Baldur's Gate 3 Shadowheart Romance Guide (Approval & Inspiration)

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Want to get up close or befriend with Shadowheart, one of your favorite characters in BG3? Then you’ve come to the right place! Our Baldur’s Gate 3 Shadowheart Romance Guide will help you with that. If you want to get Shadowheart’s approval, read on.

Baldur’s Gate 3 Shadowheart Romance Guide

Shadowheart becomes available for romance after a certain approval threshold. Players may approach her at the campsite celebration with the refugees after rescuing the Druid Halson as the others celebrate.

To romance Shadowheart, players will need to follow these dialog choices:

Tieflings?
Are you worried Shar won’t approve?
I’d be glad to. (If she asks to share a bottle)
I’ll find you after everyone’s turned in for the night.

Head to your bedroll and interact with it to see that you have a choice to go to bed alone or to find Shadowheart. By clicking on Shadowheart, players share a moment with her at the cliffside. There will be a moment of talking and the both of you share a kiss.

Shadowheart Approval Guide

If you are looking to befriend or romance Shadowheart, you will have to get her approval up. Companions are not black and white in BG3, but they have some characteristics you can consider when forming your party and making game choices.

General Personality Tips

Really enjoys privacy and boundaries but rewards curiosity.
Has a heart of gold under the tough exterior. Sometimes
Hates acts of unnecessary cruelty.
But sometimes more than willing to do bad things if the justification is good enough.
Approves of deeds of self-Interests in which Astarion actually shares with some. (Extorting and Scamming)
Enjoys witnessing and committing thievery.
A lot of her approval instances requires Persuasion, Deceit, Religion and Insight Checks.
A lot of her approval instances have an inconsistent pattern.
Her most important scenes require successful insight checks. Will actually gain disapproval if you don’t pass some of them.
As a worshipper of Shar and also by default a cleric of the trickery domain. Following her principles of secrecy, indirect approach and deceit as a consistent principle is a good way of gaining approval with Shadowheart
This part isn’t defining the alignment of the Companion
To avoid disapproval events, make sure the companion is Either left in camp or just far away from the dialogue.

APPROVAL UP:

Intro Area/Ravage Beach/Dank Crypt

Rescue her from her pod in the Nautiloid
After rescuing her from the Mind Flayer Pod in Escape the Nautiloid and you chose the option to go with her in looking for supplies and a healer during Find a Cure.
Telling Shadowheart in Camp that making finding the healer your top priority rewards you with Approval.
Either passing an Animal Handling check on the frightened Boar that (Astarion Spooked him during his recruitment event) or telling it to calm down with Speak with Animals
Persuade the adventurers to leave outside of the Overgrown Ruins
Agree with Shadowheart after fighting the undead scribes in the Dank Crypt
Successfully make a Religion check on the Book of Dead Gods
Successfully Deceive Lae’zel captors when she’s in her cage.
Asking Lae’zel to say “please” before letting her out.

Druid Grove

Show Guex in the Druid Grove your sword fighting technique
Persuade Zevlor and Aradin to stop fighting in Druid’s Grove
After saving Nadira from the Bugbear Assassin in the Grove, use Deception to convince her to give you the soul coin.
Prevent the Tieflings from killing the caged Goblin Sazza, because she’s worth more information alive
Within the Emerald Grove, allow Silver(wolf) to take your scent.(Speak with animals needed)
Successfully persuade Kagha to let Arabella go
Tell Kagha that protecting your own sometimes requires cruelty
Swear to use the vial of Wyvern poison Poison Nettie gives you
Agree with Shadowheart after you swear to use the poison
Using the bard interactions at the bird making its nest in the grove while using speak with animals

Inbetween Blighted Village Proper and Druid Grove

Crush the Tadpole outside of the Druid Grove
Telling Edowin’s siblings to leave.
Convince the Owlbear not to kill you in its cave through Performance
Let the Owlbear Cub live after killing the mother in its cave
Tell Scratch (dog) that he can come to your Camp if his friend doesn’t wake up.
Listening to her when she tells you to leave the Selûne chest alone in the owlbear cave.

Blighted Village

Pass the Very hard Peruasion check and hire the Ogres for free
After Helping the Gnome in the Windmill, Ask for compensation

Risen Road

When you first meet Karlach, choose either dialogue that does not say you were sent by the paladins. After that, pass either Intimidation/Persuasion Check.
Using the Bard Persuade option with Rugan to give you their cargo

Sunlit Wetlands

When the player emulates the roar of a mind flayer while talking to Lorin.
Say “This is nothing to do with me. Goodbye” when you encounter Auntie Ethel and the brothers upon trying to enter the Sunlit Wetlands
After Auntie Ethel is found out, tell Johl and Demir this is their problem.
When entering the swamp pass succeed in the perception roll, then baa at the redcap when you speak to them

