Baldur's Gate 3: Complete Shadowheart Romance Guide

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A step-by-step guide to winning the cleric over in BG3

Written by Hannah Dillon

Last Updated: March 9, 2026 Fact Checked

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• Act One
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• Act Two
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• Act Three (Non-Dark Justiciar)
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• Act Three (Dark Justiciar)
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• Gaining Approval
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• Avoiding Disapproval
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• Video

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Shadowheart is one of the many romanceable NPCs in Baldur's Gate 3. While her romance isn't particularly difficult to initiate or complete, it does require some knowledge of when and how to act. In this article, we go over how to romance Shadowheart from the start of the game to the end, even through her branching storyline. We also go over how to gain Shadowheart's approval and what to avoid so you don't lose it.

Note: This guide contains major spoilers for Baldur's Gate 3. Read with caution!

Romancing Shadowheart

To romance Shadowheart, get her approval up to 20 during Act 1, then agree to share a bottle with her at the tiefling party. During Act 2, if she doesn't become a Dark Justiciar, simply reciprocate her feelings to solidify the romance. If she does, you'll have to plead with her to stay with you to keep romancing her.

Steps

Section 1 of 6:

Act One

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1. 
   1
   Raise Shadowheart's approval to 20. To initiate her romance as soon as possible, you must raise her approval to 20 before the tiefling party (after clearing out the Goblin Camp). To learn how to get Shadowheart's approval, jump to Gaining Approval below.

   • There are many, many chances to gain Shadowheart's approval in Act 1. As long as you (mostly) follow along with what she approves of, you shouldn't have to worry about reaching 20 approval with her.
     • If Shadowheart's approval of you is at least Medium ("Relationship is fair. Shadowheart's trust in [your character] is variable.") you're above the 20 approval point threshold.
2. 2
   Progress to the tiefling party. The tiefling party happens after you finish clearing out the Goblin Camp. After the Goblin Camp, make sure you return to your camp, as this is what triggers the tiefling party to happen.

   • Note: If your approval with Shadowheart is not at 20 yet, do not go to the tiefling party! You can try to raise her approval in other ways, but if there's no further way to gain her approval, you'll need to progress to Act 2 without going to the tiefling party for a chance at starting her romance.
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3. 3
   Talk to Shadowheart. As long as you have at least 20 approval and you've never started a romance with another character, Shadowheart will ask you to share a bottle with her. Accept her offer to initiate Shadowheart's romance.
4. 4
   Progress through the cutscene. There are no wrong answers here, except the choices that explicitly state you want to end this encounter. There may be some skill checks along the way, depending on which dialogue choices you pick.
5. 5
   Pass an insight check to share your first kiss with Shadowheart. After spending the night talking with Shadowheart, your character will make a passive insight check with a DC of five. If your character passes this insight check, they can choose to kiss Shadowheart.

   • If you fail the insight check or choose an option that doesn't lead to a kiss, don't worry! You can still progress Shadowheart's romance.
6. 6
   Talk to Shadowheart the next day. She will talk with your character about the night before. If you didn't kiss Shadowheart, tell her that you wish you had kissed her. This will allow the relationship to continue.

   • Pick the positive reactions in this conversation. If you pick any option that says the previous night was a mistake or that you got carried away, this will end the relationship.
7. 7
   Give Shadowheart the Idol of Shar found in the Grymforge (optional). This isn't required to progress her romance, but you do get some special dialogue if you do so. If you're playing as a Cleric of Selûne, you'll get some further special dialogue if you have initiated her romance.
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Section 2 of 6:

Act Two

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1. 1
   Give Shadowheart a Night Orchid (optional). Night Orchids are flowers you can find in the Ruined Battlefield. While it is optional and not required for her romance, giving one to Shadowheart will give you an approval boost, plus you'll get some special dialogue.
2. 2
   Bring Shadowheart to the Gauntlet of Shar. While you don't have to have Shadowheart in the party to complete the Gauntlet of Shar, she will get very upset if you complete the Gauntlet without her in the party—so much so that she will leave the party permanently if you deal with Dame Aylin without her.
3. 3
   Decide whether to let Shadowheart become a Dark Justiciar or not. While you can still romance Shadowheart during both routes, the romance becomes very different depending on which path you choose. If you choose to let Shadowheart become a Dark Justiciar, she will become cold and distant. If she doesn't become a Dark Justiciar, the rest of the romance storyline will be warmer and happier.

