| “ | Go for the eyes, Boo. GO FOR THE EYES! RrraaaAAGHGHH! | ” |
Minsc is a neutral good human ranger and a potential companion.
 Baldur's Gate IClassic & Enhanced This icon indicates content from all games of the 1st Baldur's Gate instalment – all editions and expansions. This may include The Black Pits.|  Baldur's Gate IIClassic & Enhanced This icon indicates content from all games of the 2nd Baldur's Gate instalment – all editions and expansions. This may include The Black Pits II. |
Background[]
Minsc and Dynaheir were originally sent to the Sword Coast as part of his 'dajemma' - a journey of self-discovery, during which he must protect Dynaheir and gain new insights and experiences in distant lands as a sort of 'rite of passage'.
This character is most memorable for being the proud companion of Boo, according to him a 'Miniature Giant Space Hamster' he became friends with after taking one too many blows to the head.
| “ | Live by the sword, live a good long time! | ” |
Baldur's Gate & Tales of the Sword Coast[]
Recruitment[]
Minsc is available to recruit from Chapter Two. He is initially found separated from Dynaheir, waiting just outside the Garrison within the southern town of Nashkel. Simply agree to help Minsc find his damsel and he will join the protagonist's party. Alternatively, you can find Dynaheir first in Gnoll Stronghold then bring her back to Minsc without ever talking to him.
Once Dynaheir has been rescued, the two of them are inseparable and require being together in the party, unless one of them dies or the player uses trickery to separate them.
Be careful when recruiting him, as Minsc is a bit unstable, and turning down his offer of companionship can just as easily lead to a hostile confrontation.
Quests[]
- Rescuing Dynaheir – Minsc will remind Gorion's Ward if Dynaheir isn't rescued within ten days from his joining, and leave and even attack the party when another six days have passed without results.
- Edwin and Dynaheir – Minsc will turn on Edwin if he endangers Dynaheir.
Relationships[]
- Boo: Since receiving his head injuries, Minsc has relied on Boo for moral support, decision-making, and wisdom, believing him to be a special 'miniature giant space' hamster, though others naturally believe Boo to be a mere normal hamster. Minsc will give a harsh glare toward anyone who tries to take Boo.
- Dynaheir: Minsc’s 'witch' and loyal companion, whom he will try to find and likely never part from afterwards. If she is to be slain, Minsc will become berserk [verification needed], likely complicating the battle - even possibly killing other companions.
Gameplay[]
Minsc's main drawback is that he can't use any magical scrolls or wands for he's one of the few companions with less than 9 intelligence score, other two being Yeslick and Wilson. And while a ranger MUST have the company of a giant 'space hamster' such as Boo who can do just about EVERYTHING, it does takes up one quick item slots (and 1 lb), which could be a problem in original version of the game as time flows while you're managing items in inventory screen.
He does have a very high strength stat though, making him an excellent mule at the very least, while also excelling with Two-Handed Swords and Composite Longbows. Minsc's racial enemy is Gnoll and he comes with Charm Animal as all rangers, he has a unique Berserk, an alternative version of Berserker's rage. Minsc is of course great in the front line, but if you use him as party leader, note that his low charisma will lead to higher prices when bargaining with merchants.
Baldur's Gate I & II: Enhanced Editions
This icon indicates content from all Enhanced Editions of the Baldur's Gate games. May situationally encompass Siege of Dragonspear and The Black Pits I & II content as well. - Companions who are under-leveled at the time of joining will be given a certain amount of experience points (XP) for you to manually level them up to gain more control of their status.
