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

Was more a question than a statement, unfortunately there are people like that out there. I just don't see how a flirtatious decline is consistent with saying that casual sex was encouraged, though. Way I see it it's just her declining your request but not wanting to brutally say "no" to someone she's attracted to. To me, that hints more at the fact that she doesn't feel comfortable with casual sex than it'd be hinting at it being encouraged, reasons later explained to be partially because of her embarrassment and partially because Shar doesn't approve. Will reply to the Wyll stuff later, got some things to do.

I've dabbled in writing and have looked at numerous writer guides to get better. One of the main tips is to show, not tell.

With SH, all they've shown during her romance is a slow burn romance throughout the game. Aside from some light flirting with other companions, she only shows serious interest in the player.

We simply haven't been shown anything different, outside of optional side stuff. People can engage in this side content or even headcanon all they want but the slow burn romance is the only thing that is truly canon if you romance SH. And unless the writing is changed, that's just how it is.

You guys seems to forget that the main issue is how poorly Halsin inclusion done . Her acceptance to open relationship can be somehow justified. However, the way Halsin is forced into conversation and SH goes full Daddy Halsin mode in 2 dialogs is OOC.

You would expect her to act a little bit different in those situations.

Oh noone denies that I would say 99% of the problem is Halsin and writing around him(At least act3).

Given how she flirts with the other companions in the early acts, it wouldn't be entirely OOC for her to do so with Halsin. IF it wasn't after you've established a committed relationship with her and it didn't involve him offering to join in on your intimate moments.

She could have lightly flirted with him, like the others, before act 3 but she was too busy hating him in act 2. I wouldn't have cared much if she had flirted before tbh, as its clearly just for fun. But the timing in act 3, the way it involves a highly intimate moment between the two of you, just makes it awkward. They definitely need to get rid if that banter, as it just doesn't fit with the times.

It's even more awkward when you remember that he tries to get both("You and your love...") SH and player, especially if you rejected him before. A bit creepy, isn't it? Her response doesnt help either.

How so? The drow twins and Halsin are there specifically to cater to those who want group sex content. Of course they're going to make her into it. She's into whatever you make her into, to please the player. Her and Astarion are both designed for anything and everything, yet OOC when they do it. As I've said before, it's optional side porn quest. Not canon. If it were, it would have been made part of her main quest/romance.

What can I say it is poorly timed, poorly worded, poorly scripted banter.

You could read it as an enemies to lovers trope, but it isn't very well written and fleshed out in that case. How and when did that happen? (in the context of Tav also romancing Halsin I could see how Tav's influence might have brought them closer, but when Tav isn't interested in Halsin, when?, how?)

The banter could be meant to fit both exclusive and poly romance Shadowheart. With exclusive romance Shadowheart it might be supposed to be interpreted as that she is just joking with him (yeah, you would like that you horny furball, wouldn't you?), and with poly romance Shadowheart she is flirting with him. But it missed the mark with how most people would interpret it, especially in the context of the drow scene (yes, I would interpret it as flirting in both cases as well, just suggesting an alternative intention behind it).

Yeah I agree, I could see that. They're trying to juggle two wildly different experiences with her but have only managed to piss off both sides. Mostly, anyway. There are some who are happy with how it is now I guess.

Those who want monogamous SH and monogamous Halsin, then those who want a truly poly Halsin(not an open relationship) aren't happy. I have no idea how Larian is going to fix this so everyone is happy... or if they'll even bother at all.

Getting rid of the banter would be a good start though.

In my eyes at least SH situation is easily fixable without rewriting just with some flags. Other things are way harder.

True, mostly it is just flags. But I also just simply want the option to refuse Halsin from joining the camp end of act 2... that's super weird that he can just decide that for us lmao

Oh God discord feedback is going wild with SH and Halsin stuff. Ppl are basically having an argument with multiple feedback posts lol

Here's one I can get behind though:

https://discord.com/channels/98922182746329088/1161743129599287379

There's a few good ones. Then there's one calling us SH fans selfish and childish lol

It is not even slightly okay to accuse other forum members of this. No more please.

I made another feedback post on Discord. Please give an uovote if you agree. TY!

https://discord.com/channels/98922182746329088/1161797743740727349

It just kind of hit me. You know how it's often said in this thread that Shadowheart takes a while to romance? I mean, you have to wait all the way until Act III. Right?

But then I started to think, what is that? Two weeks? You meet a girl, talk to her for a couple weeks, then she's skinny dipping with you, having sex with you... Not exactly prudish, i'd say.

And yet she has one of the slowest burn romance of them all. Wait til you hear about Wyll and Gale's marriage proposals. In the amount of time it takes for SH to even sleep with you, they're like already popping the big question lmao

And then there's the record for fastest sex in the game... Lae'zel certainly makes SH look like a prude lol

https://www.dexerto.com/baldurs-gat...ets-outrageous-new-world-record-2259340/

can you tag it as feedback/suggestion on discord?

You know something that I haven't seen touched on in the last several pages of this thread I've read (I haven't followed it from the beginning) is that we actually do get evidence that Shadowheart would be open to a poly relationship. If you've been romancing both her and Karlach, you have to choose after Karlach's heart gets fixed in act 2. If you suggest to SH that you don't have to choose between the two of them, (correct me if I'm misremembering) she declines not because she necessarily doesn't want to share you, but because she thinks Karlach deserves to have all of your attention, given her situation. The clear implication being that if Karlach weren't destined to die, Shadowheart would be open to it. And honestly that is a level of concern, thoughtfullness, honesty and emotional maturity that could be the foundation of a functional polyamorous relationship. And we do see throughout that the two of them have solid chemistry together. What stands out most in my mind is Karlach's reaction after Shadowheart betrays Shar. That dialogue alone convinces me that they could work in a relationship and be part of a genuinely healthy and mutually caring polyamorous relationship.

In contrast, the Halsin stuff is pretty much all just horniness and lust and the pair don't demonstrate anywhere near the same kind of bond at all. But it's probably for the best that Larian didn't try to make it work with Karlach and Shadowheart, clearly they lack writers who can see the difference between a genuine polyamorous relationship and a friends with benefits arrangement with extra decoration.

I can't find any evidence of this anywhere online where she says that about Karlach. The only thing I've seen people say is SH saying something like "I wish I was the one to give you that spring in your step" and then ending the romance.

And doesn't it seem a bit strange that this would only happen with Karlach? Why specifically her? I know she's flirted/complimented her but I'm pretty sure she flirted with Astarion and Gale too. Plus, if it were actual polyamory, why not ask to join in instead? Maybe Karlach wants her attention too..

In act 2, after you get Karlach's 2nd upgrade, she basically says she wants to touch everything and everyone lol and she'll kiss multiple faces. They could have made that the perfect opening for a poly/open relationship because they know Karlach's time is limited. Karlach is legitimately looking to have as much fun as she can.

They could have at least given an option to ask Karlach. Isn't it her who should ultimately decide what she needs and is comfortable with?

It's their endings that don't necessarily match up though, depending on your choices in SH's story especially. So maybe that's what the problem is really. You'd probably have to choose between them anyway.

Looks like I'll have to do another playthrough and romance them both to see for myself. I wish there was a list somewhere, of all the companion lines to the player, to make this easier lol

I think it would be great if there were a legitimate option like this though, because there isn't any poly/casual sex option for lesbians or straight men currently.