Karlach

Overview

Approval

Banter

Romance

Karlach Cliffgate is an Origin Character and a recruitable Companion with the Outlander background. She is a Zariel Tiefling and a Barbarian first appearing during Act One.

Once a soldier in Zariel's army, Karlach has been given a new chance at life after the recent events. Now, freed from Avernus, she will make the most out of it, and no one will get in her way. She can be first found on The Risen Road during Act One, where she can be recruited into the party as well as romanced by characters of any gender.

In multiplayer sessions, if Karlach is chosen as an origin by a player, Wyll will be locked out as an option to other players.

“

Avernus was never my home. It was my prison. I'm free now. AND I'M NEVER GOING BACK.

„

— Karlach, confronting servants of Zariel.

Overview

For a full overview of Karlach's starting features, see the articles Barbarian and Zariel tiefling.

Background

Trapped in Avernus under Zariel's banner due to the machinations of those she trusted the most, Karlach has been fighting in the Blood War for a decade, away from all that she loved. With the incursion of the nautiloid to the Nine Hells, fate would smile on her and give her a way out, only to turn on her just as quickly. Now, free at last, though with an unwelcome guest in her head, she must protect her hard-won liberty with her life as she seeks revenge on those who betrayed many years ago. With a malfunctioning engine for a heart, and a burning desire to live, will she be able to save herself, or will the Hells finally catch up with her, sooner rather than later?

Starting class

Before she is recruited, Karlach is a level 3 Barbarian with the following Ability Scores: STR = 16, DEX = 13, CON = 14, INT = 8, WIS = 12, CH = 12. If recruited, Karlach reverts to a level 1 Barbarian with the standard ability scores for that Class, with a focus on two-handed weapons. Upon reaching level 3, she defaults to the Wildheart subclass, granting her access to a variety of animal-themed class features and actions.

Special features

• Karlach can use Soul Coins to power up her mechanical heart, giving her the passive Infernal Fury, granting her additional 1d4Fire damage on her attacks when raging or her Hit Points drop below 25%
• Karlach's mechanical heart can be upgraded twice while progressing the story:
  • The first upgrade grants  Heart of Iron, giving her Advantage on Saving Throws against Charming effects
  • The second upgrade grants  Heart Ablaze, giving her immunity against Charming effects

Personal quest

Karlachs's personal quest is  Our Fiery Friend, spanning all acts of the game. Throughout it, Karlach's past menaces ever closer, threatening her freedom just as she is beginning to enjoy it.

Three sub-quests tie into Karlach's personal quest:

1. In  The Hellion's Heart, Karlach and the party must deal with her mechanical heart and the problems it is causing her.
2.  Hunt the Devil has her hunted by Zariel's agents.
3. Wyll's companion quest,  The Blade of Frontiers, also features Karlach as an important character.

An origin Karlach replaces Our Fiery Friend and The Hellion's Heart with Servant of None and Forging a Heart, respectively.

Recruitment

Karlach can be found at The Risen Road, on a road near the Toll House, at X: 111 Y: 503. Cornered by Zariel's bloodhounds, she can be found nursing her wounds after the recent encounter. The party can talk to and recruit her, provided they agree to help do away with her pursuers. Returning to Anders and his team with Karlach in the party ultimately results in battle.

However, Karlach refuses to join the party if they have sided with the Goblins and  laid waste to the Emerald Grove before meeting her, if they provoked a fight between the inhabitants there, or they allowed the Rite of Thorns to be completed.

If Wyll is brought along for the first meeting with Karlach, the two confront each other. Wyll reveals Karlach is the quarry he's been hunting for his patron, while Karlach claims to be a victim, not an agent of Zariel. Either of the two can be sided with, though siding with Wyll results in battle with Karlach. The situation can also be defused by convincing Wyll that Karlach's words are true, as backed by the vision everyone shares during the dialogue thanks to their tadpoles.

Leaving the party

If deciding to side with the goblins before the raid on the grove, Karlach rebukes the player character and leaves (permanently). If siding with the goblins during the raid on the grove, she assists until the fight at the gate is concluded. She then forcefully castigates the player character and permanently leaves the party.

Approval

Main article: Karlach/approval

Karlach has a very strong, well developed and intuitive sense of right and wrong, not unlike that of a paladin. She enjoys helping innocents with their troubles, not expecting anything in return - something she finds in common with Wyll after their rocky first meeting. She approves of kind interactions with those in need, standing up for what is right, and being decisive with enemies. Setting her up for some fun, such as carousing or making some mayhem, also earns her approval. Being a compassionate friend to her, or a kind partner, is the easiest way of earning her trust and love.

