The "see invisibility" he gives is a permanent buff, not an item.

He's an idiot. Not even the loveable kind.

He's the only one in your camp than can act as a merchant (without a mod.) Doesn't sell anything terribly useful, but has some inventory, and buys your junk.

His eye gives you a permanent see invisibility buff that does not require recasting. That said, it hardly seems worth it, although all that happens is you wind up with two eyes that look dissimilar to each other, because one is false. (Sorta like Wyll's scrying stone eye.)

He can give you a minor buff fighting Orin, and a somewhat less minor overall buff in the endgame.

Is it worth putting up with the biggest ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ artist in the multiverse? That's up to you.

Originally posted by Actalo:

The "see invisibility" he gives is a permanent buff, not an item.

He also sells a decent ring that gives bless for two turns to those who are healed by the wearer which you can get right when you first meet him.

Beyond that he shows up for a few side quests I guess you could say and has a lot of lore about him.

Yeah, Volo IS a lore character for FR.

https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Volothamp_Geddarm

However, BG3 presents him as more of a bard than a wizard, although in previous lore, he was mostly known as a wizard famed for his rather useless magic.

Like his spell "Volo's fatlus nullifier," which basically makes farts or any other odiferous gas not smell as bad.

He was friends with Elminster, though they don't interact much in this game. Also, BTW, as he was born sometime around 1340 DR, he's about 150 years old when you meet him.

The thing he was famous for was his compendiums of lore about the FR. Some of these have crossed the fourth wall into becomings things players can buy. But a lot of the in-world lore compendiums he created kind of emphasized his nature as a scamp and scoundrel. Such as "Volo's Guide to the Complete Behavior of Nymphs," or my personal favorite, "The Duchess Spanks Bank".

The key thing is, he's lived as long as he has because, unbeknownst to him, Mystra actually made him a Weave anchor. This is why I think he can't "actually" die, even if in the game it appears that that has happened.

Fun fact: Ed Greenwood named Volo after the Volo Bog in IL, which is just south of TSR's Lake Geneva HQ. Yep, he's named after a swamp.

Volo the douch bag idiot of the Forgotten realms

Originally posted by seeker1:

Yeah, Volo IS a lore character for FR.

https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Volothamp_Geddarm

However, BG3 presents him as more of a bard than a wizard, although in previous lore, he was mostly known as a wizard famed for his rather useless magic.

Like his spell "Volo's fatlus nullifier," which basically makes farts or any other odiferous gas not smell as bad.

He was friends with Elminster, though they don't interact much in this game. Also, BTW, as he was born sometime around 1340 DR, he's about 150 years old when you meet him.

The thing he was famous for was his compendiums of lore about the FR. Some of these have crossed the fourth wall into becomings things players can buy. But a lot of the in-world lore compendiums he created kind of emphasized his nature as a scamp and scoundrel. Such as "Volo's Guide to the Complete Behavior of Nymphs," or my personal favorite, "The Duchess Spanks Bank".

The key thing is, he's lived as long as he has because, unbeknownst to him, Mystra actually made him a Weave anchor. This is why I think he can't "actually" die, even if in the game it appears that that has happened.

Fun fact: Ed Greenwood named Volo after the Volo Bog in IL, which is just south of TSR's Lake Geneva HQ. Yep, he's named after a swamp.

I like that your grab bed all that you are getting a reward not something many would find, especially the swamp part

He's a bard, he's meant to be useless and that's what makes it a good character

Volo is an old, old joke dating back to the 80s

Originally posted by GriffinPilgrim:

Volo is an old, old joke dating back to the 80s

I can't remember, did he show up in the old BG games?

I know he had 'helpful notes' in the BG 1 manual.

And then Elminster's notes on his notes lol

Originally posted by Quillithe:

Originally posted by GriffinPilgrim:

Volo is an old, old joke dating back to the 80s

I can't remember, did he show up in the old BG games?

I know he had 'helpful notes' in the BG 1 manual.

And then Elminster's notes on his notes lol

He was in the original BG games, though in a less prominent role. In BG1 he's hanging out in the Nashkel tavern where he passes on rumours that lead you to quests (though you don't need those rumours to start the quests if you just happen on them).
In Throne of Bhaal he's at the tavern in Saradush where he talks about your companions, making him one of the few survivors of that doomed city.

Originally posted by Quillithe:

Originally posted by GriffinPilgrim:

Volo is an old, old joke dating back to the 80s

I can't remember, did he show up in the old BG games?

I know he had 'helpful notes' in the BG 1 manual.

And then Elminster's notes on his notes lol

Wiki says Nashkel & Saradush taverns (I thought it was Beregost in BG1 & forgot Saradush entirely)

Still gotta love the Diclaimer in Volos guide to Monsters.

Disclaimer: Wizards of the Coast does not vouch for, guarantee, or provide any promise regarding the validity of the information provided in this volume by Volothamp Geddarm. Do not trust Volo. Do not go on quests offered by Volo. Do not listen to Volo. Avoid being seen with him for risk of guilt by association. If Volo appears in your campaign, your DM is undoubtedly trying to kill your character in a manner that can be blamed on your own actions. The DM is probably trying to do that anyway, but with Volo’s appearance, you know for sure. We’re not convinced that Elminster’s commentary is all that trustworthy either, but he turned us into flumphs the last time we mentioned him in one of these disclaimers.

Originally posted by 1337_h4x0r_xXx_deathlord666_xXx:

Still gotta love the Diclaimer in Volos guide to Monsters.

Disclaimer: Wizards of the Coast does not vouch for, guarantee, or provide any promise regarding the validity of the information provided in this volume by Volothamp Geddarm. Do not trust Volo. Do not go on quests offered by Volo. Do not listen to Volo. Avoid being seen with him for risk of guilt by association. If Volo appears in your campaign, your DM is undoubtedly trying to kill your character in a manner that can be blamed on your own actions. The DM is probably trying to do that anyway, but with Volo’s appearance, you know for sure. We’re not convinced that Elminster’s commentary is all that trustworthy either, but he turned us into flumphs the last time we mentioned him in one of these disclaimers.

I love that kind of playfulness. From the Curse of Strahd module:

Disclaimer: Wizards of the Coast cannot be held liable for any lingering side effects of venturing into the dread realm of Ravenloft, such as lycanthropy, vampirism, a fear of dead things, a fear of living things, an inability to sleep without a nightlight and a +5 holy avenger under your pillow, and the unsettling suspicion that Strahd is too clever to be so easily defeated and that this is all just part of some grand scheme of his to extend his power beyond Barovia. You didn't think you could escape unless he wanted you to, did you?

Volo also has a fairly big part in NWN 2: SoZ.