Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - Story & Character Discussion Is Gale's NOT-romance bugged??

I can't stop wondering if there's something wrong with Gale - by now I really think his romance, or better, the lack of it, must be bugged.

Long story short, I NEVER did anything with him to encourage, he always hit on me, then reacted to my relationship to Astarion like I owed him anything and made me chose, of course, as this was the plan for my playthrough and I never romanced someone else for it, I chose Astarion, he kept hitting on me in his aurora borealis scene, and now in act 3 I only let him join the party to meet his cat and he invites me to his home saying "I know you love me"???

No, no I don't. Where does he get that from? How is he the only person not accepting a no? It's annoying as hell and I think I might just leave him in his portal next time.

Starting to think it's a programming error, this can't be real?

It feels like Gale is bugged beyond belief, he doesn't get the "no" and is always in horny mode

The funny thing - he is the first one they claimed to be "fixed".
But he is far from being fixed.
In fact, many people are overexcited about this promised fix, but it seems they just can't read. All Larian promised is to rise the bar for romantic interactions to start. That's it. It only means that if previously all this romantic mess started let's say at 35% appreciation level, now it will start at 65%. BUT IT WILL BE THE SAME BUGGED MESS, just started later, with no difference interactions-wise.

He was ok in my first game ( second just started). I said no and I had friendship scenes after. The most touching was one, where I sit with him, while he had a bit of anxiety because of the new development after act 1 in his story.
In the second game, I only had the Weave scene so far and ended it.

I romanced Astarion twice now (basic Tav and Durge) and had none of these buggy problems with Gale. BUT the key is to nip Gale's romance in the bud SUPER EARLY, still in act 1.

There was a scene at the tiefling/gobbo party that got moved a rest or two after the party, the conversation where he talks about Tara: to nip that romance completely, you have to choose the very last option once he's done reminiscing:

"If this is an attempt at flirting, you should stop. I am not interested."

There is an option where you state that he is a treasured friend (and I guess people pick that one the most) and I believe that is the one that gets him super horny, for after you pick it he talks about having the pleasure to enjoy your company in the morning... Like legit, both times I completely avoided Gale's romance with the option I stated above.

Same with my playthrough. I got the Weave scene but ended it and then in act 2 the friendship sky gaze scene. He never hit on me or flirted with me.

I suspect romances are the most sensitive to skipping dialogues. For Gale, if you go through the Weave scene (keeping friendly), you can kill the romance at the very beginning. If you ignore conversations, the game sort of assumes you need a second person interested in you and you have to get the jealousy scene. How the game chooses that "another person", I can not tell (suspect, it chooses from not actively turned down companions). But all and all, conversations and solid "no" is the key.

I turned everyone down but Astarion twice now and never ever had the jealousy scene trigger on both runs. So you don't HAVE to get the jealousy scene. You get it only when you keep more than one companion interested in you, for example I could reload the save from before Wyll's dancing scene happens, dance with him, kiss him and I can get the jealousy scene from both Astarion and Wyll telling me to kind of choose.

And with Gale I do believe he is the companion most prone to ninjamancing the player, even when friendzoned. 1 wrong chosen line and he's back to being all horny over you. Especially considering how Larian reshuffled his scenes in some of the more recent patches.

Guess it's still anecdotal evidence at this point. I messed things up twice by now and on the first PT it made Gale whom I did not speak with enough think romance was started. On the second PT Gale was cold as an iceberg up until the untimely Weave scene (that happened before cam celebration). And after "no" he returned to his indifferent iceberg state. Yet the game assigned Wyll as a secondary LI without a single flirting line between the characters.

The game system is too complex for its own good. Though, that little touch of chaos makes replays even more interesting.

For me its Karlach in this run. Not a single flirt or romance scene but for some reason there is an break up option with her. And gosh that one is horrible.
Breaking up with Gale in my first PT was okaish. Hes sad but in the end okay.
Karlach is... totally besides herself. Like I am the only good thing in her life and now I am leaving her and all that...
I feel sososo bad... Sure its just a stupid game but I cry at books and movies, okay?
Gods, my next non-durge is dedicated to her... Need to make her happy after this.
You know... First was Asta, and Gale came onto me. I felt guilty so I romanced him in my second. No I feel guilty about Karlach and plan to do her in my next pt... I think I am onto something here.