Baldur's Gate 3 offers some of the most involved companion relationships in any RPG released in the past decade. Whether you want a slow-burn connection with Shadowheart or something more immediately physical with Astarion, the game rewards players who pay attention to approval ratings, choose their words carefully, and know when to push a relationship forward. Miss the right conversation at camp, and you might lock yourself out of content that won't appear again.

Who can you actually romance in BG3?

The romanceable cast splits into two groups: Origin Companions and Non-Origin Companions. Origin companions travel with you from early in the game and have the deepest relationship arcs. Non-origin companions join later and have more limited (but still meaningful) romance paths.

Origin companions

• Astarion (High Elf) — a vampire spawn with a sharp tongue and a complicated relationship with trust
• Gale (Human) — a wizard with a literal magical catastrophe living inside his chest
• Karlach (Zariel Tiefling) — a barbarian with an infernal engine for a heart, physically unable to be touched early on
• Lae'zel (Githyanki) — direct, demanding, and more emotionally layered than her opening dialogue suggests
• Shadowheart (High Half-Elf) — a cleric of Shar with secrets she's actively hiding from herself
• Wyll (Human) — a warlock bound to a devil, trying to be the hero his reputation promises

Non-origin companions

• Halsin (Wood Elf) — the druid archdruid who joins in Act Two, and notably the only companion who actively supports polyamory
• Minthara (Lolth-Sworn Drow) — only recruitable through a specific Act One decision that locks out other content

Astarion approval and romance

How does companion approval affect romance?

Approval is the hidden currency of every relationship in BG3. Each companion tracks how much they like or dislike your choices, and that number directly affects whether romance dialogue options become available. According to the bg3.wiki approval page, approval ratings also influence the Difficulty Class on certain dialogue checks, meaning a companion who respects you is literally easier to persuade.

Every companion has distinct values. Astarion approves of ruthlessness and self-interest. Wyll responds to heroic choices and protecting innocents. Karlach likes directness and fighting injustice. Push against a companion's values repeatedly and their approval drops fast, closing off romance options before you even realize what happened.

The practical advice: recruit companions early, keep them in your active party during key decisions, and avoid choices that contradict their core personality. A companion who isn't present for a major story moment still reacts to it at camp, but being there in person generates more approval opportunities.

Shadowheart camp approval dialogue

How do you start a romance?

Most romances begin at camp during long rests. After significant story beats, companions will approach you or become available for deeper conversations. The Tiefling Refugee Celebration at the end of Act One (which only triggers if you save the Emerald Grove) is the most romance-dense moment in the game. Multiple companions can be approached in a single evening here, and the game's normal two-companion limit on starting romances can be stretched to three under specific conditions.

The exact sequence for three simultaneous romances at the celebration requires:

1. Initiating the 'truly connect' dialogue with Shadowheart before the long rest (this only works if you haven't already started a romance with anyone)
2. Immediately after, accepting Lae'zel's proposition
3. At the celebration itself, approaching a third companion (such as Karlach) and agreeing to meet later that evening

After the celebration, take several consecutive long rests (partial rests work and conserve camp supplies) to process the queued romance cutscenes before major Act Two transitions like reaching the Rosymorn Monastery Trail or the Shadow-Cursed Lands, which can push romance events out of the queue.

Can you be in multiple relationships at once?

Yes, but with limits. You can start relationships with up to two Origin companions simultaneously during the early stages. The game eventually forces a choice between them. Halsin is the exception: Shadowheart, Astarion, and Karlach can agree to include him in an open relationship if asked. Other companions don't consent to a committed polyamorous arrangement.

For a full breakdown of each companion's relationship type and what kind of connection you can build, check our guide here.

Other characters and one-night encounters

Beyond companions, BG3 has several one-time encounters with non-companion characters. These don't have romance progression arcs, but they can affect your companion relationships if you're already committed to someone.

What about the Dark Urge origin?

Playing as the Dark Urge origin adds some grim wrinkles to romance. In Act One, after a sexual encounter with Minthara, the game gives you the option to kill her immediately after. More seriously, Sceleritas Fel can force your character to attack the companion they're closest to during the night, which usually means your current love interest. The companion must be woken up to survive. If they aren't, they're dead by morning with no fanfare.

This makes the Dark Urge playthrough significantly more high-stakes for romance, and players who want to maintain a relationship need to stay alert to these scripted interruptions.

Karlach romance at camp

Romance achievements worth knowing

Two achievements tie directly to romance:

• Hot Date — go on a date with Karlach (the achievement description notes it's "playing with fire," which is literal given her infernal engine)
• Mind Blown — romance the Emperor

Both are missable if you don't pursue the specific companions or complete the required quests before the end of the game.

For more guides covering companions, builds, and everything else in the game, browse the latest guides on GAMES.GG to stay up to date as the meta evolves.