Karlach is a Tiefling Barbarian you can recruit from the Risen Roads during Act 1 of Baldur’s Gate 3. She has the spirit of a warrior with excellent strength and is one of the fan favorites for striking maneuvers. Karlach is also the easiest companion to earn approval for in Baldur’s Gate 3, as you only need to do the right and kind things.
When Karlach joins your party, you will play her companion quest, “Hunt for the Devil.” This quest mostly takes place during Act 2 of Baldur’s Gate 3, and you will assist her in finding and avenging the person who sold her and help Karlach get rid of the Infernal Engine heart planted in her chest. Completing this quest is the fastest way of earning Karlach’s approval in Baldur’s Gate 3.
How to gain Karlach’s approval in Baldur’s Gate 3
Every companion has a different nature in Baldur’s Gate 3, and obtaining their approval depends on how well you understand them. Karlach, by nature, is simply both virtuous and compassionate. The pain she went through in her life made her kind towards all sorts of species, especially children and animals. She admires courage, kindness, wisdom, and loyalty.
Here are the following acts that will gain high approval from Karlach in Baldur’s Gate 3:
Act 1 Karlach approval choices
- Calm down the scared boar near Astarion in the Wilderness using the Talk to Animals spell. You can also select the following dialogue option: “I won’t hurt you.”
- Free Lae’zel from captors and recruit her by avoiding violence and only using persuasion or intimidation to earn Karlach’s approval in Baldur’s Gate 3.
- Use diplomacy to stop the fight between Druid Aradin and Tiefling Zevlor in Emerald Grove.
- Persuade Nadira to surrender her soul coin after you save her from being killed by a bugbear.
- Reassure Sazza, the captured goblin, that you will help her and then set her free.
- Stop Kagha from killing Arabella and then persuade her to free the Tiefling kid.
- Agree to kill three goblin leaders inside the Goblin Camp and then follow up on your words.
- Deceive Minthara at the last moment by not opening Emerald Grove’s gate for her and the goblin army.
- Don’t kill the Owlbear cub after your confrontation with Owlbear.
- Save Barcus Root and use the following dialogue option: “You don’t owe me anything.”
- Destroy Necromancy of Thay in the Blighted Village instead of handing it over to either Astarion or Gale.
- Calm down Mayrina’s brothers and then question Auntie Ethel about her intentions in the Sunlit Wetlands.
- Save Mayrina from Auntie Ethel and then give her the Bitter divorce wand after resurrecting her husband.
- Start a fight at Goblin’s camp door by selecting the following dialogue choice: “Fling dung at Sentinel Olak.”
- Free Halsin and then lie to Minthara about Druid Grove’s location.
- Help the struggling artist, Oskar Fevras, inside the Zhentarim hideout.
- Save Thulla by giving her an antidote or using a spell to cure her from poison.
- Stop True Soul Nere from hurting the Grymforge Gnomes and kill him if necessary.
- Use the following dialogue option after freeing Barcus Root from the clutches of True Soul Nere: “Farewell and Good Luck.”
- Threaten Mizora and stop her from hurting Karlach in the camp by saying: “Don’t lay a finger on Karlach.”
- After spending a romantic night with Karlach, select the following dialogue choices: “I want to touch you properly” and “Of course, I do.”
- When making a deal with Raphael, threaten him by using the following dialogue choice: “You are made if you think I will make a deal with the devil.”
- Telling Shadowheart that you don’t trust Raphael multiple times will let you gain Karlach’s approval in Baldur’s Gate 3.
Act 2 Karlach approval choices
- Trust Jaheira and show her the Artefact in Last Light Inn.
- Touch Karlach again once she gets her second Infernal engine upgrade from Dammon and kiss her.
- Recruit Jaheira after defeating Ketheric Thorm.
- Make the nurses kill Malus Thorm by using persuasion on him.
- Play hide and seek with the Tiefling child inside House in Deep Shadows.
- Save Isobel from Marcus, and in the case of Dark Urge Origin, stop yourself from hurting Isobel.
- Promise Arabella that you will find her parents.
- Drink with Thisobald Thorm and continue drinking for all three rounds until he dies.
Act 3 Karlach approval choices
- When the steel watchers try to arrest you at Rivington’s Gate, don’t resist and surrender yourself.
There is a bug in Baldur’s Gate 3 that will stop you from earning Karlach’s approval. The only way to fix this bug is to go back to your camp, remove Karlach from your active party, take a long rest, add her back to your party, create a save, quit the game, and reload the save. This will allow you to earn Karlach’s approval once more. However, this won’t add back the approval that you lost in the meantime.
What not to do if you want Karlach approval
- Departing adventurers outside the Dank Crypt will make you look selfish in her eyes.
- If you side with Minthara and attack Druid Grove, Karlach’s disapproval will hit its peak, and she will leave your party instantly.
- Persuading Kagha towards cruelty is also a wrong approach in the eyes of Karlach.
- Killing the Owlbear, enslaving Oskar Fevras, and not convincing Rothe’s laborers to rebel are seen as a lack of empathy and will earn Karlach’s disapproval.
- Betraying or not helping any of your allies will down Karlach’s approval rating in Baldur’s Gate 3.
- Starting a fight or attacking enemies unprovoked will make you less desirable for Karlach.
- Cruelty and disrespect are a big no for Kalrach. Your relationship will gain tension, especially if you keep siding with Astarion, as he is the embodiment of both traits.
- Kicking Timber, the squirrel, even when it attacks you.
- Use the following dialogue choices when Kagha killed Arabella: “I would have killed Arabella myself.” “It was quite a show.” “You just protected your own.”
- Talk to Tiefling Zevlor and tell him: “I am here to take the grove for goblins.”
- Betray the people inside the grove by blowing the horn to warn goblins and open the Emerald Grove’s gate.
- Insult Aradin by calling him a devil spawn.
- Bribing your way through the Blighted Village instead of using persuasion will decrease your approval with Karlach.
- Go against Elder Brithvar in Grymforge and side with True Soul Nere.
- Sise with Mizora and turn against Karlach.
- Don’t accept soul Coins from Lann Tarv when you visit Moonrise Towers for the first time.
Impact of approval on Karlach’s romance
Starting a romance with any character in Baldur’s Gate 3 is directly associated with their approval. The same is the case with Karlach. Once you get her approval to Very Good (green) during Act 1 or Act 2, you can start your romance with Karlach in Baldur’s Gate 3. Make sure you don’t hit the deep red zone of the approval bar, or Karlach will call it off with you and leave the party for good.
