The Empress of Bakbattahl Nadinia is a key figure in the story of Dragon’s Dogma 2. And like every character in the game, there are opportunities to be friendly to her. However, is it possible to romance the noble Beastren? Let’s find out together.
Is there a romance quest for Nadinia in Dragon’s Dogma 2?
Unfortunately, there is no romance quest or cutscene for Nadinia in Dragon’s Dogma 2, despite Menella’s questline leading up to her. Once you finish the third of the quests involving the Empress, you do not get a cutscene or any further direction on how to become her partner.
This is not the case for Ulrika or Wilhelmina, the two more common love interests. You won’t get a cutscene and a kiss—or slightly more, in Wilhelmina’s case—with Nadinia. Typical Beastren options seem to be left out of the romance options that Dragon’s Dogma 2 provided so sparingly. This is a bit of a shame since the Empress was plastered all over the game’s promotional material. And it’s not like she’s married anything, so this was a missed opportunity.
There is, however, a reason to max out her friendship. You can cause Nadinia to be your Beloved in the credits if you raise affinity enough. In addition, she can join the final battle if she’s at max affinity with all her quests done and if you made an expensive purchase. This is very little more than a simple marker during the credits and a quick cameo during the last brawl, but it’s at least something. But be ready to empty out your coffers because her love doesn’t come cheap.
How to complete the Shadowed Prayers quest in Dragon’s Dogma 2
Before you can even talk to the Empress, you must complete Shadowed Prayers, a quest provided by her servant and guard Menella. Our guide goes into this quest in more detail, but if you want to raise Nadinia’s affinity, you must keep her alive by finding the right assassin. We recommend resting at an inn before taking the quest to give yourself another chance if you grab the wrong person.
After the quest, you sadly won’t have much time with Nadinia before she gets spirited away. You’ll need to find Menella again if you want the Empress to be available for conversation again.
How to complete A Candle in the Storm in Dragon’s Dogma 2
To continue bringing gifts to Nadinia, you must complete A Candle in the Storm. This quest will see you traveling to Volcano Island to track down the resting Menella, so make sure you’re ready to make the jump over there beforehand.
Agree with the Empress to ensure you raise Nadinia’s affinity correctly. This gives you the true ending of the quest, should you pretend to be ready to assassinate her by holding your weapons over her. Not only will you be rewarded handsomely for doing this part correctly, but it’ll give you a big bump to the Empress’s affinity.
At this point, Nadinia begins doing a normal routine of prayer in the morning and resting in her room at night. She’ll always be in the Palace of Bakbattahl until Civil Unrest or the following quest, so you can start gifting.
How to complete Crossing in Shadow in Dragon’s Dogma 2
Crossing in Shadow is the final Nadinia quest, and it begins in your home in Vermund. In this quest, you must follow Nadinia and her servant Vera through the streets of Vernsmouth. During the quest, pay the apothecary and ignore the thief to get the best ending for the Empress’s affinity.
The quest only begins after you’ve done Nadinia’s other quests and only if you have purchased a house in Vermouth. Thankfully, this one doesn’t cause Nadinia to leave Bakbattahl during the interim. It’s also an easy follow-the-leader quest. All you have to do is walk her down the street, avoid helping the thief, and you’ll be 20,000 gold richer. The only challenge is your boredom because stepping out of line with the two Beastren can lead to consequences if done at the wrong time.
We couldn’t test if the 200,000 gold house in Vermouth works as a valid starting point for this quest. We imagine it doesn’t since the walk to the Rose Chateau would be much shorter from that location. Just rest in Mildred’s old home until night falls to be safe. Alternatively, you can visit your house from the outside at night, and Vera should be waiting for you.
How to raise Nadinia’s affinity in Dragon’s Dogma 2
From this point on, the only way you can improve your affinity with Nadinia and make her your beloved is through gifts. Nadinia likes adorable and beautiful things, two of the more expensive options. Gold is a quick way to Nadinia’s heart, though Bundles of Flowers are acceptable too.
Adorable items include fruits, beetles, and flowers. Beautiful items include flowers and, surprisingly, ore. Low-quality items, like rotten fruit or copper ore, won’t do much to make Nadinia like you. You can tell if the gift landed if Nadinia praises it and blushes. You can tell if she has max affinity if you pick her up and she lets you carry her like a princess.
But now, for the final step in earning Nadinia’s trust—becoming a homeowner. If you want the Empress to aid you during the final fight, you must purchase the most expensive home in the entire game—the 300,000 gold home from Bakbattahl. Without this purchase, she’ll be nowhere in sight during the end phase. What a golddigger, huh? Overall, it’s still a pity that we don’t even get a scene with Nadinia praying for us as a reward for completing her quest line and showering her with Silver Ore. But at least you can get her aid—if you can afford it.
