Baldur’s Gate 3 is the long-awaited sequel that many players are pleasantly surprised with, and although the game is still not completed, a large portion of the fanbase has been impressed with early access so far. The character creation options and variability depending on what race and class characters choose has been a high point for Baldur’s Gate 3 fans. The game is set in the Forgotten Realms world of Dungeons and Dragons, and it doesn’t just focus on quests and fighting monsters: players can also pursue romance.
What players can currently see of Baldur’s Gate 3 is reason for many to hope for a polished, innovative take on the RPG genre, as comparisons to DnD and how accurately BG3 pays homage to the tabletop RPG are aplenty. Many DnD players will know that real-life groups and parties tend to have different values and preferences. Some groups love puzzles and traps, other want to min-max and roll through combat situations left and right, and many prefer to invest more heavily into roleplay and character relationships. BG3 currently explores players to explore the romantic side with five companions and one NPC: Minthara.
What makes Minthara stand out, other than the fact that she’s the only romanceable NPC as opposed to companion, is that she’s actually a potential enemy. Fighting Minthara in BG3 is accomplishable with as little as four level 2 characters, and beating her is essential if the player wants to bring Halsin back. However, just like in DnD, players can choose their moral alignment, and taking more evil actions (that is, murdering everyone in Druid’s Grove) will lead to a romance with her.
The companion romances involve a lot of roleplay and gradual raising of the relationship level, which isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, since many players in both DnD and BG3 aren’t interested in romance. Some players might want to have a romantic encounter in-game, but don’t want to put in the effort to form an entanglement with a companion party member. As the game currently exists in Early Access, Minthara’s romance is more of a one-night stand. Simply put, if players kill a bunch of people and pick the right dialogue options, they can access a still-unpolished scene in Baldur’s Gate 3 where Minthara and the player get in bed together.
It remains to be seen how far the eventual release will take the “evil player” route, and if a true villainous storyline will be offered. Playing as a villain protagonist in a video game is something that some people prefer, even if they’re perfectly moral people in real life. Minthara and her dark past have yet to be explored, and players who want a more unconventional gaming experience could find a golden opportunity not only in romancing Minthara but aligning themselves with her.
While there still isn’t a ton of information available yet about Minthara’s backstory and what drove her to pursue a path of evil, the parallels between her and other conflicted characters like the Yennefer from the Witcher series are apparent. Of course, Minthara is clearly evil enough to condone mass murder, but there are sure to be plenty of players who will be interested to see if she will get a redemption arc, or if she has some tragic past. Obviously, some characters are just plain evil and offer no reasoning for choosing darkness, but that may appeal to some players too.
At the end of the day, choosing a romance option in Baldur’s Gate 3 is not integral to the plot, but it may interest some players and supplement the early access experience. The dev has said it’ll add more to the various love interest storylines as the game gets closer to a full release, so there really isn’t enough information yet to judge who’ll end up having the most robust romance plotline. Who knows, Minthara fans may find themselves liking other romance options more once those are developed, or vice versa. Whether players choose to speedrun Baldur’s Gate 3 or spend a lot of time with each side quest, Minthara is definitely an NPC worth getting to know.
Baldur’s Gate 3 is currently in Early Access on PC and Mac.
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