I think we will need a romance megathread and maybe open a club or cult if we continue
I don't think that Minthara romance is a good reason for Halsin, but he could potentially fit the role to romance at a party if he gets drunk/emotional about Kagha. At least I could see that making sense.
This honestly makes me feel bad for the lack of "good" female companions to romance, none of them will make the guys feel like Astarion
RE: Shadowheart, they just used the base cleric stats basically, believe it's the same for all the companions, but with her it's extra inconvenient and quite unfortunate.
I was also thinking more about redemption ark for Astarion, if romanced. Even a cure of vampirism tbh, because I feel it would be more consistent with the lore - unless you are going to live out your days in dark with him, it might not be a happy ending without the tadpole. Hard to know how much we will be able to sway him from being master vampire; maybe he will backstab you no matter what, and you'd really be better of turning him to hunter first time you meet him. His origin story and the opening seems to be quite fun from his narration, so I will likely playthrough as him at some point.
RE: "unleash the animal line" - also not a fan. I am not sure in the intention is to make us not want to choose it, because he doesn't want it at that point, or because that would somehow make his character more evil or controlling.
I think the voice over dialogue would need to change because I
sure as hell want some bitey business going if he literally says "You want to be tasted."
There is some double signals going on, but iirc he says something along the lines "This is not about hunger but about passion..." if you tell him you will smite him with your holy power if he "tastes you".
RE: Astarion approval gain; I actually though it would make sense, if we could get approval from feeding on the MC so I did it for science . Of course if didn't work. It could be a dialogue option in camp for all I care, I will sleep it off anyways. He really doesn't need to feed on nasty gnolls, am I right?
RE: Astarion & Cazador and
lying. We can only really theoretize about that at this point. Personally I think that Astarion is definitely not lying how much of a monster Cazador is. I think he might be lying either about his involvement with him or how much of a monster he wants to be. How much he wants the control he was not allowed for so long. I think he is hiding something.
This is what Hunter says in the swamp, if you meet him without ever meeting Astarion -
for reference.
Astarion claims he is hunted by the Gur Hunter because of Cazador,
I find it interesting that the Gur mentions he is bringing him to his people; when you meet him with Astarion, the conversation is swayed, because he will chime-in; (
he also knows that the guy is Gur right away, how?)
for reference.
Gandrel also says
this. Seems that he has been already hunting him for a while (was Astarion on the run)? There is writting shenanigans going on, or the hunter is just not honest - which I find more unlikely.
Don't you think Cazador, if he is as controlling as he is, would tell the guy exactly how the vampire looks and got Astarion on sight? It's weird enough he got so close to Astarion so soon "after the crash", but has to ask Hag to help flush him out and doesn't know how he looks. Maybe it's just a weird plot hole that will never be explained.
Also, the entiru Gur encounter can go "wrong" if you question Astarion and there seems to be a missing cutscene where Astarion just kills him if he hasn't told you that he is a vampire yet.
@Nicottia;; As long as you have minor obsession for Astarion you are good.
I honestly thought I'd do one playthrough of BG3 when I bought it. I knew that we could have a vampire companion and loading screen promptly reminded me, as I was creating my first MC.
With my past interests with vampires everywhere I knew I'd want to have him on full-release in almost every part and thought I might sour the experience with bug and all that...
I had a lackluster 1st gameplay, learning the ropes, but after about 10 hours I created another character:
Male drow fighter, promptly stole Lae'Zel's armor and went on to siding with Minthara with other choices I considered "evil", I guess. I took Astarion, ShadowHeart and Gale with me. I honestly felt bad for Gale and thought he'd rather turn into mindflayer at some point, than be with my party. Astarion in the meantime happily approves of my choices and enjoys the occassional genocide. Anyways... the day of the exquisite carnage comes, I get backstabbed by Minthara because I question her and try to find any sense in her, as she is seemingly unaware of the freaking tadpole in her head. I get salty, but this damn elf has been stealing my heart and on I go to create another character, to finally romance him.
The character writting is good of course, but what brings it to amazing level is his voice acting is top notch.
He makes my legs spaghetti; and he is the reason BG3 has single-handedly gotten me through these past few weeks as my looming job-loss came.
I propably owe Larian a small thank-you letter for that one and I am sure my husband would have his thanks to say as well ;D
