How to Respec in BG3: Withers, Cost and What You Can Change
November 9, 2026 · 6 min read
On this page
- Where to find Withers
- How to get into the Dank Crypt
- Getting to his tomb
- How to respec a character
- What a respec changes and what it doesn't
- How to change your appearance
- Paladins with a broken oath
- When is a respec worth it?
- Withers' other services
- Frequently asked questions
- How much does it cost to respec in BG3?
- Can you respec in BG3 without Withers?
- Do you lose experience when you respec?
- Can you change your race in Baldur's Gate 3?
- Can you respec companions like Shadowheart or Lae'zel?
- How do you change your appearance in BG3?
To respec in Baldur's Gate 3, talk to Withers at your camp and pay him 100 gold. The character goes back to level 1 in the character creation screen, where you can rebuild their class, subclass, ability scores, skills, spells and feats. They keep their experience, so you can level them straight back up to where they were.
Withers is the only way to respec in the game, and he works on your own character and on every companion. Here is where to find him, what a respec can and cannot change, and a few things worth knowing before you spend the gold.
Last checked: November 9, 2026.
Where to find Withers
Withers sleeps in a sarcophagus in the Dank Crypt, part of the Overgrown Ruins near the Nautiloid crash site at the start of Act 1. Wake him and he asks the character who opened his tomb a cryptic question, then wanders off. The next time you go to camp, he is waiting there as a permanent camp follower.
You do not strictly need to find him. If you skip the crypt, he still turns up at your camp once you reach the courtyard of the goblin camp. Going early is worth it, though, because his services are useful from the first few levels onward.
How to get into the Dank Crypt
The ruins have four ways in:
| Entrance | Where | How to open it |
|---|---|---|
| Ancient door | Ravaged Beach, near the ruins waypoint | DC 20 Sleight of Hand to pick the lock |
| Chapel door | Down the stairs at the Chapel Entrance | DC 7 Sleight of Hand, or talk the bandit guard Andorn into opening it |
| Hatch | On the cliff path past the Chapel Entrance | DC 20 Sleight of Hand to pick the lock |
| Falling block | Above the Chapel Entrance | Shoot the rope holding a marble block so it crashes through the floor |
The chapel route takes you through a group of bandits inside the Refectory first. The ancient door on the beach leads straight into the crypt, but it needs thieves' tools and a good Sleight of Hand roll, and Astarion is the natural choice for that.
Getting to his tomb
- In the southern chamber, the sarcophagus in the middle holds an Engraved Key. Opening it sets off a grease and fire trap. You can disarm it first, or hit the button on the middle pillar once it fires to shut it off.
- The key opens the heavy doors to the north, which lead to a hall with a large statue of Jergal and a few corpses on the floor.
- Look for a button on the wall behind the statue. Pressing it opens a hidden room, but it also raises the skeletons in the hall, so get your party in position first.
- Open the sarcophagus in the hidden room to wake Withers. Loot the sarcophagus and the chest in the same room afterwards.
How to respec a character
- Go to camp and talk to Withers.
- Ask him to change a character's class and confirm the 100 gold fee.
- The game opens the character creation screen with that character reset to level 1.
- Rebuild them and confirm. Their experience is kept, so you can level them back up to their previous level right away.
You can respec as often as you like, as long as you have the gold. The fee is the same 100 gold each time.
What a respec changes and what it doesn't
| Can change with Withers | Cannot change with Withers |
|---|---|
| Class and subclass | Race and subrace |
| Ability scores | Gender and body type |
| Skill proficiencies | Background |
| Spells and cantrips | Origin (for example, Astarion stays Astarion) |
| Feats | Appearance |
| Multiclass split and other level-up choices | Racial choices, such as a high elf's bonus cantrip |
Background is the one that catches people out, since it sets two of your skill proficiencies. Pick it with care at the start, because it stays the same even after a respec.
The rules are the same for companions. You can turn Karlach into a Wizard or Gale into a Barbarian if you want to, and the story carries on as if nothing changed. Their personal quests, dialogue and backstory stay the same.
How to change your appearance
Appearance is handled by a different object: the Magic Mirror in your camp. Larian added it in an update, and it opens the appearance section of character creation, so you can redo the look you picked at the start of the game.
It has its own limits. It works on custom characters, the Dark Urge and hirelings, but not on the other origin characters. It also cannot change race, subrace or body type, and some story changes to a character's look can't be reverted with it.
Paladins with a broken oath
Withers refuses to respec a Paladin who has broken their oath. First, speak to the Oathbreaker Knight who appears at your camp. He restores your oath for 1,000 gold the first time, and costs more if you break it again. Once your vows are restored, Withers will respec you as usual. That matters if you want to move a Paladin into a different class, so read your oath's rules before making risky story choices.
When is a respec worth it?
At 100 gold, a respec is cheap enough to use freely. Good moments to do it:
- After Act 1's first few levels, once you know which roles your party actually needs. The companion guide covers the gaps a party usually has.
- When a companion's default build doesn't fit, for example if you want a second healer or a stronger front line.
- Before trying a multiclass, since you can plan the whole split from level 1 instead of bolting levels on.
- When your ability scores are spread too thin. The BG3 point buy calculator lets you plan a 27-point spread before you pay Withers, so you get it right first time.
If you are still choosing a class for your first run, the beginner class guide explains which classes are the most forgiving.
Withers' other services
Withers does more than respec:
- Resurrection: brings a dead companion back for 200 gold.
- Hirelings: from level 3, he can provide hired adventurers to fill empty party slots, which is useful if a companion leaves or you want a class nobody in your camp has.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to respec in BG3?
A respec costs 100 gold, paid to Withers at your camp. The price is the same each time, and there is no limit on how often you can do it.
Can you respec in BG3 without Withers?
No. Withers is the only character who offers respecs, so you need to have woken him in the Dank Crypt or reached the goblin camp, after which he appears at your camp anyway.
Do you lose experience when you respec?
No. The character drops to level 1 during the rebuild, but they keep their experience. The game offers the level ups again as soon as you finish, so you can return to the same level straight away.
Can you change your race in Baldur's Gate 3?
No. Race, subrace, body type and background are fixed once you leave character creation. Withers changes class and stats, and the Magic Mirror changes looks, but neither touches race.
Can you respec companions like Shadowheart or Lae'zel?
Yes. Withers can respec any companion, including the origin characters, into any class. Their story, personality and personal quest do not change.
How do you change your appearance in BG3?
Use the Magic Mirror at your camp. It works on custom characters, the Dark Urge and hirelings, but not on the other origin companions, and it cannot change race or body type.
