Baldur’s Gate 3 Romance options, how to get approval and how to romance explained

Romance and Approval in Baldur’s Gate 3 explained

In order to romance a companion in Baldur’s Gate 3, you’ll need to have high enough approval with them. Approval can be gained by taking actions and choosing dialogue options that they agree with, but you can also lose approval if you act in ways they don’t like.

Since each companion has their own opinions, it’s difficult or even impossible to keep everyone happy with you. Instead, it’s best to focus on impressing the companions you’re most interested in. You can also try leaving companions at camp if you’re going to do something you suspect might upset them, but this isn’t always possible to predict or plan around.

Not all companions need the same level of approval in order to begin their romance. For example, Lae’zel will approach you for romance even if you have a neutral approval.

You can check approval at any time from companion’s character sheets.

A key way of raising approval is by following the companions’ personal quests and being supportive throughout them. Look out for '!' markers either in camp or when you’re travelling around the world - these indicate that your companions have something to say. Often this will be to do with their personal quest, or they may have a comment on something you’ve experienced in the world - this is also a good time to choose dialogue options they’ll like.

However, try talking to the companions in camp even if they don’t have a '!' marker. There are sometimes dialogue options during these times that can raise approval. For example, characters might discuss what they want to do about the tadpoles, and agreeing with their plans can raise approval.

Camp often. Some events can be missed if you go too long without pausing for a rest.

The good news is that you can romance any companion in Baldur’s Gate 3 regardless of your gender, race, or class choice. Some companions can also be romanced simultaneously, but it’s not yet clear whether some would prefer to be your only partner.

Tiefling celebration in Baldur’s Gate 3

At a certain point in the main story of Baldur’s Gate 3, after rescuing Halsin from the goblin camp, you will throw a celebration. This is a time when many of the companions are romanceable, as long as you have the right level of approval with them.

Bear this in mind as the celebration approaches. You don’t have to start it until you want to, so if there’s room to fit in another couple of side quests which might raise a certain companion’s approval, you might want to do these first.

Note that only one companion can be romanced at the celebration. If you speak to more than one companion and offer to spend the night with them, you will be forced to choose when the time comes.

Romanceable companions in Baldur’s Gate 3

There are ten companions in Baldur’s Gate 3 and Larian Studios have said that they are all romanceable. Below we have given some guidelines for romancing Gael, Lae’zel, Astarion, Shadowheart, Wyll, Karlach, Halsin, and Minthara.

These are all based on Act 1 of the game, which lasts until just after the celebration. Some romances really heat up here or even earlier. Others are more of a slow burn, but you can still indicate your interest at this stage and get the ball rolling.

Minsc and Jahera have also been confirmed as companions by Larian, however, they are found later in the game and we haven’t yet been able to discover how to romance them.

Gale

Gale is an early recruitable companion. He can be found with his hand sticking out of a rune, and if you pull him free he will offer to join your party.

Gale is a Human Wizard who has a strong moral core and approves of actions that help others. For example, agreeing to help the refugees in the Druid’s Grove earns approval with Gale.

He also has a condition which he will approach you about given time. Helping him and providing him with the items he needs is also a good way to raise his approval.

If your approval is high enough by the time of the tiefling celebration, you can approach Gale and he will offer to show you something 'magical.' The scene here isn’t explicit, but you will be given the chance to express your attraction to Gale, beginning the romance which can presumably be built on in the later acts of the game.

Lae’zel

Lae’zel is the first companion you’ll meet on the Mind Flayer’s ship, but you’ll also have to track her down after the crash. Once you do, she can be invited to the party.

Lae’zel is a Githyanki Fighter, and she doesn’t need much persuading to come onto you.

Her approval can be raised by being ruthless, agreeing that the tadpoles are dangerous and must be removed, agreeing to seek out the other Githyanki, and by siding with her when she argues with Shadowheart (which is often).

However, it is unlikely that you will need to do much before she will propose spending the night together, and if you agree, you will see the cutscene at the subsequent camp. You can also visit Lae’zel at night again after this if you would like.

Despite being easily romanceable overall, it doesn’t seem that you can spend the night with Lae’zel at the tiefling celebration. That makes it a good opportunity to romance a different companion - Lae’zel doesn’t mind.

Astarion

Astarion is one of the earliest recruitable companions. You can find him in need of help on the road not far from the crashed Mind Flayer ship. Once you give him a hand, you can add him to your party.

Astarion is an Elf Rogue, a noble, and not a very nice guy.

