Balthazar

Balthazar is an Undead necromancer, who can first be encountered in the Gauntlet of Shar during Act Two.

“

We're still close. She's in a jar on the shelf over there.

„

— Balthazar elaborating on his relationship with his mother

Overview

Background

Balthazar is a necromancer in service to General Ketheric Thorm, sent to the Gauntlet of Shar to retrieve the Nightsong, who is the source of Ketheric Thorm's immortality.

Involvement

Balthazar can first be encountered in the Gauntlet of Shar, behind a locked door guarded by his undead servants.

Approaching the door and / or his servants, wherever they are found, generally triggers a conversation. Combat begins at the conclusion of this conversation, when Dark Justiciar Avengers attack his undead servants and the party. Once this fights ends, the party may have the opportunity to speak to Balthazar further and learn more about  the relic he is searching for. There is also the option to attack and kill Balthazar at any time after this encounter, and it is also possible to fully avoid contact with Balthazar and his servants until entering the Shadowfell.

If not killed earlier, Balthazar is met a second time, upon crossing the threshold into the Shadowfell. If not met previously, he introduces himself and offers the opportunity to help him finish his mission.

Whenever first met, the party is generally allowed at several points to choose if they want to kill Balthazar or help him finish his mission.

If choosing to help Balthazar obtain the Nightsong the party can later meet with Ketheric Thorm, who ultimately takes them as prisoners. They wake up in Balthazar's lab at the Mind Flayer Colony, where he prepares to find a way to remove the Mysterious Artefact from the party's possession. Eventually, a fight between the party and Balthazar breaks out.

Combat

Unless bought from him during dialogue (by using the Trade button). Balthazar consumes a Potion of Speed at the start of his turn to gain the  Hastened condition.

Attacks and abilities

 Animate Dead ()

Awaken the dead from their century-long slumber.

Cast as a unique Level 6 variant, only when confronted in the Nightsong's Prison, to reanimate an army of skeletons from the surrounding bones.

 Bone Chill ()

1d8 (1~8) Necrotic

Prevent the target from healing until your next turn. An undead target receives Disadvantage on Attack rolls.

 Range: 18 m / 60 ft

 Cloudkill ()

5d8 (5~40) Poison

Craft a large cloud that inflicts 5d8Poison damage per turn. You can reposition the cloud every turn.

The cloud Heavily Obscures everything within it.

CON Save

 Range: 18 m / 60 ft

 Misty Step ()

Surrounded by silver mist, you teleport to an unoccupied space you can see.

 Range: 18 m / 60 ft

 No Rest for the Wicked ()

Death is but a temporary inconvenience - raise a fallen undead with half of its hit points.

 Range: 3 m / 10 ft

 Ray of Sickness ()

2d8 (2~16) Poison

Possibly  Poisons the target.

CON Save

 Range: 18 m / 60 ft

Honour mode

 The Dead Wastes

4d6 (4~24) Necrotic

+

4d6 (4~24) hit points

Open a necrotic rift from a new corpse that heals Undead 4d6hit points and deals 4d6Necrotic to living creatures at the start of their turns.

 Range: 18 m / 60 ft

Allies

In the Gauntlet of Shar:

• Flesh
• Ghoul Medic - 3x

In the Shadowfell:

• Apostate Defender - 8x
• Apostate Destroyer - 3x
• Apostate Librarian - 3x
• Apostate Sentinel - 6x

Tactics

• Lockpicking or casting  Knock on his door outside his room during the ambush in the Gauntlet of Shar forces him into combat against the Sharrans, where he can be killed more easily.

Notable Loot

• Circle of Bones

Related quests

•  Defeat Ketheric Thorm
•  Find Ketheric Thorm's Relic
•  Find the Nightsong
•  The Chosen of Shar

Related literature

• Diary of Ketheric Thorm, Vol 2
• Moonrise Towers Prisoner Log
• Ornate Letter
• Stained Book (Thorm Mausoleum)
• Tissue and Organ Register
• Unsent Letter (Ketheric Thorm)

Written by Balthazar

• A Little Gift
• Attention Acolytes
• Balthazar's Notes
• Balthazar Personal Notes: 2
• Balthazar Personal Notes: 3
• Clasped Book (Moonrise Towers)
• Goblins: The Maglubiyet Gambit
• Instructions from B
• Orders from B
• Research Notes (Balthazar)
• Soul Cage Research
• Stained Book (Thorm Mausoleum)
• Temple Map

Gallery

• 

  Model

• 

  Digital Artbook concept art.

• 

  Digital Artbook concept art.

• 

  Render by Nikolai Chugunov

Notes

• Balthazar's name (and ribs) were taken from the monk Balthazar, a character from Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal.

External links

• Balthazar (necromancer) on the Forgotten Realms Wiki