Originally Posted by galleg0s
I have one simple question for Larian. Why couldn't Astarion just... bite Cazador and become a true vampire? Just why?

Originally Posted by Bellanouva
- The resolutions presented - Ascended, Not Ascended - it does feel like full vampire should be an option but I understand why not - it would per DnD lore have the same emotional outcome as the ascended route
They could've just said that the tadpole affected the process. Moreover, vampire spawns are evil already according to D&D lore:

"Vampire spawn speak Common. They can be of any evil alignment."

There are literally no reasons not to bite him

Hmm honestly I approached it as in - soul/ personality intact or not? Previous emotional ties remembered and felt or not? Especially since Larian has seemingly abandoned alignment in this game
Spawn - some emotional tethers, some emotional intelligence, capable of it at least. This is established in Larian's story and its consistent. Awareness of pain, pleasure, suffering. Basically they have the capacity to feel something

True Vampire or Vampire Ascendant - unfortunately this is not outlined enough but it sounds like emotions are twisted to their worst form OR the capacity to have feeling/ ties/ connection to others diminishes. This is clear in the rejected Spawn dialogue - Astarion even says he affects to feel love as "its the cards he was dealt and he knows how to play them well". Its just a way to gain compliance, not genuine connection. Just another yoke for control. Honestly Its what turned me away from the Ascendant route until I got some distance from this narrative choice. I believe a True vampire would have much of the same outcome so thus Larian took away this option for redundancy purposes.