That last part is important, because, if you want to raise his approval levels, you’ll need to be mean to those around you. Astarion also enjoys siding with the characters in the game presented as villains, like the goblins. If you take this route, be aware you may alienate other companions, who are typically more heroic types.

Without too many spoilers, there will be a moment when you take a long rest where Astarion will reveal his true nature to you. Going along with what he wants is a good time to get his approval up.

At the tiefling celebration, you will be able to propose a night together with Astarion. He can, however, turn you down if your approval isn’t high enough, so be careful.

Shadowheart

Shadowheart is a Half-Elf Cleric who you can free from a Mind Flayer pod very early on in the game. Assuming that you do, you’ll find her immediately on the beach after the crash and can add her to your party.

The flipside to Lae’zel, Shadowheart appreciates a subtler approach. Generally choosing 'good' options like helping people seems to gain her approval. Siding with her in arguments against Lae’zel will also help.

Shadowheart will slowly open up to you about her past; being encouraging and sympathetic in these conversations sometimes also raises her approval.

At the tiefling celebration, if your approval is high enough, you can drink a bottle of wine with her and eventually share a kiss. We assume that this romance will then develop through the later acts of the game.

Wyll

Wyll is a human Warlock who can be found at the Druid’s Camp, training young tieflings in sword combat. He’ll tell you he’s on a quest to kill a devil and you can bring him into your party.

As evidenced by his original goal, Wyll hates devils as well as goblins and the like. Generally, acting against these characters will gain his approval, as will helping others who are in need, like the tieflings.

Without too many spoilers, his personal quest brings him into conflict with another companion, but this can be resolved in a way that gains both of their approvals. Just reveal the truth to Wyll and he will be grateful.

This will also lead to a personal transformation for him - be supportive about it. Tell him to find a way out of his pact, and that you can do it 'if you put your worms together.' You also get quite a few opportunities to flirt, which he seems to appreciate.

It appears that in the Early Access version of the game, Wyll was romanceable at the tiefling celebration. However, this seems to have changed. If you approach Wyll at the celebration (he can be at the beach outside of camp or at his tent - this happened when loading the same save so it appears to be a bug) he will decline to dance with you or otherwise spend time together. However, you can roll a Persuasion check (with a difficulty of 15) for a kiss.

If you show your interest, through the kiss or otherwise, Wyll will tell you there’s 'time later' for your romance to develop.

Karlach

Karlach is a Tiefling Barbarian who is very adventurous and energetic. She can be found on the Risen Road and recruited to your party.

Siding with Karlach and being supportive in any disputes about her nature will raise her approval, as will attacking slavers and generally being forthright and powerful. For example, she will approve if you attack the goblins bothering Halsin in his bear form without trying to persuade them to stop first.

She will ask you a favour when you first meet her, and carrying it out is important to both gaining her approval and progressing her personal quest, which can raise approval more in turn.

Karlach can be approached and confessed to during the tiefling celebration. If you have a high enough approval she will say she likes you too, and offer to see you after everyone has gone to sleep. However, because of her burning skin, she will be afraid of hurting you. You can kiss her, but other things will have to wait until you’ve figured out a way to cool her off. We presume this will happen as the game progresses.

Halsin

You first meet the Druid Halsin by rescuing him from the goblin camp, which you’ll need to do to unlock the tiefling celebration referenced throughout this guide.

However, he will be in your camp but not an official recruit for quite some time. This makes it impossible to get his approval up at first, although presumably rescuing him will get you two off on the right foot.

Similarly, although you can propose spending the night together at the celebration, he will turn you down. If you speak to him again later, he’ll tell you no hard feelings, and that there may be a better time later.

Romance with Halsin has been confirmed, so it’s just a case of being patient and raising his approval once he does join the team. From his personality in Act 1, it seems that taking heroic actions, helping those in need, and being considerate of nature may be key to raising his approval.

Minthara

Minthara is a Drow who works with the goblins at the camp where Halsin is held. In order to recruit her, you have to agree to turn on the druids and instead help her and the goblins to wipe out their camp. Naturally, many of your party members will dislike this and some will leave entirely.

However, if you choose to follow this path, Minthara will hold a celebration of her own. At this celebration (regardless of approval - you’ve gained enough by killing dozens of people) you can have a romance scene with her which is honestly one of the most interesting of the bunch.

Afterwards, you’ll still be sent along a similar path to if you had rescued Halsin, but do so through Minthara’s lens. You’ll also presumably be able to deepen your relationship with her as this version of the adventure progresses, if you so choose.

Good luck finding love in Baldur’s Gate 3!