How do I start Shadowheart's personal quest in Baldur's Gate 3?

To start Shadowheart's personal quest in Baldur's Gate 3, you need to engage with her character and build a relationship with her over time. Shadowheart is a cleric of Shar, the goddess of darkness and loss, and her personal quest revolves around her devotion to Shar and the mysterious artifact she carries. HereÔÇÖs a detailed guide on how to start and progress her quest, along with important tips and considerations.

First, you need to recruit Shadowheart. She can be found early in the game, near the Nautiloid crash site. After the initial cutscene, you will find her trapped in a pod. You can free her by interacting with the console nearby. Once freed, she will join your party. If you miss her at the crash site, you can also find her later at the Druid Grove, where she will offer to join your group.

Once Shadowheart is in your party, you need to build a relationship with her. This involves making dialogue choices that align with her values and gaining her approval. Shadowheart values pragmatism, secrecy, and a certain level of ruthlessness. She approves of decisions that prioritize survival and the greater good, even if they involve morally gray actions. For example, she approves of decisions that involve deception or manipulation, and she disapproves of overly altruistic or naive choices.

To start her personal quest, you need to reach a certain point in the main story. Specifically, you need to progress to the point where you reach the Goblin Camp. This is where ShadowheartÔÇÖs personal quest begins to unfold. As you explore the Goblin Camp, you will encounter a group of goblins who are worshipping a statue of Shar. Shadowheart will express interest in this, and this will trigger the beginning of her personal quest.

At this point, you will need to make choices that align with ShadowheartÔÇÖs goals. She is deeply devoted to Shar, and her quest involves uncovering more about her faith and the artifact she carries. You will need to support her in these endeavors, which may involve making difficult decisions. For example, you may need to choose between helping Shadowheart or siding with other characters who have conflicting interests.

One important tip is to keep Shadowheart in your party as much as possible. This will allow you to gain more approval from her and unlock additional dialogue options. Additionally, make sure to explore areas related to Shar, such as the Goblin Camp and other locations where SharÔÇÖs influence is present. These areas often contain clues and items that are relevant to ShadowheartÔÇÖs quest.

A common mistake to avoid is neglecting ShadowheartÔÇÖs approval. If you consistently make choices that she disapproves of, she may become less willing to share information with you or even leave your party. To avoid this, pay attention to her reactions and try to align your decisions with her values.

Advanced techniques involve optimizing your party composition to support ShadowheartÔÇÖs abilities. As a cleric, she is a powerful healer and support character, but she can also deal significant damage with her spells. Consider pairing her with characters who can complement her abilities, such as a tanky frontliner like LaeÔÇÖzel or a ranged damage dealer like Astarion. This will allow you to maximize her effectiveness in combat and ensure that she can contribute to your partyÔÇÖs success.

In terms of D&D rules and mechanics, ShadowheartÔÇÖs abilities are based on the cleric class from Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition. She has access to a variety of spells, including healing spells like Cure Wounds and offensive spells like Guiding Bolt. Her domain, Trickery, gives her access to unique abilities like Blessing of the Trickster, which allows her to grant advantage on stealth checks to an ally. Understanding these abilities and how to use them effectively is key to getting the most out of Shadowheart in combat.

Specific examples of scenarios where ShadowheartÔÇÖs personal quest comes into play include the encounter with the goblins in the Goblin Camp, as mentioned earlier. Another example is when you reach the Underdark, where you will find more clues about Shar and ShadowheartÔÇÖs past. In these areas, you will need to make choices that align with ShadowheartÔÇÖs goals, such as choosing to explore ancient Sharran ruins or siding with her in conflicts with other characters.

In summary, starting ShadowheartÔÇÖs personal quest in Baldur's Gate 3 involves recruiting her, building a relationship with her, and progressing through the main story until you reach the Goblin Camp. From there, you will need to support her in her devotion to Shar and make choices that align with her values. By keeping her in your party, exploring relevant areas, and optimizing your party composition, you can successfully progress through her personal quest and uncover more about her mysterious past.