How I Handled My Love Triangle in BG3

[@boringfish]

The way he says "Gale" at 0:40 cracks me up. I could watch the two of them bicker all day

[@Kimbersism]

Me too! I love the idea of them being frenemies, like they don't necessarily like each other, but if anything happened to the other, they would be bummed.

[@alanl.4252]

This is how I resolved my love triangle with those two haha, it felt much more amicable this way and I’m glad I stumbled upon this scene in my first play through. I love Gale and Astarion so much, those two men deserve to be loved.

[@Kimbersism]

This is how I always do this, I find myself in this position a lot lol.

[@thekameru6058]

I have always suspected Astarion is so scathing about Gale because he secretly is just consumed with raw jelousy, even if there was never even a love triangle. From his pov, Gale is alive, walking around in the sun, eating all the calamari he could fit in his belly. Gale is only disadvantaged by the worm, whereas Astarion has his lowly lot vastly improved. Gale has money and nice things. Hes basically kind and good hearted with a heroic streak. Hes feircely monogomous and romantic. He is *smart*. He is gradually regaining his power after a fall from a level where he was basically capable of giving adult dragons and high level demons a run for their money, instead of having to work his up from having basically nothing but a filthy burial shroud, clothes that are coming apart, a tadpole and a big pile of cptsd. Gale has contacts. And most people don't freak out and grab stakes if they suddenly uncover that Gale is... a human. Astarion cant see the myriad of problems that Gale is dealing with. And its so ironic because both Gale and Astarions have masks they wear, both of them swallow each others bullshit to some degree due to kinda having kinda crap wisdom stats, and both of them basically point at the other and goes 'THAT is the guy you are telling me not to worry about?! The hot sexy vampire twink/the soft wealthy nerd who got hot in his late 20's?!' I say that as someone who loves em both.

[@Kimbersism]

When he says he still gets to look at you... ohhhhhh gods...

[@emilyr8668]

The ending where his voice catches in his throat as he realizes all he’s ever really wanted was someone to trust friend or lover or whatever just. I’m rolling on the ground punching the air kicking and screaming

[@scarymonsterzz]

I started a run where I intended to romance Gale but then Astarion tempted me and I slept with him first then went back to romancing Gale but kept pining for Astarion so I ended up deleting the whole damn save once I got to Moonrise because I couldn't bring myself to choose :/ I love Gale but I LOVE love Astarion and I'm selfish so I can never bring myself to choose the "maybe you need a friend" option because it makes me too sad lmao.

[@Kimbersism]

One time I got it to let me have a romance status with both of them somehow and I was so happy. I have no idea why I rolled it back and I've been trying to make it happen again ever since.

[@katiatall]

I have a lot of runs with different Tavs. But for me the best couples are: Durge and Astarion Shadowheart and Gale Sad that I can’t do it in one playthrough

[@Spookalina]

@@Kimbersism I've heard other people have done this by accidentally ignoring Gale's romance ! in act 2 where he wants you to choose. I think they talked to Astarion, ignored Gale wanting you to choose between them, long rested, and then the ! never popped up again. This was before patch 5 though, so I'm not sure if it's still viable or not. There's also a polyamory mod, that supposedly lets you romance as many companions as you want, but I've not tried it.

[@Simply_Helen]

​@@Spookalina Yes, I got that to happen back in January. Then I ended up accidentally deleting that particular save. It hasn't worked since. This is my first playthrough and I haven't gotten past act 2. Now if I ignore Gale until the Gale cutscene, he won't say "and company" and he won't make a love confession. Then after he'll hit you with his confrontation. His made me feel guilty while Astarians confrontation made me want to punch him. So I decided to go with the friends thing with Astarian.

[@anska7475]

That is a very lovely way to resolve that issue and still know about the scars before Act2. Though his jealous reaction always makes me doubt whether he is really ok with it, when Halsin's proposition comes up later.