| Average party level | Level | XP | Gold | Hit Points | Weapon Proficiencies | Weapon Proficiencies in EE | Equipment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.00 - 1.99 | 1 | 258 | 2 | 11
(Max possible:10+1) |
|
|
|
| 2.00 - 2.99 | 2 | 2276 | 6 | 19
(Max possible:20+2) |
|||
| 3.00 - 4.99 | 4 | 9142 | 2 | 33
(Max possible:40+4) |
|
| |
| 5.00+ | 6 | 36512 | 4 | 52
(Max possible:60+6) |
|
|
Biography[]
| “ | Minsc When asked about his past, Minsc proudly announces that he is a berserker warrior from the nation of Rasheman in the utter east. He is currently undertaking his dejemma, a ritual journey to manhood, and is seeking adventure and glory in battle. It is also his honor to be the bodyguard of a young Wychalarn of Rasheman named Dynaheir, and if anyone tries to harm her he will beat sense into their heads until they reconsider. He is unsure as to why she has led them to the Sword Coast, but his loyalty is unquestioning. If he serves her well and distinguishes himself in battle he hopes to be accepted into the ice dragon berserker lodge upon return to their homeland. So far Minsc considers his most notable experience in the world abroad, to be the acquisition of his animal companion 'Boo', a creature that he claims is a miniature giant space hamster. Apparently such things do exist in the Realms, but Minsc has surely taken too many blows to the head. He seems a good-natured fellow, but is all too willing to indulge in his berserker nature. |
” |
— Boo | ||
Quotes[]
| Stand and deliver, that my hamster might have a better look at you! | Initial meeting | |
|---|---|---|
| No, despair not! I will inspire you by charging blindly on! | Morale failure | |
| Camaraderie, adventure, and steel on steel. The stuff of legend! Right, Boo? | Happy | |
| Yes, Boo, I agree. This group could do with a swift kick in the morals! | Unhappy-annoyed | |
| If I continue with this, I'll never look Boo in the eyes again. Choose carefully; I'll not let this come to pass! | Unhappy-serious | |
| You have stepped beyond the line of evil! Taste hamster justice! | Unhappy-break | |
| Magic is impressive, but now Minsc leads! Swords for everyone! | Leader | |
| I must rest, I've a bad case of armor chafe. | Tired | |
| My hamster is getting antsy! If we be adventurers, let us adventure! | Bored | |
| Go for the eyes, Boo. GO FOR THE EYES! RrraaaAAGHGHH! | Battlecry1 | |
| Damage | ||
| I need aid soon... lest my hamster become an orphan. | Hurt | |
| Dying | ||
| Boo likes the forest. | Forest | |
| Evil 'round every corner. Careful not to step in any. | Dungeon | |
| Ahh, nighttime. Good for sneaking up on evil. | Night | |
| Who wants some? | Select1 | |
| You point, I punch. | Select2 | |
| Less talk, more fight! | Select3 | |
| Butt-kicking for goodness! | Action1 | |
| Squeaky wheel gets the kick! | Action2 | |
| Full plate and packing steel! | Action3 | |
| Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, watch it! I'm huge! | Action4 | |
| When the going gets tough, someone hold my rodent. | Action5 | |
| There be safety in numbers, and I am two or three at least. | Action6 | |
| Make way evil! I'm armed to the teeth and packing a hamster! | Action7 | |
| It is as you would have it. 'Tis my sworn vow to ensure your every need is catered to. | Interaction1 | |
| Where Dynaheir goes, so goes my blade. |
Interaction2 | |
| Lay a finger on what I protect, and forevermore you will answer nature's call with a hook! |
Interaction3 | |
| Stand you not too close! Dynaheir is under my protection! |
Interaction4 | |
| Play on, bard! 'Tis sweet music to my furry friend. |
Interaction5 | |
| You travel with Minsc, you toe the line! I'll not suffer slackers while I'm busy hero-ing! | Insult1 | |
| Boo does not like your manner. Away with you! |
Insult2 | |
| Choose your friends wisely. Not all are as trustworthy as Minsc and Boo. | Compliment1 | |
| No finer a place to die than the battlefield! | To death-general | |
| Dynaheir! Nooooo! You will be avenged! | To death-Dynaheir | |
| I am of few words and fewer hesitations! Warning's past, and now you die! | To insult1 | |
| I take no offense from your comments. You just don't understand the bond I have with Boo. |
To insult2 | |
| Your words are as sharp as my blade, though not half as shiny. Oooo, shiny. | To insult3 |
Baldur's Gate: Siege of Dragonspear[]
Recruitment[]
Minsc is available to recruit from Chapter 7 (SoD) alongside with Dynaheir on the second floor of Three Old Kegs, after a short catch-up, they'll join your march towards the Dragonspear Castle against Caelar Argent's crusades, and like in BG1, he has to pair with Dynaheir and Boo.
