So companion approval is pretty straightforward once you get the hang of it. From what I've seen, keeping your party members happy can really open up some cool story moments and romance options, especially if you get their approval above 40. I learned the hard way that letting approval drop too low isn't great - they'll start getting snippy around -25, and if you hit -50 they'll actually pack up and leave for good.

The whole system works on this -100 to +100 scale, and honestly its not too hard to keep track of since you'll see little notifications pop up in the corner whenever someone approves or disapproves of what you're doing. One thing that took me a while to figure out though, is that big story decisions can swing multiple companions' opinions at once, usually around 15-25 points either way.

Something that's helped me a lot is focusing on camp conversations, since they're actually a great way to boost approval without having to make tough choices. And if you're trying to romance someone, definitely keep their approval above 40 - though getting it even higher can lead to some really interesting story moments. Like with shadowheart, if you get her approval super high she might even change her mind about some pretty major stuff.

Tip for newer players - if someone's really not liking your choices, you can always leave them at camp for a bit. Saves you from taking those approval hits while you handle certain quests your way. And paying attention to their background really helps, like lae'zel tends to love anything pro-githyanki which can get you some nice approval boosts if you play it right.