Best Characters To Romance, Ranked

It wasn’t only the adventure, gameplay, and storyline that made Baldur’s Gate 3
such a hit. Out of the ten companions that players can recruit while exploring, eight of these companions are available to romance. Not only that, but players can also engage in romantic dalliances with a few NPCs.

Through the dialogue options that players select, they can either gain or lose the approval of their companions. Players will also have the chance to talk to their companions in camp or after important events, which gives them an even greater chance of getting to know their companions better.

Updated December 26, 2024, by Kristy Ambrose: More than a year after the official launch, BG3 is still in the news, although these days it’s more about patches and bug fixes as opposed to yet another award or changes to the game. There have been a few additions in the last few months, including some new scenes and dialogue for the romance sections. Patch 8, the last big addition, is going to be the last major change that Larion Studios plans to make to the game. It’s expected to drop in 2025.

This article contains spoilers about the characters that can be romanced in Baldur’s Gate 3 and some personal character stories.

11

Romance a Mindflayer With The Emperor

Evolves In The Beginning Of Act 3

• The Emperor makes romantic advancements toward the protagonist as Act 2 comes to a close.

Between the end of Act 2 and the beginning of Act 3, the party finds themselves inside the Planar Sphere where Orpheus is being held captive. The Protagonist has sided with the Emperor against the Githyanki. In the next dream sequence after the player discovers his true identity, the friendly mind-flayer will make advances on the Tav/Durge.

The player can agree to this, but remember that anyone else with a tadpole can also see what happened. However, the Emperor will remove any memory of it from the minds of their companions. That means the player can “get frisky with the squiddie” and have nothing bad happen as a result.

10

A Demonic Dance With Haarlep

A Tryst In The House Of Hope

• An incubus with a price, if Tav is willing to pay it.

Haarlep is the kind of lover who gets right to the point, which is essential in this case, since time is a factor. This fling is a one-time thing. Haarlep is waiting for the adventurers in Raphael’s boudoir, where he naturally spends most of his time.

The incubus knows how to open the safe that has the key to getting the Orphic hammer, and there are two ways to get it. The party can fight Haarlep and loot the key, or use the Speak With Dead spell on his corpse. The other way is to accept his offer of a sexual favor in exchange for the key, and he gets to use Tav’s likeness whenever he wants in future encounters.

Haarlep can take on a male or female form depending on the protagonist’s desires. If Tav already has a lover, and they happen to be in the party when this happens, some interesting dialogue options open up in the future.

9

Mizora Is A Seductive Devil

Alluring, Wanton, Literally The Lover From Hell

• The fallout depends on who else the main character is romancing, if anyone.

Those who have played the game to completion know all about Mizora’s proposition. Though not a full romance arc, this opportunity offers the player yet another way to roleplay within the world of Baldur’s Gate 3. For example, imagine the drama of having romanced Wyll and then sleeping with Mizora in the third act.

Every Companion has a slightly different reaction to the tryst with Mizora, but nobody is surprised. If the player is romancing certain characters, their reactions might be more visceral. Astarion, always a good sport, teases the protagonist about it, but Karlach gets upset, although it’s possible to talk her out of it.

8

Tap Into The Inner Animal With Halsin

Choose The Bear

• Players can only romance Halsin if they side with the Grove in Act 1. The romance officially starts in Act 3.

Though not as deep as other romances in the game, Halsin offers a unique twist on love with his polyamory and his animalistic predilections. He’s about 350 years old, which makes for a fun role-playing opportunity.

To romance him, the player must side with the Grove in the first act and save the Tieflings. Continue to make choices that spare needless bloodshed and protect nature. This includes rescuing Thaniel and removing the Shadow Curse in Act 2.

Halsin will approach the player for an intimate evening in the third act. The player can even maintain a polyamorous relationship with Halsin and some of the Origin characters, but not every other romanceable character is okay with this. When it comes to “the bear scene,” the player can choose not to engage the bear, but where’s the fun in that?

7

Bring Chaos With Minthara

A Redemption Arc That Leads To Chaos

• Players can only romance Minthara if they keep her alive in Act 1. The romance officially starts in Act 2.

Minthara, the formerly Lolth-Sworn Drow, first meets the party as they explore the

Goblin Camp in Act 1
the game. Many players will likely end up killing her here if they wish to protect the Grove and the refugees within.

Players can take a more evil route and side with this Paladin of Vengeance instead. Unfortunately, although Minthara and the player can share a saucy moment after raiding the grove and killing everyone inside, players won’t be able to officially start her romance until the third and final act.

Non-evil characters can choose to knock out Minthara with non-lethal attacks, clear the rest of the goblin camp, save the refugees at the Grove, and then romance her later after Moonrise Towers. This gives Minthara the least amount of content out of all the companions, though she still has great story elements apart from the romantic scenes.

6

A Ticking Time Bomb With Gale

A Rom-Com Romance To Prove His Worth

• Players have opportunities before the second act to flirt with Gale. His romance officially starts in the second act once players have discovered Moonrise Towers.

