Baldur’s Gate 3 – How To Romance Astarion

The blood-sucking elf generally known as Astarion has change into certainly one of Baldur’s Gate 3‘s most beloved companion characters, with voice actor Neil Newbon taking residence the award for Greatest Efficiency at 2023’s The Game Awards. However regardless of his recognition amongst gamers, Astarion can show to be some of the tough companions to romance, particularly for good-aligned participant characters.

Astarion does change into extra agreeable as time goes on, however incomes his approval early on within the recreation can show irritating, as he typically disapproves of form actions whereas approving of outright abhorrent conduct. This makes Astarion a great accomplice for anybody enjoying as The Darkish Urge, although issues can get tough for gamers who wish to romance him with out watching the world burn. However no matter what kind of ethical compass your character is following, we have got you covered–keep studying for a step-by-step information to romancing Faerûn’s sassiest vampire spawn.

How To Romance Astarion in Baldur’s Gate 3

Recruitment

Naturally, gamers might want to meet and recruit Astarion earlier than they will woo him. Not like Shadowheart and Lae’zel, you will not discover Astarion on the Nautiloid, so do not trouble making an attempt to hunt him down till after the Illithid vessel has already crash-landed on the seaside close to The Grove.

Talking of the seaside, that is precisely the place you will discover him. Astarion could be discovered on the sting of the map close to an unoccupied stasis pod from the wreckage of the Nautiloid (coordinates: X: 170, Y: 287). He’ll ask in your assist speaking on an Mind Devourer he is managed to nook, and as soon as the participant passes a talent examine, he’ll provide to hitch you. Taking him up on this provide will see him formally be a part of your social gathering.

Approval and disapproval

As beforehand talked about, triggering Astarion’s approval (and disapproval) can show fairly vexing, particularly early within the recreation. Typically, Astarion approves of sarcasm and intimidation, and disapproves of excellent deeds achieved with out pay. He detests shows of weak point and sometimes lacks empathy for the enslaved people gamers will meet all through the story–despite spending practically 200 years as a slave himself.

Nonetheless, that does not imply gamers must behave like sociopaths to win his coronary heart, particularly given the truth that his tastes will change over time. For instance, he’ll disapprove of gamers saving a (comparatively) harmless little one from a snake in Act 1, however by Act 3, he’ll approve of the participant serving to a distinct little one whose mom has seemingly met a grim destiny.

Act 1: Love at first chunk

Throughout certainly one of your first lengthy rests of the sport, you will awaken to a sure pointy-toothed somebody creeping as much as your bedroll within the hopes of discovering some dinner. Not anticipating to be caught within the act, Astarion will apologize, clarify that he is a vampire, and ask if he can have a midnight snack. Saying sure will earn his approval, and is among the finest methods to get a head begin on the romance within the first act of the sport. Gamers also needs to inform Astarion they belief him when prompted for added approval factors, and much more factors could be earned by telling Astarion he might feed on the blood of enemies in battle.

The Grove

Incomes Astarion’s approval in Act 1 is tough, however avoiding his disapproval is well the tougher of the 2 duties. Astarion disapproves of saving The Grove (and the tiefling refugees inside it), however approves of siding with Minthara and the goblins–an act that may outcome within the loss of life of many innocents, and likewise result in Halsin, Karlach, Wyll, and doubtlessly Gale all completely leaving the participant’s social gathering.

In the event you do not wish to spend your time in The Grove kicking squirrels and murdering innocents to earn Astarion’s approval, you continue to have some choices. The primary choice is to easily depart Astarion at camp–generally talking, characters who’re left at camp won’t have their approval scores affected by actions the participant performs when that character will not be within the social gathering. So whenever you go to inform Zevlor you will assist him and his fellow tieflings, ship Astarion again to camp first to keep away from incomes his disapproval, then add him again to the social gathering as soon as you have spoken to Zevlor.

The opposite choice is to have Astarion do your not-so-dirty give you the results you want. As an alternative of sending him again to camp to keep away from disapproval when it is time to converse to Arabella’s dad and mom and conform to lend their sticky-fingered daughter a hand, you may merely swap from controlling your player-character to controlling Astarion, and have him method Arabella’s dad and mom with a proposal to assist. It appears Astarion does not thoughts doing good deeds when you make him assume it was his concept. Save typically and do not be afraid to reload the sport for a do-over when you unexpectedly do one thing that triggers his disapproval, however understand that there can be loads of alternatives to make up for missed approval later on–just concentrate on avoiding disapproval within the first act of the sport.

The Necromancy Of Thay

Now that we have lined methods to mitigate the harm that good deeds can do to Astarion’s opinion of you, let’s take a look at an early-game alternative to earn some approval with out having to do something notably horrific: The Necromancy Of Thay.