Quests[]
Relationships[]
- Edwin can't be in the same party with Dynaheir and Minsc (and Boo).
Quotes[]
| What is it, Boo? I've never seen you so— | Initial meeting1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Ah? Can it be? Is this the hero of Baldur's Gate I see? | Initial meeting2 | |
| Aaaaaaarrrrrr! | Morale failure | |
| Ah, it has been too long since Minsc journeyed with such a fine companion! | Happy | |
| Boo has not said anything out of politeness, but I know he is unhappy with our direction. | Unhappy-annoyed | |
| Minsc is not feeling the camaraderie of old. This group goes sour. | Unhappy-serious | |
| The stink of evil is heavy on this group. Boo is leaving, and Minsc goes with him! | Unhappy-break | |
| Magic is impressive, but now Minsc leads. Swords for everyone! Ha! | Leader | |
| Boo cannot stop yawning, and it's making me yawn too! Perhaps we could rest? | Tired | |
| Adventure is calling! Can you not hear it? Perhaps only Minsc can hear it. Let us go, and I will lead us in the direction of adventure! | Bored | |
| Go for the eyes, Boo, GO FOR THE EYES! Raaaaaargh! | Battlecry1 | |
| SWORD, MEET! EVIL! | Battlecry2 | |
| Here comes three hundred pounds of justice! | Battlecry3 | |
| Chaaaaaaaaaaarge! | Battlecry4 | |
| AAAAArrrrrr! | Battlecry5 | |
| Oof. | Damage | |
| I need healing to fight on! | Hurt | |
| Take care of... Boo... | Dying | |
| Boo likes the forest! And I do too. There is much to nibble here. | Forest | |
| Such crowds of tiny people! Make way for Minsc and Boo, tiny ones! | City | |
| A den of stinking evil! Actually, this evil is not as smelly as it usually is. We come for you anyway, well-scrubbed evil! | Dungeon | |
| Ahh, I prefer the bright of day. Evil must be able to see the justice I dispense! | Day | |
| Boo sleeps, though we press on. | Night | |
| Aye? | Select1 | |
| Yes? | Select2 | |
| You want Boo? | Select3 | |
| What? | Select4 | |
| Huh? |
Select5 | |
| Trouble? |
Select6 | |
| Sword first! | Action1 | |
| Less talk, more fight! | Action2 | |
| Yes! | Action3 | |
| When danger calls, Minsc answers. Sword first! | Action4 | |
| I kick bad butts, and I cannot lie. | Action5 | |
| There is only one BOO! Ha! Accept no substitutes. | Action6 | |
| BD68091.ogg | Really, it's all about ethics in heroic adventuring. | Action7(original dialogue) |
| Make way evil! I'm armed to the teeth and packing a hamster! | Action7(patch 2.2 onwards) | |
| Felled like a mighty tree! | To death-general | |
| Dynaheir! I have failed you! | To death-Dynaheir | |
| That stings, doesn't it, evil? | Critical hit | |
| A swing and a miss! | Critical miss | |
| No effect? I need a bigger sword. | Target immune | |
| Though Minsc is as brawny as they come, he cannot carry everything. And he must make room for Boo. | Inventory full | |
| Minsc is not sure how he did that. | Picked pocket | |
| None shall see me, though my battle cry may give me away. | Hidden in shadows | |
| Swords do not fail, but spells do. As this one has. | Spell disrupted | |
| Cunning Minsc lays a trap for evil to stroll into! Come this way, evil! | Set a trap |
Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn & Throne of Bhaal[]
In Baldur's Gate 2, Minsc implies that he and Dynaheir had traveled with Gorion's Ward for some time. At some point during this journey, they were set upon by the designs of Jon Irenicus, only to be captured, imprisoned, and tortured.