Goblin Camp

Make Novice Crusher kiss your foot in the Goblin Camp
After the 1st Tadpole Dream, tell Lae’zel you resisted in your dream.
After the 1st Tadpole Dream, tell Shadowheart you refused/resisted in your dream.
Use intimidation the 2nd time to force Novice Crusher to kiss your foot
After telling Novice Crusher “I’d Sooner spit in your face” and then winning the fight, make him kiss your foot.
After telling Novice Crusher “I’d Sooner spit in your face” and then winning the fight, try to finish him off. (Will start battle with the Entire Camp)
Convince Tracker Klagga to give you the poem from the dead dwarf
Telling tracker grikka (goblin near the roasting dwarf) you can get answers from the prisoner.
Take Shadowheart, Lae’zel and Astarion to the chicken chase area. Talk to Shadowheart’s area dialogue prompt and agree with her to prioritise Halsin
Win in Chicken Chase, convince Krolla to give your money without using illithid powers, Invite the Owlbear Cub to camp and then when you ask to take the Cub to camp from Krollo, use the Illithid power.
Convince (INT/PER) Krolla to give the Owlbear cub after talking to the Owlbear cub. Paying will not earn his approval. (Happens in the Goblin Camp and you must not kill the Owlbear Cub in the Cave)
Invite the Owlbear cub to the camp (Happens in the Goblin Camp and you must not kill the Owlbear in the Cave)
With Speak to Animals and while playing Chicken Chase. Convince the Owlbear to help you win.
When Krolla refuses to give your winnings for Chicken Chase, Use Illithid powers
Telling the Goblin Child Eight in the Outdoor Goblin Camp, “Im sorry for your loss”
Agree to the Loviatar preists ritual
Torture Liam for Torturer Spike without Wyll
Sucessfully Tortures Liam For Wyll. Need Persuasion Check
Intimidate Torturer Spike to tell you the information.
In the Shattered Sanctum With Wyll in the Party, express interest in joining the game with the trio Goblins talking about the blade. (Room before going to the Throne room of Dror Ragzlin, the area will be in the west)
Tell Minthara you know the location of the grove but win the intelligence roll to hide the location.
After Finishing torturing Liam, tell minthara the prisoner revealed the location and win the Deceit Check.
When First meeting Halsin, Tell Him you will help him with the goblins
Tell Halsin to stay in the Worg Pens

Underdark

Fight the fake god Boooal in THE FESTERING COVE.
Take the Boots of Speed from Thulla
When talking to the Myconid king, succeed the Persuasion

Camp

During the first night in Camp, agree with her statement that it’s best that you find someone who can cure all of you.
During the first Tadpole dream Camp Event, Convince Lae’zel to stand down.
Shadowheart likes to see Scratch Petted
After the 2nd Tadpole dream, telling the group to stop using the Tadpole’s powers.
Saying you regret your choice after the 3rd tadpole dream
Refuse Raphael’s/The Devil’s Deal
After the conversation with the devil tell shadowheart you would never trust the devil
After a succesful persuasion check when talking about Shar , say “remind me” or “She doesn’t sound appealing, going by her titles”, after this she will explain Shar. Important choices is to either say “I won’t cast judgements on your beliefs” or “I’d be lying if I said it didn’t sound convincing……”
Tell shadowheart you dont care what she worships
Ask her about shar worship and persuade her you have no problems with it
Talk shadowheart about her missing memories, tell her you want her to show her the flowers she likes
After a succesful persuasion check when talking about Shar , say “remind me” or “She doesn’t sound appealing, going by her titles”, after this she will explain Shar. Important choices is to either say “I won’t cast judgements on your beliefs” or “I’d be lying if I said it didn’t sound convincing……”
When Shadowheart has a weird magic event, choose to change the subject.

APPROVAL DOWN:

Join Lae’zel in looking for crèche after freeing her.
Agree to help Wyll save the refugees in the Druid Grove
Tell Auntie Ethel you have a tadpole in your head at the Druid Grove
Try to persuade the goblin guard outside the Goblin Camp
Help Auntie Ethel when she’s confronted by Johl and Demir
Offer to help Johl and Demir take Mayrina back from Auntie Ethel.
Smear dung on your face when Sentinel Olak askes you to
Shadowheart has a rivalry attitude towards Lae’zel, heed to Lae’zel’s advice will upset her.
Telling her she’s keeping something back in “what will you do, if we manage to remove the tadpoles” conversation will result in her displeasure. As of patch 3, this can be repeated infinitely.
If you choose to walk in on the two trolls having sex in the Blighted Village.
Tell Raphael you would do anything to remove the tadpole.
Insist on helping Mayrina when talking to Auntie Ethel at her house.
Telling the group you trust Astarion, after letting him drink your blood during a long rest.
Take Shadowheart, Lae’zel and Astarion to the chicken chase area. Talk to Shadowheart’s area dialogue prompt and tell her not to be hasty
Talking to Shadowheart either in camp or the field. Ask her about Shar. After passing the persuasion checks and going through multiple hoops of correct dialogue so that Shadowheart will explain her religion. Call her faith evil.
During the first night in camp, when she tells you to be careful with Gale, you’ll get a disapproval when you choose the fourth option saying “If anyone has me concerned, it’s you. You haven’t exactly been open about yourself.”

Shadowheart Inspiration

All characters can gain Inspiration based on their Background when your party completes content in a specific way. Shadowheart is of Urchin background, (he was “Noble” in early access) so his inspiration boosts are:

CHAPTER ONE

Born Innocent (Save the owlbear cub from the goblins.)
Pyramid Scheme (Convince the ogres to work for you without giving them gold.)
Not on my watch (Save Arabella from Kagha and her serpent.)
Slaying the Piper (Rescure Mirkon from the harpies.)
What Price Dignity? (Steal the toe ring from Crusher without getting caught.)
Hunger Never Fades (Fill your plate at Raphael’s House of Hope)
Protect your Own (Protect the child who took the locket from Barth)
Mercenary (Get some coin out of the Zhentarim survivors)
The Allure of Coin (Steal from a child charmed by harpies)
Artful Dodger (Earn Mattis’ respect by taking his Rings)
Family Comes First (Encourage Meli to tell the truth about the Amulet)
Idolatry (Help Mol steal the Idol of Silvanus)

Note: This guide is a work in progress. The information below reflects what was available during Early Access. Some situations, flags and events may have changed.

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Baldur’s Gate 3 Shadowheart Romance Guide (Approval & Inspiration)