[@Kimbersism]

Right? Clearly he wants to be with Tav, but it's as though he doubts his ability to do so and lets them go.

[@anska7475]

​@@KimbersismThey are both horrible that way. Astarion and Gale, Halsin is fine. It is literally easier to break up with Gale than to make him stay in camp. Miss-click once in the dialogue menu and he resigns, heartbroken - an appropriate situation to use the netherese orb cantrip instead of F8 in order to return to the latest save. 😅

[@elenalizabeth]

I think the difference between Astarion being okay(ish) with Halsin but not Gale, is that he knows that Gale wants a “real relationship” with all the romance and lovey dovey shit, but with Halsin he knows you two are just going to go bang each other like wild animals (quite literally if you choose “that” option 😂). And while Astarion is still learning that there is “different kinds of love/intimacy” (ie emotional/physical/sexual), he also knows that you as Tav may have “wants”, and Astarion knows he currently cannot mentally handle giving you sexual intimacy, so he is mostly okay with you “climbing Mount Halsin” to satisfy that “want”, as long as you keep giving Astarion the emotional intimacy that he desperately craves/needs, as well as the physical intimacy that he seems to enjoy (ie hugging)(and probably your blood too as he seems to enjoy that a lot too).

[@Kimbersism]

@@elenalizabeth lol 🐻 I will forever think of that scenario as "climbing Mount Halsin" from now on...

[@Kimbersism]

@@anska7475 lmao I wish he'd fight for Tav a little, at least ask why you miss-clicked that option.

[@Algrenion]

this is exactly how i went about it and im so happy with the results bc i am genuinely so attached to these characters that the last thing i wanted was to see them upset so knowing that canonically my Tav and Astarion can still be looking out for one another and care for each other so deeply as friends just felt right that scene had me EMOTIONAL, gods. Astarion DOES need a friend. He could have a lover as a cherry on top. But he needs a friend, more.

[@Kimbersism]

Yes! This! Hearing him talk just made me go, "This guy needs me, but as a friend." And then, his sheer excitement of having a true friend was precious 💗 😭

[@xNovastar.]

The way I did this exact solution. Astarion is happy to just have that beat friend he never had in you, and Gale also gets his happy ending with someone he loves rather than just being alone with Tara. They are both so wonderful, and deserve so much love my god.

[@MayaMint]

My love triangle with Shadowheart and Astarion ended up being a square once Minthara came into the picture. I re did the Gauntlet just to remain as friends with the first two so I was free at the end of Act 2. I'm actually very satisfied with Astarion's friendship, it just feels right.

[@conancat]

The intense background music only made this better 😂

[@MoonsongReverb]

I swear, i always did it that way without romancing them both. I always had Astarion‘s scene after Gales magical date. I wouldn’t even know how to talk to Astarion first ^^

[@Alunae]

Oh my god, I’m in the exact choosing point right now and I simply had to pause the game and really consider it. 😂 This is one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever made in games.

[@Kimbersism]

Me too! I slept on it and hit f8 for a whole day before I chose. Tears may have been shed... lol

[@Alunae]

@@Kimbersism I felt like a shitty person having to break this to Gale. Now I’m traumatized too! Lol

[@guitarmama06]

Gale and Astarion are my bois. I want to romance them both, but I don't want any break-up scenes, which I heard, are very painful :'(

[@Kimbersism]

They are so bad... but there is a polyamory mod out there if you have to have them both🤭

[@MoonsongReverb]

How i handled my love trinagle. I didn't even let it happen in the first place I think about who my character would mist probably like _before_ i start a new playthrough. Then i just spurn everyone else. No Love triangles, no jealousy drama ;)

[@olga_ju]

I usually choose 1 romance for a run and don't flirt with others. My 2nd run was with Gale, 4th with Astarion. But this time (my 5th run as Durge) I planned to be with Ascended Astarion and somehow started the thing with Gale 😅 I was "together" with them both for a while, and then had to say no to Gale during "the night". He was upset, but not too much. Maybe it's a nice option to stay friends with Astarion if you want to be with Gale, but not for my Durge 😊

[@Kimbersism]

I usually make a Tav and say "This one is for Wyll" or whatever, but this Tav had a hand in everything because it was a first playthrough and I didn't know I had flirted with half the camp on accident, lol. It made things interesting, though! I'm now on like my seventh playthrough, and now know how to shut Gale down real quick, so I'm not tempted by him later.

