r/BG3 • u/TheJoshArchives • 1d ago

What is Withers saving up for? Spoiler

I never understood why Withers requires money for his support, is there any Lore to justify this?

I always thought it would be better if his payment method was soul coins, then we would have to prioritise buffing Karlach or restrictions.

197 Upvotes

98% Upvoted

88 comments sorted by

353

u/Aeroshe 1d ago

I think it's because of who he actually is. He's technically forbidden from directly interfering with mortal affairs, so by "selling" his services it can be seen as an equal exchange instead of directly aiding mortals.

And I use selling in quotes, because his services are insanely cheap for what he offers, and you have 0 penalty for stealing your money back from him.

129

u/TheJoshArchives 1d ago edited 1d ago

Ahh yeah like paying a lawyer £1.00 to initiate patient-client confidentiality 🧐

64

u/Tavdan 1d ago

Yeah, that's a great analogy. And Withers is not saving. He doesn't care if you pickpocket him.

24

u/Kman1986 1d ago

Also, you can just pick pocket it back consequence free. No matter how many times he spots you or you fail the roll, he never aggros. He's a real bro.

9

u/TheJoshArchives 1d ago

And I'm also providing first class experience in to why I need a lawyer

36

u/lucusvonlucus 1d ago

Are you say it’s because it is his calling?

10

u/donku83 1d ago

"No...."

4

u/g-row460 1d ago

Can you elaborate?

28

u/FormeldaHydes 1d ago

5e revivify also expressly requires specifically “300 gold” worth of diamonds. Seems like resurrection is really just a rich man’s game

36

u/KaiG1987 1d ago edited 1d ago

Yeah, and that's Revivify. What Withers is doing for us is more like Resurrection (1,000g) or even True Resurrection (25,000g).

Edit: I have been notified that the combat log confirms that it's True Resurrection, which makes sense. I never noticed myself because I don't really use Withers for resurrection.

18

u/liliesrobots 1d ago

He literally casts True Res. You can see it in the combat log.

15

u/FormeldaHydes 1d ago

He probably just wants to rub salt in the wound after we let a party member die in a stupid way AND don’t have any revivify scrolls

32

u/Sunny_Hill_1 1d ago

True Resurrection wouldn't even work on Astarion, so Withers is technically performing Divine Intervention every time he casts it for Astarion specifically. Dude is being extremely lenient with us.

26

u/el_sh33p Fighter 1d ago

Most people's names are written in the Book of Death using permanent ink.

Ours are written with #2 lead and a good eraser close by.

13

u/donku83 1d ago

And yet when I asked him to revive the bard, he basically said, "Nah, that ones on you bro"

5

u/ApepiOfDuat Cleric 1d ago

Lore-wise based on how he talks about it, it's definitely some kind of Divine Intervention where he's unmaking our deaths.

Game mechanics-wise he's casting True Resurrection (it's in the action log). Obviously you wouldn't bother programming in a 3rd kind of resurrection magic just for Withers to use when Revivify and True Rez already exist.

2

u/Sunny_Hill_1 21h ago

I was talking more about how True Resurrection isn't supposed to be applicable to someone who's been dead for more than 200 years, and if it was, then Astarion would resurrect resurrect, not half-resurrect in an undead state of a vampire. So for Astarion it's a modified True Resurrection with some very specific caveats. Theoretically, though, it means that a powerful enough cleric can keep bugging their deity for Divine Intervention until they can actually get to True Resurrection for Astarion that would legit resurrect him.

2

u/Brilliant-Expert3150 1d ago

So? It's still OUTRAGEOUS!!

6

u/KaiG1987 1d ago

Lol, "only" a discount of 99.6%!

2

u/Brilliant-Expert3150 1d ago

Ik, that makes it really funny when I tell him it's outrageous, which is every time. 😁

1

u/4ries 1d ago

Doesn't the combat log say true resurrection?

1

u/Acceptable_Account_2 1d ago

I think it specifically says “Withers casts True Resurrection” in the event events log.

5

u/Scaalpel 1d ago

The mega-rich man's, at least if we go by the tabletop's metrics.

Same goes for immortality, too, there are some extremely expensive potions that can extend the user's lifespan.

