Who is Karlach in Baldur’s Gate 3? Karlach is a powerful ally if you choose to recruit her. She is an Asmodeus Tiefling who resembles a demon and fights like one. Her Barbarian class is relatively straightforward compared to other classes in the game, but with the right preparation and build, she can easily defeat your enemies. She is also known for having the best hair among the companions in the game.
If you’re unsure about what a Tiefling is in Baldur’s Gate 3, don’t worry. Our Baldur’s Gate 3 races guide will help you understand this demonic race and its subclasses, as well as all the other races in the RPG game. Also, make sure to check out our Baldur’s Gate 3 classes guide to see how Karlach’s Barbarian skills can complement your chosen build for your player character. Once you’ve done that, including reading our extensive Baldur’s Gate 3 review, continue on to discover what makes Karlach so formidable.
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Where is Karlach?
You can find Karlach near the river along The Risen Road in the first chapter of the game, just beyond the Blighted Village. This will trigger a quest called Hunt the Devil, in which you can choose to side with Karlach or a shady Paladin named Anders.
If you choose to side with Karlach and protect her from Anders and his equally shady friends by killing them all, she can be recruited later. However, if you kill a Druid in the grove, you will not be able to recruit Karlach.
Karlach’s Attributes, Starting Equipment, and Skills
Karlach is a powerhouse as she seeks revenge on those who sold her into slavery. She has an infernal engine in her chest that grants her enormous power but also poses a danger of killing her.
Here are Karlach’s attributes:
- Strength: 17
- Dexterity: 13
- Constitution: 14
- Intelligence: 11
- Wisdom: 12
- Charisma: 8
Here is Karlach’s starting equipment:
Here are Karlach’s skills:
- Athletics
- Perception
- Survival
- Intimidation
How to Raise Karlach’s Approval Rating
As a Barbarian, showing your strength will improve your relationship with Karlach. Additionally, since she was previously enslaved, freeing slaves will likely garner sympathy from her. You can also raise her approval by defending her, defending the Tieflings, and showing kindness to children. Without spoiling the story, these actions should help you build a strong relationship with Karlach.
How Karlach Gains Inspiration
Inspiration points can be gained by both your own character and your companions based on your background. These points can then be used to reroll ability checks during key moments.
Karlach’s background is an Outlander, meaning she grew up in the wilds and learned to survive away from civilization.
How to Romance Karlach
If you want to develop a more intimate relationship with Karlach, you’ll need to help her fix her heart. Her physical heart, that is. Karlach’s infernal engine heart runs very hot, preventing her from touching another person for a long time.
To fix her heart, you must gather infernal iron and visit the blacksmith, Dammon, in Druid’s Grove. He will cool her down to a certain extent, allowing her to have physical contact. The next heart upgrade can be obtained in the Last Light Inn, and once it’s installed, Karlach will be able to hug you and more, if that’s what you’re interested in.
Best Karlach Build
We recommend choosing Ability Improvement at level 4 to increase Karlach’s strength and dexterity for higher modifiers. An alternative option is to emphasize Karlach’s ferocity by taking the Great Weapons Master feat, which increases damage by 10 but imposes a penalty on attack rolls. The benefit of this feat is that it can be toggled during combat, making it a versatile option.
Karlach primarily uses melee weapons, so it’s important to consult our collection of the best Baldur’s Gate 3 weapons to ensure she is well-equipped for battle. If you’re wondering whether to play the game as Karlach, one of the other BG3 companions, or your own character, check out our overview of the comically gruesome, yet unique, Dark Urge origin option.