the Dark Sun campaign setting. The lead writer for Baldur's Gate, Lukas Kristjanson, expanded upon the character and created dialogue intended to make Minsc funny and memorable to the general audience. During development, some of the character's lines were rewritten based on the voice actor's readings. As this progressed, the writers noted they were able to interject dialogue more freely for Minsc into the script in a tone suitable for the character. In a 2001 interview, BioWare co-founder Ray Muzyka has stated that among the titles the company has completed, Minsc was his favorite character. Minsc classifies Boo a "miniature giant space hamster", a creature first mentioned in the Dungeons & Dragons Spelljammer campaign setting which describes them as giant hamsters bred to paddle wheels for flying ships, which can alternatively be bred in miniature form, looking like a normal hamster. Senior designer David Gaider noted that regardless of what Boo was called, Boo had no powers or abilities beyond those of a regular hamster. He also noted that Boo was handled differently from other creatures that served as familiars that would fight alongside their owners, because of the frailty of hamsters and the impact Boo's dying would have on Minsc in the game. In an open discussion with BioWare developers, scriptwriter Drew Karpyshyn described Boo's role in the game as "[providing] wisdom and moral support to Minsc". Appearances Baldur's Gate video game series In Baldur's Gate, Minsc is a bald, purple-tattooed ranger from the Forgotten Realms country of Rashemen. Originally a berserker on his "dajemma", a rite of passage to gain entrance to the Ice Dragon Berserker Lodge, he makes an oath to guard the witch Dynaheir, but runs into trouble when he and Dynaheir are ambushed by gnolls, who capture Dynaheir at their stronghold. He orders the player to halt so that Boo may judge them, and requests that the player help him. Following Dynaheir's rescue, the player is given an option to add Minsc and Dynaheir to the party that will eventually fight the main antagonist Sarevok. At the beginning of Shadows of Amn, the player's party is captured and imprisoned by the mage Jon Irenicus, who seeks to tap into the player's power for his own goals. Dynaheir has been slain, so Minsc offers his services to avenge her. Depending on the player's choices, it is possible Minsc adopts a new witch in the party; if