Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - Story & Character Discussion Fixing Astarion's "Good" Ending

Yeah, the lack of a chance to talk to him at the docks, romanced or not, makes this even more grating. You can give advice to/comfort Karlach, Lae'zel and Gale, but not Astarion. A decent ending should be there for everyone to see, not just the romanced character.

It's even worse when you can relate to him in some way. He's written very realistically and the game makes you feel safe with how his story is handled. It makes the tone of that ending so completely unexpected, it's like a bucket of cold water over your head. Like, of course all the pain and struggle are a joke in the end, what else did I expect.

Wait is this for real? I've finished Astarion's quest but left him out of my focus as I plan to incorporate him into my next evil playthrough.

I've thought that him crawling back into shadows accompanied by snarky remarks from Gale is due to his medium/neutral disposition towards me.

Well, that is dissapointing.

No, the voice lines from companions towards Astarion are literally the same no matter what. The only things that can possibly change is how you handled certain companions' quests

Lol no, you get the same scene at 100 approval.

Unfortunately, NO. It is just as awful if you have exceptional approval and romance him.

It seems that everyone else gets a decent/respectful ending (not the happiest), but at least not being made in to a cruel childish joke. Everyone except one of the most traumatized characters in the game. Who thought that it was a good idea?

In my case, I'm extremely frustrated that I get more time in the final scene with companions that I never used (well, I do not use any of them, really, they all rot in camp ) than with my romantic interest....

Read that in Astarion's disappointed voice when he finds out that the thing that let's him walk in the sun also will turn him into a monster eventually...

Yeah, the tone of the ending is so disjointed. As if written by someone who did not care about the characters at all.

If you put it that way, then I would already suspect that Karlach and Astarion share the writer. I see a trope in here.

Let's put a likeable character into a decade / century of misery, slavery and abuse and let him jog on afterwards

Well, at least now I know. In my next run my Astarion buddy will ascend.

Just made an account to say: The ending p*ssed me off. I hope they add more content in the future. To have nearly 100 approval on all companions just to have Astarion scamper away to never see him again then run off to smoke a cigar in Avernus with Wyll and Karlach...And not even get to see what happened to everyone else if you let Karlach decide her own fate. Such a rushed ending to a 200+ hour playthrough. Broke my heart to bond with these characters just to have a 2 minute ending with so many questions. I can only hope that this isnt the end of our gang and their adventure. Especially since I didnt even get to talk to the rest of the companions at camp or see what they were even up to while the core 4 were fighting a brain...

At least you can run to Karlach. Astarion doesn't even get that.

If he ascends he'll be perfectly fine.

Just finished the game and dear god, this is so unfair. They just had to give him a moment of hope when it seemed like his tolerance of the sun was permanent and then take it away without a chance to even talk about it right there. I still think that not letting Astarion ascend is the best choice, but ugh, this ending could've been handled better.

I too finished the game last night. My end party was a romanced Gale, unascended Astarion (also romanced, No Romance Limit mod, thank you very much) and Karlach. As Astarion ran off to the shadows the only character that commented was Halsin, and it wasn't entirely distasteful but it wasn't really full of concern for his well-being either, so now I wonder if it's random which companion comments and what they say, or if it was just bugged? This is only time I've managed to bring myself to the final point of the game so I'm not certain.

I did get a very quick scene after the docks with both Gale, then Astarion (thanks to the mod I assume). My gal was able to tell Astarion they could still remain together, perhaps in the Underdark. It felt in some small way like a tiny bit of closure, but I was still left wanting when compared to the ending with Gale.

I sat here for a good hour after the game ended, watching the credits roll, waiting for the Withers scene and thinking about my playthrough as a whole, and I just felt.. lost and loss. It was SUCH a disappointing ending overall compared to other games, and I hated that the story was over. I know I can playthrough again, and try for different outcomes, but damn. #JusticeForAstarion please. I get there are a bazillion Karlach lovers out there, and Larian in turn fixed her ending a little, but please do this for our broken broody elf. He deserves better, especially for those of us that choose not to let him ascend.

Karlach still got shafted massively in my opinion. She deserves so much better.

I also only had Halsin's comment on Astarion running away and it was rather kind hearted I think. It just sucks that there was no way to react. Even the short dialogue that happened after the docks would've been fine if it happened once Astarion found some shade and we caught up to him there. But then of course there would have to be another final conversation.

I may be in the minority when it comes to the romance convo you have with Astarion after the docks but it feels heartless.

It feel like a conversation you have with a friend before you go on vacation.

I was expecting something more tender and emotional like I had throughout his story. I hadn't had anything with him for a while up to that point (he just stops saying shit once you're done with his companion quest) so I was hoping for something more satisfying. And please please a conversation on how he feels now that he can't be in the sun and hopefully an intimate hug moment or something? Maybe my Tav can show some physical concern over his burns or something? I mean, come on, we don't even get an ending kiss....

So, other than the spiteful dock scene where no one cares that he's burning, I hate the conversation afterward. "Yay, we won! So uh...wanna stick around each other?" Versus how it has been "I love you. I love this. Any and every choice feels possible now and I get to experience it with you." I mean...the vibe is just completely different....

Makes sense that he's unsure now that the party's disbanded + he can't go outside during the day anymore. But the way Tav/Durge just stands there "5 feet away" with their arms crossed is honestly stupid.

It's so obvious that the whole thing was rushed as hell.

I think it's kinda random. Gale is the biggest offender, but none of them seem concerned.

Now there's a post about Astarion's ending scene in Larian discord's feedback channel. Hopefully they will consider it.

Yeah, I've already upvoted the post

I'm with you on that. The whole ending conversation with him at camp feels like it should have been something that he would've said at the end of act 2 and NOT after the graveyard scene where the "gloves were off" and all was laid bare. He straight up tells Tav/DU that he loves her/him and doesn't want to lose what they have together. What does losing the ability to walk in the sun have to do with "sudden amnesia" about his confession at the graveyard?

The whole final conversation with Astarion seems way off to me.

You are definitely not the minority, I already complained about it earlier in this thread and I'm not the only one. The pre-credits scene between Astarion and Tav feels so bland and loveless compared to everything that came before in the romance.