Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - Story & Character Discussion Is the Act 3 Romance enough for you?

Right now her story in act 2 is exactly the same without any differences for romance and platonic paths. It needs to be changed.

So yes, those are some of the reasons that I enjoy Shadowheart’s romance aside from the very sweet, consistent affirmations that she offers to the player character. Hope this helps answer your question! And to connect this to the original topic, what I’ve listed are also some of the reasons that Shadowheart’s romance ultimately feels satisfying to me, despite its imperfections. Again, not saying I wouldn’t welcome more content, but I love what content there is.

Yes! Thank you so much for the detailed answer. It's interesting to me why other people like the romances they like. For Shart I have often read, that people assume her popularity is due to her being the most appealing to the straight male audience - and while that might be true to some extend, it seems much too simple an answer - and frankly a very unsatisfying one when taken as the only easy solution.

Epilogue spoilers anon:

I mean I'm a straight male and I very much enjoy the cottagecore fantasy of my character and Shadowheart enjoying a simple life in the countryside together. It appeals to everybody.

This is absolutely valid and folks who like Shadowheart have been spoiled in many ways. There are companions who are in much more dire need of work, including their romance. I’m thinking especially Minthara, or Wyll. I hope that eventually Larian will be able to bring those characters closer to the high standards they set with some of the others. I recognize the need for that. And I hope that they have something in the works. At the same time, it’s fun chatting about possibilities for Shadowheart, and darn it I want her special Grymforge kiss fixed!


Well, first, I like one of her potential endings. Epilogue spoilers:
Second, it’s interesting to explore personally-encountered themes or issues, such as trust or trauma or self-discovery, through her and her romance. Much the same way as folks who love Astarion explore certain life experiences of their own through his character.

Third, they’ve given her a sharp-witted, funny yet sweet personality. Wits and blades always sharp, right? Shadowheart was given a wonderful sense of humor by the devs, and that makes it very enjoyable to romance her, as well as simply bring her along as a companion. Games are for entertainment, right? And it always helps when you have a romance interest whose in-game lines make you laugh. Case in point, the interaction where you give her a night orchid. Plus the devs gave her a little extra love when it comes to smaller interactions, like giving her the Noblestalk or the idol of Shar, throughout the game. So it’s fun to have consistent, positive, small interactions that have some substance to them. And, if you’re taking her on the good path, those reflect positively on her personality as well.

I will also say, fourth, that her Act 2 romance does have some very powerful moments that are memorable, in my opinion. Act 2 spoilers:
Fifth, (Act 3 spoilers)
And then sixth and last (although I’m sure I could say more if I thought longer), (Act 3 and Durge spoilers)
I liked the Lohse and Sebille romance (playing as Lohse) in Divinity Original Sin 2, for a similar reason. Lohse faced down her literal demon, and smote him down where he stood, and Sebille took a knife to her master and, in my game, consumed his soul as well. They were both traumatized by a powerful authority figure, used and exploited, their free will taken away, and they both faced that person down and rebuked them, and came out the better for it.

For me, there’s something powerful about stories like that, something that sticks with you. And I think that is: you’re saying a better world is possible? A better future is possible? If that’s a dream, then it’s a beautiful dream.

So yes, those are some of the reasons that I enjoy Shadowheart’s romance aside from the very sweet, consistent affirmations that she offers to the player character. Hope this helps answer your question! And to connect this to the original topic, what I’ve listed are also some of the reasons that Shadowheart’s romance ultimately feels satisfying to me, despite its imperfections. Again, not saying I wouldn’t welcome more content, but I love what content there is.


I think it’s a mistake to hold her romance arc as distinct from her character arc, like they have nothing to do with each other. The romance enriches her character arc, and the character arc enriches the romance, in fact is an integral part of it.

the modders already fixed shadowheart's kiss "kiss me like you hate me" it's in nexus mods, apparently fans care more about this kind of thing xD the mod is called "Shadowheart Selunite Kiss Bug Fix"

I'd pay for a mod that fixes her well-known act3 things. Those that are around Halsin.

Lol.

So... I just read that Larian now completely butchered the lore and they changed Lae'zel. Apparently she's okay now with staying with... Illithid. Which is beyond laughable.

But okay, let me get this straight, as of now:
- Minthara is broken to hell beyond acceptable levels.
- Karlach is also now broken and some people can't even start her romance. Her banter is broken too for some people.
- Shadowheart is broken, her "new banter" doesn't trigger at all and her hair color changes randomly during romance scene. Shar idol kiss has been broken for months.
- Larian also refuses to change anything regarding Shadowheart for her Selunite and DJ path, but they are totally okay with changing lore for Lae'zel for some reason.


Well, it looks like to me that Larian doesn't really pay much attention to female love interests.

The Lae'zel part is a huge wtf to me. It makes zero sense. Literally unnecessary as some people do have their own limits and this is Lae'zel's, I don't know what was the reasoning for that.

And yeah, no banter is triggering for me either at all, they start becoming silent throughout act 2 to 3 and I prefer to have an all lady party. They don't even talk much about the city while walking, Minthara still doesn't interact with any of them when you get her with you on road. I only managed to get ONE dialogue triggered about refugees between Minthara and Shadowheart.

Pretty disheartening, I sure hope it's just a bug and not a fact that your companions don't talk much after act 1, banter - wise.

I wonder, do they have text with each other?

I had an Act 1 issue in which Shart's audio was broken but other than that, it seems situational. I am currently play Astarion's origin, I had Tav-banter (when the PC says something and one of the companions replies) with Lae'zel in Githyanki content and some Shar/artefact related stuff with Shadowheart but apart from this it's mostly been Astarion and Gale happily chatting about Myconide necromancy, dusty halls and whatever comes up. With my Gale Origin it was the same but just the other way around.

I am enjoying it because I like the two chatting but I was wondering if it was an approval thing or just generally only the two of them latching on to weird topics.

I have had all the normal group banter between them trigger for me, in Act 2 there just seems to have much less banter in general and it depends strongly on the group. Shart and Lae'zel should have a bit when entering Moonrise tower for example.