The renowned mage Elminster Aumar is a prominent figure in the rich tapestry of the Forgotten Realms Dungeons and Dragons setting. In Baldur's Gate 3, he briefly appears as part of the wizard Gale's narrative, delivering a message from the goddess Mystra. However, prior to his mentorship of Gale in Baldur's Gate 3, the enigmatic and powerful wizard sporadically provided guidance and counsel to the adventuring party in Baldur's Gate 1 and 2.
Unveiling Baldur's Gate: The Enigmatic Old Man
Elminster shared a close bond with Gorion, the foster father of the protagonist in Baldur's Gate 1 and 2. He alerted Gorion about the Bhaalspawn Sarevok Anchev's target on his ward. Following Gorion's demise, Elminster occasionally appeared to offer counsel to the party. In Chapter 1, he was encountered simply as a 'Mysterious Old Man,' later correctly identified as Elminster in subsequent encounters.
Each encounter with Elminster proved advantageous, as the wizard lauded the party for their achievements and provided guidance on potential courses of action. However, in Chapter 6, during the party's visit to the scholarly enclave of Candlekeep, a Greater Doppelganger disguised itself as Elminster to assail the party. Fortunately, despite being a formidable foe, the Doppelganger lacked access to Elminster's array of spells.
Confronting Elminster In Baldur's Gate
Similar to other non-hostile NPCs, the party could engage Elminster in combat. Eliminating him yielded 26,000 EXP. However, his formidable level and swift teleportation made defeating him a challenging endeavor. Common strategies included:
- Employing a Thief Rogue to set traps around him
- Utilizing a Bolt of Polymorph to transform him into an animal
- Using Arrows of Detonation (typically necessitating at least one critical hit)