Baldur’s Gate 3 – How To Romance Gale

TL;DR

  • Recruit Gale at Roadside Cliffs waypoint (X:223 Y:326) and avoid dismemberment fantasies as Dark Urge
  • Gain approval through magical discussions, kindness acts, and feeding him exactly three specific magical items
  • Trigger romantic scenes by selecting hand-holding or kissing options during Weave channeling
  • Navigate Act 2’s critical choice between Gale’s sacrifice and continued relationship
  • Complete The Wizard of Waterdeep quest and choose wisely about the Crown of Karsus for optimal ending

Gale Dekarios stands out among Baldur’s Gate 3’s romanceable companions as the brilliant but occasionally impractical Wizard of Waterdeep whose intellectual charm and golden heart make him an irresistible romantic option for players pursuing virtuous storylines.

The game’s intricate companion system has received widespread acclaim for its depth, with Gale representing one of the most complex and rewarding relationship arcs available. His romance path requires careful attention to narrative choices and consistent demonstration of values he respects.

Successfully navigating Gale’s romance demands understanding his personality archetype: he’s fundamentally a scholar and romantic who values intellectual curiosity, magical prowess, and moral integrity above all else.

Pro Tip: Gale’s romance works best for characters aligned with lawful good, neutral good, or chaotic good moral frameworks. Players embracing evil alignments or The Dark Urge origin will find his path significantly more challenging, as several story moments can permanently remove him from your party if handled incorrectly.

While all potential companions shared the Nautiloid experience with your character, only Lae’zel and Shadowheart can be recruited during the initial sequence. Gale awaits discovery at the Roadside Cliffs waypoint situated near the crash site, offering a distinctive recruitment scenario.

Gale will join your party after you save him from an aggressive waypoint.

Gale will join your party after you save him from an aggressive waypoint.

Technically speaking, Gale has become trapped within the Roadside Cliffs waypoint’s magical portal system. Navigate to coordinates X:223 Y:326 and watch for the distinctive purple portal with an emerging hand visible. Successfully completing the associated skill check enables you to extract him from this dimensional predicament, after which he’ll extend a party invitation.

Critical Warning: Dark Urge players receive an additional dialogue option involving fantasies of amputating Gale’s hand. Selecting this triggers the Urge’s control, resulting in actual dismemberment that permanently eliminates Gale from your game. Dark Urge characters seeking romance must resist these violent impulses from the very beginning.

Dark Urge players who want to keep Gale in one piece need to control their thoughts.

Dark Urge players who want to keep Gale in one piece need to control their thoughts.

Common Mistake: Many players miss Gale entirely by not thoroughly exploring the immediate crash site area. The waypoint interaction is easily overlooked if you’re focused solely on main objectives.

Gale maintains a generally relaxed disposition but possesses clearly defined moral boundaries that influence his approval responses. He demonstrates consistent appreciation for compassionate actions, selfless decisions, and displays of intellectual curiosity, particularly regarding magical phenomena.

His approval triggers include engaging in scholarly discussions about magic, demonstrating optimism in difficult situations, showing kindness to NPCs and animals, and expressing genuine interest in arcane knowledge and the Weave’s mysteries.

Conversely, Gale strongly disapproves of deceptive behavior, betrayal of trust, unnecessary violence against innocents, expressing anti-magic sentiments, or refusing his requests for magical item consumption when necessary.

Approval Optimization: Engage Gale in conversations about magic whenever possible, volunteer to help NPCs in need, and always prioritize diplomatic solutions over violent confrontations when possible.

Advanced Tip: Gale’s approval operates on a hidden point system where major story decisions yield significantly more points than minor dialogue choices. Focus on his companion quest completion for the most substantial approval gains.

Time Estimate: Building sufficient approval for romance initiation typically requires 8-12 hours of gameplay focused on relationship-building activities.

Following Gale’s integration into your party, you’ll eventually discover him visibly distressed at camp with a prominent exclamation mark indicating urgent dialogue. This interaction reveals his unique medical condition involving the Netherese orb, which demands immediate attention to prevent catastrophic consequences.

Strategic Item Management for Gale’s Condition

Managing Gale’s magical consumption requirements presents a strategic challenge, particularly during Act 1’s limited magical item availability. However, maintaining his wellbeing—and pursuing romance—necessitates sacrificing three specific enchanted items from your inventory.

When the moment arrives to address his condition, initiate conversation and indicate your readiness to provide a magical item. This triggers an inventory interface displaying all consumable magical gear currently carried by active party members.

Critical Interface Warning: The selection menu remains active after item consumption, creating potential for accidentally feeding multiple items simultaneously. This yields no additional approval benefits and represents pure item waste. Always select just one item then immediately close the interface.

Gale requires exactly three magical items total, after which his condition stabilizes permanently. Consumable items feature distinctive tooltip notations identifying their suitability.

Optimal Item Selection Strategy: Since most Act 1 magical gear becomes obsolete by Act 3, sacrificing three items represents minimal long-term strategic cost. Recommended safe-to-consume items include:

  • Komira’s Locket
  • Robe of Summer
  • Cap of Curing
  • Ring of Color Spray
  • The Watcher’s Guide

Weave Channeling: The Romance Initiation Point

After accumulating sufficient approval, Gale will again signal needed conversation at camp, though this time without visible distress. This cutscene presents the pivotal romance initiation moment.

Gale will guide you through Weave channeling (or participate alongside magical characters), culminating in the opportunity to visualize your heart’s desire. To formally commence the romance, choose either the hand-holding visualization or the kissing option.