Karlach disapproves of indiscriminate violence and insensitivity to the plights of others, as well as being dismissive of her deleterious condition when she attempts to get closer. Also, as a result of her involuntary and deceptive conscription into the Blood Wars, dealing favourably with villains deeply offends her. As such, siding with Gortash, even if strategically sound, earns her contempt. Minimising her problems, especially that of her malfunctioning mechanical heart, is another sure way of breaking her trust.

Romance

Main article: Karlach/romance

Karlach can be romanced by characters of any gender. If romanced, Karlach's inability to touch her partner, and the pain of being physically isolated from everyone for so long, are issues that must be explored and overcome together.

Description

Appearance

Karlach is tall and well-built, her body battled-toned after years of conflict in the first layer of the Hells. Her vermilion skin is covered in scars and burns received in Avernus, with tattoos adorning her left arm and parts of her abdomen. Small exhaust vents on her shoulders billow steam whenever her ersatz mechanical heart flares up, its pulsating bright heat-outlines clearly visible beneath her chest.

Despite her intimidating presence and bedevilled past, Karlach has a soft, warm, and caring face, with an easy and inviting smile on her lips that is quickly replaced with an un-nerving scowl if angered. Her pointed ears angle out and her left horn curves backwards and out, while the right one is broken off near its base, apparently the result of one of her countless battles in Avernus. She wears her dark-brown and reddish-accented hair long and mussed. A few simple braids adorned by metal discs fall along the right side of her neck, below the trimmed side of her head. Her piercing eyes are dark yellow, with distinctive tiefling-slit pupils. Light moles and freckles mark her nose and upper cheeks.

Personality

Despite her past, Karlach has managed to remain a kind, caring and passionate individual who strives to live life to the fullest. She is direct and speaks excitedly regarding any of life's simple pleasures, whether that be food, drink, friends, or intimacy. Her demeanor is generally joyous and very forward, having no fear of loudly proclaiming her love of being alive and how much she cares for those close to her. Her positive disposition and infectious energy seem to allow her to make friends easily, even if her honesty can cause her to come off as somewhat naive at times. Even so, as long as she is calm enough, Karlach has a knack for quickly, accurately and fairly judging most people she meets and situations she finds herself in. She is also very protective of her friends and companions, taking a genuine interest in them, especially Wyll, if transformed into a devil after defending her.

Though oft friendly, Karlach is a very physical person with little-to-no reservations about getting into a brawl if provoked. She can be impulsive and easy to goad, and may lose sense and reason when confronting people she despises. Years in Avernus have made her lonely, compounded by the fact that her mechanical heart keeps her from having physical contact with others, let alone intimacy. When speaking of Gortash, beneath her outward rage, lies deep pain and a sense of betrayal, making her wary of trusting others as she once did. Despite their moral differences, she gets along well with Astarion due to them both wanting to forge their own lives outside of the shadows of their abusers.

History

Life in Baldur's Gate

Born to Pluck and Caerlack Cliffgate, Karlach was raised in Baldur's Gate in a modest, but happy household in the Outer City. Young and restless, Karlach would often work odd jobs as a means to support her parents, often getting into trouble in the meanwhile. Even as a child, she was joyous and full of life and, despite the hardships, she loved her life in the city, surrounded by family and friends.

At some point, Karlach was hired by Enver Gortash to act as his bodyguard. Rising quickly through the criminal and political circles of the city, Gortash was beginning to paint a target on his back, and Karlach seemed like the ideal person to protect him. Lured initially by the money and a chance to support her parents financially, Karlach eventually developed deep respect for Gortash, not only because he trusted her enough to put his life in her hands, but because he also made her feel valued. The pair worked well together for a while, until Gortash made a deal with the Archdevil Zariel, and sold Karlach to her for a grand sum of money in order to fund his plans for domination of the city. Zariel's interest in the tiefling was to test her new infernal machine, while Gortash was confident she could handle it and believed she would also serve as an ideal prototype for his dreamed infernal automatons.

Avernus and the Blood War

Betrayed and sold to the devil, Karlach was taken to Avernus and quickly worked on. Happening faster than she could process it, Zariel ordered her heart to be replaced by an infernal machine, designed to test the limits of machine and soldier. The archdevil quickly put her and her new, infernal, mechanical heart to work, conscripting Karlach into her army to fight in the Blood War. Trapped and without no other choices at hand, Karlach would fight for ten years in the war, surviving day by day fueled by both vengeance and a desire to live free. She would prove to be an exceptional soldier, slaying great demons and becoming one of Zariel's prized fighters. Both prisoner and champion of the archdevil, throughout it all she was alone, surrounded by devils and demons who offered no comfort, away from home and everybody she held dear.

