#so now I have my goody goody paladin tav and she’s romancing Gale

[aquarifiend]

Hmm as an avid Astarion romancer who is trying their hardest to romance Gale in this playthrough the option to tell Astarion that what he needs is a friend is so satisfying and makes me so happy actually

[feyascorner]

hey! I know you write strictly x reader works, but I can’t help but wonder what your tav looked like in game. I can only assume they’re a bard, but I’m sooo curious! care to post a screen cap? love your writing!

truth be told I have like 9 separate playthroughs,,, but here are my main three girls <3 buckle in because I love them so much

The first one (and my current main) is Kio! She’s a seldarine drow durge and she’s a bard! She’s what I think of when I write TFBU even though there aren’t any descriptions haha :) she’s very goody two shoes now that she’s lost her memories of being a Bhaalspawn, and astarion hates her for it during act 1 but they’ll grow on each other eventually 🫶 she’s more afraid of defying bhaal than reveling in blood but I haven’t decided if she actually succeeds in resisting the urge or not lol

The second (pink) is Lilac!! She’s a tiefling cleric of bhaal (it’s a mod) durge and she’s probably the most “evil” out of the three despite how she looks,,, act 1/2 she doesn’t like automatic violence but she uses her words to manipulate basically everything 😧 so at first glance she’s very kind and then two seconds later she’s gaslighting everyone 💀 she actually wipes out last light inn and isobel in act 2 for the slayer form so 😭 she’s going to redeem herself in the second half of act 2-act 3, while romancing gale :)

Last one is Carnage (ik it’s an emo name) who’s a Lolth-sworn drow durge and a paladin of vengeance. She’s a completely redeemed durge (and she didn’t wipe out anyone on the good side 😍) but she’s very snarky and has a sharp tongue,,,she also likes to attack at any chance she gets rather than talking things out so,,,,she’s working on it. Still, she’s the most upfront of the three and says whatever she’s thinking haha

So in conclusion I have never played as Tav and I won’t unless I finish my 900 other playthroughs❤️ THANK YOU SM FOR ASKING I LOVE ANY OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT THEM

[riahpariah]

Re your last tags: please rave about your Tavs (in the tags or otherwise) we all (me. It's me.) want to hear about them pleaasseee <3

Omg the opportunityyyyyyyyy block my BG3 tag everyone who doesn't care

My very first Tav was based on my usual PC, who is generally a Changeling bard but bc no Changelings in BG3 (a travesty) they were a half-drow instead. Lore bard, and I ended up romancing Astarion bc I can't resist a twinky man who can be a bitch. I have a Type. I ran this as my me-insert, where I just made all the choices I personally thought were coolest. It was a chaotic run.

My second run I made a Durge! I wanted to murder hobo. I went with a tiny wood elf with pink everything and she was a paladin. She broke her oath IMMEDIATELY and stayed an Oathbreaker, and eventually took over the Netherbrain as Bhaal's chosen. I might go back and replay the last bit of this now that patches are out, bc the ending was very short and unsatisfying back when I did this run. Also ended up romancing and then ascending Astarion, bc no one else wanted to fuck the evil murderer lady.

My third was a druid dragonborn who fucked literally everyone he could. I imagined a backstory that this dragonborn was in fact a dragon who'd forgotten what they are and can't just shapeshift back yet bc of the worm, so he kept hoarding all the items and gold and I did every single quest I could get my hands on for more treasure. I ran it mostly as an achievement run, to get what I'd missed in my first runs. It was a lot of fun.

My most recent was my drow sorcerer, and I played her as Good aligned as I could. Just an absolute goody two shoes. Gale fell in love with her pretty fast and I hadn't gotten to the end of his romance in the prior run (bc of the sluttiness and Gale's objections therein) so I stuck with him to the end. She encouraged him to be free of Mystra and to abandon the idea of ascending bc wtf dude you're good enough as is, pls just be Normal. And that was very satisfying to play through, especially with a Seldarine who'd spurned Lolthite culture and the way men are treated there.

