Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - Technical & Gameplay Problems Karlach Romance Bug

Has anyone come across this?

The issue is that before patch 7 and 8 I could romance Karlach normally. Go to Dammon, install her heart upgrade. Tell her that I cannot touch her, go to camp and rest and she approaches my bed roll. We talk and then go for that kiss that causes a literal fire spark to burn player character. After waking up, talk to Karlach about cooling her off, use a bottle of water and try to kiss her again.

Tell her at the Tiefling party that you have found the courage to tell her that you really like her. Eventually go to act 2, get the second heart upgrade, spend the night with her and continue on until act 3 where you can get the restaurant scene and finish her romance out until end game where you can go to Avernus together and reunite months later in the epilogue with everyone else.

Now I cannot do that at all.

I have tried starting a new game, as a Tav and a Dark Urge and it doesn't play out like that. I get the heart upgrade in act 1, tell her that I want to touch her but can't. Go to camp and rest and the scene where she approaches you at your bedroll never happens like ever. I get to the tiefling party and tell her that I like her and then long rest and it still won't activate no matter what. I get to act 2 and get the second heart upgrade and we can't even have the intimacy scene in act 2 at all.

I am NOT using mods for this play through as I don't see the point of doing that right now as I don't need them. I am on the Xbox so I don't know if that helps anyone.

Just want to see if anyone is having the same problems I am having.

Since patch 8, I've done an origin run for Gale, and had the same situation with romancing Karlach.
Now I started an origin run with Astarion, I am in act 2, had the heart upgraded, and it's the same situation with Karlach.
So yes, I am having the same problem.

I am mod clean (never had mods downloaded in the first place) and noticed this issue as well, first I thought maybe its my save file because its from a playthrough when patch 5 was released.

Anyway I have a save file just moments before I talk to Karlach for that Act 2 romance scene she has that bubble over her head, it has worked like a charm through every iteration of the game up until patch 8, now its like never triggered and all broken.

I talk to Karlach she still has the bubble over her head, she wants to see me so I go to bed and it never gets triggered, I just sleep through the night like any other normal night.

Hearing this issue from players doing a new game from scratch worries me now, I really hope it gets looekd into they probably should be receiving a handful of reports.