Escape aboard the nautiloid

After a decade in the Hells, the sudden appearance of a Nautiloid presented itself as a chance for escape, and Karlach made good on the opportunity. Cleaving the devils around her, she made her way towards the hurtling ship before running into Wyll, brought to Avernus to hunt her. The two battled briefly, Wyll giving chase as Karlach desperately reached for the ship, until they made it to the nautiloid before being separated during the siege. Captured by the mind flayers as the ship escaped Avernus, Karlach was tadpoled just as all other uninvited guests were, and awaited a slow transformation via Ceremorphosis.

Involvement

See main article: Our Fiery Friend

Our Fiery Friend is Karlach's personal quest. It is added to the journal upon recruiting her and spans all three acts of the game.

Act One

After the crash of the nautiloid, Karlach can be found at the The Risen Road, near the Toll House occupied by paladins of Tyr. If Wyll is recruited to the party, his quest,  The Blade of Frontiers, adds a map marker that pinpoints Karlach's location. Otherwise the party will have a vague idea of where to find her. Anders, leader of the paladins, prolclaims they are hunting a dangerous devil who has been hurting refugees, and that they must bring it to justice.

When found, Karlach explains that she too was on the nautiloid and was infected with a tadpole, but she is not the monster she seems, and her current priority is to get rid of the paladins hounding her and spreading lies. At odds with what the paladins (or Wyll) told the party about her, the group can press her further. Karlach explains she escaped Avernus and the archdevil Zariel, and that the (false) paladins in the toll-house are nothing more than pacted bloodhounds sent to bring her back to the Hells. If brought along, Wyll confirms she is indeed his target and attempts to convince the party to aid him in slaying her. Karlach forcefully pleads she is no agent of Zariel but rather her victim, and that she took the first opportunity she had to escape Avernus and return home. The tadpoles infecting the group will react to her heightened emotional state, prompting Karlach to share her memories of recents events, seemingly confirming her story. Regardless, the party can decide to side with Wyll (and indirectly with the paladins) and kill Karlach, claiming her head, or take her at her word and agree to spare her. Though initially intent on killing her, Wyll can be convinced to spare her after the visions are shared. If successful, he directs his anger at his patron for deceiving him.

If Karlach is recruited before Wyll, he arrives at camp during a Long Rest to kill his quarry. In this scenario, the party may still side with Wyll and kill Karlach, or convince him to stand down and join the party. Alternatively, they can instead decide to challenge Wyll to a fight. Karlach will try to stop this, as she does not want Wyll dead. The party can still recruit Wyll as normal, or choose to go against Karlach’s wishes and attack Wyll anyway, much to her disapproval. If Wyll dies in this instance, Karlach mentions someone likely misguided him.

Bringing Karlach to the paladins leads to a confrontation. Anders eventually drops the act and confirms her words as true: the paladins are servants of Zariel, and the archdevil wants her favorite attack dog back. After slaying them, a frenzied Karlach rages around the toll-house, setting it ablaze. When talking to her after she cools off, she confesses she has an infernal engine for a heart that allows her to burn as hot as the Hells, though it has been running overdrive since leaving Avernus. She wants to find someone who has experience with infernal machines, and overheard one of the paladins let slip that one is in the area. This begins  The Hellion's Heart.

The infernal mechanic turns out to be Dammon, a tiefling from Elturel who learned his trade when the city was taken to Avernus by Zariel and was forced to work on infernal engines for her army. Dammon explains that in order to stabilize her heart, the party needs to find some Infernal Iron for him as it is the only material able to withstand the heat of the mechanical heart. When delivered, Dammon upgrades Karlach's heart, stabilizing it while still providing a boost to her abilities. He warns, however, that the solution is not perfect, and he needs more time to research and prepare a more permanent repair. Should they cross paths again, he promises to have a solution by then.

Act Two

If Dammon have survives the events of Act 1, he is found at Last Light Inn in the Shadow-Cursed Lands, aiding the Harpers in their stand against Moonrise Towers. If spoken to by Karlach, he explains that after further tinkering, he can give her heart another upgrade if the party has some more infernal iron to spare. Dammon tweaks Karlach's heart for a second time, adding an insulation chamber to cool it to the point that she can touch others once more, something Karlach has been desperately longing to do for the last ten years. He also bears unfortunate news: her heart cannot keep going outside the Hells. Too hot to exist in the material plane, her infernal heart will burn her from the inside and consume her if she does not return to Avernus soon. Karlach dismisses the idea of ever returning to the Hells, content to celebrate her newfound ability to touch others for now..

