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“What is the worth of a single mortal's life?„
Overview
Background
Withers is a camp companion who offers his various services to the party. Secretive, but wise and ever helpful, he can be found in the Dank Crypt in Act 1 and remains with the party throughout the game. If asked to leave or asked who he is Withers rejects.
Gameplay
- Withers is an Undead creature whose level scales with that of the party.
- He can be encountered in Act 1 and remains with the party throughout the game.
- He cannot be damaged nor killed.
- He is the only means of changing class in the game.
Appearance
Withers has pale-brown, desiccated skin splotched with red spots. Strikingly, he lacks a nose but retains his other facial features. His outfit is tattered by the passage of time, and he wears bandages around his arms and chest. Despite his looks, his face, arms and parts of his collarbone are adorned with elaborate gilded strips of metal, giving him a regal look.
Personality
Though he may seem cryptic at times, Withers seems genuinely invested in the party's success against the Absolute and not only offers his services to aid them, but also provides information and guidance, in his own mysterious way. He is very matter-of-fact when spoken to, especially when it comes to gods and divinity, but he's never rude. He respects those with the courage to stand up to fate and take destiny into their hands, such as The Dark Urge when rejecting Bhaal for good.
At times, he also shows a kindness rarely seen as is the case with Arabella should she join the party as a camp follower. Withers soothes her after she finds her parents are dead, and will gently guide her in her journey of understanding of the Weave. He also organised the gathering after the events of the game simply for the enjoyment of the companions, and rescued Milil from the Fugue Plane he was trapped in, even if it only was to provide music and entertainment. Furthermore, he seems to enjoy more mundane activities as evidenced by his multiple luncheons with Tara and Gale's mother.
In the epilogue, Withers can be seen speaking to the mural of the Dead Three not only with a familiar tone, but also with great disdain, dismissing them as fools and vermin. Whatever his relation to them, he has no apparent respect for them, and chides them.
Services
- Withers will resurrect dead companions for a 200 gold fee per resurrection.
- He offers the service of hirelings, recruitable characters that can be added to aid your party who, unlike regular companions, do not have related quests or interactions.
- He is able to resurrect hirelings for 100 gold per resurrection.
- Withers can also change the class of a character for 100 gold, setting them back to level 1 and allowing them to change their class, subclass, spells, ability scores, skill proficiencies, feats, etc.
- Characters cannot change their race, appearance, origin, or background. This includes selectable aspects of race, such as the high elf's choice of cantrip.
- Paladins who have broken their oaths cannot access this class change; they must retake their vows first through the Oathbreaker Knight.
- Though not directly through him, his Magic Mirror can be used to change the appearance of non-origin characters and The Dark Urge.
History
Little is known about Withers' history prior to the game.
Whoever he was, he was important enough to be laid to rest in a richly adorned sarcophagus, alongside attendants to take care of the temple that serves as his resting place. Paladins and clerics feel a divine energy coming from him, and whoever he was in life, he seems to have a deep understanding of gods and their nature.
Though the game never explicitly states it, it heavily implies Withers is actually Jergal, the erstwhile "Lord of the End of Everything", a powerful god who willingly gave up part of his divine portfolio to three evil adventurers who would then become the Dead Three. Jergal would henceforth carry out his duty as a bookkeeper of the dead. For more information see Jergal.
Involvement
Act One
Withers is first encountered in the Dank Crypt - an ancient temple of Jergal. He can be found resting inside a sarcophagus within the hidden room. Once freed, he will ask the party a cryptic question and then leave.
Later, Withers will appear at the campsite and join as a camp follower. If the party reaches the courtyard of the goblin camp, or progresses far enough without completing 
and meeting him in the crypt, this will still happen. If the party then visits the crypt, they'll still be able to complete the aforementioned quest, but the sarcophagus will be empty.
Act Two
Withers can be found in Moonrise Towers after defeating Ketheric Thorm, where he will ask the party whether they think illithids possess souls or not. Regardless of the answer, Withers will affirm that they do not, and he ponders why the Dead Three would amass an army of soulless beings when souls are what gods need to imbue them with power.
Act Three
If the The Dark Urge is chosen as origin and refuses to become the Chosen of Bhaal after killing Orin the Red, Bhaal will seemingly kill the player character. However, in the final moment, Withers will appear and tell the player character that while Bhaal could destroy his own spawn, he could not destroy the new self that the player character had become by resisting the Dark Urge. He pronounces the player character redeemed and free of Bhaal's influence and brings them back to life.
Withers can be found among the allies and companions gathered in High Hall for the final battle against the Netherbrain. He will offer his services as always, as well as offer some words of encouragement for the fight ahead.
Epilogue
Six months after the events of the game, Withers extends an invitation to all companions, gathering them all at the campsite that served as home for many days for a celebratory party. For this, he has prepared food and beverage, a fact many companions remark upon with surprise, as well as summon Milil, a former god trapped in the Fugue Plane, to provide music and entertainment. After mingling with the guests, he can be spoken to and he will offer a toast to the heroes of Baldur's Gate, telling them that there may yet be a time where they are called to action once more.
Tara, Gale's tressym, that reveals that Withers has regularly joined her and Mrs. Dekarios for luncheons on numerous occasions in the past six months.
If the player character attacks anyone, Withers banishes them to an unknown realm through a portal, and the game ends immediately.
In the after credits scene, Withers is seen talking to a mural of the Dead Three disappointed in their actions and telling them that he overestimated them.
Combat
Withers cannot be damaged and is functionally invincible[See: Bugs], and he will never engage in battle if provoked.
If Withers is attacked, he will respond in banter with one of the following:
- Ah, yes. Well struck.
- Thy accuracy would be lauded, had it a purpose.
- Hast thou considered this is a waste of mortal energy?
- When one tries and fails so many times, it is often named madness.
Loot
Withers cannot be killed or looted. without the use of bugs or mods if the player ever manages to kill him using bugs or mods he will drop a quarter staff
Related Literature
Related Quests
Achievements
Outsourcing
Recruit a hireling. You can befriend them or use them as cannon-fodder - we won't judge.
Gallery
Withers' in-game model.
Appearance during Early Access.
Official concept art by Jane Katsubo.
Concept art from the Digital Artbook.
Withers as featured in Community update #24.
Notes
- Withers puts the gold he receives for his services into a pickpocketable inventory, so it's possible to steal back any money paid. Withers will not react to failed pickpocketing, allowing unlimited attempts.
- In Early Access he was initially called The Hooded Skeleton even though he had no visible hood. He was later renamed to Talkative Skeleton, and finally Withers.
- If speaking with a hireling, it is revealed Withers is in fact controlling them remotely. In a sense, this makes Withers indirectly a companion as well.
- There is never a point where Withers actually reveals that his name is Withers, this information is revealed purely via the subtitles. It is unclear how the party members themselves learn this.
Bugs
- As of Hotfix 21, there is a bug where Withers can be killed in camp during Act 3 by a partial-illithid character, via repeatedly using an Intelligence Cantrip (or other Spells) to trigger Ability Drain to bring Withers' INT to 1, and then using Devour Intellect. Withers only drops a regular
Quarterstaff.
External links
Withers on the Forgotten Realms Wiki