Baldur's Gate 3: All Romance Options and How to Unlock Them

Looking for a titillating list of all romance options and how to unlock them in Baldur's Gate 3? It's OK, don't be shy, we'll teach you everything you need to know to be successful in both life and love. You'll be astride everything that crosses your path, regardless of race, gender, sex, alignment, or dimension of origin; your sensual exploits the stuff of legend and fodder for the Bard's bawdier tales! On this page, as part of our ongoing Baldur's Gate 3 guide, we'll unveil all romance options and how to unlock them.

Baldur's Gate 3: All Romance Options and How to Unlock Them

Below, we'll go through each of Baldur's Gate 3's many potential romantic partners, the majority of whom are Companions on your various adventures. Romancing these individuals isn't exactly difficult — you just need to be consistent, but there are a few things worth keeping in mind. We've laid out the best strategies for wooing the game's six Origin Characters in Chapter 1, for starters.

In order to begin a romantic relationship, you must raise that character's opinion of you, which is achieved by spending time with them, aiding them in their own Personal Quests, and making decisions that align with their particular way of viewing the world.

For the vast majority of characters, the opening stages of a game-spanning romance won't begin until after completing the Rescuing the Druid Halsin quest in Chapter 1 (part of the sprawling main quest, Finding a Cure), as well as the side quest, Save the Refugees. Without spoilers, a celebration follows, and it's here that you get your first chance to unwind.

This page is a work in progress and will be updated as our own relationships escalate.

Shadowheart

Shadowheart is a complex character and can be hard to judge from the outset. As an acolyte of Shar, the goddess of darkness and the night, she is a comparative religious extremist, and the ritual she underwent to suppress her own memories complicates matters further. Broadly speaking, Shadowheart is pragmatic, leaning slightly towards heroism, but has her own mission and will become frustrated by dawdling. She abhors anything to do with the Githyanki and therefore has a very rocky relationship with Lae'Zel.

Respecting her boundaries, not prying too closely into her mission or disrespecting Shar are good ways to improve her opinion of you. After completing Rescuing the Druid Halsin and Save the Refugees and provided she likes you in return, an opportunity will present itself at the afterparty to steal a moment in private and begin a courtship.

Gale

Underneath the smarmy veneer and air of arrogance, Gale is actually a really good guy. Intelligent, cultured, and impeccably groomed, he's a powerful and renowned mage and steadfastly opposes villainy in all forms. He doesn't suffer ignorance either, and those inclined to racism or bigotry towards marginalised peoples like the Tieflings will earn only his disdain (including the much less sympathetic Githyanki). He appreciates the wit required to defuse a situation without fighting but doesn't shrink from violence if it's warranted. He's both a cat and a dog person.

After completing Rescuing the Druid Halsin and Save the Refugees, provided he's into you, steal a moment away from the party with Gale, and he'll offer to show you a magic trick.

Astarion

Despite exuding rather chaotic energy, Astarion is one of the more consistent Companions. A vampire who's been up to no good for a very long time, he's a bad boy through and through. He enjoys the finer things in life and, in particular more hedonistic pursuits. Outright sadism is just fine with Astarion, on the battlefield and off of it, so long as it feels right. He despises weakness in others, delights in betrayal, and attempts to control or curb the worst excesses of his behaviour will quickly cause him to lose interest.

After completing Rescuing the Druid Halsin and Save the Refugees, and provided you've managed to hold his attention, Astarion isn't one to dally, and things can escalate to the physical from the very first night.

Lae'Zel

Raised in the militaristic Githyanki society, Lae'Zel is positioned in many ways (including by the plot) to be Shadowheart's mirror; pleasing one will anger the other. She is a consistent character, who lives by a warrior code, and while flexible, tends towards violence and looks down on the weak. A member of an interdimensional cast of dragon-riding knights, now grounded in Faerûn, Lae'Zel is a stranger in a strange land and unfamiliar with its customs.

After completing Rescuing the Druid Halsin and Save the Refugees, provided you've managed to stay on her good side, she might proposition you in the particular fashion of her people.

Wyll

Wyll in any other game could be the protagonist, a paragon of goodness and defender of the weak, the famous Blade of Frontiers. Getting to the man behind the myth is complicated, however, by the attentions of another. Wyll made a deal with a literal devil in return for the power to fight evil and, as such, is conflicted by the infernal terms of his pact. Generally, helping the needy and vanquishing the wicked will earn his approval, respecting his contract, and the approach you take towards Karlach will determine much of your early interactions with Wyll.

After completing Rescuing the Druid Halsin and Save the Refugees and providing you're of solid enough moral character, an opportunity for a tender moment with Wyll can present itself, if not a private one.

Karlach

Despite all appearances to the contrary, Karlach is the most unabashed force for good of all the game's Origin Characters. Conscripted against her will into the Blood War, fighting on the front lines of Hell's eternal conflict, she's free now and has a lust for life and love, despite having an Infernal Engine where her heart used to be.

Compassion towards her fellow Tieflings, kindness and respect are good ways to improve her opinion of you. She loves a good scrap and will happily split skulls, provided it's deserved, but looks down on overt acts of cowardice. As Wyll has sworn to take her head, convinced she's the monster she appears to be, how you deal with that situation will determine much of your early standing with Karlach.

With the particulars of her Infernal Engine meaning Karlach is literally too hot to touch, you'll need to find Infernal Iron and engage a demonic blacksmith in Chapter 2 to progress a physical relationship with her.

Did you find this Baldur's Gate 3 guide covering all romance options and how to unlock them stimulating? Cool off by checking out the rest of our Baldur's Gate 3 guides in the meantime.