So yes four runs so far and I am already itching to go back and make a new one sometime, bc holy shit I love this game. I was a preteen when I played BG1 five million times on the big ass seven disc set, and it barely fit on my 1GB computer, and it became foundational in my love for gaming and D&D. I replayed it on the console recently and it was every bit as delightful as I remember. BG3 is more than worthy as a follow-up, and I'm pretty sure it's gonna get replayed plenty more as time goes on. I'm thinking about a redemption Durge next....

[avelera]

I will say, even when romances in BG3 didn’t work out QUITE as intended in my two playthroughs (so far…) they both made… interesting stories??

(Cut for spoilers)

- First playthrough, total goodie two-shoes sage tiefling warlock/paladin. Just trying to figure out the game. Definitely don’t long rest enough (a bit of a must for some of the romances to kick on, because it’s where emotional story tends to progress). Accidentally lock myself out of the romances I did want, like Astarion and Karlach, so I settled for Gale as a distant third option.

- Tav 1 pines for Karlach from afar, but genuinely enjoys just being Astarion’s friend because this Tav is a bit too nice for him and I think it’s refreshing for him to have a true friend who doesn’t want him like that??

- Gale feelings, which were sort of just “might as well” at first as I learned the game, suddenly start blossoming as both my Tav and him are sage background and enjoy nerding out over books and knowledge?? Start to get genuinely excited to see him in camp? Kind of still pine after him when I’m in my other playthrough because he really is charming and funny and sweet as you get to know him?

- Like Gale is so much actual guys I know from the DnD world, personality-wise, he’s a nerd with a cat who got knocked down in life by some bad decisions he now sincerely regrets (but he’s not totally without ambition to make bad decisions again…). Of all the party members he feels like the dude I’d actually date IRL??

- So basically, dated Gale with Tav 1 as a joke, accidentally caught feelings, now actually these two good-guy sage nerds feel sort of perfect for each other?

Then my second play through, Lolth-sworn Drow Matriarch. Bard/Paladin. Noble background. A bit inscrutable. Not a monster or a mercenary. Will do good things most of the time and isn’t cartoonishly evil but it feels like she’s nice and more… like she’s keeping her options open outside the Underdark, where behaving like a typical Drow is a good way to get an an angry mob set on you. She prefers to talk her way out of things and keep potential allies in play. She doesn’t quite fit with the absurd levels of some Drow cruelty but she’s not doing it to be nice the way my Tav 1 playthrough is.

- Flirted a bit with Karlach but really go full Asterion. He’s just so… cute and pathetic to a drow’s eyes I think?

- Like he tries to tell her, a Lolth-sworn female Drow, a matriarch in training if she wasn’t one already, that she’s too nice. As if that itself wasn’t part of the calculus she performs every day to advance her goals. Like it’s all out of conscience and he’s the badass who has it all figured out. He says they should try to be evil together. When she asks how exactly he plans to do this, he draws a blank.

- in my mind, that was the moment she was like, “Oh no, he’s so stupid, I have to fuck make him my consort.” Poor baby wants so badly to be evil but doesn’t have any subtlety at all. He’d get pulverized in Menzoberranzan. I have to protect him from himself.

- Like my Drow Tav doesn’t want to fuck Astarion and make him her consort because he’s a cool sexy vampire. Quite the opposite. He’s like a small enthusiastic yappy lap dog, barking at the wolf who thinks he’s just the cutest and wants to take him home to the rest of the pack to show him off.

- Meanwhile, her flirtation with Karlach felt more like a “matriarch recognize matriarch” moment where she was impressed by this badass warrior woman who she’d happily make her general or bodyguard if they were in the Underdark. But that she basically needed to pull up a bit when she realized she couldn’t be what Karlach needed and likewise, Karlach wouldn’t fit into Drow Tav’s life if she ever got back to Menzoberranzan.

- (Meanwhile, Shadowheart just feels too young to both Tavs. Like I got genuinely choked up reuniting her with her family because she feels like barely more than a teenager who really needs her family still more than she needs a lover. At least Gale, Karlach, and Astarion, feel more like full adults. Sadly, Wyll just feels the most like a standard RPG character with his dialogue (and it was weird to hear him lamenting his horns to a tiefling??) which put me off. Even if the dance scene was sweet. Halsin… just isn’t working for me. Alas.)