Later, when the party finally confronts Ketheric Thorm, the battle eventually takes them down to the hidden Mind Flayer Colony beneath Moonrise. There, they spy Thorm consorting with Enver Gortash and Orin the Red, with the latter two leaving for Baldur's Gate to continue with their plans. After dealing with Ketheric, Karlach confesses she has a history with Gortash, letting out it was because of him she was sent to the Hells and had her heart replaced with a mechanical one. Literally hell-bent on revenge, Karlach urges the group to hurry to Baldur's Gate and chase after her previous employer.

Act Three

After reaching the Wyrm's Rock Fortress outside Baldur's Gate, the party is notified that Gortash's grand ascension as Archduke of the city is taking place soon. When approached with Karlach in the party, Gortash briefly interrupts the ceremony to parlay with them and greets her nonchalantly. Karlach immediately wants revenge and, if not stopped, is seized by Steel Watchers and thrown into the dungeon. If convinced against attacking Gortash, the party can listen to his proposition to an alliance. Karlach is against it, but can be persuaded to check her hatred for the good of the city.

If Karlach is convinced to keep her hatred in check, the party can leave the coronation of Gortash peacefully. If then speaking with any of the Steel Watchers, there will be a unique dialogue as the Steel Watchers mistake Karlach as one of their own due to her infernal engine, but also detect hers badly overheating. The Watchers consider her a defective unit, insisting the party take Karlach to the Steel Watch Foundry to have her "dismantled"; when asked if the engine can be repaired the Watcher mentions Karlach's engine is "very obsolete" and would be nearly impossible to repair, making Karlach wonder if she is a prototype for the Steel Watchers.

If the partnership with Gortash is mantained up until the first encounter with the Netherbrain, he is killed as he attempts to control the brain. If in the party, Karlach lets out a celebratory laugh, mocking his ignominious end, but the threat of the Elder Brain forces her to focus once more.

Should the party antagonize Gortash, ally with Orin instead or simply wish to help Karlach get revenge, they will ultimately face the Archduke and his minions. Confronting Karlach, Gortash coldly dismisses her grievances, infuriating her, until the quakes caused by the Netherbrain's attempts at freeing itself compell Gortash to attack the party for their netherstones in order to subdue it. After the battle, Karlach comes down from the excitement and is visibly upset. Though she has finally managed to kill the person who betrayed her and caused her so much pain, she feels no better: Gortash is no more sorry dead than he was alive, and her mechanical heart is still set to combust at any moment. Her impending doom and difficulty coping with overwhelming feelings of hopeless inevitability drives her near rage, and she leaves for camp.

Back at camp, some time alone allows Karlach to better come to grips with her situation. Though still desperate, she is positive and instead decides to focus on the present and the time she has available, poised to save the city she loves.

After the initial confrontation with the Elder Brain, it is made clear the only path to success is to harness the true power of the netherstones, which only an illithid can do. Though it is possible for the Emperor to do so, the player character or Orpheus can sacrifice themselves and undergo ceremorphosis to become illithid instead. If Karlach is present during the discussion, she volunteers, arguing she is on borrowed time either way, and this way her death would have meaning. If agreed, she transforms into a mind flayer and aids the party in the final battle against the Netherbrain.

Endings

A Blazing End

After defeating the Netherbrain, Karlach's infernal engine finally begins to overheat, signaling her end. With the setting sun on the background, Karlach thanks the player character for being there with her, and mourns not being able to join them in their celebrations and further adventures. If her wishes not to return to Avernus are respected and unchallenged, they can stay with her until the engine finally combusts, leaving nothing but ashes where she once stood. At the Epilogue party Withers reveals that her soul in the Fugue Plane burns so brightly, it pains gods to look upon it.

Return to Avernus

As Karlach's heart begins to enter its final stages of failure after defeating the Netherbrain, the player character may attempt to convince Karlach to return to Avernus before it is too late. Though initially against it, she can be persuaded to go if the player character offers to accompany her, assuring her that she will remain close to someone she cares deeply for and will not be alone again. Likewise, if Wyll completes his personal quest and becomes The Blade of Avernus, he too will offer to go with her.

Back on the first plane of the Hells, Karlach and her companions prepare themselves to face the servants of Zariel. No longer alone, Karlach welcomes the challenge and readies her weapon in preparation of advancing imps.

