Doesn't look like it at all. With Lestat from the film, and it was precisely about the film "Interview with the Vampire" in 1994, there is nothing in common, except that both vampires are. I dare to assume that you speak Russian, and if so, I will leave the text in the original, so my thoughts will be clearer. You don't have to play as evil to get Astarion's approval. Absolutely. This is my first time playing as a half-elf male tracker. I saved the tieflings, promised Nettie to drink poison, killed Karga, saved the girl from the druid, killed the goblins, helped the druid Halsin, promised to save the duke, did some good deeds. I gave Astarion blood to drink and gave the book. And how surprised I was when, at the tiefling party, with Astarion, not only did I have the maximum approval, he also immediately called under the trees. The exclamation mark burned just above him. Option - let's go? Let's go to! It worked right away, there was no need to even ask questions. I think good. They offer - take it)) Although, I was counting on Gale, but due to the fact that I gained approval with him as quickly as possible, the dialogues were blocked.
I'm talking about books, just so you know, Lestat's story doesn't start with Interview with Vampire, because it's not first book. So Lestat is by nature a selfish whiner who does terrible things and then blames himself for it and grieves. Astarion is selfish, but he doesn't seem to whine.
I have 200 hours in game, Astarion approves like 80% evil choices and another 20% neutral, and he always disapproves or doesn't react on good actions. He is a chaotically evil character, don't expect him to encourage your kindness, sooner or later it will cause conflict.
Did you let Gur live? Because Astarion will definitely want to kill him, and it's an evil act. He hates when you help someone. He hates when you're honest with others. He's only happy to save girl if you kill Kagha, because he's actually happy to kill Kagha, and he probably doesn't care about girl. "Killing is too much, I would cut off her hand," he says about this little girl.
Try to travel only with Astarion and get his opinion on each situation.
And if you talking about the fact that his "romance" scene can be obtained without approval? This is a different point. I'm sure this will be changed, or doesn't matter for his real romance, cuz this scene is more like "just sex". Lae and Astarion are characters who may betray you in the future. Lae for her queen, Astarion for his own gain. So these nights don't mean anything to them, it's "just for fun".
Originally Posted by Alexandrite
Originally Posted by Nyloth
Not even close... You forget the most important thing, Astarion is evil. None of these characters are evil. He has something in common with Lestat, they are both drama queens and so selfish. But Astarion is still better, at least for now. Lestat regretted his actions, worried, burned in the sun and sobbed bloody tears. Astarion? He enjoys it, that's why I love him.
Now that I've brought up "Interview with the Vampire" (oops!) I should probably add that we can't compare Lestat and Astarion - YET. Lestat's story is complete from the books, and Astarion's is not. We have only had a small taste of it. (Also Lestat's author had a big religious epiphany in the middle of writing her books, which probably skewed the character a lot. I don't remember, I stopped reading the series when then religious stuff got too annoying for me.)
Right now, I get the feeling Astarion is most interested in survival, and right now our team is his best opportunity to stay alive and enjoy life/freedom as much as he can, in his own way. If you do play Evil, he will quickly become your most Evil character in the team. But if you play Good, he will still approve as long he sees some of those chaotic, survivalist, fun-loving tendencies in you and how you speak with him.
BUT - his story is far from complete! What is really written on his back? Who will he become after we deal with Cazador? Will he be able to resist his old master? Will he become a full vampire and turn evil in this personal quest - or if we kill Cazador, and will Astarion be able to find closure in this after 200 years of abuse, and figure out where his life goes from there? Will he still be with us until the end of the game, and who will he become? I really can't wait for more of his story!!!
Also, he does have some humanising moments, they're few and far between (and one is not actually in the game yet) but they do exist...
One is when you speak to the mirror guarding the room with the Necromancy of Thay tome. When the mirror asks "what would you like to see?" one of Astarion's dialogue options is "I'd like to see my real home, the one I haven't seen in hundreds of years". That is really sweet. The way he basks in the morning sun after your night with him is also great to see. Also, there is an unfinished, unreleased scene that you can watch on youtube, where he looks at a mirror and laments what he has lost. He doesn't even remember what colour eyes he had in life. When you offer to "be his mirror" it quickly turns into flirting and teasing about "shallow praise" for his appearance, but it's moments like this that make me think there is some humanity left in him, well-hidden after years of abuse. I do hope we will see more of this side of him.
Of course, we can only judge by the first act, so I said "for now", I do not know what will happen at the end. I do not know what makes you think that Astarion approves of good deeds. He doesn't approve saving Tieflings, he approves their betrayal, if you saving them he's just doesn't react. He tells you directly at the party "I'm sick of it".
About mirror scenes it's "selfishness" to me. Astarion in mirror scene approves when you praise him. As for "home" scene, he definitely wants to reclaim his lost memories, as well as his freedom. He only cares about himself. It's not something that gives you a hint that this character has any kind intentions.
Astarion is already evil, and he was evil before turning into a vampire, he used his power for evil when he was a judge. Of course, he can have redemption arch... But it will be strange for me. When you don't play according to character's principles, they leave you, like Wyll, when you don't save Tieflings, or like Shadow, who refuses romance for the same reason.
So why Astarion special? If you play against him, sooner or later he has to leave, because he is "sick of it". well I want it...
I remember when Swen played demo version of the game for first time and he chose Astarion as original character, and he said "I do what Astarion would do as a character", and he betrayed Tieflings.