   • If you have a good relationship with Shadowheart and don't interfere with her choice regarding the Nightsong or you tell her to make her own choice, she will not become a Dark Justiciar.
   • If you push Shadowheart to kill the Nightsong and pass any relevant checks, she will go through with it and become a Dark Justiciar.
   • If you fail enough checks and push Shadowheart too hard, she will turn hostile, which will force you to kill her (which will, of course, end the relationship).
4. 4
   Talk with Shadowheart after the Nightsong is dealt with. Whether Shadowheart kills the Nightsong or not, she will talk with you after the fact to discuss your relationship.

   • If Shadowheart did not kill the Nightsong, she will discuss her faith and your relationship with you, and she'll ask if you want to make the relationship more serious. Choose the option to continue the relationship to reach the "partnered" stage with Shadowheart.
     • If you chose this route, jump to the section below on Act 3 with a non-Dark Justiciar Shadowheart.
   • If Shadowheart killed the Nightsong, she'll tell you that she needs to be completely devoted to Shar. However, if you plead with her to stay, she will.
     • If you chose this route, jump to the section below on Act 3 with Dark Justiciar Shadowheart.
5. 5
   Don't leave Act 2 if you haven't initiated Shadowheart's romance yet. To initiate Shadowheart's romance in Act 2, you must have 40 approval with her, you must not be romancing anyone else, and you must not have left Act 2 yet. If you leave Act 2 without initiating her romance, you won't be able to start it in Act 3.

   • Note that if you wait until the end of Act 2 to start Shadowheart's romance, you may miss some of the earlier scenes and dialogue options.
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Section 3 of 6:

Act Three (Non-Dark Justiciar)

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1. 1
   Reach 40 approval with Shadowheart. You should easily be at 40 approval with Shadowheart by Act 3, but if you aren't, make sure to continue doing things that she would approve of.

   • If you see that Shadowheart's approval of you is High ("Relationship is good. Shadowheart approves of [your character].") then you've passed the 40 approval threshold.
2. 2
   Complete the scene where Shadowheart and your character go swimming. Make sure to choose positive dialogue options and avoid any that turn Shadowheart down.

   • This scene will differ depending on your game settings. If nudity is turned off, Shadowheart and your character will sit on the beach after swimming, clothed, and kiss. If nudity is turned on, they will return to the beach naked and begin to have sex.
3. 3
   Talk with Shadowheart after completing the final part of her personal quest. After completing the House of Grief, Shadowheart will talk with you at a Selûnite statue. The dialogue changes depending on how she dealt with her parents. Both options give you the ability to comfort her with a hug.

   • During the House of Grief, do not give Shadowheart over to Viconia. Doing so will remove her from your party permanently, and she will have all of her memories wiped.
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Section 4 of 6:

Act Three (Dark Justiciar)

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1. 
   1
   Complete Shadowheart's personal quest. During the House of Grief, Shadowheart has the option to kill her parents or spare them.

   • If you choose to spare Shadowheart's parents, she'll immediately stop being a Dark Justiciar, and Shar will return her memories. She will be very grief-stricken and traumatized, and no further romance cutscenes will play.
   • If you choose to kill Shadowheart's parents, she will continue being a Dark Justiciar, and a special romance cutscene will trigger afterwards.
2. 2
   Take a long rest within the city of Baldur's Gate. If you decide to kill Shadowheart's parents, you must rest within the city of Baldur's Gate to get the final Shadowheart romance scene. Shadowheart will take you to the Selûnite shrine and desecrate it with Dame Aylin's blood, and then she will begin to have sex with your character in front of the shrine.
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Section 5 of 6:

Gaining Approval

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1. 1
   In general, you'll gain Shadowheart's approval by being heroic and helping others. However, there are times when she approves of cruelty and underhanded tactics, given that she's a cleric of the trickery domain. She also appreciates open-mindedness (especially towards Shar) and likes to keep her privacy. There are many, many ways to gain Shadowheart's approval, but most of these actions only increase her approval by one. To see all of the ways to gain Shadowheart's approval, check the Baldur's Gate 3 wiki.

   • Below are the biggest approval gains you can get with Shadowheart in Act 1 and Act 2. While she has plenty of ways to gain approval in Act 3, these don't matter much for her romance, as you would have had to initiate that before Act 3 began.
2. 2
   Act 1Most of Shadowheart's major approval gains are found in Act 1. Since you only need 20 approval to initiate her romance, this should be easily attainable unless you manage to pick a lot of dialogue options that cause her to disapprove.

