In the immersive world of Baldur’s Gate 3, your journey is not just about battling foes and completing quests; it’s also about forging relationships with a diverse cast of companions, each with their own unique personalities and values. Understanding how to check and manage companion approval is crucial, as it can significantly influence your gameplay experience. A companion’s approval rating can determine everything from their loyalty to potential romantic entanglements, making it essential for players to navigate their choices wisely. Discover how to monitor these relationships and ensure your companions remain on your side as you delve deeper into the complexities of the Forgotten Realms.
What is approval?
In Baldur’s Gate 3, approval refers to the relationship rating between the player character and their companions, reflecting how much a companion likes or dislikes the player’s choices and actions throughout the game. This mechanic plays a crucial role in shaping interactions, determining potential romance options, and influencing whether companions will remain loyal or leave the party. Each companion has unique preferences, meaning that decisions made during quests or dialogues can lead to approval or disapproval. High approval ratings can unlock new quests and dialogue options, while low ratings may result in companions abandoning the player, making it essential to manage these relationships carefully.
Each member of your team has their own character and is guided by different rules. When you are performing story tasks, you make different decisions that they may or may not agree with. Their reaction can be viewed through a message appearing in the top left corner of the screen.
The higher the approval rate, the more sympathetic the character is to you. However, you must be aware that because of the diversity of your companions, differences are sure to appear. One action may significantly improve your relationship with a particular character at the same time lead to a dislike from someone else.
Where to check the approval rating?
To check the approval rating of your companions in Baldur’s Gate 3, players should navigate to the Character Sheet within the Party View menu. On PC, this is accessed by pressing the Tab key, while on PlayStation 5, players can use the R2 button. Once in the Character Sheet, scroll to the Detailed View section, where the approval status will be displayed. This indicator reflects how a companion feels about the player based on their actions and decisions throughout the game. The approval rating can range from very low to exceptional, influencing not only dialogue options but also potential romantic relationships and quest outcomes.
You can check the approval indicator in the “character sheet” tab. It contains the most important information about your team. You will find out from there, among other things, what their statistics are, what class they belong to and what their attitude is to you.
What are the best strategies to improve companion approval in Baldur’s Gate 3
To enhance companion approval in Baldur’s Gate 3, players can adopt several effective strategies that align with each character’s unique values and preferences:
General Strategies
- Engage in Conversations: Regularly talk to companions to learn about their backgrounds, opinions, and personal quests. This not only deepens relationships but also reveals what actions they value most.
- Make Aligned Choices: Ensure your decisions reflect the morals and beliefs of your companions. For instance, heroic actions typically boost approval with characters like Wyll, while showing compassion towards Goblins may decrease it.
- Gift Giving: Presenting gifts that cater to a companion’s interests can significantly improve approval ratings. Pay attention to their likes and dislikes when selecting gifts.
Specific Companion Strategies
- Halsin: Show appreciation for nature and engage in heroic deeds. Helping him with his quest to cure the Shadow Curse can yield substantial approval points.
- Minthara: Align with her desire for power and make choices that reflect her ambitions, such as supporting her during key moments in the story.
- Minsc: Stand by him consistently and avoid decisions influenced by Bhaal that could lead to disapproval. His approval is easier to maintain since he joins later in the game.
- Jaheira: Focus on her ideals of justice and support her during personal quests to earn her favor.
Managing Conflicts
- Balance Approvals: Be aware that some choices may please one companion while upsetting another. If you anticipate making a decision that could lead to disapproval, consider leaving conflicting companions at camp temporarily.
By implementing these strategies, players can cultivate stronger relationships with their companions, unlocking new dialogue options, quests, and even romantic opportunities as they navigate the challenges of the Forgotten Realms.
What are the best gifts to give each companion to boost approval
To effectively boost companion approval in Baldur’s Gate 3, it’s essential to give gifts that align with each character’s preferences. Here’s a breakdown of the best gifts for each companion:
Companion Gift Guide
| Companion | Preferred Gifts | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Astarion | Perfume | He enjoys luxury items, especially anything that enhances his charm. |
| Gale | Magic Items | Gifts related to magic or books are ideal, as he is a wizard with a love for knowledge. |
| Karlach | Weapons | She appreciates gifts that enhance her combat abilities and show strength. |
| Lae’zel | Githyanki Artifacts | Gifts that reflect her heritage and warrior spirit will resonate well with her. |
| Shadowheart | Religious Artifacts | Items related to Shar or symbols of faith will earn her favor. |
| Wyll | Heroic Tales or Stories | He values heroism and appreciates gifts that reflect bravery and valor. |
| Halsin | Nature-themed Gifts (e.g., Flowers) | Gifts that show appreciation for nature and wildlife will resonate with him. |
| Jaheira | Herbalism Supplies or Nature Books | As a druid, she values gifts that connect to nature and healing. |
| Minsc | Stories of Heroism or Boo-themed Items | He loves tales of bravery and anything related to his beloved hamster, Boo. |
| Minthara | Items of Power or Ambition | Gifts that symbolize strength and ambition will appeal to her desires for power. |
Additional Tips
- Pay attention to the context in which you give gifts; presenting them during personal conversations can enhance their impact.
- Regularly engage with companions to learn more about their likes and dislikes, which can help tailor your gift-giving strategy.
- Some gifts can be found throughout the game world or purchased from vendors, so keep an eye out during your travels.
By selecting the right gifts for each companion, players can significantly improve their approval ratings, leading to deeper relationships and unlocking new interactions within the game.
