Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - Story & Character Discussion Shadowheart Romance and the Hidden Fetish - (Spoilers inside)

Don't think she is canonically poly, she will be what player chooses.

In my first playthrough, Tav didn't cheat on her, didn't enter relationship with Halsin ( he was always left in camp), didn't visit drow twins, and relationship was 100% monogamous.

If Tav don't cheat on her, she won't either, and she won't mention poly, i think Shadowheart (and Astarion) poly was included only because Halsin is poly (so he can be with somebody else beside Tav).

For me the Halsin romance option triggered before her final romance scene, so she was actually fine with me sleeping with Halsin before my first time with her. However, she's not okay with the drow twins before your first time together. Which also makes little sense, but the whole situation doesn't make much sense. In fact, it makes the writing all the more cringe too. She says something about cobwebbed loincloths if you aren't interested in Halsin.. lady, you've not even slept with us yet and you've traveled with us for so long and are in love with us. Which is wholesome, but also incredibly contradictory.

It's only the case if you bring Halsin along with you, aye, which is why I also didn't know of it until this thread. I did not bring Halsin along in my playthroughs.

But it is a problem for those that do bring Halsin along, and just a consistency issue.

I never said she was poly. However, she shows feelings for Karlach and definitely a sexual attraction to Halsin (I've read that on act 3 she got nasty banters with Wyll but I haven't see it). But that doesn't make her poly. If you take a monogamous path with her, you can still stumble upon the twin scene and if you got Halsin on your team (and meet others conditions). Well, all I can say is 'enjoy' the view. lol.

It would be nice if at some point in the adventure you find, I don't know, a painting of an orgy and she reacts to it and let player know she approves those situations. Or better yet, let her know if you're into those things or not, and that way, avoiding they drow situation.

The Karlach situation was in act 1. There's no romance yet, nor did she disobey Shar yet. The only act 3 dialogue with Wyll I remember is her taking the piss out of him regarding devils to the point that he calls her one. Was actually quite cruel.

And yes, I'd rather it was a player choice, than have them rewrite her to full on poly like Halsin is right now. Though it'd still make no sense anyway, she wants to go be a hermit on a farm with you (and her parents if you didn't disenchant them), yet she's okay with sleeping around for the sake of it? Doesn't sound right to me.

I think Shadowheart being "poly" could be a thing, but just as much I see her more into females in that regard. As with her wanting to be carried by Karlach etc... Which I found strange we cannot romance Shadowheart and Karlach together, seeing as they have good chemistry. As for how I played it; despite the initial heated relationship between Shadowheart and Lae'zel; I could see the three of them all together in a relationship 4way with our "tav" I was a female Drow. So it felt cohesive enough imo.

I'm not by means a Halsin fan, in fact I don't really like him at all and he just feels so very tacked on. I also didn't interact very much with him at all, So I hadn't gotten any voicelines from him either.

At the end of the day, we all have our beliefs and headcanons I suppose.

@Michieltjuhh



She doesn't have to be full poly, in fact, I'd say she's not poly at all. I'd say she's attracted to Halsin, that's why she doesn't care if you sleep with him (and maybe opens an opportunity for her to do it at some point). If she were poly, she'd allowed you to have a relationship a least with Karlach (the other person she has shown to be attracted to) but that doesn't happen.

Edit: forgot to mention that in Mizora's scene, although she says she doesn't mind, she's clearly annoyed. It looks more like a 'if you cheated, I'll cheat too' situation, specially with what she says at the end about her needs.

The whole drow scene and the banter between her and Halsin AFTER you had sex with her (giving the context, that's the most disgusting banter in the game, IMO) was made to accommodate Halsin's poly relationship. And at the same time, destroying her character and development. She's probably the slowest romance in the game and suddenly wants participate in orgies and openly flirting next to the person she says to love so much. It's ridiculous.

@Ravenna_Ravager



True. That's why all my Tavs, regardless of gender, are terrified of bears. And while trying to get the favor of the goblin's leaders, will kill a suspicious cave bear. lol

This, slowest romance, will break with Tav at any hint of infidelity in act 2, and suddenly she is into orgies, don't buy it, it's just there to accommodate Halsin.

Or you can headcanon it, that she agrees to orgies because she is afraid of losing Tav (after losing everything else in her life), first person who showed her kindness in who knows how long.