   • Rescue her from the ravaged beach after the Nautiloid crash. (+10)
     • Note: You must have rescued her from the Nautiloid, and your party must not be full to get these points.
     • If you wait to recruit Shadowheart until you reach the Emerald Grove, you'll only get +5 approval.
     • If you don't recruit Shadowheart at all, she'll eventually find the camp. Succeed your perception roll to see the knife in her belt, then persuade her to rest at camp for +10 approval. If you add her to your party the next morning, you'll get an additional +5 approval.
   • Convince the tieflings to shoot Lae'zel's cage down (+1) and then attack Lae'zel. (+5)
     • Note: This will cause you to lose Lae'zel as a companion.
   • Persuade Kagha to free Arabella. (+5)
   • Praise Kagha after she frees Arabella. (+5)
   • After Auntie Ethel disappears, tell Demir and Johl that they're on their own. (+5)
     • If you're playing as a Ranger, Sorcerer, or Wizard, you can also choose the option that says to "trust a more experienced soul." (+5)
   • After defeating Auntie Ethel in the overgrown tunnel, intimidate her into handing over Mayrina and the fey hair. (+5)
     • Alternatively, you can choose the option that says "the best solution is a dead hag." (+5)
   • In the owlbear nest, agree not to loot the Selûnite chest. (+5)
   • In the blighted village, persuade Fezzerk to leave peacefully. (+5)
   • If playing as a Rogue, show Salazon (the Zhentarim hideout guard) the sign for "profit." (+5)
   • Succeed at the passive Deception check to resolve the encounter with Voss in the Mountain Pass peacefully. (+5)
   • When Raphael takes you to the House of Hope, say, "You're mad if you think I'll make a deal with a devil." (+5)
   • When discussing Raphael with Shadowheart, be distrustful of the devil. (+5)
   • When talking with Shadowheart in camp for the first time, agree that finding a healer is your top priority. (+5)
     • You can also choose the option where you're hoping to get lucky. (+5)
   • After learning about any route to a cure, tell Shadowheart this might be your last night together, then probe her mind with illithid wisdom and suggest finding a tavern to celebrate. (+5)
   • If you see her messing around with the mysterious artefact, ask her to admit there's a cure inside of it. (+5)
     • Alternatively, you can say that your lives are intertwined, and you won't discuss the matter further. (+5)
   • Talk Lae'zel out of killing everyone before they turn into mind flayers. (+5)
     • Alternatively, asking Lae'zel to give you the knife but not killing anyone will get you +5 approval. Taking the knife and killing Lae'zel will get you +10 approval.
   • When Lae'zel and Shadowheart fight over the mysterious artefact, do one of the following:
     • Persuade Lae'zel to stop if she attacks sneakily at night. (+10)
     • Intimidate Lae'zel, if playing as a Half-Orc. (+10)
     • Defend/side with Shadowheart in the duel. (+10)
     • Do nothing if Shadowheart attacks at night. (+10)
       • This will cause Lae'zel to die. If you talk to Shadowheart and tell her you trust that she had reasons to kill her, you'll get another +10 approval.
   • When Shadowheart discusses her fear of wolves, make a promise to avoid them. (+5)
   • When you find out Shadowheart is a follower of Shar, tell her you don't care who she worships. (+5)
   • Persuade Shadowheart to tell you the tenets of Shar when she talks about her religion with you. (+5)
     • If you say that the tenets sound convincing or tell her you won't judge her, you'll get an additional +5 approval.
     • You can also ask her to recite a Sharran prayer for +5 approval.
   • Tell Shadowheart it must not have been easy when she tells you about becoming a Sharran. (+5)
   • When her wound flares up (past the first time), don't comment on it. (+5)
   • Give her the Idol of Shar found in the Grymforge. (+5)
3. 3
   Act 2There are fewer major approval gains in Act 2, so you may need to focus on building up smaller approval gains over the course of this act if you missed initiating Shadowheart's romance in Act 1, as you'll need an approval of 40 to start it before leaving Act 2.