During Withers' gathering six months after the events of the game, Karlach mentions she and her companions recently felled a high ranking Cambion who carried blueprints for what could be a possible solution to Karlach's mechanical heart. Though the forge they intend to raid is likely well-guarded by Zariel's forces, she has an old contact, a guard named Flo, who might be able to help them. Regardless, she expresses joy at being able to see her companions once more, happy to receive the opportunity of a night's rest without the danger of being ambushed by devils. If only Wyll went to Avernus with her by the end of the game, she will also comment on how tough life is in Avernus, though having Wyll around is incredible and makes all the difference.

Life as a Mind Flayer

If Karlach sacrifices herself and becomes illithid in order to defeat the Netherbrain, she remains at Baldur's Gate, hiding and feeding from the dying patients of a local healer who wish to pass on with dignity instead of suffering. When spoken to at Withers' gathering, she explains she still remembers parts of herself, even using some of the expressions she once used in her tiefling form. Yet with every brain she feeds upon, she gains all the memories from it, slowly erasing her original identity. Still, she expresses gratitude and happiness at seeing many of her former companions, and bids the player a good evening.

Quest rewards

Karlach does not receive any particular items as reward for completing her quests.

Interactions

Companion interactions

Karlach can be spoken to with  Speak with Dead and has unique dialogue interactions as a companion available after certain events. Whenever one is available, she will have a floating [ ! ] icon above her.

Act One

• After killing Anders and his group, Karlach will rage inside the Toll House. When she cools off, she will tell the group about her mechanical heart and how she needs to find an infernal mechanic.

Act Two

• After upgrading Karlach's heart for the second time, she will express her joy and share her plans to celebrate.

Act Three

• After finally killing Enver Gortash, Karlach is overwhelmed by emotion, raging at Gortash's complete apathy until the very end, as well as the imminent loss of her own life and freedom. If a companion, Karlach will then affirm her love for the player character, feeling thankful before returning to camp. If spoken to at camp later, she appears to have recovered from the outburst, saying that despite the horrible situation, she is happy despite the circumstances. She then asks the player character to stay with her during the moment when her infernal engine finally gives out.

Unique interactions

Either as an origin, or in the party as a companion, Karlach has unique interactions and special dialogue with the following characters, listed by the act they are first encountered in.

Act One

• Dammon
• Lae'zel
• Mizora
• Nadira
• Raphael
• Wyll

Act Two

• Elifer
• Jaheira
• Lann Tarv

Act Three

• Enver Gortash
• Fytz the Firecracker

Speak with Dead

(if she dies before being recruited into the party)

Party member: Who are you?

• Karlach: Karlach... the Demonsbane...
  • Party member: Why are you known as the Demonsbane?
    • Karlach: Blood War... Avernus... champion...
      • Party member: What connects you to Avernus?
        • Karlach: Conspiracy... Elturel's fall...

Party member: What happened to you?

• Karlach: Hunted... murdered... condemned...
  • Party member: Who was hunting you?
    • Karlach: The fallen angel... Zariel...

Party member: I was told you're a fiend and a killer. Is that true?

• Karlach: Lies... she hunts me... won't let me go...
  • Party member: Who was hunting you?
    • Karlach: The fallen angel... Zariel...

Party member: What were you doing here?

• Karlach: Hiding... running... hunted...
  • Party member: Who was hunting you?
    • Karlach: The fallen angel... Zariel...

Related literature

• Prison Log
• Sulphurous Note

Loot

Karlach can be killed and looted, and drops the same loot as her starting equipment.

Starting equipment

• Alchemy Pouch
• Camp Supply Sack
• Greataxe
• Karlach's Barbarian Clothes
• Karlach's Boots
• Karlach's Infernal Trousers
• Karlach's Tasteful Boots
• Karlach's Underwear
• Keychain
• Light Crossbow
• Potion of Healing x2
• Scroll of Revivify

Achievements

Hot Date
Go on a date with Karlach - now that's playing with fire.

Gallery

• 

  Base model.

• 

  Camp clothing model.

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  Underwear model.

• 

  Early Access model.

• 

  Digital Deluxe artbook concept.

• 

  Appearance in the character creator.

• 

  Portrait by Edward Vanderghote.

• 

  Cover artwork.

• 

  During late Early Access.

• 

  First appearance in Early Access.

• 

  Promotional art.

• 

  Digital Artbook concept with different armour.

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  Digital Artbook early face concepts.

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  Armour concept art 1.

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  Armour concept art 2.

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  Armour concept art 3.

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  Datamined appearance restored by mods.

• 

  Datamined appearance restored by mods.

• 

  Karlach by Secret Lair for Magic the Gathering City on Fire card

External links

• Karlach on the Forgotten Realms Wiki
• Karlachs's official 5E D&D Character Sheet on D&D Beyond (PDF)