0

u/diablosinmusica 1d ago

Which, I've always found pointless. Campaigns almost never last long enough for age to really matter. I've only encountered them as a McGuffin to keep away from the antagonist/ find for the quest giver.

1

u/Scaalpel 1d ago

It's more of a worldbuilding device. It provides a handy explanation for how old legacy NPCs from the heyday of the game (or similar characters you might introduce) can still be running around 1000+ years later despite ostensibly being mortals.

17

u/Celeste1357 1d ago

Being the former god of dead he can probably just cast true resurrection at will as a Spell-Like Ability (so no components required). So it’s definitely an “if i do this for free Ao will get pissed” thing.

12

u/Sunny_Hill_1 1d ago

Divine Intervention. He is literally casting Divine Intervention for us left, right, and center to bypass the True Resurrection component requirement, and in Astarion's case, the 200 years limit.

8

u/Cracotte2011 1d ago

YOU CAN STEAL FROM WITHERS???

2

u/diablosinmusica 1d ago

Yup. And the cost doesn't increase if you steal your money back every time.

1

u/Brilliant-Expert3150 1d ago

I found out about it while reading tips for HM run and yeah, would be impossible without it, lol.

61

u/Bvvitched 1d ago

Withers is saving up for you to rob him. He’s your savings account (0% interest)

7

u/Jordan_the_Hutt 1d ago

In case anyone doesn't know, you can pickpocket him to get back all your money with 0 negative consequences.

9

u/Dantez9001 1d ago

Idk, my slight guilty feeling is a consequence.

4

u/Bvvitched 1d ago

Use a hireling, he’ll never know

3

u/Tamtiy Wizard 17h ago

The fact that Withers is actually the one controlling the hirelings makes this really funny. You're making him steal from himself

3

u/Bvvitched 14h ago

Which makes it a gift from withers to you, honestly so generous of him

64

u/Number1Bg3Fan 1d ago

I mean I think the fact you can steal it off him and he won’t get mad shows maybe he’s just trying to make you a better thief. Or maybe he’s saving up for the reunion party 😂

46

u/TheJoshArchives 1d ago

Ohhh I thought he was saving up for some ehem enhancement surgery ehem

18

u/Number1Bg3Fan 1d ago

Ahahahha true true I forgot about those thangs 😂😂 beauty don’t come cheap 😭.

9

u/ColdRainNight 1d ago

Excuse me! They’re called big NATURALS, Withers’ knockers are 100% organic! 😤

1

u/TheJoshArchives 1d ago

Sorry sorry, didn't mean to mis-gender Wither-set

4

u/_Cultivating_Mass_ 1d ago

I never thought to steal from Withers.

6

u/Number1Bg3Fan 1d ago

As long as scratch doesn’t catch you nothing bad happens from it!

5

u/TheCrystalRose Sorcerer 1d ago

Or the Owlbear cub or worse, the Oathbreaker Knight...

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u/Number1Bg3Fan 1d ago

thankfully never had him around (or unthankfully coz oathbreaker paladin seems cool but I’ve never played it yet) but I can see that going catastrophically wrong with him there 😭. Thankfully owlbear and scratch are always occupied playing together in my runs so I don’t have to worry too much about them.

3

u/TheCrystalRose Sorcerer 1d ago

Yeah... whatever you do, don't pickpocket near the Knight on Honor Mode. He's incredibly hard to kill early game, you can't flee combat (because you're in camp already), and once he's dead you can never regain your Oath or become an Oathbreaker (if you weren't already). Meaning, unless you had already regained your Oath from him, before his death, you cannot respec at Withers for the rest of the run.

3

u/Number1Bg3Fan 1d ago

Oooooof that’s bad 😭. Thankfully I’m not one to take risks on honour mode although I’ve got the achievement so next time I might have a little less worry. But yeah he sounds like an absolute pain in the arse if shit goes wrong. I do want to do a paladin playthrough at some point just to meet him but I’ve got three other runs planned first so I’ll have to see 😂.

2

u/TheJoshArchives 1d ago edited 1d ago

I'm currently doing a Paladin Oath of Vengence run on Honor Mode. My plan is to do a brutal hero playthrough, with no mercy, then break my Oath at the end of act 1 by not killing Minthara. I will then infiltrate moonrise posing as a true sole, rescue her, and depending on Shadowhearts decision re-gain my Oath or become an oathbreaker.