   • When fighting Balthazar in his outpost, refuse to help him and attack him instead. (+5)
     • If you're playing as a Paladin (except Oathbreaker), choose the option where you say you'll smite Balthazar where he stands. (+5)
   • In the Tadpoling Centre in the Mind Flayer Colony, choose to release the pod captives. (+5)
   • Give Shadowheart a Night Orchid. (+5)
   • If you're playing as a Monk, tell Shadowheart to turn her doubts into strengths when she's having a crisis of faith. (+5)
   • Agree to help Shadowheart become a Dark Justiciar when she mentions it. (+5)
   • Let Shadowheart sacrifice her blood during Shar's trials. (+5)
   • Agree to search for the Spear of Night, if you don't already have it. (+5)
   • Suggest moving on at the Verge of Shadows. (+5)
   • In the Shadowfell, tell Balthazar to stand down. (+5)
   • When deciding Dame Aylin's fate, choose to not interfere or tell Shadowheart to do as she must. (+10)
     • If you want the best ending for Shadowheart's romance, don't let her kill Dame Aylin. As long as you have high approval with Shadowheart, letting her make her own choice will result in her throwing the spear down and not killing Aylin.
   • Tell Shadowheart you'll help save her parents when speaking with Dame Aylin. (+5)
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Section 6 of 6:

Avoiding Disapproval

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1. 
   1
   Shadowheart will disapprove if you are cruel without a purpose, if you're rash or hasty with your decisions, or if you're too open with untrustworthy people. She also doesn't like it when you speak poorly of Shar or push her for too many personal details. She also doesn't like Lae'zel, so siding with her (or any githyanki) will net you some disapproval. There are many ways to get Shadowheart's disapproval, and you can find a full list on the Baldur's Gate 3 wiki.

   • Below are the biggest losses to Shadowheart's approval in Act 1 and Act 2. Avoid making these choices unless you're able to make up the points later.
2. 2
   Act 1

   • Attack the tieflings that have Lae'zel strung up in a cage after you persuade them to shoot the cage open. (-5)
   • Agree to give Auntie Ethel your eye in exchange for removing the tadpole. (-5)
   • Fail to persuade or intimidate Shadowheart into looting the Selûnite chest. (-5)
     • Alternatively, you'll also lose -5 approval if you insist on looting the chest anyway.
   • Play the war drum at the front gate of the Goblin Camp. (-5)
   • When looking at the skeletal remains of the Dark Justiciars in the Grymforge, say "better off dead" or "die in filth." (-5)
   • Pass the arcana check on Voss to discover he's trying to detect thoughts, then attack him. (-5)
   • Tell Vlaakith that Shadowheart stole the mysterious artefact. (-10)
   • After leaving the House of Hope, tell Shadowheart that you don't trust Raphael, then change your mind. (-5)
     • You can get another -5 approval if you say Raphael could be a friend that you all need.
   • If you never recruited Shadowheart and she shows up in the camp, decide to attack her. (-10)
     • If you decide to let her rest, then tell her you were mistaken to keep her around, you'll get -5 approval.
   • Fail the wisdom check when you catch Shadowheart messing around with the mysterious artefact. (-10)
   • Fail the illithid wisdom check to pry into her mind without her permission. (-5)
     • If you fail to do it again, you'll get another -10 approval.
   • When Lae'zel and Shadowheart argue over the mysterious artefact:
     • If Lae'zel attacks sneakily at night and you do nothing, you'll lose -10 approval, but Shadowheart will also die.
     • If you attack Shadowheart when she tries to attack sneakily, you'll lose -10 approval.
     • If you side with Lae'zel in the duel, you'll lose -10 approval.
   • Fail the wisdom check to see why Shadowheart opposes Selûne. (-5)
   • Tell Shadowheart to leave when she tells you she's a Sharran. (-5)
     • If you're playing as a Cleric of Selûne, tell Shadowheart she's an abomination when she tells you she's a Sharran. (-10)
     • If you persuade Shadowheart to tell you the tenets of Shar, then say it sounds evil. (-10)
3. 
   3
   Act 2

   • In the Tadpoling Centre within the Mind Flayer Colony, choose to purge the pods. (-5)
   • When Shadowheart talks about needing to complete Shar's trials, tell her that the trials are a distraction or that you're trying to earn Ketheric's trust. (-5)
     • If you're playing as a Selûne worshipper, tell Shadowheart you won't let her prove her fanaticism. (-5)
   • When Shadowheart is praying in the Shadowfell, fail the wisdom check to look into her mind. (-5)
     • When she gets angry, tell her to forget about whatever she's planning on doing in the Shadowfell to lose -5 more approval.
   • Allow a non-hostile Balthazar to take Dame Aylin to Ketheric. (-10)
     • This will also cause Shadowheart to leave the party.
   • If Balthazar is defeated, tell Shadowheart to find a new purpose or fail the roll to convince her. (-5)
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