Pro Insight: This scene represents your primary romance trigger—failing to select romantic options here may delay or prevent relationship progression.

Elminster’s Message: The Sacrifice Dilemma

Early in Act 2, players encounter Elminster, Gale’s associate, who bears crucial information. Agreeing to bring Elminster to camp triggers a revelation about Mystra’s offer: forgiveness in exchange for Gale’s sacrificial detonation using his Netherese orb to destroy The Elder Brain.

Discussing this development with Gale—while maintaining supportive rather than accusatory tones—generates approval and advances his character arc.

Moonlit Confession: Relationship Formalization

Upon reaching Moonrise Towers with adequate approval and no existing romantic commitments, a camp cutscene features Gale’s spectral projection outside his tent.

Interacting with this projection initiates conversation where Gale confesses his love. Selecting either the kissing response or reciprocal confession prompts his invitation for intimacy.

When presented with lovemaking style options:

  • Choosing “the real Gale” results in conjured bed creation with fade-to-black sequence.
  • Opting for “make love the way gods do” generates an extended cutscene depicting intimacy within the Weave itself.

This interaction officially establishes the romantic relationship within the game’s systems.

The hardest part of romancing Gale isn't earning his approval, it's keeping him alive.

The hardest part of romancing Gale isn’t earning his approval, it’s keeping him alive.

Strategic Consideration: The sacrifice decision represents a major branching point. Choosing preservation enables continued romance but alters narrative outcomes, while sacrifice concludes the relationship arc dramatically.

Mystra’s Reconciliation: The Divine Encounter

Assuming Gale survives Act 2’s challenges, he’ll receive summons from Mystra. Accompany him to the Stormshore Tabernacle and provide encouragement for approval enhancement. While there, don’t overlook the five statues offering unique buffs through prayer interactions.

Crown of Karsus: The Ultimate Choice

After Gale resolves matters with his divine former lover, prioritize completing The Wizard of Waterdeep companion quest, as failure impacts both your relationship and game conclusion.

Upon reaching Baldur’s Gate, visit Sorcerous Sundries bookstore near the Lower City Central Wall waypoint. Speak with Tolna at the rear first-floor desk and successfully navigate skill checks to uncover the location of powerful magical texts.

Proceed upstairs to access Tolna’s office, examine the bookshelf for a protruding volume, interact to reveal the secret passage leading to the vault containing The Annals of Karsus.

Ending Variations: Romance Conclusion Scenarios

The ending of Gale's story is entirely up to the player to decide.

The ending of Gale’s story is entirely up to the player to decide.

During the finale, you face the decisive choice: grant Gale the Crown of Karsus for godhood ascension or deliver it to Mystra. The latter produces Gale’s “good” ending. To persuade crown relinquishment, select “This doesn’t have to be the end for us. Just forget the Crown.” dialogue option.

Successfully completing The Wizard of Waterdeep, defeating the primary antagonist, AND convincing Gale to surrender the crown yields a special epilogue cutscene with Gale presenting a heartfelt proposition.

Alternative outcomes based on player decisions:

  • Gale sacrifices himself and doesn’t appear in epilogue
  • Gale ascends to godhood and offers to make you his “chosen”
  • Gale appears but without romantic resolution

Ending Strategy: Players pursuing positive conclusions should prevent Gale from obtaining the Crown of Karsus, while those embracing villainous narratives might prefer his divine ascension path.

Advanced Insight: The Crown decision represents the most significant factor determining your romantic conclusion with Gale.

Navigating Gale’s romance while managing other companion relationships requires careful strategy, as he maintains specific boundaries regarding relationship exclusivity.

Drow Twin Encounter: While participation in this group scene doesn’t affect approval metrics, Gale immediately declines participation. He can be persuaded but will ultimately substitute a magical projection while departing physically.

Emperor Romance: Interestingly, players romancing The Emperor will inevitably be discovered by companions. Despite visible disapproval, this doesn’t impact companion approval ratings, including Gale’s.

Haarlep Interaction: Gale disapproves of intimate encounters with Raphael’s incubus but won’t terminate the relationship, even with body-pledging exchanges.

Halsin Romance Consideration: When Halsin expresses romantic interest, Gale voices objection. Pursuing romance with Halsin triggers Gale’s relationship termination, indicating his preference for monogamous arrangements.

Mizora Romance: Choosing intimacy with Mizora results in immediate breakup as Gale witnesses these infernal activities.

Strategic Planning: Gale’s relationship requires commitment and exclusivity for optimal progression. Players should avoid simultaneous romances with other companions to prevent unexpected relationship dissolution.

Pro Tip: Save before major romance decisions with other characters to test Gale’s reactions without committing to irreversible outcomes.

Action Checklist

  • Rescue Gale from Roadside Cliffs waypoint portal (X:223 Y:326) without dismemberment fantasies as Dark Urge
  • Build approval through magical discussions, kindness acts, and strategic item donations
  • Successfully navigate the Weave channeling scene with romantic option selection
  • Complete The Wizard of Waterdeep companion quest in Act 3
  • Make final Crown of Karsus decision aligned with desired romance outcome
  • Avoid simultaneous romances with Halsin, Mizora, or other companions that trigger Gale’s departure

No reproduction without permission:SeeYouSoon Game Club » Baldur’s Gate 3 – How To Romance Gale Master the art of romancing Gale with strategic approval choices and relationship management tactics