You’ve spent over a hundred hours making choices. You spared a life here, betrayed a tyrant there, and maybe even convinced a giant spider to walk away from a fight. Then you hit the Upper City in Act 3, and suddenly there’s a new button on your hotbar.
It’s the Call Forth Allies action.
Honestly, by the time most players reach the final climb toward the Netherbrain, they’re so powerful they forget this mechanic exists. Or worse, they hoard their allies like they hoard those "Potions of Angelic Slumber" they'll never actually drink. That is a mistake. Using the bg3 call forth allies system isn't just about making the fight easier; it’s the payoff for every single moral crossroad you faced since the crashed Nautiloid.
How the Call Forth Allies Mechanic Actually Works
Basically, this is a special class action granted by the "Gather Your Allies" quest. It appears on your UI near your standard weapon actions once you enter the final sequence of the game.
Here is the kicker: it costs an Action.
In a game where Action Economy is king, spending a full turn to bring in some Flaming Fist soldiers might feel like a waste. But if you're smart, you'll realize that most of these summons don't just soak up damage—they disrupt the AI. When you summon the Gur Huntwardens or Florrick’s Cohort, the Mind Flayers and Counter-Measure Goblins stop focusing on Gale’s fragile health bar and start swinging at the NPCs.
The Fine Print You Need to Know
- One and Done: For most summons, if they die, they are gone for good. You can’t just re-summon them in the next stage of the battle.
- AI Control: Most allies are AI-controlled. You don't get to micromanage their turns like your main party. They’ll do their own thing, which is usually "run toward the nearest threat and hit it."
- Spell-Like Abilities: Not every ally is a physical body. Some, like Isobel, provide a massive one-time heal (Balm of the Moonmaiden), while Voss provides a literal red dragon fire strike.
Who Can You Actually Summon?
The list of people who can show up depends entirely on how much of a "hero" (or "villain") you were. It’s impossible to get everyone in a single playthrough because many are mutually exclusive. You can't exactly have the Harpers and the Cult of Bhaal grabbing drinks together.
The Heavy Hitters
If you played your cards right, you’ll have access to some genuinely "broken" summons.
Dame Aylin (Nightsong): She’s the MVP for a reason. She’s an Aasimar Paladin who hits like a truck and, more importantly, she can't really "die" in the lore sense, though she can be downed in combat. To get her, you obviously have to spare her in Act 2 and then protect her from Lorroakan in Act 3.
The Armored Owlbear: This is the fan favorite. If you saved the cub in Act 1, kept Dammon alive to forge its armor, and didn't let it die at camp, you get a fully grown, plate-clad Owlbear. It’s tanky, it jumps everywhere, and it’s terrifying.
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Yurgir the Orthon: Getting a literal devil on your side is a flex. You have to either kill him in Act 2 and then pass a massive DC 30 Persuasion check in the House of Hope, or help him out. He’s great because he goes invisible and can sneak attack the annoying Arcanists on the brain's crown.
The Weird and Niche
Some allies provide passive buffs rather than boots on the ground.
- Volo: If you rescue him (again) in Act 3, he gives a permanent buff to attack rolls and saving throws.
- Arabella: Her "Weavewalker" buff gives your party Freedom of Movement, which is actually life-saving during the final climb when everyone is trying to Slow or Restrain you.
- Strange Ox: If you helped this... whatever it is... through all three acts, it shows up as a "Zhentarim-adjacent" powerhouse. It’s weird, it’s gross, and it’s very effective.
Strategy: When to Actually Push the Button
Don't use everything in the first courtyard.
The final battle is a multi-stage gauntlet. The courtyard fight is a mess of enemies, but you can usually handle it with high-level AoE spells like Chain Lightning or Globe of Invulnerability.
Save your "summon" allies—the ones that place actual bodies on the field—for the climb up the tower or the final confrontation on top of the Netherbrain. The Silver Harp Squadron (Jaheira’s archers) are fantastic for the tower climb because they can provide cover fire while your main party sprints toward the Brain Stem.
If you’re playing a Dark Urge who embraced Bhaal, you might notice your options are... thinner. You get the Slayer form and some Bhaalist assassins, but you lose out on the "good" army. It’s the price of being a monster.
Dealing with the "Missing Ally" Bug
It happens. You spent thirty hours making sure Duke Ravengard survived the Iron Throne, and then you get to the final rally and he’s nowhere to be found.
Sometimes it’s a genuine bug. Act 3 is massive and things break. However, more often than not, it’s a missed dialogue trigger. For characters like Aylin or Mizora, you often have to talk to them at camp specifically about the "final battle" after completing their personal quests. If the quest log says they'll be there but the button is missing, try a long rest or checking if another character in your party has the button instead. Sometimes only the "party leader" (whoever started the final sequence) has the full list.
Actionable Next Steps for Your Final Run
If you're staring at the final act of your latest playthrough, here is how you maximize your "Call Forth Allies" potential:
- Check Your Log: Look at the "Gather Your Allies" quest. If someone is listed but says "We haven't spoken in a while," go to camp and exhaust their dialogue.
- Rescue Florrick: She’s easy to forget in the Wyrm's Rock Prison, but her cohort is one of the sturdiest meat-shields in the game.
- The House of Hope: Don't skip it. Even if you don't care about the hammer, recruiting Yurgir is worth the DC 30 check. Use Enhance Ability and Guidance to make sure you land it.
- Action Economy Hack: If you have the Mind Sanctuary Illithid power, you can swap actions and bonus actions. This allows you to dump three or four allies onto the field in a single turn without losing your ability to attack.
Stop hoarding your resources. Call the help. Watching a plate-armored Owlbear and a literal Angel tear through a group of Mind Flayers is exactly what you worked for.
Next Step: Check your current Act 3 quest log to see which allies are still "active" before you trigger the Point of No Return at the Morphic Pool.