Changing your class in Baldur’s Gate 3 can completely reshape your adventure, letting you rewrite your character’s strengths and strategy. Here’s how Withers can help you respec your hero and experiment with new builds without starting from scratch.
‘Explore the Ruins’ quest
Venture into the crumbling remnants of an ancient temple hidden in the Shadow-Cursed Lands. Face off against spectral guardians and solve a puzzle involving rotating stone pillars to reveal a concealed sarcophagus. Inside waits Withers, the enigmatic undead merchant who offers class respec services for a modest 100 gold fee, letting you rebuild your character from level 1 with any combination of classes and subclasses.
After the tutorial is over and the Nautiloid ship crashes onto the Beach, you’ll set to exploring and collecting companions. Straight north of where you wake up, you’ll meet Shadowheart. If you continue north, you’ll find the Overgrown Ruins and get the “Explore the Ruins” quest.
There’s a lot going on inside, but for our purposes, you’re looking for a lich named Withers. You’ll find him in a secret-ish room all the way to the north. After you talk to him, he’ll head to your camp. You’ll find him on the northwest side near the river.
How to change class and respec Ability Points in Baldur’s Gate 3
Recruit Withers early in Act 1 by exploring the Dank Crypt on the beach ruins north of the Nautiloid crash site. Once he joins your camp, speak to him and select the option to change class for 100 gold; this resets the character to level 1 while keeping all experience, race, background, and appearance intact. Choose a new class or the same one to respec, then adjust Ability Points in the Attributes panel by redistributing them as during character creation, before leveling back up through your prior levels. This process works on any party member, including companions like Gale or Lae’zel.
After you’ve freed Withers from his sarcophagus, you can talk to him any time you’re in camp. He’ll bring back any dead party members (for 200gp), hire out lackeys, and let you change your class for 100gp.
When you choose to change your class, your character will get reset to level 1, just like it was in the character creator. Clicking on any of the classes will switch up your Ability Scores to match the class you choose. If you click on Attributes along the left side, you can move around ability points just like you could in the character creator. Remember that it’s not a one-to-one system, though – higher scores are harder to get.
Importantly, you’ll keep all of the XP you’ve earned up to this point. That means that once you’ve selected a new class, you’ll be able to level up to where you were before. It’s a good way to make another choice for subclass or pick a new ability if you’re not happy.
Also note: any character in your party can speak with Withers, even the Origin characters (the other default party members). That means, for 100gp, you can remake Asterion into a noble Paladin or Gale into a tanky Barbarian.
Where to find Withers step-by-step location guide
Withers is located in the Dank Crypt within the Overgrown Ruins, early in Act 1 of Baldur’s Gate 3, north of the Nautiloid crash beach.
Step-by-Step Path
Start at the Overgrown Ruins waypoint near the beach. Head north to the chapel ruins with a large statue; jump down the hole inside the chapel (east of Roadside Cliffs). Exit the room left, pass the locked door, enter the statue room, and succeed a Perception check to spot a hidden button on the back wall-press it to unlock the prior door. Proceed through to the Dank Crypt entrance.
Entering Dank Crypt
From the entrance, turn right and open the large double doors (lockpick DC if needed, or use Astarion). Loot the Richly Adorned Sarcophagus carefully-triggers grease and fireballs; time movement to avoid ignition. Open the next double doors, pass a statue, go left into the cloister, and push the skull lever to awaken skeletons-defeat them.
Awakening Withers
Interact with the Richly Adorned Sarcophagus at the end to revive Withers. Choose dialogue like “No one life is worth more than any other” to recruit him; he then appears permanently at camp after resting.
Show the quickest route to the Dank Crypt from the beach
The quickest route to the Dank Crypt from the Ravaged Beach in Baldur’s Gate 3 starts immediately north along the beach from your Nautiloid crash site.
Beach Ancient Door Path
Head north from the beach past ship wreckage to the locked Ancient Door near the Overgrown Ruins waypoint (easiest direct access). Use Thieves’ Tools and a Sleight of Hand check (Astarion excels here) to lockpick it open-no combat needed. This drops you straight into the trap-filled sarcophagus room leading to Withers.
Alternatives if Locked
If lacking tools early, fast travel to Overgrown Ruins waypoint, enter the chapel ruins, pass bandits via dialogue or stealth, and press the hidden wall button (Perception DC 14) for internal access. Avoid the longer cliffside hatch east of the chapel unless skipping bandits entirely.
Tips for Speed
Recruit Astarion (beach west of ruins) first for lockpicking; skip fights by moving quietly. Level 2 recommended; disarm traps slowly in the crypt to reach Withers fastest.
