The Mass Effect 3 romance options are by far and away the most expansive of the trilogy, which means you have a significant pool of potential paramours to choose from in the Legendary Edition. Admittedly, your choices are partly limited by which gender Shepard you're playing as and the decisions you made in the previous game, plus not all of them are counted by Mass Effect 3 as full relationships, but it's still a lot less restrictive than previous entries in the series when it comes to romance. Because there are so many paths to travel when looking for love, we've put together this full Mass Effect 3 romance guide for the Legendary Edition, highlighting all of the characters you can flirt with, and what choices lead to which relationships.
Mass Effect 3 Romance - Male Shepard only
- Ashley Williams
- Steve Cortez
- Jack (only if maintained from ME2)
- Miranda Lawson (only if maintained from ME2)
- Tali'Zorah vas Neema (only if maintained from ME2)
Mass Effect 3 Romance - Female Shepard only
- James Vega *
- Javik *
- Samantha Traynor
- Garrus Vakarian (only if maintained from ME2)
- Thane Krios (only if maintained from ME2) *
Mass Effect 3 Romance - Male or Female Shepard
- Diana Allers *
- Kaidan Alenko
- Liara T'Soni
- Kelly Chambers (only if maintained from ME2)
- Samara (only if maintained from ME2) *
* Note: a Mass Effect 3 romance with Diane Allers, James Vega, Javik, Samara, or Thane Krios does not unlock the Paramour Achievement or Trophy.
Unlike the previous instalments in the Mass Effect Legendary Edition, you can exchange flirty conversation choices with several potential Mass Effect 3 romance suitors at once without adversely affecting any of your relationships with them. However, there will come a point where your love interest will quiz you on your intentions, or an action choice will present itself to confirm your relationship, and here you need to decide whether to seal the deal or walk away.
Bear in mind that certain choices are only available if you're carrying over an already established Mass Effect 2 romance with that particular character, and that certain 'lesser' Mass Effect 3 romance options won't unlock the Paramour Achievement or Trophy, which is important if you're trying to get the complete set of awards, as outlined above.
Committing to your Mass Effect 3 romance
While pursuing several different Mass Effect 3 romance options at once is not as problematic as it was in previous instalments, certain characters have key moments where you'll need to either commit to your relationship or rebuke them. If you commit then the dialogue options for other characters will change and you won't be able to follow up any other Mass Effect 3 romance possibilities, though if you turn them down then your alternative option will remain open.
It's possible to have multiple romantic interludes if you time your interactions with others carefully, especially with characters noted above who don't trigger the Paramour Achievement or Trophy, though it's generally not possible to maintain a Mass Effect 3 romance with several squad members simultaneously. The key commitment interactions you need to watch out for are as follows:
Ashley Williams: When you meet Ashley on the Citadel at Apollo's Cafe, talk to her about her father then respond positively to her question about where your relationship is going.
Garrus Vakarian: When Garrus arrives on the Normandy, speak to him and reaffirm your affections. Later, when you meet for a date at the Presidium, you will have the option to commit to the relationship.
Jack: After completing Grissom Academy: Emergency Evacuation and Priority: The Citadel II missions, find Jack in the Purgatory Bar. Agree with her comments about fighting alongside her to reaffirm your romance.
Kaidan Alenko: When you meet Kaidan on the Citadel at Apollo's Cafe, respond positively to his comments about looking for a relationship.
Kelly Chambers: Following the Priority: The Citadel II mission, speak to Kelly after finishing each subsequent main story mission. After a while, Kelly will ask about a "significant other" and Shepard should reply that person is Kelly for a quick romance interaction. It's possible to pursue a romance with another character in addition to this, but you must commit with Kelly first.
Liara T'Soni: Following the Priority: The Citadel II mission, meet Liara in the Citadel close to the Meridian Place Market and talk to her about her family, before following the option to commit to the relationship.
Miranda Lawson: After warning Miranda about the dangers that she could face, she later invites you to her private room on the Citadel. Comfort her after she makes her revelations to confirm your relationship.
Samantha Traynor: After inviting Samantha to your quarters, let her use your shower then follow the prompt to join her.
Steve Cortez: Convince Steve to take shore leave, then comfort him when you see him around the Citadel. When you find Steve at the Purgatory Bar, dance with him and kiss him when the prompt is available to commit to your romance.
Tali'Zorah vas Normandy: After the diplomatic talks, use the intercom to call Tali up to your quarters then pick the appropriate responses to commit to your relationship. You need to do this before starting the Priority: Rannoch mission, otherwise you will not be able to complete the romance.
