Summary

• Astarion is the best Dark Urge romance due to his understanding of the character's struggle.
• Astarion offers unique help and empathy that other companions lack.
• A relationship with Astarion can also be the key to helping him overcome his personal demons.

Romance in Baldur's Gate 3 isn't often a particularly tricky affair, but affairs of the heart can get a lot more troublesome when playing as the Dark Urge. With a simmering inclination toward acts of senseless violence, the Dark Urge Origin option presents the choice to fight against bad impulses or embrace them for a chaotic campaign. This can be one of the most interesting ways to play Baldur's Gate 3, and part of that comes from how complicated it makes relationships with party and other NPCs.

[Warning: this article contains spoilers for Act 2 of Baldur's Gate 3.]The cast of Baldur's Gate 3 companions runs the gamut from noble heroes to the more nefariously inclined, with Wyll's sense of duty being a far cry from Minthara's ruthless ambitions. Consequently, the party's opinions on violent Dark Urge behavior can range, and some acts that might earn censure from Karlach could be approved by Lae'zel. All the companions have their limits, however, and cracks start to show when the worst tendencies of the Dark Urge start to affect them personally.

Astarion Is The Best Baldur's Gate 3 Dark Urge Romance

Astarion Recognizes The Problem Before A Key Act 2 Moment

It can still be fun to try for a relationship with any companion character as the Dark Urge, but when the going gets tough, the vampiric elf Astarion rises above the pack as the best beau. The big difference appears in Act 2 of the game, which can force a Dark Urge character to attack their romantic interest. This scenario only arises if the Dark Urge doesn't kill Isobel, a cleric of Selûne protecting the Last Light Inn from the shadow curse that plagues the surrounding lands.

Isobel's death paves the way for plenty of other NPC casualties, so anyone trying to avoid the bloody path would do better to avoid killing her.

Unsurprisingly, most companions don't take kindly to realizing their sweetheart feels an urge to kill them. They're generally still understanding, and most encounters where the truth is revealed will end up with the two lovers talking things through to reach a precarious balance. A sense of betrayal can still color the conversations, however, with companions feeling blindsided by the revelation that the Dark Urge is even more troubled than they realized.

Astarion, on the other hand, is capable of more fully understanding the Dark Urge before things reach this point. The vampire spawn contends with vicious impulses instilled in him by the vampire lord Cazador and his own need for blood, and although he's often willing to gleefully participate in violence, he can recognize the struggle in a Dark Urge character. Long resting early in Act 1 after acquiring several party can trigger a scene where Astarion addresses the problem way before anyone else will, and this mutual understanding can be the perfect foundation for a memorable romance.

Astarion Offers More Help To The Dark Urge In BG3

Other Relationships Lack The Same Connection

When it comes to the Act 2 confrontation, telling Astarion the depths of the Dark Urge struggle results in a unilaterally positive response that none of the other companions will offer. Astarion reassures the character that they're not alone and promises to be there for them without reiterating any frustration with having not been told sooner. Even if everyone's response in the situation is reasonable, Astarion is the only one who knows firsthand just how overwhelming the trial that a Dark Urge character faces is.

The best thing about a relationship with Astarion is that the potential for improvement goes both ways. Astarion's personal character arc ultimately puts him face to face with his own demons, and it's possible for him to overcome his worst impulses and strive for something better. Assisting him in the same way that he helps the Dark Urge is beautifully symmetrical, and although changing his fate doesn't require a relationship, adding that layer makes things even more rewarding.

It can still be fun to romance any character as the Dark Urge, and the comparative naivety of someone like Gale in the same situation has its own charms. In of consistent reactivity and depth of understanding, however, Astarion is on another level. There's no wrong way to play Baldur's Gate 3, but opting into a relationship between Astarion and a Dark Urge character is a choice that just seems especially right.