Shadowheart is a fan-favorite character in Baldur’s Gate 3 with a fantastic companion story. She is a recruitable companion you can save from Nautiloid during the prologue. Like the rest of the companions, you can romance Shadowheart in Baldur’s Gate 3.
Due to its complex and role-playing nature, Baldur’s Gate 3 companions have unique personalities with specific likings and dislikes. Wooing a specific character is not easy, as you must alter your gameplay choices according to them. This is a bit more complex for Shadowheart due to her religious background and devotion to Shar.
In this guide, we will briefly examine how you can earn Shadowheart’s favor and why her romance is worth the effort.
How to recruit Shadowheart in BG3
Romance with Shadowheart in BG3 is a multi-step process. From the initial sexual encounter to making it official, it happens over the course of three acts of the game. There are three extremely important things to romance any character in BG3. Recruit them, keep them alive, and earn their approval.
Shadowheart is the first companion you can officially recruit. After the Nautiloid crash, you will find her unconscious on the Ravaged Beach. You can wake her up or steal her Artifact as you interact with her.
We recommend that you wake her up, as it will allow you to earn her approval. Once she is up, you can talk to her and invite her to join your party, which she gladly will.
Shadowheart Approval choices
You don’t even have a chance to romance Shadowheart in Baldur’s Gate 3 until the approval meter turns green. To increase Shadowheart’s approval, you must make the following choices across multiple acts.
- Avoid violence at all costs and use intelligence to sort out matters.
- Help people in need and the poor.
- Show kindness to children as well as animals.
- Side with her and express displeasure with the Githyanki people.
- Respect her privacy.
- Save the Emerald Grove and defeat the goblin leaders.
Shadowheart Disapproval choices
Shadowheart has a strong dislike for violent people. You will end up losing Shadowheart’s approval and your chance to romance her if you do the following acts:
- Cause harm and violence without any reason.
- Side with Lae’zel instead of Shadowheart.
- Praise Githyanki people in any way.
- Humiliate her.
- Hand over Nightsong to Balthazar (this one will be catastrophic).
Shadowheart Romance in Act 1
During Act 1 of BG3, once you save Halsin from the goblin camp and protect Emerald Grove from the attack, this will save all Tiefling Refugees in the grove. Celebrations will follow at night in your camp. The game will prompt you to talk to Shadowheart.
During the conversation, select the following dialogue options very carefully. Make sure that you have good approval ratings with Shadowheart at this point.
- Tieflings?
- Are you worried that Shar won’t approve of our actions?
- I would be glad to share it with you.
- I will find you later in your camp after everyone is turned in for the night.
This will lead to your first Shadowheart Romantic Scene. In the meantime, select the options that show your feelings and loyalty towards her. This will lead you to kiss Shadowheart. Talk to her the next day to reaffirm your feelings for her.
Shadowheart Romance in Act 2
Act 2 is vital for Shadowheart’s romance in BG3. This is where it is decided which sex scene you will have with Shadowheart in Act 3. You can increase Shadowheart’s approval massively by finding her a few Night Orchid flowers during this act.
During the main story quest in Act 2, Find the Nightsong, you have two options. Either let Shadowheart kill Nightsong or stop her from committing the act. Both decisions have definitive consequences for Shadowheart’s romance.
If you stop Shadowheart from killing Nightsong, she will shun Shar and her control. She will get warmer toward you, and your romance with Shadowheart will progress at lightning speed. Make sure to take a long rest and talk to Shadowheart. She will change her hair color at this point to honor Selune.
However, if you allow Shadowheart to kill Nightsong, she will become a tool of Shar. Her heart will turn cold towards you. This is a much less desirable outcome as you can still have a romantic scene with Shadowheart, but you won’t be able to earn her affection or love. After the long rest, she will change her hairstyle to honor Shar.
Shadowheart Romance in Act 3
Act 3 concludes Shadowheart’s romance in Baldur’s Gate 3. To reach the climax, you must complete Shadowheart’s companion quest, Daughter of Darkness. Once you complete the quest and defeat Mother Superior, take a long rest and talk to Shadowheart again.
There are two different sex scenes with Shadowheart in Act 3, depending on your actions during Act 2. Both need you to have Very Good approval with Shadowheart or forget about romancing her during Act 3.
If you stop Shadowheart from killing Nightsong, you will get the better of two. Talk to Shadowheart at the camp once an exclamation mark appears over her head. Hit the bed to start the next scene, where Shadowheart will invite you to the beach. Select the following dialogue choices.
- There are easier ways to get me naked.
- You first, please.
At this point, you will get a chance to peek. Do it to witness an additional scene.
- Peek.
- You are beautiful.
This will be followed by a steamy sex scene with you and Shadowheart taking a skinny dip. This also marks the end of the romance quest for Shadowheart.
If you allow Shadowheart to kill Nightsong during Act 2, she will become a follower of Shar. After completing her companion quest, you must talk to Shadowheart in the camp once she has an exclamation mark over her. Reply with the following dialogue choices.
- Why me?
- As you wish.
Hit the bed and select the following options during the next automated cutscene.
- More wine?
- So, we feast now?
- Kiss Shadowheart.
This will lead to a very anticlimactic sex scene with Shadowheart. It will be a dull, cold, and boring affair that will leave both parties unsatisfied. This will be the last time you will ever be romantic with her.
We believe you should stick with the first option, not allowing Shadowheart to kill Nightsong. This will give Shadowheart a beautiful physical change of silver hair and give you a chance to witness the best romance scene of Baldur’s Gate 3.
