, he’ll get overly excited and transform into a bear. If you select the "Don’t apologize, I like it" option, the encounter will proceed in bear form. Alternatively, you can tell him that you appreciate the gesture, and he will remain in his human form.
Image: steamcommunity / Halsin romance
After this scene, you automatically enter a relationship with Halsin. During a kiss with the druid, if Jaheira is in the party, she may jokingly comment something like, "I admire your courage: after turning into a panther and back, my breath smells awful."
Larian Studios also hinted that Shadowheart has feelings for Halsin. To unlock an exclusive dialogue, you need to sleep with the druid and not be in a relationship with the priestess. Then, kiss your bear lover in front of Shadowheart, and she’ll tease you about your relationship with a touch of jealousy.
Image: reddit / Halsin and Shadowheart
You can also learn about Halsin’s affection for the player character in the Circus of the Last Days location by passing Zethino’s love test. You can even ask the druid to take the test before the intimate scene and official "relationship" begins.
Halsin Approval
Act 2 is the perfect time to gather friendship points with the druid and start a romance with him in Act 3. The key is to avoid harming nature, destroy corruption, show compassion, and offer help to those in need. Here are some decisions that will earn you Halsin's approval:
- Tell Oliver that you know who he really is.
- Let Halsin convince Oliver.
- Convince Oliver to reunite with Thaniel.
- Agree to help Arabella find her parents and offer her shelter in your camp.
- Convince the mini-boss Gerringothe Thorm that no one is watching her.
- Defeat Thisobald Thorm without fighting by making him drink until his stomach bursts.
- In the Gauntlet of Shar, agree to make peace with the rats.
- Tell Ketheric Thorm that you can help him, that not all is lost, and his story isn’t over, sparing him.
- Tell Aylin that Ketheric has surrendered so that she will back off.
Image: steamcommunity.com
Camp Conversations:
- Tell Halsin you wish he had joined your party earlier.
- Ask him about his family, express your sympathy, and thank him for his honesty.
- Admit that you're afraid of krakens.
- Talk to Thaniel after defeating Ketheric Thorm.
Halsin’s Quest
Halsin does not have a personal quest like some other companions in Baldur's Gate 3, but his story is closely tied to the main plot and several important side quests.
- Rescue the Druid Halsin: The first quest involving him, where the player must free the druid from goblin captivity.
- Find the Shadow-cursed Lands: Halsin plays a crucial role in this quest.
- Save the Spirit of the Land: A key quest in Act 2, where the druid attempts to lift the curse on the land and save Thaniel.
Image: steamcommunity / Halsin’s Quest
After rescuing Halsin, he offers to help in finding a cure for the mind flayer tadpoles but explains that he can’t leave the grove until the goblins are dealt with. To complete this, you’ll need to neutralize three leaders, including Minthara (you don’t have to kill her, just knock her out).
Image: steamcommunity / Kagha
Once the goblin leaders are defeated, Halsin returns to Emerald Grove and starts a conflict with Kagha. The morning after the tiefling celebration, the druid will discuss two paths to the Shadow-Cursed Lands: through the Mountain Pass or the Underdark. Regardless of the player's choice, Halsin will accompany the group.
Upon reaching the Shadow-Cursed Lands, Halsin will explain that the land must be cleansed of its corruption. He will need your help to perform a ritual to save his old friend, the guardian of these lands. You’ll begin searching for information about a boy named Thaniel, who turns out to be the spirit of the land. A clue to his whereabouts can be obtained from Art Cullagh.
Image: Ensigame
It is revealed that Thaniel is trapped in a portal, and Halsin must conduct a ritual to free him. The player must defend the portal from waves of cursed creatures. If you fail this mission, the portal will close forever, and Halsin will remain in Shadowfell. It’s advisable to make several saves before starting and during each successfully repelled wave.
If you complete the mission and rescue Thaniel from Shadowfell, Halsin will offer to become a full member of the party. However, there’s still a challenge. Thaniel's consciousness is fractured, and his second half is hiding under the identity of the boy Oliver. To have Halsin permanently join your party and avoid him staying in the Shadow-Cursed Lands, you must find Oliver and convince him to reunite with Thaniel.
Image: steamcommunity.com
After this, the journey continues, and Halsin's story progresses. In Act 3, Halsin may become one of Orin’s victims. To save your furry friend, you’ll need to locate the kidnapper, fight her, and rescue Halsin before she sacrifices him.
Main image: Ensigame
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