Just like the Risen series, you don’t have to travel alone in Elex. Jax may gather the team during his journey through Magalan and enter a romantic relationship with some of the members. Note that Jax is straight and not interested in dating the most of his team.
There are two romanceable companions in Elex: the Berserker Mage Caja, a contemplating and thoughtful person, and the short-tempered Nasty of the Outlaws, who is into good fights and brutality. Both of them are capable fighters and can assist Jax very well, apart from being a partner: Caja is extremely good with her fire magic, and Nasty is a powerful melee fighter, always on the lookout for a new challenge.
It doesn’t matter which faction you choose to join (you can be a Cleric and have a romantic relationship with Caja), but Jax can’t kill two birds with one stone and romance both partners. Whoever you choose, you’ll get the Romantic achievement.
To make any of the girls Jax’ partner, you’ll have to find them first. It is the easiest part: Caja is in the Domed City of Abessa, a neutral territory where you’ll end up anyway, most likely at the start of the game. Nasty lives by the Outlaws in the desert of Tavar and is one of the leaders in their capital city, the Fort. Getting there might be more difficult, but nothing too hard.
The hardest part will be to make the female companions trust you. It will take some time adventuring together. To further advance your relationship, consider completing the girls’ questlines as soon as possible. It will reward you with a fair amount of experience and make them like Jax much more. You don’t have to stick to a single questline: Caja won’t be mad at you for travelling with Nasty, and the other girl in her turn won’t have anything against helping Caja.
Let’s see how to meet the girls, recruit them to your team, and court them.
How to romance Caja
Caja the Berserker mage is a good choice for establishing a romantic relationship. She is found early in the game in the Domed City of Abessa. She is a powerful mage on a quest to learn the true nature of Elex and will be happy if you lend a hand in that matter (Chosen). Caja’s quest New Findings will take you to different places on Magalan where Caja will meditate at Elex deposits, telling you more about the Elex element. It may take several in-game days between her missions. Caja will say to you when she is ready to move on to the next Elex deposit.
In combat, Caja’s fire magic is powerful. Aside from that, she is a capable melee fighter, poisoning enemies with her sword. It makes Caja an excellent all-around choice for accompanying Jax even on the most challenging assignments.
Caja has an even-tempered personality which makes her a steady and calm companion, not unlike Jax himself. She is emphatic and enters a conflict only if she has to. However, communication with Elex disrupts her balance, and she needs to restore her strength with new portions of Mana.
To make sure that Caja likes Jax, avoid aggression and cold logic in dialogues when she is around. Her very nature protests against selfish actions. She would expect you to help people when you can.
When her disposition toward Jax sets to “a true friend”, a romantic quest More than Just Friends will appear.
How to romance Nasty
The badass girl Nasty is met at the Fort of Tavar. She is the sister of the Duke and a field commander of the Outlaws. She’ll refuse to talk to Jax, and you’ll have to wait until one of her bodyguards invites you. The simplest way to get her attention is to progress in the main story to the point where you need to find a commander to lead an attack against the Albs (Ulbricht’s Big Offensive). Nasty is into fights and hates Albs so that she won’t miss on that opportunity.
Still, to get her to join will be a tricky matter. The girl will put Jax to the test and take him on a hunt against some monsters in Tavar (Angry Girl), ending up in a fight against El Colosaro, a powerful brute able to smash the two of you down with great stones. It’s recommended to start Nasty’s questline only after Jax reaches level 15-20. You can have a hard time making Nasty part of Jax’ team!
After defeating the Albs in Ulbricht’s Big Offensive, Nasty may remain your companion and be eager to join the Ice Palace attack. From that point, you should choose her more often as a companion while exploring Magalan. Nasty will like aggressive decisions that lead to fights, but at the same time, she hates the Alb-like coldness. Spontaneous and dashing as she is, it may be hard to guess what she’ll think of your decisions.
She will often let out her comments on the people and surroundings, mostly sarcastic expletives. It makes Nasty quite an addition to the balanced and self-contained Jax.
To advance Jax and Nasty’s relationship, you should complete the Salvation quest available later on, when Nasty tells you about her terminal illness, the Gray Death. Together, Jax and Nasty will embark on a search for components to make the cure.
Nasty won’t stop seeking a new challenge, and from time to time she’ll take you to fights against the Albs and their combat mechs (The Greatest challenge), just like her hunting test. Every victory will make her like Jax more.
When her disposition toward Jax is set to “a true friend”, a romantic quest Playing with Fire will appear.
After the romantic cutscene, Caja or Nasty’s disposition will reach the “loves you” status.
It’s possible to have both girls’ disposition at the “true friend”, but you can’t complete both romantic quests in one playthrough. Neither girl will hate Jax for preferring the other, but they will comment on that, each in their fashion.