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Approval
In Baldur's Gate 3, every companion has an approval rating towards the player character. Approval or disapproval is gained based on certain choices made in dialogue, quests, combat, etc.[1]
This system plays a pivotal role in each character's personal quest and how they react to the player character's actions; certain outcomes can only occur if the companion has high enough approval with the player character.
Dialogue with companions changes based on their current approval rating with the player character, and might also affect the Difficulty Class required to persuade them. Companions also have different thresholds required in order to begin or continue a romance with them.
Overview[edit | edit source]
Approval and disapproval is most often indicated in the top-left corner of the screen while in dialogue. Where applicable, each decision results in a different numerical value of approval or disapproval with certain characters, with typical values being +/- 1, 5, or 10 for small, medium, and large events respectively.[2] These +/- values are added or subtracted from the net approval number of the companion(s) in question. Approval changes outside of dialogue are displayed in a box similar to those shown for inspiration gains or quest updates.
The maximum approval a companion can have with a player character is 100. Once it reaches this number, additional approval cannot be earned, and messages resulting from actions that gain approval cease being displayed for that companion with the player character.[3]
Approval can be viewed on the character sheet in three places:
- At the bottom of the Summary page, displayed as a coloured bar with the player character's portrait on it.
- At the bottom of the Detailed View page, between Saving Throw Bonuses and Tags. This shows the actual numerical value of their approval.
- In the bottom-right corner of the Character Sheet (R2) on consoles, but only for characters in the current party. The actual numerical value is not visible on consoles.
In all locations, hovering over the approval rating displays a short description for that rating, as seen in the table below.
In single player sessions, performing actions companions would normally approve/disapprove of with that character do not not affect the player character's approval rating (this is not always possible, depending on the action). Performing those actions with other non-player companion characters will, however.
In a multiplayer session, each companion has a separate approval rating towards each avatar.
Low Approval[edit | edit source]
If a companion's approval drops to -50 or lower, they leave the party permanently, taking with them anything they had equipped. The contents of their inventory including story items are returned to the player character in a backpack.
Companions give two warnings (once at -25 and once at -40) before leaving.
Casting 
or 
on companions lowers their approval by 10 when the effect ends, regardless of game difficulty.
Approval Thresholds[edit | edit source]
| Value | Approval | Description |
|---|---|---|
| -49 – -40 | Very Low | Relationship is in danger. Character is likely to leave party if they disagree with another decision. |
| -39 – -20 | Low | Relationship is bad. Character may leave party if approval gets worse. |
| -19 – 20 | Neutral | Relationship is neutral. Character has no strong feelings towards avatar. |
| 21 – 40 | Medium | Relationship is fair. Character's trust in avatar is variable. |
| 41 – 60 | High | Relationship is good. Character approves of avatar. |
| 61 – 80 | Very High | Relationship is very good. Character is happy with and easily convinced by avatar. |
| 81 – 100 | Exceptional | Relationship is exceptional. Character is thrilled with and very easily convinced by avatar. |
Approval by character[edit | edit source]
Approval by act[edit | edit source]
Notes[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Approval changes based on the proximity of eligible companions to the player character during qualifying events. If a companion's distance from the player character is great enough when an eligible event occurs, approval does not change. The condition of the companion does not matter. For example, being
or 
has no bearing on changes in approval, though it can prevent certain conversations from taking place that otherwise result in such changes.
- ↑ Companions who join the party later in the game sometimes have opportunities for large shifts in approval based on the player character's choices. For example, being kind or magnanimous with Thaniel after lifting the Shadow Curse from the land in Act Two results in a gain of 20 approval with Halsin from that conversation event alone.
- ↑ Once maximum approval is obtained with a companion, the only way to continue approval messages from them is with a mod.
