A huge part of immersion in open-world RPGs is making out with fictional characters. Larian Studios is known for creating captivating fantasy worlds where you can participate in sex scenes and infidelity. Baldur's Gate 3 does not disappoint in this department.
There are more than seven romanceable characters you can find as you explore Faerun, and not all of the romance options are party companions. There is a type of person for everyone in Baldur's Gate 3, and this guide will detail exactly how romance works and who is available for some flirting.
As of writing, Baldur's Gate 3 is in Early Access. As a result, the information in this article is subject to change.
How Romance Works
There are no gender or race restrictions for romance in Baldur's Gate 3.
- Choosing a gender is not important within the game and has no impact on the story.
- Choosing specific races, however, will make an impact on your dialogue choices due to your origins and skill proficiencies. Despite unlocking special dialogue due to your race, it will not affect your ability to find love.
You cannot romance or sleep with just anyone. There are a select few romanceable characters within the game that you will need to work towards wooing. Once you have met a character you are interested in, you will have to gain their trust. Even on a platonic level, characters and companions will not openly trust you unless you prove to them that you are friendly.
That is why having skills like Insight may come in handy. To really progress with a romanceable companion, you will have to make choices they would make. For instance, some characters may agree with you killing an innocent person because it makes you strong and intimidating. Other characters may disapprove of those actions.
You cannot romance a character unless you have high approval from them.
Gaining Approval
Different characters have varying personalities. There are choices big and small within Baldur's Gate 3 that will impact the world around you. Your companions may or may not agree with every choice you make, and this is important to pay attention to if you want them to like you.
When you make a decision during dialogue, the companions with you may approve or disapprove. The game will state this at the top left of your screen, like in the photo above.
Gaining approval is not as simple as doing the 'right' thing. Every character has a complex personality unique to them, and what they think is best may not always be what you think is best.
Even if you are not aiming to romance a companion, if you upset them too many times with your choices, they may turn against you or leave your party for good.
As an example of how the system works, Astarion is a cynical character who likes it when people are forced to be submissive. When you have the chance to rescue Lae'zel from the Tieflings at the beginning of Act 1, you can persuade her to say "please". This will increase Astarion's approval of you. In the same vein, Astarion will not want you to take time to help the Tieflings in Druid's Grove. Doing so will result in disapproval.
Only official companions will prompt approval or disapproval notifications on your screen, and you can track their approval on their character menus.
Characters such as Minthara are not companions that can join your party, but you can still romance them using the right dialogue choices.
Make sure to check in with a character and initiate dialogue, especially when there is an exclamation mark above their head. This will lead to conversations and, eventually, characters' side quests, with plenty of opportunities to improve your approval with them.
Every Romance Candidate
Romance options range in gender, race, personality, and class. There is enough variety for everyone to want to replay the game and romance a new person each time. You can meet all of the following characters during Act 1 of the game.
Most romanceable characters are companions that will stay with you in the long run for you to progress with during different quests. Other characters can be romanced to the point of a sex scene, but are not companions, and therefore you may not see them again, such as Minthara.
Romance Candidate | Location | Summary |
|---|---|---|
 Lae'zel | North-East of the shipwreck at the beginning of the game. Near the back end of the forgotten ruins. |
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 Astarion | West past the shipwreck at the beginning. |
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 Shadowheart | Overgrown Ruins Waypoint. |
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 Wyll | Druid's Grove training grounds. |
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 Minthara | Goblin's Camp. |
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 Gale | Roadside Cliffs Waypoint. |
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 Karlach | The Risen Roads. |
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 Halsin | Goblin's Camp Worg Pens. |
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It is confirmed that companions yet to be added to the game, like Minsc, will also be romanceable. We have only included those currently-available in Early Access so far.