Shadowheart is a half high-elf that you come across and save during Escape the Nautiloid’s main quest during Act 1 of the game. Like the rest of the companions, Shadowheart can be recruited and romanced if you earn her approval in Baldur’s Gate 3.
Once you earn enough approval points from Shadowheart, these approval ratings open up more dialogue options, quests, and romancing options, increasing your overall experience of Baldur’s Gate 3. In this guide, we will explain how you can earn Shadowheart’s approval and how you can avoid the actions that will make you lose both her respect and approval in return.
How to gain Shadowheart approval in BG3
Shadowheart is a secretive, kind-hearted, and trickster person. She likes to avoid violence as much as possible but doesn’t mind if it aligns with her agenda. Being a high elf, she has an inherent hatred for Githyanki and, in proxy Lae’zel. Being a trickster, Shadowheart wants you to use your cunning skills, like Sleight of hands, to resolve matters without hurting anyone.
You can increase Shadowheart’s approval rating in Baldur’s Gate 3 by doing the following actions.
Act 1 Shadowheart approval choices
- Free Shadowheart from her pod on Nautiloid and then wake her up after the crash. Recruiting Shadowheart at this point will earn you her approval in Baldur’s Gate 3.
- Attack Lae’zel after freeing her from her captives in the Wilderness.
- When you find the Book of Dead Gods inside Dank Crypt, read it.
- Persuade Nadira to surrender her soul coin to you.
- Downplay Lae’zel when interrogating Zorru.
- Free Arabella from Kagha’s captivity by any means necessary except violence. Then, use the following dialogue choice to earn Shadowheart’s approval: “I understand that you are protecting your own.”
- Recruit Scratch by using the Talk to Animals spell.
- While saving Barcus Wroot from Blighted Village, ask Fezzerk to leave peacefully instead of starting a fight.
- Refuse to help Mayrina’s brothers in Sunlit wetlands.
- Rescue Owlbear cub from goblin camp and recruit it.
- Attack Priestess Gut inside her chambers and kill her.
- Either deceive Minthara or kill her to earn Shadowheart’s approval in Baldur’s Gate 3.
- Recruit Karlach from the risen road.
- Once you find Noblestalk, take it to Darryth Bonecloak’s shop and demand a reward. Keep both the reward and Noblestalk.
- Hand over the Idol of Shar from Grymforge to Shadowheart.
- Disobey Vlaakith and refuse to enter the Artefact.
- Allow Shadowheart to attack and kill Lae’zel in the camp. Then tell her: “This was an uneasy pairing. I trust you had your reasons.”
- When Shadowheart asks you to find a healer, agree with her.
- Refuse to make a deal with Raphael and tell Shadowheart that you can never trust the devil to earn her approval in Baldur’s Gate 3.
- Shadowheart, despite being a follower of Shar, is a kind and loving person. She appreciates if you don’t harm anyone and help children and pet animals. You can also use this as an exploit to pet your companion dog Scratch many times to increase Shadowheart approval in BG3 to full.
- Another exploit to earn Shadowheart’s approval infinitely is by asking her to tell you something about herself. You must select the “Beside Shar, beside Tadpoles” dialogue option to continue the choice with “Point out any night orchids you see.”
Act 2 Shadowheart approval choices
- Convince or deceive Kar’niss into handing over the moon lantern to you and leaving the area with her party without it.
- Persuade Madeline to stab herself during Punish the Wicked side quest.
- Don’t trust Jaheira in the Last Light Inn and warn Isobel about Marcus.
- When using the Dark Urge origin character, refuse yourself to kill Isobel.
- Help Arabella find her parents and play Hide and Seek with Oliver.
- Make Malus Thorm and her nurses kill themselves in the House of Healing.
- Persuade Balthazar to hand over the bell to you to summon his brother, Flesh.
- Make Yurgir kill himself instead of engaging in a fight.
What not to do if you want Shadowheart approval
Shadowheart is very rigid, and there are a few things she does not like. Her approval will go down if you participate in those actions and select those choices. As mentioned before, she is a loving, caring, secretive trickster, and if you consent to unnecessary violence, she will not approve of your actions.
Below are the choices that will get you approval down from Shadowheart in Baldur’s Gate 3.
- Trusting Astarion is a massive turn-off in Shadowheart’s book.
- Hide secrets from Shadowheart and lie to her face about your vampiric abilities after getting bit by Astarion.
- Once you free Lae’zel, ask her to join your party. This will massively decrease Shadowheart’s approval in Baldur’s Gate 3.
- Disclose the mind-flayer parasite in your brain to Auntie Ethel.
- Forcing Shadowheart to loot Selunite Chest inside Owlbear cave.
- Using violence inside Blighted Village.
- Make a loud presence and beat war drums at the front gate of Goblin Camp.
- Helping Oskar Fevras after you free him from Zhentarim Hideout.
- Allowing Lae’zel to take charge inside Creche Y’llek and handing over the Artefact to Githyanki.
- After finding out that Shadowheart is a worshipper of Shar, ask her to permanently leave the party.
- Lick the dead spider multiple times inside Gauntlet of Shar.
- Accept to kill gnomes during the Deal with the Gnomes quest.
Impact of Approval on Shadowheart’s Romance
You can romance Shadowheart as early as invading the Goblin camp during Act 1 of the game. Once her approval meter hits green (very good), you can accept Shadowheart’s invitation for a chat leading to her romance.
However, making way too many wrong choices that anger Shadowheart will decrease her approval of you. Once the approval meter hits deep Red, Shadowheart will end her romance with you and leave the party for good.
