You’ve spent dozens of hours with her. You’ve seen the literal hand-wringing every time she does something remotely "good." Shadowheart is easily the most popular companion in Larian’s masterpiece, but her personal quest—specifically the path where she truly becomes the Chosen of Shar—is a dark, messy descent that most players actually end up avoiding.
Honestly? I get it. Saving the Nightsong feels like the "right" thing to do. It’s the heroic choice. But if you let her follow the Lady of Loss, you’re not just getting a darker ending; you’re engaging with one of the most complex, tragic, and mechanically rewarding storylines in the game. Being the Chosen of Shar isn't just a title in a dialogue box. It changes the world. It changes Shadowheart. And it definitely changes how you have to play Act 3.
The Brutal Reality of the Shadowfell Choice
In the heart of the Gauntlet of Shar, you’re standing before the Nightsong. The Spear of Night is in Shadowheart's hand. If she chooses to kill Dame Aylin, she isn't just "leveling up." She is effectively severing her soul from her past life.
Shar isn’t a god of "kind of dark." She’s a god of total oblivion.
To become the Chosen of Shar, Shadowheart must commit a literal act of deicide against the daughter of her rival goddess. This isn't some minor ritual. The immediate fallout is catastrophic. If you haven't done it yet, brace yourself: the bubble of light protecting Last Light Inn? It vanishes. Everyone there—Dammon, the tieflings, the Harpers—they all die or become shadow-cursed.
It’s a lonely path.
Most people think the "Chosen" status is just for flavor, but Shar is a jealous mistress. By embracing this role, Shadowheart basically deletes her own personality. She becomes colder. The "Shadowheart" who was snarky and liked wine is replaced by a high-ranking Dark Justiciar who cares about one thing: the mission.
What Most Players Miss About the Dark Justiciar Path
There is a massive misconception that the "good" path is the only one with real depth. That's just wrong. If Shadowheart becomes the Chosen of Shar, the Act 3 confrontation in the House of Grief takes on a completely different tone.
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Instead of being a rogue acolyte trying to save her parents, she arrives as a superior officer. She is there to claim her birthright. Viconia DeVir—a name legacy players will remember with a mix of nostalgia and frustration—isn't just a boss fight anymore. She’s an obstacle to Shadowheart’s promotion.
- The Power Spike: Mechanically, the Shar's Spear of Evening is arguably better than the Selûne version for specific builds. Getting Shar’s Blessing (blindness immunity) and the ability to cast Shar’s Darkness while dealing extra damage to obscured enemies makes Shadowheart an absolute menace.
- The Social Cost: You lose Jaheira. You lose Minsc. You lose the entire "good" infrastructure of the game.
- The Emotional Void: If you romance her on this path, be ready for a gut punch. She’ll tell you that Shar comes first. Always. You are essentially a distraction from her divine purpose.
Why Ketheric Thorm Failed (And Shadowheart Succeeded)
We can't talk about the Chosen of Shar without mentioning General Ketheric Thorm. People forget he was a Sharran too. He built the entire Gauntlet! But Ketheric was a "bad" Chosen because he couldn't actually let go. He turned to Shar because of grief, but he still clung to the memory of his daughter.
Shar hates that.
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The true Chosen of Shar must be empty. Shadowheart is her perfect project because she was kidnapped as a child and brainwashed for decades. When she kills the Nightsong, she succeeds where Ketheric failed—she chooses the darkness over the light of family. It’s why Shar rewards her so much more than she ever did the General.
Is the "Evil" Path Worth It?
Look, if you’re doing a "Redemption Durge" or a pure hero run, this path will make you feel like a monster. But for a second playthrough? It’s essential.
The gear you get—the full Dark Justiciar set—is some of the best mid-to-late game equipment for a Cleric or a Paladin multiclass. Plus, having the Sharran Cloister as allies in the final battle is a massive tactical advantage that most players never even see.
Basically, it's the ultimate "power at a price" scenario. You get the legendary spear, you get the title, and you get the coolest armor in the game. But you lose the girl. Or rather, you lose the part of her that was human.
Actionable Insights for Your Next Run
If you're planning to make Shadowheart the Chosen of Shar, here is how to maximize the experience:
- Gear Synnergy: Build your party around "Vision" mechanics. Since Shadowheart will be dropping Darkness constantly, give your other characters the Eversight Ring or the Steelwatch Helmet so they don't get blinded by her presence.
- The House of Grief: Don't kill Viconia immediately. There is unique dialogue if Shadowheart is already a Dark Justiciar that completely recontextualizes the "Mirror of Loss" scene.
- Prepare for Act 3: Since you’ll lose the Harpers, make sure you recruit other "morally gray" allies like the Guild or the Zhentarim to fill the gap in your final army.
- The Parent Choice: Even as a Dark Justiciar, you still have to decide what to do with Arnell and Emmeline. Letting them go "into the void" is the most lore-accurate choice for a true servant of Shar, but it’s arguably the darkest moment in the entire game.
Shadowheart’s journey to becoming the Chosen of Shar isn't just an "evil choice"—it's a deep, lore-heavy exploration of what happens when a person truly surrenders to the void. It’s bleak, it’s powerful, and it’s one of the best examples of why BG3 is a masterpiece of RPG storytelling.