The Necromancy Of Thay is an historic magical tome gamers can decide up in Act 1. Head to the Blighted Village and enter the deserted constructing immediately subsequent to the fast-travel level. Your character will make a remark in regards to the constructing having previously served as an apothecary, so be sure that to select up all of the helpful alchemical components you will discover inside. When you’re achieved scouring the place for consumables, take a look at the trapdoor behind the counter (coordinates: X: 33, Y: 380), which results in a basement. Use the lever hidden behind some containers on the north aspect of the room (X: -704, Y: -354) to open a passage behind a secret bookcase.

Close to the tip of the passage, you will encounter a magic mirror. Choose the choice to intimidate the mirror into letting you go for some approval from Astarion (who will not be a fan of mirrors), and make your approach deeper into the underground lair. Ultimately, you will stumble throughout a e-book locked behind a cage. Disable the close by traps, unlock the cage, and decide up the e-book. Astarion will instantly categorical curiosity within the e-book, so ignore the choice to destroy it. As an alternative, head again up into the overworld and make your approach in direction of the nicely throughout from the apothecary (X: 23 Y: 398). Climb down the nicely and you will find your self in a darkish cave that is lined in spider webs.

As soon as you have taken out the entire cave’s eight-legged inhabitants, begin looting, and preserve an eye fixed out for a purple stone you will discover on the ground after the battle. As soon as you have bought your arms on it, mix the stone with The Necromancy Of Thay. Go the next talent checks, and finally, Astarion will pipe up once more and provide to carry onto the e-book. Hand it over for a major enhance to your approval rating, and do not worry–despite the truth that the sport repeatedly warns you the e-book may be very, very cursed, there are no adverse in-game penalties for giving it to Astarion, and he can truly acquire a everlasting buff from passing talent checks to completely decipher the textual content in a while within the questline.

Gandrel

Close to the doorway to the hag’s teahouse within the Sunlit Wetlands, gamers can meet Gandrel, monster-hunter from a nomadic Gur tribe. Sadly for Astarion, the monster Gandrel occurs to be searching is Astarion himself. If he is already revealed his standing as a vampire to the participant (and the participant hasn’t outed him to Gandrel, which can earn disapproval), Astarion will finally ask, “Could I?” Giving Astarion the go-ahead to take out Gandrel will earn you one other 10 factors of approval, the identical quantity you will get for handing over The Necromancy of Thay.

The tiefling social gathering

Relying on the way you play your playing cards, this romance scene can happen sooner than the tiefling social gathering (we managed to set off it lengthy earlier than we would even visited the swamp to investigate Kagha) however both approach, as soon as your approval is excessive sufficient, chatting with Astarion will end in a proposal to spend a night collectively. Say sure to earn some approval, and choose the choice to let him chunk you to earn further approval.

Act 2: Scars and shadows

If gamers sleep with Astarion, they will be given the choice to ask in regards to the scars on his again the morning after. Astarion will inform the participant that the scars are a poem that was carved into his again by his former grasp, the vampire lord Cazador Szarr. Relying on the participant’s race, class, and skill to go talent checks, they might even be capable to decipher the language the poem is written in, and later, gamers may have a possibility to indicate Astarion what his scars appear to be, as he has no reflection. Nonetheless, the thriller of his scars stay, however in Act 2, a pleasant Infernal face seems within the Shadow-Cursed Lands, providing to assist decipher the scars. Sadly, they are not prepared to work without spending a dime.

Kill Yurgir

Journey to the northwest nook of the map, the place you will uncover the Grand Mausoleum fast-travel waypoint (X: -171 Y: 79) and set off a cutscene wherein the satan Raphael seems, warning the participant in regards to the harmful beast–an orthon–lurking within the depths of the Thorm Mausoleum. If Astarion is with the participant, he’ll ask Raphael to translate the scars on his again. Raphael will agree to take action provided that the participant kills Yurgir, the aforementioned orthon.

Upon reaching Yurgir’s lair, gamers can select to battle him, spare him, or persuade him to kill himself. The battle itself could be a wrestle, particularly on increased difficulties, however sparing him will end in Raphael refusing to translate Astarion’s scars, and Astarion, in flip, will finish his romance with the participant. The most suitable choice is to persuade Yurgir to take himself out, as it’s going to permit you to progress your romance with Astarion and provide the choice of preventing alongside Yurgir to take down a a lot stronger foe in a while. As soon as you have handled Yurgir, take an extended relaxation and Raphael will seem to learn Astarion’s scars.

Moonrise Towers

Upon reaching moonrise towers, gamers will encounter a drow alchemist named Araj Oblodra. She’ll provide every character within the social gathering a particular potion custom-tailored to their race, however can even provide to make the participant a particular potion that may completely increase certainly one of their stats… in change for guiding Astarion to chunk her. As a vampire spawn, Astarion can’t remodel different characters into vampires, and Araj signifies that her request basically comes from a want to cross “get bitten by a vampire” off her bucket checklist reasonably than a want for sanguine energy. Telling Araj that Astarion is his personal individual will web you 5 factors of approval, and telling Astarion to not do something he does not wish to do will web you one other 5 approval factors. In the end, he’ll flip Araj down.