Gale is a human Wizard
that players first meet after pulling him from a purple portal after he found himself also plummeting to the land from the Mindflayer ship. He may seem like a bit of a know-it-all because he is, but underneath his bookish archetypes lies a deeply hurt, kind man who may or may not have been a victim of the Goddess of Magic, Mystra.

As the player gains his trust, he will reveal to the player his condition that requires him to consume the magic of the Weave, or he’ll explode. A former mentor of his will appear with a bargain from Mystra which lets the players end the game early, so to speak.

5

Lae’zel Is A Sharp Edge With A Softer Touch

A Hot And Heavy Romance That Turns Softer

• Players will need to do something that proves their worth to Lae’zel during Act 1 of the game to start her romance.

The Githyanki seem alien to some with their unusual appearance. They are an uncommonly seen race even for those who have played Dungeons and Dragons. Many of their species reside in the Astral Plane or in Limbo, so they aren’t nearly as common in Faerun. However, once the player has struck Lae’zel’s fancy, she will continue to insult the player while outright propositioning them for physical intimacy.

Though the relationship starts purely physical, it can progress into something more thoughtful and romantic. After this Githyanki has decided that she and the player are together, Lae’zel can be extremely kind-hearted, if mostly against public displays of affection. Those moments are reserved for just the player and her, after all. The end of the game can be especially poignant if the player is also Githyanki.

4

Doing What’s Right With Wyll

A Gentle Prince Charming-Like Romance

• Wyll’s romance begins in the second act of BG3, but it is possible to kiss him at the Tiefling party in the first act.

For players looking for their typical hero archetype, Wyll is the right option to pursue.

Although a Warlock
, Wyll uses the powers gifted to him by his Patron to protect the Sword Coast as the Blade of Frontiers. Even when the player first meets him, he is protecting the Druid Grove from Goblins and teaching young Tieflings how to use weapons.

Since the early access of Baldur’s Gate 3, Wyll’s story has changed significantly. With the player’s help, the Blade of Frontiers has been able to break away from his Warlock Pact while also helping him make amends for what it meant for his personal life. Players who want to romance Wyll will need to save Wyll’s father during Act 3 of the game or the final cutscene of his romance will not play. The player can help Wyll through tough choices that will shape his future.

3

Karlach Has The Hottest Blood Of All

Supportive Romance With An Almost Tragic End

• Karlach’s romance officially starts in the first act, likely during the Tiefling party for most players. Tav needs to get Karlach her second upgrade if they hope to continue this romance.

Karlach wasn’t available
to players as a companion during the early access of Baldur’s Gate 3. However, with the full release, she has become a fan favorite for many because of her tragic story. Zariel replaced Karlach’s heart with an Infernal Engine and, since leaving the Hells, it has been running very hot. This has meant that she has been unable to touch anyone, so she has been very alone during her times in the service of the Devil.

Being the first person to show Karlach kindness while also helping her find the essential things she needs to “fix” her engine is an unbelievable thing for Karlach. Naturally, this means the player and she become very close. Getting to experience things she hasn’t been able to in a long time makes for an adorable romance, and a welcome break from Shar’s puzzles and Mind Flayer tadpoles. Larian Studios added another ending for Karlach because the originals were just too tragic.

2

Broody, Adorable Astarion

An “I Can Fix Him” Romance…Or Tav Can Make Him Worse

• Astarion’s romance starts during Act 1, once players have gained enough approval from him. This is even easier than it looks, but maintaining his attention is the tricky part.

Role-playing games across the years have been keeping to the RPG phenomenon of broody Elves that seem to attract all sorts of players. Baldur’s Gate 3 maintains this trend as players can recruit the services of the pale Elven rogue Astarion, who also happens to be a vampire spawn.

After discovering that the elf is a vampire, the player can allow him to drink from them. This sets off a physical relationship with Astarion and a romance that progresses through all three acts. Interacting with Araj Oblodra in Moonrise Towers with Astarion is a way to gain more Approval in Act 2 and see some extra cut scenes and dialogue, but it’s not mandatory to maintain the romance.

Astarion can change throughout the story, much like Lae’zel, as the player selects certain options that mold him into a new person, for better or worse. A Tav/Durge who views him as a person and not a servant or a monster prompts some of the best performances from

voice actor Neil Newbon
. Or the player can opt not to break the cycle of abuse, and pursue power instead, and make him a Vampire Lord in Cazador’s place.

1

Shadowheart Learns To Trust

God’s Favorite Princess

• Shadowheart’s romance starts during the first act of the game. To continue this romance, make sure she’s in the party during
  The Gauntlet of Shar

  in the second act, and to the House of Grief in the third act.

An equally broody option, but also arguably one of the best romances in Baldur’s Gate 3,

must be Shadowheart
. This cleric has a mysterious past that even she has forgotten since taking on the teachings of Shar. Getting Shadowheart to open up to the player is difficult, but once they have gained her trust, they’re in for a very sweet romance.

Compared only to Gale, her romance may be the sappiest one in the bunch. Shadowheart goes through some of the most dramatic changes in the game as certain choices can change her whole faith and outlook on life. With the player’s support, she can then find her true memories, identity, and even her family.