Recruitment[]
Minsc is available to recruit from Chapter 1. He seems to have gotten off fairly well relatively, despite his partner Dynaheir supposedly being killed sometime during the initial confrontation, and finds himself imprisoned - much like Jaheira - within a nearby cage, though it appears to have no lock. To free him, the player must enrage him to the point that he bends the bars of his cage, after which he will take notice of the player's cleverness and will gladly join the party.
Minsc will travel to the Copper Coronet in the Slums District if freed from his initial imprisonment, yet later removed from the party.
As in previous games, Boo is his stalwart companion and is a permanent part of his inventory.
In Enhanced Edition he starts at level 7 Specialized in Longbow, Mace, Two-Handed Sword and Two-Weapon Style.
Quests[]
Relationships[]
- Edwin: Minsc and Edwin / Edwina are rather hostile to each other as each of them had different plans regarding Dynaheir in the first game; Minsc was to protect her, while Edwin was sent to kill her. Ironically, in the second game after Edwin accidentally transforms his gender, Minsc gets confused and thinks that “Edwina” is Edwin’s sister.
- Boo: Boo seems to take on a much more active and vocal role than before, chiming in with various squeaks at opportune times, presumably proving some sort of significant intelligence.
- Aerie: Under the right conditions, Minsc will make Aerie his newfound 'witch' to protect in order to make up for failing to protect Dynaheir in the past. Like Dynaheir [verification needed], Minsc will become berserk if Aerie is slain after gaining this status.
- Jan Jansen: Minsc is rather annoyed by Jan as he tries on several occasions to get a hold of Boo behind Minsc’s back.
- Keldorn: Despite being complete opposites on the Lawful/Chaotic spectrum, Minsc and Keldorn deeply respect each other's character and skills. If both are in the party, the two of them become friends through banter, with unique dialogue once Minsc goes berserk or if one of them dies.
- Korgan: As with other warriors, Korgan expresses admiration for Minsc's prowess in battle, even as he mocks him for his values.
Gameplay[]
Compared to the first game, Minsc has one more point in dexterity and constitution. His racial enemy has changed to Vampire and his alignment has also changed slightly, presumably due to the deaths of close friends, now exhibits a chaotic-good alignment - though this is largely inconsequential. Given that his original enemy was Gnolls, by which Dynaheir had been taken captive, it would make a certain amount of sense for the backstory to be that her death was at the hands of a vampire (almost certainly Bodhi or one of her brood, considering the role they play in BG2): however, this is never actualy confirmed.
Minsc is the only companion other than Dorn and Valygar that can use Defender of Easthaven, Armor of Faith, and Hardiness - making him an excellent physical damage tank.
Much like the first game, he still can't use any magical items other than weapons and armor without intelligence boost, and Boo once again is kept in one of his quick-slots. His other abilities remain intact.
He still has his unique berserk ability, different from the Berserker's Enrage, Barbarian's rage and Wilson's Animal Rage.