But there is still issue of her flirting with Halsin, they should remove that if Tav rejected Halsin.

At this point I'm basically just going to kill Halsin everytime if I can. Meanwhile I'd want to save Minthara every time, I wonder what that means. Hmmm.

I just don't think she should show any attraction to Halsin regardless, The dudes a tool and comes off as creepy just from his initial greeting or whatever.

I can only headcanon what the game gives me, and the game clearly shows that she's attracted to him (possibly even more to him than your Tav). She's not afraid to lose Tav, she's excited by the chance of getting bear boy to bed. lol

But that's just me, people can play the game however they like. At the end of the day, it's just a game.

Ahh, you're a wise man (or woman) indeed. Welcome to the no-bears club. lol

This thread is still going!? Nice to see that people have finally caught up with this games not so stellar writing and poor decisions.

In my humble opinion I think that early access for BG3 has been a mistake, it gave Larian total freedom to experiment with different ideas and storylines without fully finishing any of them. Which gave life to the Frankenstein's monster of a story that we have now.

They felt the need to add certain options/choices for every player without thinking how it might affect what was previously written/established and that's how Shadowhearts story/romance ended up being the way it is now. (other companions have their problems also)

To be honest I lost interest in discussing BG3 and its problems/story (mainly because I think everything that could be said has already been said) but from time to time I do like to pop in and check what everyone is doing. And every time I do, Shadowheart and Halsin threads always make me laugh. How did the developers that claimed, scratch that, bragged about their romances being more mature ended up with such a mess. (professional intimacy coordinators pfft)

Just a quick rundown:

- Shadowheart has a sexual past during her brainwashing years as a Sharan acolyte. (so she's not a virgin as some might think and no, casual sex doesn't mean polyamory)

- Implies that she never had a relationship or at least a relationship where she felt as strongly as she does for the MC.

- Claims that she is not interested in sharing the MC with anyone and breaks up because of it.

- Calls the MC her true love and wants to spend the rest of her life with them.

- Contradicts the no sharing/you're the only one I want stance by saying that she never cared or wanted something loyal/pure during the Mizora scene and by flirting/wanting to have sex with Halsin.

- Bonus one because it makes me laugh. If you don't romance her she shows no interest in Halsin. (I see what you did there you cheeky writer)

When I look at her romance I see two possibilities. The Halsin thing was slapped on at the end without giving it any thought or she is meant to be a manipulative psycho that uses and lies to the MC. So which one is it?

Yup it's why her story works so well with Dark Urge. Now if only they solved the triggers in act 3.

Pretty much sums up why it doesn't make sense.

Hadn't thought of it but yeah, for someone who's so devoted to us it's surprising she suddenly assumes we wouldn't be. But we already know that all the 'cheating' scenes in act 3 (drows, Halsin, Mizora, I bet she'd even be fine with Emperor and Haarlep if there was actual dialogue in those cases) are retconned for the sake of Halsin poly.

That'd be quite the impressive dedication to that manipulation considering she ditches her goddess for us and faces all the dire consequences while keeping up the façade. Even the Dark Urge butler fell for it!

I just vehemently disagree with everything you just said. She has multiple lines in the game telling you she wants to spend the rest of her life you Tav. She tells you your Tav you are the most important thing in her life, she tells your Tav she's changed as a person because of your Tav, and that she doesn't think she's even worthy of your Tav. Her greatest desire is moving to some secluded cottage with your Tav and her parents and even expresses wanting to have kids with your Tav so to say she's not scared of losing Tav is just ridiculous.

Don't try to make this Halsin thing into something more than it is. Is she attracted to him? Sure, but so are most companions you can find lines about Karlach and Wyll also showing attraction to him as well. But attraction doesn't matter it's actions and by all accounts there is no reason to believe she would ever act on anything with Halsin unless you agree to it as well and also with you involved in it. When you can go the entire game, like probably 95% of the people that romanced her did, without her saying a single thing about Halsin then saying she's more attracted to Halsin than your Tav is just completely asinine.

I was referring specifically about the drow interaction, not her romance as a whole. Saying she doesn't want to lose Tav when she wants to sleep with Halsin feels wrong to me. And yes, it's a contradiction to everything you just wrote. At least in my opinion, of course.



I don't know in which part of my post I tried to do this, I even wrote...




But whatever.



