Karlach and Lae’zel have a surprisingly sweet relationship in Baldur’s Gate 3

08.09.2023 - 18:05 / destructoid.com

Romance stories come in all forms, spinning a narrative around charming or chaotic get-togethers. As with any genre, romance stories have plenty of tropes that often pop up. Even when it isn’t the focus, weaving in romantic pursuits is common in most forms of media.

Video games are no exception to this and can be some of the best parts if executed well. RPGs and visual novels particularly excel in this department, with Baldur’s Gate 3 being the latest journey to spur discussions over fan-favorite characters and interactions. More specifically, who to romance — since that kind of relationship is a key feature.

This applies whether players create a custom character or play as one of the origin characters. These pre-made characters consist of the companions found in the game’s first act and have interactions unique to their perspective. Just as with a custom character, the origin character forms deep bonds with others and can even pursue romance.

I’m currently doing a Lae’zel run, and I went in thinking Shadowheart would be my romantic choice. It’s a classic enemies-to-lovers story of a half-elf who dislikes githyanki and a githyanki who only knew battle.

Things took a change when Karlach and Lae’zel began interacting. I’m playing the latter as a slightly nicer version of her pre-set personality, and apparently, that meant bonding with Karlach. Before I knew it, the tiefling with an infernal engine as a heart set off a flame in mine. She’s a great character, whoever you play as, but there’s something special about her and Lae’zel’s romance.

When not playing Baldur’s Gate 3 as Lae’zel, she comes off as quite prickly. Bred and raised to battle as a githyanki Fighter, Lae’zel has a tough exterior and doesn’t leave a great impression. Initial encounters can make her out to be callous, but her attitude comes from decades of brutal training. Once broken away from the githyanki armed forces, she softens and grows as a person. Still, it’s a hard road to travel as she reevaluates her core beliefs.

Karlach, meanwhile, wields a strong identity but carries a decade of trauma after serving under Zariel in Avernus. The allegiance was against her will as Envor Gortash betrayed her and sold her off to Avernus’ Archduchess, who turned her heart into an infernal machine. Despite everything she went through, Karlach remains a cinnamon roll of a person. She refuses to join players who invade the grove and disapproves of instigating violence. She’s a Barbarian with a heart of literal iron, but it’s still the softest in the party.

Opposites attract is a typical romance trope, but this is more emphasized in Lae’zel’s relationship with Shadowheart. Those two begin the journey hating each other before forming a genuine bond, and