Biography[]
| “ | Minsc When asked about his past, Minsc proclaims that he is a berserker warrior from the nation of Rasheman in the utter east, though his affinity for animals speaks to his skill as a ranger as well. He originally came to the Sword Coast on a dejemma, a ritual journey to manhood, as the bodyguard of a young Wychalarn of Rasheman Dynaheir. To his shame, Dynaheir is now dead, and he fears that the doors of the honored Ice Dragon Berserker Lodge are forever closed to him. This personal tragedy has obviously not strengthened Minsc's hold on reality, as evidenced by continued dependence on his animal companion 'Boo', a creature that he claims is a miniature giant space hamster. Such things apparently do exist somewhere in the Realms, but Minsc has surely taken too many blows to the head. |
” |
— Boo | ||
Quotes[]
- Main article: Minsc/Quotes
| AHHHH! Minsc will be free! These bonds will not hold my wrath! Butts will be liberally kicked in good measure! | Initial meeting1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Eh? Where have you brought us, Boo? I am duly impressed by your show of great powers, but a little forewarning would have been nice. No matter! Wherever evil treads, Minsc treads louder! | Initial meeting2 | |
| Ooo! Look who you have found, Boo, with your unerring sense of hamster direction! It is our good friend, <CHARNAME>! A reunion of heroes! May all that is evil quiver before us like so much rancid jelly, ha! | Initial meeting3 | |
| Despair not! I will inspire you by charging blindly on! | Morale failure | |
| We are all heroes, you and Boo and I! Hamsters and rangers everywhere, rejoice! | Happy | |
| This behavior must not continue! Feel the burning stare of my hamster and change your ways! | Unhappy-annoyed | |
| This is not right. Change our course or I will have to apply a considerable wallop of virtue! | Unhappy-serious | |
| Boo can stand only so much! | Unhappy-break | |
| Minsc will lead with blade and boot! Boo will take care of the details. | Leader | |
| We must rest soon. Boo is getting squirrely. | Tired | |
| Boo must have his exercise lest he bite us all in hard-to-reach places. | Bored | |
| Go for the eyes, Boo, GO FOR THE EYES! RrraaaAAGHGHH! | Battlecry1 | |
| Feel the backhand of justice! | Battlecry2 | |
| Great fun! Hehe. Right, Boo? | Battlecry3 | |
| Damage | ||
| I must get aid soon. Boo is too young to have to avenge me. | Hurt | |
| Dying | ||
| You know... I think the forest likes Boo. | Forest | |
| Cities always teem with evil and decay. Let's give it a good shake and see what falls out! | City | |
| A den of stinking evil. Cover your nose, Boo. We will leave no crevice untouched! | Dungeon | |
| Ahh, I prefer the bright of day. Evil must be able to see the justice I dispense! | Day | |
| Strange things go bump in the night, but none bump bigger than Minsc! | Night | |
| You point, I punch. | Select1 | |
| Swords, not words! | Select2 | |
| Minsc and Boo stand ready. | Select3 | |
| Every hamster has his day. | Select4 | |
| Armored, sharpened, and raring to go. |
Select5 | |
| Boo says, "What?!" |
Select6 | |
| Where Minsc goes, evil stands aside. | Action1 | |
| Jump on my sword while you can, evil. I won't be as gentle! | Action2 | |
| Live by the sword, live a good long time! | Action3 | |
| Stand back for justice! | Action4 | |
| See battle, Boo? Run, Boo, run! | Action5 | |
| Make way, villainy! Hero coming through! | Action6 | |
| Butt-kicking for goodness! | Action7 | |
| The bigger they are, the harder I hit! | Select rare1 | |
| Don't teach my hamster to suck eggs! |
Select rare2 | |
| Ah hay! | Critical hit | |
| Gah, that's not right! | Critical miss | |
| No effect? I need bigger sword! | Target immune | |
| I have had to drop what you gave me. I have only two arms and no more space. | Inventory full | |
| None shall see me... though my battle cry may give me away. | Hidden in shadows | |
| I turned to shield Boo and have lost my spell. I am NOT sorry. | Spell disrupted | |
| I grow tired of shouting battle cries when fighting this mage. Boo will finish his eyeballs once and for all so he does not rise again. Evil, meet my sword! SWORD! MEET! EVIL! | To Irenicus |
Personality[]
Minsc is kind-hearted, has good intentions, and absolutely loves to be the hero, even willing to throw himself into danger to do what he believes is right. He does seem a bit mentally uncontrollable though, sometimes rushes into aggression behaviors towards anyone too fast without rational thinking, which often ends up getting him into trouble and avoidable conflicts as he mindlessly throws himself into combat. This is reflected by his exceptional physical stats but poor mental stats.