[@olga_ju]

@@Kimbersism ahah 😁 during my 1st run I vice versa didn't pay so much attention to love matters and only had an affair with Halsin

[@lulu_croissant]

Oh wow wait it means Gale can still fall in love with you even if you slept with Astarion at the druid party? I still have no clue why my Gale never admitted his feelings for me 💀 had to start a new playthrough and be super careful. The "I'm in love with you" option simply won't pop at the stargazing scene. It's nice to handle it how you did. But be a super good friend to Astarion, he must be protected ❤️

[@Kimbersism]

Of course, I mess with Gale, but I protect Astarion 😇

[@Laurannah101]

yes, i can't deny my lust for astarion. I've done two playthroughs sleeping w astarion twice and marrying gale. I have savescumed before talking to gale or astarion after romances in act 2 just to see their jealous outcomes and Gale broke my heart i couldnt do it.

[@rylylane6084]

Thank you for letting us know this route is possible! Just to clarify, since I never romanced more than 1 character before...go see Araj, long rest (?) at Moonrise to get friendship convo with Astarion, and then long rest again to get stargazing convo with Gale? Does Astarion's scene always pop up first?

[@Kimbersism]

The order of things can vary quite a bit. There are no guarantees that Gale will pop up the next night. Long rest a few times if you need to because sometimes other scenes will happen instead. Also, you will have to let Gale know you're interested in him ahead of time, of course. because if you haven't, he will show up, but for a more friendly interaction. Basically, I just flirted with both of them as much as possible until I had to pick one.

[@rylylane6084]

@@Kimbersism Thank you! This worked :) I did three long rests in a row and got the Astarion, Wyll dance, then Gale scene. Ironically, my first Durge playthrough and I think this is the most popular I've been with all companions early on lol.

[@Kimbersism]

@@rylylane6084 I felt like I had to make everyone like me a lot because I was a durge, being extra agreeable so they wouldn't hate me later, lol. I'm so super glad this worked for you! Enjoy your Gale 💜🙌

[@greywolf221121]

Love the top she's wearing in the camp scene post Araj. Was it a mod?

[@Kimbersism]

It was a dye mod on Shadowheart's camp clothes.

[@Zephirah]

So you can have both or not ?

[@Kimbersism]

No, you have to choose one.

[@noahayrton6189]

So you did Moonrise instead of having these conversations with Astarion? Or in addition to this conversation, but instead of also talking to Gale? (This is what I’m hoping to achieve in my playthrough, so it’s very fortuitous that I stumbled upon this video)

[@Kimbersism]

F8-ed and un slept with Gale lol. I went back to moonrise to force Astarions confession, and then I was free to be with Gale. I'm happy I could help 😌

[@noahayrton6189]

@@Kimbersism oh gotcha, so this works if you don’t do that specific cutscene with Gale beforehand. Thank you!

[@Kimbersism]

@@noahayrton6189 anytime

[@katiatall]

It works with all companions if you romance a few of them, there would be different lines depends who get a romance scene in act 2 first. Once I had Karclach and Astarion. Usually Karclach would be the first (because Damon in Last Light Inn), and break up with her would be painful after that. But if we got Astarion first (from Araj or Orthon) and break up with Karlach, she would be supportive. The same vice versa. Astarion has really tenderness lines about Karclach

[@guitarmama06]

I *_know_* F8 is for PC, but what is it? Quick save? Manual save? Dying your Tav's hair purple?