Baldur's Gate 3 bug prevents shorter characters from smooching their love interests

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By Cat Bussell
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Tall tales

Karlach and a gnome love interest unable to kiss thanks to bug
(Image credit: Larian Studios / Ezark Otaku)

They say that love overcomes obstacles, but this doesn't seem to be the case in Baldur's Gate 3 where a bug is preventing shorter characters from properly kissing their love interests of choice. 

In the tradition of some of the very best RPGs, Baldur's Gate 3 offers players ample opportunity for romance and canoodling. From charming wizards to buff Tiefling ladies, there are plenty of dreamy potential paramours for the enterprising adventurer to pursue. 

Unfortunately, it would appear that halfling and gnome adventures have been offered the short end of the stick since a bug is preventing them from locking lips with their romantic partners (via PCGamer).

The offending bug was initially pointed out by Prima Games associate editor Jesse Vitelli who took to his Twitter account to voice his discontent.  

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YouTube user Ezark Otaku also caught the offending bug on their channel, showing off the awkward animations that play instead of the expected lip-locking. Rather than kiss as you might expect, Karlach simply mimes kissing the air, while our hero plants an awkward smooch on the Tiefling's stomach. 

As you can see, dwarfs, gnomes, and halflings across the Forgotten Realms clearly deserve better. Is it too much to ask that big, strong Karlach might scoop her love interest up in her arms for a tender kiss? At the very least, couldn't Larian Studios provide some sort of stool or ladder to assist with the logistical difficulties? No matter the solution, it's clear that our short heroes are worth more than these disappointing animations.

Baldur's Gate 3 has been a smashing success, receiving a five-star review from us here at TRG. Between improving on D&D's formula and its stellar voice acting, Larian's latest RPG has a great deal to offer. However, despite all of these accolades and triumphs, it's clear that shorter characters have been hard done by when it comes to romance in the Forgotten Realms. 

Hopefully, Larian will address this problem in one of their planned patches. In the meantime, however, it looks like our Gnome and Halfling protagonists will be unjustly and unfairly relegated to the realm of romantic awkwardness.

Want to get the most out of Baldur's Gate? Check out our guide to the Baldur's Gate 3 classes as well as how to respec in Baldur's Gate 3.

Cat Bussell
Cat Bussell
Staff Writer

Cat Bussell is a Staff Writer at TechRadar Gaming. Hailing from the crooked spires of London, Cat is an experienced writer and journalist. As seen on Wargamer.com, TheGamer.com, and Superjumpmagazine.com, Cat is here to bring you coverage from all corners of the video game world. An inveterate RPG maven and strategy game enjoyer, Cat is known for her love of rich narratives; both story-driven and emergent. 


Before migrating to the green pastures of games journalism, Cat worked as a political advisor and academic. She has three degrees and has studied and worked at Cambridge University, University College London, and Queen Mary University of London. She's also been an art gallery curator, an ice cream maker, and a cocktail mixologist. This crash course in NPC lifestyles uniquely qualifies her to pick apart only the juiciest video games for your reading pleasure. 


Cat cut her teeth on MMOs in the heyday of World of Warcraft before giving in to her love of JRPGs and becoming embedded in Final Fantasy XIV. When she's not doing that, you might find her running a tabletop RPG or two, perhaps even voluntarily.