Karlach/Romance

Karlach can be romanced.

Companion

• Her first scene can be during Chapter One. If the player has Medium approval^{[Needs Verification]} you can drum up the courage to tell her how much you like her. This will lead to Karlach meeting you, once you have gone to bed and everybody else is asleep. Alternatively, if the player has High approval^{[Needs Verification]}, Karlach will do this on her own. Since you haven't been able to continue with The Hellion's Heart past the first step in Chapter One, you will not be able to touch her. You can convince her, however, to kiss you - which you can either end sooner or embrace the moment, only to burn your lips.
• After reciprocating her feelings, one can tell her how much they would love to touch her. As well as figuring a way to cool her down with water or frost magic for a quick embrace, going into a discussion of letting them have fun with others while she's unavailable due to the engine.
• Once you reach Chapter Two and arrive at the Last Light Inn, you can repair Karlach's Engine with the help of Dammon. During the next long rest (and if no other events are queued), the player can sleep with her.
• During Chapter Three, Karlach will ask to have a "first date" at her favorite restaurant in Baldur's Gate, where she pretends to only just be meeting you. Afterwards is a sex scene if nudity is enabled, and a kissing scene if nudity is disabled.
• A new romance may be started with Halsin in Act Three with an option to check with Karlach first. When approached, Karlach will say that she is not ready. Although, she agrees to let player to have both if pushed.
• It is possible to have an intercourse with Mizora. The player will be caught by Karlach at the end of it and asked to explain. She will be deeply hurt, but will not end the relationship.

Romance mechanics

This section contains information regarding the unique in-game mechanics and interactions for Karlachs's romance.

Relationship stages

Like the other major romance options in the game, Karlachs's relationship progression can be divided into specific stages: friendly, flirting, partnered, and ex-partnered:

1. Friendly: The friendly stage begins at medium approval, and is the default stage for non-romanced companions.
2. Flirting: Once the player repairs the first part of Karlachs Infernal Engine, you will enter the flirting stage
3. Partnered: In Act 2 with high enough approval, if the player is not in the partnered stage with any other companion and her Infernal Engine is repaired, be able to partner with Karlach. This stage comes with unique party/camp interactions.
4. Ex-Partnered: Once partnered with Karlach, the player can break up with her anytime by selecting the appropriate dialogue option.

Unique dialogue

Greetings

Players who romance Karlach will hear unique greetings dependent on the stage of the romance and approval/game progression:

• Flirting:

• TBD

• Partnered:

• "Darling."
• "Hey!"
• TBD

If broken up with (ex-partnered), Karlachs's greetings return to her regular, friendly greetings.

Party/camp interactions

While in the partnered stage (following her relationship progression scene in Act 2), Karlach will have the following unique dialogue options that are always available when interacting with her both in camp and while she's in the player's party, which can be instigated by selecting "About our relationship...":

• The player can inquire about Karlach's feelings regarding the relationship ("Are you happy with how things are between us?").
• The player can ask for a kiss ("Can I kiss you?).
• The player can break up with Karlach. ("Karlach, I think things have gone far enough between us.")

Origin

While playing as the Karlach Origin, Karlach's personal story has a number of different effects on which specific romantic interactions are available to the player at different parts of the game. A list of known effects on other romance storylines is contained below, but may be incomplete.

Act One

Astarion's scene where he usually initiates sex has unique dialogue when playing as Karlach; he will become frustrated and confused that he can't touch you, and you can suggest to just lay near each other instead, which is a novel concept for him. Karlach still appears naked in the morning.

Prior to Hotfix #16, Karlach was able to accept Lae'zel's proposition. Lae'zel's sex scene proceeded as normal, as if Karlach were not literally too hot to touch. This was fixed in said hotfix, and origin Karlach can no longer initiate this scene.

Karlach is not prevented from romancing Wyll, and pursuing this option does have a handful of unique lines acknowledging Wyll's prior objective of hunting Karlach down.

Dammon's interactions with an Origin Karlach character seem to be generally more flirtatious than when talking to other characters.

After the celebration in camp with the goblins following the raid on the Emerald Grove, Karlach mentions her condition to Minthara and refuses her offer for sex, which is met with disappointment. Afterwards, Minthara will attempt to kill Karlach in her sleep but will be caught and conversed with, which can lead to an invitation to Moonrise Towers.

Act Two

After delivering a second piece of Infernal Iron to Dammon at the Last Light Inn, Origin Karlach is given additional unique options for how to respond. In addition to simply saying "Thank you", these are:

• Pause. Is he flirting with you?
• Take your leave - you have someone you really want to touch.

Neither one of these options appear have immediate consequences, but after wrapping up conversations from this scene, Origin Karlach is able to fully engage in usual romantic interactions with other characters.