2

u/Number1Bg3Fan 1d ago

Oooo that sounds so cool! Definitely making me want to play paladin now, I’ll have to pencil it in 😂. Good luck with your honour mode and hope all your oath shenanigans go to plan!

3

u/TheJoshArchives 1d ago

Thank you! It's my third attempt at Honor Mode, problem is I keep trying stupid new things and instant wiping my party 😂

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u/razorsmileonreddit 1d ago edited 1d ago

lol, I think Withers is just doing that thing where a lawyer that's technically not helping you pro bono charges you a single dollar for his services

15

u/Sunny_Hill_1 1d ago

Technically, since Withers is a god, he can only perform miracles of resurrection for his believers, by Ao's law. If he asks for gold, he can say that hey, they are totally my believers, see, they even made a donation/performed a holy sacrifice to me. That's also the reason why Karlach and/or Astarion don't end up in the Wall as non-believers if they die after the campaign, and instead have a pretty comfy afterlife in the Fugue in a quasi "cleric of Jergal" status, just as clerics of Kelemvor would.

1

u/TheJoshArchives 1d ago

Thank you so much, you made it make sense!

1

u/Silverfoxmaster 1d ago

I wasn't 100% sure, but this is what I figured was going on too.

9

u/Frozen_Sticker 1d ago

For his tea dates with Gale's mother 😄

4

u/IntelligentLife3451 1d ago

Time share in Florida so the grandkids can stay with him while visiting Disney World

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u/Wobulating 1d ago

Top surgery to get his big naturals

5

u/slekrons 1d ago

Saving up for a new plus sized cloak to fit his enormous yadongalahongalogangas.

1

u/TheJoshArchives 1d ago

Oh right yeah, his brubrbrbrbrbrbrb

4

u/Silverfoxmaster 1d ago edited 1d ago

I always saw it as basically giving tribute to him for his blessings. Like how you can give offerings to the other gods in Act 3.

3

u/TheJoshArchives 1d ago

Ahh yeah I like this one! "Fine, I'll bring you back to life. But can you do some normal worshipping stuff every now and then so the other gods don't get sus"

4

u/yappari_slytherin 1d ago

Nose job

1

u/TheJoshArchives 1d ago

To be fair he does have a big set of... nostrils

4

u/eilupt 1d ago

He's gotta pay for the epilogue party

2

u/catentity 1d ago

He's saving up for his Big Naturals clearly

2

u/HJWalsh 1d ago

Beach house in Maui. That's my head canon.

1

u/TheJoshArchives 1d ago

Not sure why I asked, pretty sure that was confirmed in patch 5

2

u/BattleCrier 16h ago

Baldur's Gate's finest.. women, beer, gambling and... women.

1

u/TheJoshArchives 16h ago

He's actually younger than us but the thug life changes a guy

2

u/Aurhim 14h ago

He knew Trump’s tariffs were coming, so he’s been stocking up in preparation. His 401k is very important to him.

1

u/TheJoshArchives 14h ago

My guys going to work himself into the ground

1

u/thatkilliankid 1d ago

He's saving for his mammeries surgery.

1

u/kvmullett118 1d ago

Doesn't matter, I never let him keep the money anyway

1

u/Stormy5x5 1d ago

New robe and bandages

1

u/BlueEyedGuy1982 1d ago

He's saving up for the inevitable reparations for his other service...

1

u/CounterfeitCrabs 1d ago

Nothing as I pickpocket all money back from him

1

u/captainrussia21 1d ago

Wait, I thought Withers’ services were free? If I am playing by the “lore of DnD” correctly…

1

u/HJWalsh 1d ago

Beach house in Maui. That's my head canon.

1

u/FireNStone 11h ago

Cause he’s a god and gods like their worshippers to give offerings to them which often take the form of gold. 

1

u/ofstarandmoon 11h ago

He's saving for his retirement, last time he tried to retire he fuvked up with teh dead three so maybe this time he'll have cash money to hire someone responsible

1

u/TheJoshArchives 11h ago

I don't know, if his hirelings are anything to go off I think we're screwed