How does Baldur’s Gate 3 romance work? Love is in the air in BG3, and you can spend a lot of time romancing your companions and some NPCs, too. Every character you can seduce in Baldur’s Gate 3 is different, and you’ll have to get to know them and understand what they like and dislike if you’re hoping to build a relationship. Here’s what you’ll need to do to quite literally charm the pants off of every character.
As we’ve explained in our Baldur’s Gate 3 review, we love BG3, especially knowing that Halsin will open up all kinds of doors if you’re into bears, and all bear-love-related experiences. We’ll let you decide if this makes the Druid the best BG3 class. Whichever of the classes or BG3 races you choose though, you of course don’t have to become romantically involved with anyone if you don’t want to. If one of the BG3 companions does take your fancy though, here’s everything you need to know about Baldur’s Gate 3 romance and sex.
How to romance a character in Baldur’s Gate 3
This might sound obvious, but the first step in romancing your companion or NPC of choice, much like in real life, is getting to know them. Paying attention to their likes and dislikes is just a nice thing to do, and if you want to eventually form a relationship with a character, you’ll need to know what makes them tick. Generally, you can increase how much someone likes you by saying and doing things they agree with, and avoiding saying and doing things they disagree with. It’s important to note that your companions will judge you based on interactions with other NPCs and how you handle the situations around you, not just how you interact with them.
Another way to build up your relationship with your partner of choice is to help your companions get or do the things they want. Talk to them during your adventure to open up their quests.
You’ll also want to spend time with your opponents at camp, where you’ll have access to longer, more in-depth conversations with them. When you’ve put up enough of a relationship with that character, you’ll open up their romantic dialogue, which will start the relationship. Once you start that relationship, you’ll be granted access to more romantic dialogue.
Who can you romance in Baldur’s Gate 3?
As of right now, there are eight romanceable characters in Baldur’s Gate:
- Astarion
- Gale
- Halsin
- Karlach
- Lae’zel
- Shadowheart
- Wyll
- Minthara
Astarion
Astarion is naturally flirty. While it might seem like it’d be easy to seduce him, you’ll have to do some work. Astarion is into using power when you have it, and he can be a bit of a drama queen. He’s not into restraint, anything he views as boring, or altruism. He’s also got a soft spot for monsters, so be kind to them if you want to win his affection. Oh, and don’t judge his condition – you’ll know what we mean when you get there. Get to know this High Elf Rogue with our Astarion companion guide.
Gale
Gale’s unique in that his approval comes in stages. Once you’ve impressed him enough, head back to camp to have a chat with him and unlock the next stage of your relationship. Rinse and repeat. Gale is an amiable, kind-hearted guy, and he appreciates it when you avoid violence. He also appreciates folks who are curious and intelligent, so be sure to show him you’ve got those qualities if you want to romance him. Like Astarion, Gale is also dealing with a condition, so don’t judge him about it when he feels comfortable enough to share it with you. If you want to know more, check out our Gale companion guide.
Halsin
If you watched the Larian Release Showcase broadcast in July, you have already seen one of the ways your romance with the sexy Druid can play out. Even if you didn’t, you may have already heard about it (hint: take a look at the header image at the top of the page). Halsin is the perfect example of just how many ways you can choose to move forward in a BG3 relationship, including letting them down gently… but why would you want to? One of the strongest companions in the game, Halsin has some incredible stats – as you can see from our full Halsin guide – which, along with his Druidic shapeshifting abilities, means you’ll want to stay on his good side.
Karlach
Karlach, the fiery Tiefling, also appeared in the Panel from Hell showcase. Play your cards right with her, and Karlach will ask you out on your first date – a cute, classic meal in a restaurant. It could even lead to your first kiss… As a Tiefling barbarian, you can imagine just how feisty Karlach can be, so she’s a good companion to have on your side, whether you take it all the way or not. Find out more about her, and how to get her onside, with our Karlach companion guide.
Lae’zel
Lae’zel is easy to understand, but kind of hard to get along with, depending on how you behave. She’s extremely dedicated to her goals, and the easiest way to build up your relationship with her is to agree with everything she says. She’s extremely pro-Gith, so supporting them and seeking out others of her kind goes a long way. While she likes cooperation, she’s a warrior at heart and dislikes non-violent approaches to things that violence could easily solve. She also respects combat prowess and efficiency and takes an aggressive approach to problems. She also really doesn’t like Shadowheart, so winning one’s affection will probably mean alienating the other. If you have to win the heart of this warrior, make sure you read our Lae’zel companion guide.
Shadowheart
Speaking of Shadowheart, she’s basically Lae’zel’s polar opposite. As a Trickery Cleric, she favors manipulation and deception, though she doesn’t like it when it’s done to her. She respects people who can see through lies and loves animals, so be kind to them when you can. On the other hand, she really doesn’t like pointless violence, Lae’zel, or the Gith in general, so don’t you side with them if given the choice. Get to know the High Half-Elf Cleric with our Shadowheart companion guide.
Wyll
Wyll fancies himself a swashbuckling, Errol Flynn-esque hero, so embodying the values of those classic heroes goes a long way with him. General heroism, doing the right thing, and helping others are a quick way to win his heart. He also loves vanquishing evil. Avoid being a jerk and doing morally wrong things, and you’ll get along with Wyll great. Oh, and never, ever side with monsters, especially Goblins or Devils. Wyll has a history with them. It’s a whole thing. If you also have an aversion to Goblins and want the Warlock by your side -and in your bed – check out our Wyll companion guide.
Minthara
The only character outside of your party you can currently romance, Minthara is a Drow who hangs out at the Goblin Camp. Most players will probably end up fighting her, but you can romance her if you play your cards right. You’ll have to do some pretty bad things to do it, though, and Wyll will permanently leave the party if you do. Remember his things about Goblins? Yeah.
Head to the Shattered Sanctum after your first trip to the Goblin Camp, then head back and speak to Minthara. Tell her about the Grove and help out during the Goblin raid. After you’ve completed the raid, speak to her in the Grove. Choose the following dialogue options:
“It’s been a privilege to fight alongside you.”
“Embrace the change.”
“Open your mind.”
During the big victory party at the goblin camp, talk to Minthara and pledge yourself to her. Then head to your bedroll and choose to share it with her.
How to have sex in Baldur’s Gate 3
For everyone else, the path to consummating your relationship is a little more complicated. Once you’ve raised their approval, you’ll need to complete the “Rescue Halsin” quest. Once that’s over and you’re partying back at camp, talk to the character or characters you want to romance. If they like you enough, you’ll get an option to invite them to get frisky in your bedroll. After that, head to your bedroll and choose who you’d like to share your bedroll with. Then you’ll get a cutscene.
Well, you’re now armed with all the knowledge you need to spark romance in Baldur’s Gate 3. Even with the most powerful companions in your bed, there is still plenty you need to succeed in Baldur’s Gate 3 that doesn’t involve a roll in the hay. To make sure your party is ready for anything, take a look at the best BG3 team comp setups, as well as all the Baldur’s Gate 3 weapons you should be looking to add to your arsenal.