I’m joining the conversation a bit late, and I see that the OP is no longer active, but I would still like to share my opinion if that’s okay.
First of all, I want to state that I didn’t come across the topic of open relationships and/or polyamory at all during my first playthrough, as it’s far from my interests. Because of this, I politely rejected anyone who tried to get close to my character. It was only after the first playthrough that I saw a video where Shadowheart eagerly and joyfully threw herself into “shared pleasures.”
I have to admit, I was initially quite shocked because it felt like a complete 180 compared to what I had experienced with her during our romance.
Despite my shock, I still think it’s a good thing that the developers gave us more options to shape our romantic relationships in the game based on our preferences, allowing everyone to find the path that suits them. In my opinion, the main issue is that this content, along with the aspect of Shadowheart’s personality, appears too late (in Act 3) and too abruptly. It’s this unexpectedness that catches some players off guard, especially those who are not fond of this direction. In other words, they might encounter it without being prepared.
However, I won’t deny that, at first, I thought I might choose a different romance next time, as I felt somewhat deceived. But then I thought a lot about the character and the game, and I came to the following conclusions.
No one should feel discouraged by the fact that Shadowheart might be open to certain things, as long as her partner is also willing and receptive to them. The very fact that many players only realize Shadowheart’s "openness" by watching videos and reading forums shows that the character is flexible, empathetic, and adjusts to her partner’s needs. I know many are worried that Shadowheart might bring this topic up on her own or secretly desire others. But! Let’s not forget that those who don’t have this need will practically never encounter this content in their game (apart from one banter, which can indeed be annoying after a certain romance scene). The main reason these things bother people is because they are aware of the possibility in the game. This awareness is what causes the discomfort, which I can understand, as it bothered me for quite a while too, even though I never experienced it in my own game.
However, I think the developers’ goal was primarily to make her a very flexible character who can adapt to the player’s needs (and I mean this in the most positive sense). The fact that there are numerous ways to pursue a relationship with her also shows this. I mean, even a "toxic" relationship can be formed with Shadowheart if the player has a low approval romance with her. In this case, Shadowheart doesn’t like the MC, and the relationship will be purely physical, something she openly admits.
These thoughts are mainly for those whose interest in romancing Shadowheart has faded due to the issues mentioned above. Personally, I found a new perspective that helped me a lot. In my opinion, everyone plays with a unique character. This character has a unique story and personality, and as a result, the relationship with Shadowheart is also unique. Let’s think of this as many alternative dimensions, where the relationship evolves depending on the player’s personality and preferences. If someone is interested only in a sexual relationship with Shadowheart, that will be their dynamic. If someone desires a more exclusive relationship with her, it will just be the two of them, and Shadowheart will be perfectly content with that because she can thrive in that dynamic as well. If someone wants an open relationship, then well... Shadowheart can also function in this dynamic because the MC is also like that, and that’s what they want. In real life there are people who can do either poly or mono relationships. It's not unusual to be flexible that way. Of course, not everyone is like this, there are many types of people. But I think Shadowheart is that kind of character, and she doesn’t do it because she submits; rather, it's because that’s her nature - she’s flexible.
In a nutshell, what I want to say is that the character is adaptable and considers her partner’s needs because she loves them, and their opinion matters to her. There’s nothing wrong with that, and just because someone has different needs and wants a different type of dynamic with Shadowheart, it should not ruin anyone's experience with her. I admit that there are some rushed, not properly developed dialogues in Act 3, but this is not the character’s fault, and it doesn’t lessen the value of the deep connection that can be formed with her.
I hope it's not a problem that I shared my thoughts. I know this topic has been discussed extensively, and not everyone will agree, but I hope my perspective might be helpful to others. I mean, it helped me a lot to think from a different angle.