[fruk-choosing-a-username]

been thinking about this exactly for weeks on end get ready bitches

Ephialtes Vaad, preferred name "Synn": Tiefling Wild Magic Sorcerer

Synn pretty much got the hots for Astarion the second he was on the ground with a dagger to his throat. Kinda like that episode of Spongebob- "OH NO HE'S HOT". Astarion was skeptical of him at first, especially when he agreed to help the tieflings at the grove, thinking he was another "goody two shoes". This opinion changed when Synn attacked Nettie without hesitation after she poisoned his best friend (another tav of mine who travels with them, I talk about her down below). In that moment Astarion saw that Synn isn't afraid to get his hands dirty to get what he wants, which he liked. He also likes his snarky personality, and also finds Synn's love for chaos and his use of wild magic attractive as well. Synn loves Astarion's attitude, his charisma, his dark humor, pretty much everything we love Astarion for. They're pretty much a blood thirsty (literally for Astarion) chaotic power couple. Finally, they find comfort and reassurance about themselves in the other. Synn, as a tiefling, faced a lot of the same harassment the tiefling's at the grove faced his whole life, being called a devil or monster. Astarion is a vampire spawn, and losing more of himself every day after being one for so long (ie: forgetting what he looks like and being obviously upset about it from the mirror scene). Each assures the other that they do not see a "monster", but they see beauty.

Thaliara Amanta, or Thali: Human Lore Bard

Thaliara is Synn's best friend and travels with him, Astarion, Gale and Shadowheart. She ends up having the dorkiest crush on Gale. I don't have a ton of details on their dynamic yet because I haven't gotten to play with this character much, but I have some basic ideas and starting points. She thinks he's such a fascinating person and is practically whisked off her feet by his magical prowess every time, but she also finds him sweet and even funny at times as well. More importantly, she wants to help him not just with the magical artifacts thing, but also help him forget about Mystra, as he seems still pretty caught up in that whole thing. Gale is flattered by Thali's extreme willingness to help him, and also to help others, and is also amused by her own chaotic nature and her energetic/bubbly personality. He finds seeing someone so happy and optimistic in such dire times refreshing and uplifting. However, he (and also Synn) does kind of act as the person to keep her grounded in reality when she needs to be. Thali does appreciate this from him, as she knows sometimes she can be naive and vulnerable. They become very close and protective of each other, learning about each others difficult times in their pasts and bonding over that as well.

Ell: Half Drow and Half Wood Elf Oath of Vengeance Paladin + Circle of the Spore Druid

This character and their romance is even less planned out right now. I do know Ell is for sure going to romance Halsin. They will be lawful neutral, which I think is enough to get along with a good guy like Halsin just fine. However they do have some things going on with them that make them just a taaaaad bit more evil than my other neutral character, Synn. I don't think Halsin would be bothered by this fact at all, but he can see the difference between what weird things just make Ell themself, and what weird things are just plain bad and should be addressed. He definitely tries to help and guide Ell as they figure out this tadpole situation and face a lot of their own problems along the way (for example, when they begin to slowly become addicted to collecting more tadpoles for the powers, even though they're trying to cure themselves and resist the Absolute just like Synn and Thali are). Also, I know Ell will definitely have a feeling of trust for Halsin they don't get with many other people. In their backstory, Halsin actually found them near death after they were first infected and brought them into the grove to heal them, and saved their life (this all happened before Halsin left and was captured by the goblins). Once I see how the Halsin romance plays out and how this character acts in-game more, I will have a stronger idea on their dynamic and everything. And no, Ell will not partake in the bear fucking, although I imagine they would be flattered that they "have that effect" on Halsin 🐻

Feed my BG3 hunger.

I wanna know for those playing with CustomTavs that will romance someone in the game, who are they wooing? And why? How do you imagine their dynamic? In tags or reblogs are fine! I'll start;

Delight- Warlock, Tiefling, Criminal

I literally cannot unsee her romancing Astarion.

