Mass Effect: Every Romance Option Guide

Mass Effect Legendary Edition gives players a chance at love in BioWare’s Sci-Fi universe and will offer Commander Shepard three possible romantic partners during the first game in the series. The options are Ashley Williams, Kaidan Alenko, and Liara T’soni. Pursuing more than one companion is possible but will eventually lead to an awkward situation in which the Shepard is forced to choose between the two. Whatever their choice, players must take care not to antagonize the person they wish to romance in Mass Effect, as it might lead to rejection.

Although players will have Garrus and Tali in their party in the first Mass Effect, these characters are not romanceable before Mass Effect 2. Urdnot Wrex, the last companion in Mass Effect, cannot be romanced at any point in the series. Although none of the romanceable characters in Mass Effect 1 become companions during the sequel, players may get another chance to continue the romance during Mass Effect 3.

In addition to the three main romances in Mass Effect, players can also have a special encounter with the Asari consort Sha’ira in the Presidium of the Citadel, Mass Effect‘s main hub. To achieve this, they must help her by stopping Septimus from spreading lies and by proving her innocence to Xeltan, a client who believes she had spilled his secrets. After returning to Sha’ira, the commander can show himself dissatisfied with the offered reward, which will result in a sexual encounter with the consort. This encounter will not grant players the Paramour achievement.

How to Romance Companions in Mass Effect

Kaidan Alenko

Kaidan Alenko is a Systems Alliance Marine and serves aboard the SSV Normandy as a Staff Lieutenant and head of the ship’s Marine detail. While still in the womb, Kaidan was exposed to large quantities of Element Zero but was lucky enough to develop biotics, Mass Effect’s version of magic, instead of a terminal illness.

After a turbulent history in a training program designed to study and enhance human biotics, Kaidan eventually joined the Alliance of his own volition. Alenko is a very conservative, controlled, and cautious character, well aware of the politics that govern the galaxy. When engaged, Kaidan often talks about the crew’s state of mind, gives feedback on the latest mission, or reveals his concerns regarding the lack of support from the Council.

Fans of Kaidan will have to create a female Shepard to be able to romance him. To increase rapport with Kaidan, Shepard should make positive remarks or dialogue choices associated with Mass Effect’s Paragon morality. The first important dialogue will be after Eden Prime as commander Shepard wakes up. Players will need to make sure to not blame Kaidan for what happened with the Beacon and to speak with him after the debriefing with Captain Anderson. Other than that, players must make sure to talk to Kaidan after every main mission to get the most important dialogues.

If Liara is in the party and players have spoken to her at all, Kaidan will ask if Shepard finds her attractive. If Shepard says yes, this will terminate her relationship with Kaidan and render it impossible to rekindle for the rest of the playthrough. At the end of the mission on Virmire, players will have to make a choice that will affect the continuation of the romance. If players wish to maintain their relationship with Kaidan, they should make sure to pick him when given the option. In Mass Effect 3, Kaidan will become a romance option once again, at which point it becomes possible to begin or rekindle a romance as either a male or female Shepard.

Ashley Williams

Ashley Williams was a Gunnery Chief on Eden Prime when it was attacked by the Geth at the start of Mass Effect. She is a trained soldier, proficient with most firearms, and is somewhat infamous among Mass Effect fans due to her dislike or distrust of alien species. Players first meet Ashley on Eden Prime as the sole survivor of her squad, after which, having demonstrated her abilities in the field, she is transferred to the Normandy by Captain Anderson. Ashley is often found in the Normandy’s storage area cleaning rifles when off duty. She will often ask about Shepard’s background and enjoys talking about her family.

In Mass Effect, Ashley can only be romanced by a male Shepard, and her mechanics are very similar to Kaidan’s. If players have selected male Shepard, she will be the one standing next to him when he wakes up after Eden Prime, and players should reassure her that the Beacon events were not her fault. The same standard in dialogue choices applies; players should choose positive remarks associated with Paragon morality and make sure to speak with her after Captain Anderson’s initial debriefing. They should also talk to her following the main missions on Therum, Noveria, and Feros.

Just like with Kaidan, if Ashley questions whether the commander is interested in Liara, Shepard should say no, or the relationship with Ashley will fail. If players wish to continue their relationship with Ashley until the end of the game and beyond, they must make sure to pick her when presented with a choice at the end of the Virmire mission. During Mass Effect 3, Ashley becomes available as a romance option once again, at which point she has become more accepting of alien races.

Liara T’soni

Dr. Liara T’soni is an Asari researcher dedicated to the study of Prothean culture and technology. She is 106 years old when Shepard meets her, which is barely an adult by Asari standards, but she already possesses a great deal of insight regarding her field of study and biotics. Like all Asari, Liara is mono-gendered and will be romanceable by either male or female Shepard.

Liara is first found on the planet Therum, suspended in a biotic prison of her own making, which she used to protect herself from the Geth. Because of her knowledge of the secretive Prothean race in Mass Effect, and the involvement of her mother in the Reaper threat, Liara becomes a passenger aboard the SSV Normandy, using her expertise to assist whenever possible. Due to long periods of isolation, Liara tends to embarrass herself in conversation, and, although shy, she will often be very candid about her past and emotions when the relationship sufficiently develops.

Liara is the easiest romance to achieve in Mass Effect, and most players will likely find themselves romancing her without realizing it. However, players should take care to get Liara as a companion early, as acquiring her after completing the missions on Noveria, Feros, and Virmire will render the romance impossible.

To find Liara in Mass Effect, players should complete the main mission on Therum. After that, Shepard should simply engage in positive conversation with her, especially after each main mission and after encountering the second Beacon. If Shepard is engaged in a romance with another character, they will eventually be confronted by Liara and Kaidan or Ashley and be forced to choose between them. Choosing one will effectively terminate the relationship with the other and render that partner impossible to pursue for the rest of the playthrough.

Mass Effect Legendary Edition is available for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, with backward compatibility for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.

About The Author