Trivia[]
- Minsc, together with Boo, is often regarded as one of the most popular characters in the game by both gamers and game developers.
- Minsc's Wisdom score does not fulfill the minimum requirements for rangers in AD&D. His previous head injury might account for the loss of points.
- The loss of wisdom due to a head injury is listed down in the AD&D accessory Player's Option - Combat & Tactics, page 107, which also explains Minsc's low Intelligence and Charisma.
- Despite the protagonist potentially having greater strength than Minsc at the beginning of Baldur's Gate II, only Minsc can open his cage.
- Minsc was originally going to have his own quest where Boo is kidnapped and he must find out who was responsible. This quest was cut from the original game before release but is restored in a modification known as Unfinished Business for BG2.
- Minsc originates from pen-and-paper sessions held by Baldur's Gate's lead designer James Ohlen, and the roster of players included current giants in the RPG industry. He was conceived and played by Cameron Tofer,[1] and as Tofer has explained in an interview,[2] Minsc's name was inspired by the city Minsk, a city with about ten centuries of history, currently the capital and largest city of Belarus. From the game developers' point of view, Belarus is far to the east, while Rashemen also lies in a region by the name Unapproachable East.
- In Mass Effect 2 and Mass Effect 3, which were also made by BioWare, when party member Tali uses her combat drone ability, she'll occasionally cry, "Go for the optics, Chatika!", a reference to Minsc's battle cry in Baldur's Gate II, "Go for the eyes, Boo. GO FOR THE EYES! RrraaaAAGHGHH!!!". And "Chatika" is a reference to Aerie's battlecry, "Chiktikka", a companion that could potentially become Minsc's new witch.
- Moosk from the animated series Codename: Kids Next Door is an affectionate parody of Minsc. When jumping from the plane, he yells "Where Moosk goes, ties get the butt kicking!", referencing Minsc's lines, "Where Minsc goes, evil stands aside!" and "Butt-kicking for goodness!" Both characters are voiced by Jim Cummings.
- Minsc & Boo also appear in their own, still running, series of comic books alongside a completely new group of companions, published by IDW. The story is set shortly after Murder in Baldur's Gate takes place and opens up with the moon elf Delina using her wild magic to bring the Minsc statue in Baldur's Gate to life. Whether or not the statue was the real Minsc petrified or if the statue itself became a living being is unclear.
- The first mini-series is called Dungeons & Dragons: Legends of Baldur's Gate and takes place in the city of Baldur's Gate. Coran has a cameo based on his role in Murder in Baldur's Gate.
- The second mini-series is titled Dungeon's & Dragons: Shadows of the Vampire, which is a crossover into the Ravenloft setting.
- The third mini-series is titled Dungeons & Dragons: Frost Giant's Fury which has ties to "Storm King's Thunder".
- The fourth mini-series is titled Dungeons & Dragons: Evil at Baldur's Gate.
- The fifth mini-series is titled Dungeons & Dragons: Infernal Tides, and uses story material from Baldur's Gate: Descent Into Avernus.
- Minsc also makes an appearance in the MMORPG Neverwinter which is loosely based on 4th and 5th Edition D&D rules and is set a century after the events of the Baldur's Gate series.
- Boo is nowhere to be found if Minsc is killed in battle but it comes back once the ranger is resurrected.
- Minsc perhaps has the longest potential in-party-time of all companions in the entire saga: early recruitment from Nashkel in Baldur's Gate, literally being available from the very beginning of both Siege of Dragonspear and Shadows of Amn.
- Minsc had a controversial line in initial versions of Siege of Dragonspear. He makes an "ethics" joke which alludes to GamerGate. Beamdog's CEO has made an official statement that this joke is out of character. The line has since been replaced.[3]
- Minsc (and Boo) appear in the idle game Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realms. Their ultimate attack is called "Go for the Eyes!"
Gallery[]
External links[]
- Minsc on the Forgotten Realms Wiki, a wiki for the Dungeons & Dragons campaign setting Forgotten Realms.
- Minsc's Wikipedia page