Their pasts just line up and mirror so well, as do their current situations, and while she's not outright cruel she's definitely not a Good Guy. She finds him funny and over the top, and is entertained by his poor lying but drawn in by his vulnerability. He finds her contradictory but also funny (laughing together about the walking undead husband was a sweet moment between them lmao) and is starting to find her smartass comments and teasing endearing. They don't just become good lovers, they become good friends, and they will be wonderfully morally grey and chaotic together.

Briallen- Half-Orc, Sorceror, Folk Hero

This bitch can fit so much Survivor's Guilt inside her!! I think she will really fit well with Halsin all things considered. She is, down to her core, a genuinely good person who wants to protect and help, even if she sees her heroism as a selfish act to punish herself. I can see her being drawn to Halsin's strength, confidence and wisdom and I can see him drawn to her bravery, selflessness and serenity. But hopefully he will be able to curb her extremely low sense of self-preservation and she will show him that she will accept him in his entirety with no strings. Two folks who really admire each other slowly falling head over heels for each other!

Iker- Human, Ranger, Soldier

Gale. Not just because he's a magebreaker and I love the whole enemies/rivals to lovers, but because Gale is a wonderfully complicated person and turns out Iker finds complicated hot. I can see Gale intially finding his standoffish and straight up cunty behaviour annoying/vaguely amusing at first, but become increasingly curious about the person he used to be before everything. Iker looks at Gale and they think "Fuck. He's hot. Damn mage." and becomes fascinated with the fractured man beneath the perfect veneer. Idk about Gale, but Iker is actually the devoted type and in the future won't care what he does as long as he lets them stay by his side. Unhealthy obsessions all round let's get on it cunts.

Rowan- Half-Elf, Wizard, Scholar/Sage

I am truly a bit stumped with them BUT I can see them making poor decisions and falling for Wyll. He's got secrets and they're a curious sort who naturally wants to uncover them, for good or ill. They trigger Wyll's protective instinct, as they are particularly a bit naive about the wider world beyond their studies and dig sites and he's as soon to find them crouching down in the middle of a battle protecting a suspected artifact as he is to find them completely closed off to the world with her nose in a tome. He would find their completely objective opinion about his situation surprisingly refreshing and they want to study him under a microscope (oh and he has a very nice smile they can't seem to say no to). They'll make him better, he'll make them worse lol.

Zlatan- Githyanki, Cleric, Outlander

Oh Shadowheart for sure. Not only does he find her beautiful, he's intrigued with the fact that such a kind person (objectively) worships such an evil goddess. He's always been fascinated with outlier cultures and beliefs, like the drow. She would obviously be wary of him at first, but will be pleasantly surprised by his easygoing and cheerful nature yet shocked by his daredevilry and adventurousness. When she finally lets down her guard and they get closer, I can see them having actually quite a romantic dynamic between them.

Delshad [Name WIP]- Dragonborn, Fighter, Noble

I'll be honest, I was inspired by the Panel to make a hot af dragonborn to sweep Karlach off her feet. I'm weak. He is literally Just Some Guy. He's polite, he's softspoken, he likes embroidery and he will Fuck You Up when pressed. He would find Karlach very, very cute once she trusts him with her more romantic side and he can withstand her sparky tendencies with all his scales. She would appreciate the fact that he's pretty non-conforming in terms of his status and his gender stereotype and that he's only a gentleman with her FOR her. Very sweet, very soft relationship ahoy!!

Tav [Name Undecided]- Gnome/Deep Gnome, Rogue, Urchin or Charlatan?

Now this Tav is very much a recent and underdeveloped idea, because I saw The Prettiest gnome Tav the other day and I had this image of a cute gnome lady Absolutely Down Bad for Lae'zel because she loves big strong hot mean women. I imagine a very messy, horny dynamic since this Tav despises any authority on principle and Lae'zel comes from a society very much built upon obeying authority, but I can see Lae'zel finding Tav's dedication to chaos and getting things done her way or no way quite attractive.