Baldur's Gate 3 has plenty of options for the romantically inclined, but Karlach the tiefling Barbarian has become one of the most popular, at least here at PC Gamer, where the thirst for a fiery bodyguard is unrelenting. So, if you fancy a flirty girlfriend who literally gets on fire, I have some dating advice for you.
Like all romantic choices in an RPG, any character can date Karlach, as long as you make the right choices and increase their approval through dialogue and heroic actions. First, though, you'll need to find them in Chapter 1, and they're easy to miss compared to your early companions.
Unlike Shadowheart, Astarion, Gale, Lae'zel, and Wyll, Karlach can't be found near the Nautiloid crash site or the Emerald Grove, but they aren't too far away. Once you recruit Wyll the Warlock, he will tell you that he is hunting a demon with a fearsome reputation, adding a new quest marker to your map. This gives you a wide area to search rather than their specific location.
In the north of the Act 1 map, just south of the Risen Road waypoint, you'll find a house with tolls and battle signs. Inside you'll find people claiming to be Paladins of Tyr chasing a demon. They are beaten, however, and explain that Carlach has fled the scene. They want you to find and kill her, and to help you obtain a great sword enchanted, the Sword of Justice, by their leader, Anders.
Conveniently, Karlach is along a road and across a stream. Once you find her, you will realize that she is not a demon, but a tempter, and that her reputation as a ruthless monster is unfounded. If you have Will in your group, he will initially be eager to fight, but you can get the couple to put their animosity aside to work together. Karlach will also tell you that the people chasing her are not Paladins of Tyr at all, and will ask for your help in sending them.
Returning Karlach to the fee house, you will be able to confront Anders, and if you pass the skill check, you will be able to confirm that he is lying about his identity. Either way, you'll be able to side with Karlach, and start fighting. Anders is the main threat here, so I recommend using the Hold Person spell to neutralize him, after which you can quickly remove him. Karlach is a huge damage dealer, so this shouldn't take long. After you mop the floor with the false Paladins, Karlach will join your crew forever.
Carlach is a virtuous warrior with a tragic backstory that informs her character and the kind of actions and dialogue choices she consents to. You'll appreciate that you punish bad guys and love a little violence if it's directed at bad guys. As a seigneur, she is happy when you help and support other feudal lords, and she also likes extensively seeing you being nice to people, as long as they are not noobs. Basically, being honest and decent with a dash of vengeful rage will have her your boyfriend in no time.
Naturally, she will not be very pleased if you take the side of the orcs against the villains and the druids, and will actually leave your party if you take the evil path. If you want to keep them around, you'll need to defeat the goblins in their camp and kill their leaders, or defend the grove from a goblin attack.
As you get to know Karlach, you'll get to know more about her Infernal Drive, a device in her chest that helps her in battle. You can empower her by giving her her Soul Coins, but the downside to the Infernal Engine is that it makes her so hot that she can't touch anyone without getting burned.
By gaining her approval, you'll be able to have a nice moment at camp where she tells you how she feels, and you can choose to spend the night together. She will join you by the fire, but a physical relationship is impossible due to her infernal drive. To advance things, you will need to find infernal iron. Once you've found some, you can visit the gorgeous blacksmith, Dammon, in the Emerald Grove. He will warn you that the infernal engine can be fatal, but he can use the infernal iron to fix it.
Once you have a piece of infernal iron in your possession, return to Dammon and let the blacksmith work his magic. Thanks to Dammon, Karlach's Infernal Engine will be fixed, but more work still needs to be done before he stops being a danger to others. He tells you to meet him at Baldur's Gate and keep an eye out for more infernal iron.
While Damon's handiwork won't stop Karlash from burning anyone she touches at first, you can still express a desire to share a sacrament with your annoying girlfriend - something she's keen to try. But you will need to find a way to make it cooler. I just threw her a water bottle which, admittedly, isn't the most romantic way to get a first kiss. Any method you can think of to cool it down will work too, including using ice arrows. Temptation is a strange thing in the Forgotten Realms.
Once she's wet, you'll share a brief kiss with her, but it's still very hot, so expect your lips to burn. Worth it, I think. This will be as far as you can go until you meet Dammon again, but you will see him sooner than expected.
Once you have a piece of infernal iron in your possession, return to Dammon and let the blacksmith work his magic. Thanks to Dammon, Karlach's Infernal Engine will be fixed, but more work still needs to be done before he stops being a danger to others. He tells you to meet him at Baldur's Gate and keep an eye out for more infernal iron.
While Damon's handiwork won't stop Karlash from burning anyone she touches at first, you can still express a desire to share a sacrament with your annoying girlfriend - something she's keen to try. But you will need to find a way to make it cooler. I just threw her a water bottle which, admittedly, isn't the most romantic way to get a first kiss. Any method you can think of to cool it down will work too, including using ice arrows. Temptation is a strange thing in the Forgotten Realms.
Once she's wet, you'll share a brief kiss with her, but it's still very hot, so expect your lips to burn. Worth it, I think. This will be as far as you can go until you meet Dammon again, but you will see him sooner than expected.