I would just to say I've played over 200 hours and not once managed to get the male characters into romance state, only laezell and shadowheart.
It is the case that you actively have to not only pursue the conversations, but also have them in your group to get approval during quests.
Since I play a sorcerer, I don't use wyll or gale much. Wyll I only slot in when I need animal speaking, and gale I still haven't used.
Even while mainly using Laezell, Shadowheart and Astarion, Astarion is very difficult to romance as he prefers evil options, and even ones that disagree with laezell. A lot of options give approval with shadowheart and laezell, but disproval with astarion.
From what I see even laezell wont like evil choices, she generally just wants the 'show of force option', and generally shadowheart tends to agree to those as well despite hating githyanki. Astarions approval bonuses neither not only agree with them, but also don't agree with any of the good companions - gale wyll and karlach.
In fact using gale wyll and karlach in your group, all the good options will give approval boosts to all 3.
Astarion is the most difficult companion to raise approval with, at the expense of not raising it with anyone else.
Spoilerish but in the place where you meet jaheira, surrendering the cleric to the evil winged guy is one of two options to get approval with astarion, but every other party member won't approve. Its pretty much near impossible to make astarion happy without displeasing everyone else.
Last edited by DumbleDorf; 14/08/23 01:37 PM.
