Quick Links

Star Wars: Knights of The Old Republic (KOTOR) offers you the chance to befriend a colorful cast of companions to fight alongside in a galaxy far, far away. Each character has their own unique story to share with you and maybe even strike up a little romance along the way.

Related
Star Wars KOTOR: Murdered Settler Quest Walkthrough
Discover who murdered Calder Nettic in this Star Wars KOTOR guide.

While lacking the cinematic flair in other games, KOTOR's romance system is, nevertheless, a satisfying experience. The personal dialogue, quest rewards, and unusual storylines make these relationships stand out and contribute to making KOTOR one of the best Star Wars games available on Switch.

Updated November 8, 2023, by Sean Murray: Looking for love in a galaxy far, far away? We've got you covered in this refreshed guide, now with improved formatting and more breakout tips to make finding love in Star Wars: KOTOR that much easier.

Who Can You Romance In KOTOR?

The main character holds light sabers in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic.

There are nine people that can be recruited in KOTOR, but only three companions can be romanced: Bastila, Carth, and Juhani.

Of the remaining six companions, BioWare declined to offer a romance quest for Jolee, Canderous, HK-47, T3-M4, and Zaalbar. Mission Vao is not of legal age and thus was not included in the romance options either.

There are two types of optional dialogue triggers with each of your companions. The first is while they're aboard the ship; speak with them after each major mission at minimum, so you don't miss anything.

There will be occasions in which "(character name) appears to have something on their mind" will pop up while you're out adventuring. That's your cue to interact with them.

How To Trigger Romance In KOTOR

Bastila dismisses the idea of romance, since it goes against the Jedi's teachings in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic.

Each romance in KOTOR requires that you speak with your prospective partner often. Take them with you during all your worldly visits, and don't forget them when you're making your conversational rounds about the Ebon Hawk. You'll uncover more about who they are as people over the course of the story.

There are two types of optional dialogue triggers with each of your companions: talking to them while they're aboard the ship or when a prompt appears that they "have something on their mind."

Regardless of how you talk to them, you'll want to be nice to the person and broadly sympathetic as they vent about their struggles. Being too negative towards a character will cost you your shot at romance in KOTOR.

You will also have to clear a personal quest for each character. Bastila, Carth, and Juhani all have unique criteria that need to be met before love can bloom on the battlefield.

Related
Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic – The 10 Best Pazaak Cards, Ranked
Rule the cantina with the best Pazaak cards in KOTOR.

Bastila Shan's Personal Quest

Bastila Shan looks to the right in a field on Dantooine in Star Wars Knights Of The Old Republic.
  • Prerequisite: You must be a male character to romance Bastila.

Bastila is recruited into the party on Taris after you rescue her. Bastila generally adheres strictly to the teachings of the Jedi code, though you can be playful about it with her (to a point) when discussing her beliefs together.

If you want the secret to how to romance Bastila, make sure your responses are level-headed and kind.

Bastila's romance involves dealing with her mother on Tatooine. While it's a relatively straightforward affair, there is something extra to bear in mind about this path.

You must reach the kiss cutscene prior to the incident aboard the Leviathan, or else the romance will be aborted. The Leviathan mission occurs automatically after the party obtains the third of four total Star Maps.

Romancing Bastila will last the whole story, and you must finish the bond by successfully persuading Bastila during the last 30 minutes of the game.

Carth Onasi's Personal Quest

Carth Onasi stands with a gun in each hand in Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic.
  • Prerequisite: You must be a female character to romance Carth.

You'll find out that he has massive trust issues stemming from how his mentor, Admiral Saul Karath, betrayed him, leading to the death of his wife and son.

More than either of the other romance options, engaging with Carth is an exercise in patience. He'll lash out a few times along the road to trusting you, but he'll do his best to make up for it later if you bear with him.

Carth's personal quest is more natural than Bastila's or Juhani's. His vendetta against Saul is laid to rest aboard the Leviathan during the main quest. The supplemental component necessary for continuing a prospective romance path is simply to talk to him afterward and see how he's holding up.

Juhani's Personal Quest

Juhani speaks to the main character on Rakatan Prime in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic.
  • Prerequisite: You must be a female character to romance Juhani.

Juhani is a Jedi who can be recruited on Dantooine should you successfully persuade her back to the light during your quest to find the root of Dantooine's Grove corruption.

As with Bastila and Carth, chat with her on a routine basis to unlock the Juhani romance path.

This will trigger her personal quest called Threat From Xor, in which a slaver named Xor will confront you at any of KOTOR's several spaceports.

Upon your return from whichever planet he pops up on, Xor will ambush and attempt to murder you.

After defeating him, you will have the option of either urging Juhani to kill him or letting him die. Your romance will continue apace regardless of whether Xor is allowed to survive the ordeal.

Next: Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic – Best Weapons In The Series, Ranked