Rev your Infernal Engines.
Karlach, the hellish Tiefling with an Infernal Heart in her chest is already a fan-favorite party member in Baldur’s Gate 3. She’s a barbarian that once fought in the endless Blood War and now seeks to do good on the Sword Coast. She’s one of the most positive and kind characters in the game — and she wants to rip the heads off evil-doers everywhere. Put her in the fight for too long and her Infernal Heart will overheat, sending her into a crazed bloodlust.
The Infernal Heart is the source of her power — and it’s also a problem we’ll have to resolve to unlock her romantic storyline. If you want to romance Karlach and get busy with the big red Tiefling, you’ll need to repair her Infernal Heart with rare resources called Infernal Iron. By trading these resources to a specific character, you can upgrade Karlach and cool her down so your character can finally give her a big hug.
More Baldur’s Gate 3 guides:
Beginner Guide | All Origin Companions | Recruit Minthara | Best Magic Items In Act 1 | Owlbear Companion | Perfect Pickpocket Guide | Oathbreaker Paladin Subclass | How To Cure Gale | How To Rescue Halsin | Kill The Goblin Camp Leaders | | Defiled Temple Puzzle
How To Romance Karlach
NOTE: As far as we understand, only one companion can be pursued at a time. You can lock yourself out of other relationships once you initiate one. The first romantic choice is during the Act 1 Save the Refugees party. Choose to spend time with her.
Karlach is a red-hot firebrand that’ll burn you up if you’re not careful. All characters in BG3 have a relationship meter you’ll need to raise. To stay in the green and slowly improve your relationship, you’ll need to (generally) make the following choices.
- Increasing Relationship With Karlach
- Respond positively and with kindness during quests. Save innocent people and defeat evil. Help animals or the weak. Refusing payment for quests or helping out by giving away food or gold will always improve your relationship.
- Talk to Karlach every time you revisit the camp for new options. Express yourself in a fun-loving way. Don’t be pessimistic or cruel. Save the Refugees and fight the cult. Have her join you often to raise her approval. Talk to her during the Save the Refugees ending party to flirt — this option will only appear if you’ve built up your relationship.
- Completing steps of her Companion Quest will also greatly improve relationship score. This involves finding her mechanic Dammon. During Long Rests, talk to her to learn more.
- Side with her and defend Karlach when Wyll threatens to kill her. Later during Act 1, Wyll will make a sacrifice for Karlach. Talk to her afterward.
Before you can truly romance Karlach, you must progress her companion quest. This is required. Follow these steps before progressing too far, or you may miss out on important steps of the romance.
- Romancing Karlach | Act 1 Required Steps
- After recruiting Karlach, go to the building north of Blighted Village and defeat Anders and his paladins. They are secret devil-worshippers.
- Returning to the Camp, you must side with Karlach when Wyll wants to kill her. Defuse the situation. Wyll will accept her.
- Any time after Karlach joins your party, travel to the Emerald Grove Refugee Camp and talk to Dammon.
- You may need to travel with Karlach and perform a Long Rest before Karlach reveals her heart and explains her situation.
Using Dammon, we can upgrade Karlach early in Act 1 and progress the relationship storyline.
- Romancing Karlach | Act 1 Continued
- Dammon is a Tiefling Mechanic that can upgrade Karlach’s Infernal Heart using Infernal Iron. These are extremely rare materials.
- Make sure to talk to Dammon BEFORE completing Save The Refugees. After completing this quest, Dammon and the Tieflings will leave the grove.
- Talk to Dammon with Karlach in your party. If you’re carrying Infernal Iron, you’ll be able to trade it for upgrades.
- After completing Save The Refugees, talk to Karlach and express interest in romance. If you’re relationship level is high, this option will appear.
- Getting an upgrade for Karlock is not required yet. You can get both upgrades in Act 2.
Infernal Iron is extremely rare but can be found early in Act 1. More is required for Act 2.
- Infernal Iron Location: Blighted Village – Inside the Blacksmith shop in the basem*nt of the large building with calcified spider-webs in the center. In the basem*nt, lockpick the treasure chest on the high ledge up the ladder.
- Find more Infernal Iron with the locations here.
Remember, you must talk to Dammon with Karlach in your party. You’ll be given the option to give the Infernal Iron and unlock an upgrade.
- Romancing Karlach | After The First Upgrade
- After upgrading Karlach with Dammon and Infernal Iron, activate a Long Rest.
- Later, you’ll be able to talk to Karlach in the Camp and help her resolve her overheating problems.
- Using Ice or Water, target Karlach. Ice Arrows, bottles of thrown water, or breaking a water barrel will all work here.
- When cooled down, you can progress the romance by attempting to kiss Karlach.
- At this point, freely pursue a relationship with Karlach and suggest to stay close together in your bedroll. At this point, the romance will be stalled due to Karlach’s heat. She doesn’t want to hurt you and will stop.
- NOTE: When completing the Gauntlet of Shar for Shadowheart, do not kill Nightsong.
Once you have enough iron to upgrade Karlach’s Heart, you can progress the story as normal until you reach Act 2. You can’t complete the second upgrade until Act 2.
- Romancing Karlach | Act 2 Steps
- In Act 2, you’ll find Dammon again at Last Light with the other Tieflings. Bring more Infernal Iron to unlock the second upgrade.
- NOTE: If you don’t meet Dammon until Act 2 — that’s okay!
- The second upgrade allows Karlach to stay cool enough to touch. Activate a Long Rest at the Camp and talk to Karlach — at this stage, you’ll be able to hug.
- Progress the relationship even further, and you can now become intimate with Karlach.
In Act 2 you’ll be able to unlock the relationship cutscene with Karlach — and yes, there is nudity if you left that setting on. Like all the romance options, there’s something standing in the way of romance with Karlach. By working with Damon, you can upgrade Karlach and improve your relationship at the same time.