Act 3: Destiny on the Gate

To proceed to romance Astarion, gamers should full his companion quest, The Pale Elf. Upon making it to Act 3, Astarion will start mentioning Cazador with rising frequency and mentioning acquainted landmarks. Ultimately, Astarion should face his former grasp and make a tough alternative.

Fraygo’s Flophouse

As soon as gamers attain Wyrm’s Crossing, they will wish to take a look at Fraygo’s Flophouse, which is situated immediately throughout the road from Sharess’ Caress close to the South Span Of Wyrm’s Crossing fast-travel waypoint (X: 15 Y: 74). On the second flooring of the flophouse, two of Astarion’s vampire spawn “siblings” are lurking. Work together with them to set off a cutscene that reveals the placement of Cazador’s upcoming ascension ritual and progresses the hunt.

Ascended Astarion & Cazador

Astarion’s private storyline culminates in a serious choice concerning Cazador’s ascension ritual. Gamers can select at hand Astarion over for the ritual, however this isn’t suggested, as it’s going to end in his (everlasting) loss of life. Gamers can even select to battle Cazador and cease the ritual, or battle Cazador and permit Astarion to take his ex-master’s place and ascend, granting him the facility of a completely fledged vampire lord.

Gamers who permit Astarion to ascend will profit from the varied new powers he can wield in fight, however in the end, letting Astarion full the ritual is usually a nasty transfer (particularly when you’re romancing him), as it’s going to irrevocably change his character, and it additionally requires the sacrifice of seven,000 harmless souls. Ascended Astarion is extraordinarily hungry for energy, and can provide his in-game lover a style of that energy by turning them right into a vampire spawn. This may sound like an awesome deal, however by this level within the marketing campaign, Astarion has made it very clear that vampire spawn haven’t any alternative however to comply with the orders of the vampire that sired them, which means letting Astarion flip you’ll put your character below his management, unable to disclaim his calls for. Naturally, it is smart to inform Astarion no when he brings up the subject, however gamers who permit Astarion to ascend but refuse the provide to change into his spawn will shortly discover themselves single, as Astarion will promptly dump them for saying no. He’ll accomplish that in a threatening method, telling the participant he has the facility to take no matter he desires, and that he ought to have turned them right into a vampire spawn anyway simply to show them that lesson. Going by with the ascension ritual appears to offer Astarion Cazador’s powers and a few of his extra unsavory character traits.

In the event you’re aiming for a “good” ending for Astarion, you will wish to cease the ascension ritual and persuade him to not take Cazador’s place. As soon as he is had a while to course of issues, he’ll thank the participant, then take them to go to his gravesite, the place they will participate in an optionally available romance scene. At this level, Astarion will take into account your relationship official, and his verbal greetings will change to replicate this.

Romances with Non-Origin Characters and NPCs

• Drow twin scene: Gamers have the choice of participating in a one-off encounter with Astarion and a pair of drow twins within the Sharess’ Caress brothel throughout Act 3. Astarion will solely agree to participate if Cazador is lifeless, and the scene doesn’t have an effect on Astarion’s approval in direction of the player-character until they both pressure him to have interaction when he says he is not , or flip down the encounter after Astarion states he is . Nonetheless, plainly this is not the best approach for Astarion to discover his newfound sexual freedom. There are a number of particulars that time to him in the end being uncomfortable with the setup, together with The Narrator ending the scene with the road, “However whenever you meet his eye for a second, there is a look about him that reveals he is one million realms away.”
• Emperor romance: Amusingly, gamers who handle to romance The Emperor will all the time be caught by their companions after they fall asleep. Regardless of how disgusted everybody seems, getting caught with The Emperor won’t have any impact on approval from any companions, together with Astarion.
• Halsin romance: When Halsin propositions you for a threesome, you’ve the choice to speak to your accomplice about it. If that accomplice is Astarion, he’ll agree–perhaps somewhat too eagerly, and never earlier than asking when you’re in search of out Halsin’s firm merely since you’ve grown bored of Astarion. You possibly can romance each Halsin and Astarion all through the sport, and though some players have expressed that Astarion’s typically contradictory conduct with regard to polyamory and intercourse made them really feel responsible for going ahead with the encounter, sleeping with Halsin won’t have an effect on your approval rating with Astarion.
• Mizora romance: Much like the scene with The Emperor, your romantic accomplice will all the time catch you when you sleep with Mizora. Fortunately, it appears Astarion is not upset within the slightest–instead, he desires to know all of the juicy particulars. Wyll, nevertheless, will (understandably) disapprove of you getting down and soiled along with his Infernal patron.