Baldur’s Gate 3 is lousy with different romance options, but the elusive cleric Shadowheart may have you smitten in particular. We felt the same way, and after some experimentation, we’ve learned a thing or two about how to win her affection. Read on to find out how to romance Shadowheart in Baldur’s Gate 3, and what actions you can take to expedite the process.
Baldur’s Gate 3 Shadowheart Romance Guide: What She Likes, Companion Quest & More
Shadowheart’s romance in Baldur’s Gate 3 takes a bit longer than other characters, with specific checkpoints scattered throughout Acts 1, 2, and 3. As you progress her storyline though, you can make specific choices that guarantee you won’t miss out on them.
First and foremost, make sure you free Shadowheart from her Mind Flayer Pod at the start of the game. This requires some extra leg work, but isn’t difficult in the slightest once you know where to go and what to look for. Doing so starts you both off on the right foot, and earns you her approval as soon as she joins your party.
Speaking of which: Make sure you agree to team up after finding her on the beach. Doing so ensures she’s in your party as soon as possible, and that you can start earning points of approval from her with each action you take.
From there, aim to solve as many problems as possible without bloodshed. Convince others to avoid conflict whenever you can, and get through dilemmas through trickery or stealth. If the option to help others presents itself, do so as long as it doesn’t involve harming anyone else. Talk to her regularly on the road as well as at camp, and respond kindly to all of her dialogue options. If she has an exclamation mark above her head, talk to her again to hear her out about whatever she wants to share with you.
All of these actions will earn you tons of approval from Shadowheart, and she’ll be ready to open up to you at the party following your rescue of the Tiefling Refugees in Act 1 (so long as you did your best to save them).
What Does Shadowheart Not Like? Answered
On the flipside, actions that are cruel, overly aggressive, or too friendly to Lae’zel will cause Shadowheart to disapprove of you.
While avoiding aggressive actions are easy enough, her dislike of Lae’zel can be a bit harder to circumvent without losing Lae’zel’s trust. As such, we recommend keeping them separated. Complete Lae’zel’s missions and otherwise adventure with her while Shadowheart stays at your camp, and replace Lae’zel with her once you’ve successfully made sure everyone will stay loyal to you.
How to Kiss Shadowheart at the Party in Baldur’s Gate 3
Taking these actions should prime her to see you as a romantic partner by the end of Act 1 of Baldur’s Gate 3. Once you’re at the party, interact with Shadowheart to have a drink with her. Respond with kind and flirty answers, and choose to kiss her when the option presents itself.
We should note that it is possible this option won’t be available if you don’t have enough approval. Should this occur, load an earlier save and try to clear different scenarios in ways Shadowheart is more receptive to. Once this is done, attempt to interact with her at the party again, and you should earn her affection.
Should You Kill Nightsong? Answered
Once you reach Act 2, you’ll have the option to progress Shadowheart’s companion quest. Doing so is easy enough, and once you reach the end of the dungeon it brings you to, you’ll be given a choice to help her make: Kill Nightsong and show her allegiance to the god Shar, or spare her and gain the blessing of Selune.
You’ll want to convince her to spare Nightsong, as this allows her to be more open to your relationship. Afterward, speak to her whenever possible and make sure you stay on her good side by taking the actions laid out above whenever you can.
How to Unlock Shadowheart Romance Love Scene in Baldur’s Gate 3
This will bring you to Act 3 of Baldur’s Gate 3, where you can trigger the love scene of the Shadowheart romance storyline.
After progressing far enough into the story and triggering enough scenes by resting at your camp, Shadowheart will ask if you’d like to help her forget the things she did while she worshipped Shar. Agree to join her, and you’ll then be treated to a scene where the two of you go skinny dipping and enjoy a moment of passion.
From there, you’ll have completed the Baldur’s Gate 3 Shadowheart romance and shouldn’t lose it so long as you don’t veer toward taking actions she despises. While you’re here though, we’d recommend taking a look at some of our other guides to make sure you’re getting the most out of your playthrough.
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