Agreed. Being in a relationship (in the real life) doesn't mean you won't get attracted to other people. I never implied that.

And yes, Tav agrees to a 4some with her and twins, not with Halsin. He simply appears and invites himself, and she's soo into it that seems out of character. You even get the disapprove reaction. So yes, that's risking a relationship for someone she's attracted to.

I'd imagine that scenario in real life ending in a divorce. But that's just me. Maybe you see things different? That's OK too.

Just a reminder because I see people just picking and choosing depending on their argument.

- Shadowheart finds Halsin attractive not matter what. (you find out about it mostly through her romance, either party banter or choosing to accept the twins offer with both Shadowheart and Halsin in the party)

- Shadowheart flirts with Halsin no matter what while in a relationship with the MC. (party banter)

- Shadowheart wont sleep with Halsin behind the MCs back or without MCs say so.

- Shadowheart will disapprove if you don't allow Halsin to join in on your foursome/fivesome.

- Shadowheart will mainly focus on Halsin during the fivesome.

- Shadowheart will be open to a poly relationship only with Halsin.

- Halsin will butt in and go for your romance (both Shadowheart and Astarion) no matter what even if you rejected him.

Now, I know a lot of people like to apply the 'out of sight, out of mind'/'I didn't see it so it didn't happen' argument but there is a bit of a problem with that. Shadowhearts attraction/flirting and interest in sleeping with Halsin is a fact, the only thing that is optional/player dependent is the sexual act. (poly/twins scenes)

She was written in a way that as soon as you enter ACT 3 and finish her romance she becomes receptive to Halsins advances. (same with Astarion)
She is meant to have a flirty banter with Halsin and the only thing keeping her from having it is the player not using Halsin in the party. She is meant to have dreams and ideas of sleeping with Halsin and the only thing keeping the player from finding out is not going to the twins with Halsin there.

(I like the majority of players never knew about this in my Shadowheart romance run because for the majority of that run I never had both of them in my party. Like the majority of players I visited the twins only once at the beginning of ACT 3 and got the 'I want to sleep with you first' response from Shadowheart. But what made me aware of the whole situation is that after finishing her romance and at one point adding Halsin to the party the first thing I got as my party spawned in the city was the flirtation. Rest came from YouTube and other forums which I confirmed later on.)

TL:DR of above:

Until they change this rather toxic situation, the only canon way of having Shadowheart not dream more of Halsin than your Tav, is by killing him before he gets to speak! ALL HAIL THE GOBLIN KIDS! They were just trying to secure your Tav's future!

@Rotsen Agreed with everything that OP showed.


Praise the sun! I mean... Praise One, little goblin that got oneshoted by horny bear. You dead wasn't in vain. Horny bear got killed (funnily enough) by SH, couldn't even talk with his corpse after she used Inflict Wound. lol

Hard agree on this, they at least should've added option in some conversation early in act 3(around her skinny dip scene timing) where you could say that you prefer full mono or something. That would place flag that you decided to go full mono and all that "interesting" things with Halsin wouldnt happen, also Mizora/Haarlep/Emperor flings would result in her massive disapproval if you ve chosen to go mono. At least thats how I d imagine this.

How you see your game and react to the things you don't like is of course entirely up to you. But this sort of re-hashes the old pointless argument that you can somehow play a single player game in the "wrong" way. What is the point of trying to convince me or others that I can't apply my own mindset to my own game?

I am 100% with you about this terrible writing and how it is shoehorned in as an afterthought because they decided they had to include poly and swinger sex just to satisfy a bunch of thirsty fans. And everything about it is really toxic and uncomfortable if you aren't interested in that and without any warning it gets pushed on you anyway if you make certain decisions. I find Halsin utterly disgusting and the whole fandom around him gives me toxic Christian Grey vibes (not his original fans that wanted him to be someone entirely different), so I just avoid him as much as I can and he doesn't ruin any of my relationships in the game for me. I understand entirely if your mindset is different and that my response as to how I deal with it isn't very helpful to you (or doesn't make any sense to you). I am not saying that you could just do what I do. You are who you are and not the same as me.

Can we focus more on the actual issues of the problematic and bad writing and not how everyone who are on the same side here has to play their own story.

I find the discussion here strange.
Married women flirt in real life too, they dream too, it's not a bad thing if SH is interested in Halsin, even if she is in a relationship.