So I have been mulling over my reply to these suggestions, while I agree about most points you made Ametris, there are some I don't so I will break it down.
Act 1
1. I don't think Tav is at this point with Astarion yet (what approval this convo appears on again? Medium?) where Tav would just let Astarion see him through Tav's eyes, but painting a picture or that entire mirror image suggestion of yours, yeah definitely(speaking of, if Astarion becomes an arcane trickster he should have access to mirror image so I guess it's an oversight by the devs lol). Also, I think there is that whole romantic aspect of the mirror convo!
2. That line has been changed ages ago already. In patch 2 or 3 iirc.
3. Yep, agreed.
4. Yes and no. I also played as a drow on my 1st run (and imagine my surprise that after meeting Araj, Astarion was talking about "that vile drow" in front of another drow, got a chuckle out of me - the irony of it all). But yes, I agree, having race unique interactions with him would be cool (like tieflings can first of all recognize the language his scars were written in without a skill check - rest need to pass an arcana to know it's written in infernal, but also when he's trying to read them later, they can just straight up translate them) but also, too much work for Larian and other romances would also need such race specific lines. Also, no because the way WotC has been going on lately, about nullifying racial uniqueness and making everyone pretty much the same... which yeah, it's kinda sad that they basically treat races as make-up lately.
Act 2
1. During early access Tav could sleep with Gale right after the tiefling party, or AFTER AFTER the party if Tav flirted with Gale at all. The cutscene you are referring to was moved to act 2 and completely rewritten, so it doesn't account for any active romances anymore (but I agree, it should). Also, let's not forget that in EA Gale could sleep with Tav, and then morning after tell Tav that he also banged Mystra and still has some unresolved feelings towards her. Obviously Tav would feel deeply betrayed by him not mentioning it earlier and because of it you could break the romance then and there. A lot of people were unhappy with this gaslighting behavior of Gale's so yeah, it's been completely rewritten and we know much much earlier that he banged Mystra so we know what kind of situation we're walking into if we pursue Gale. Just a little tidbit.
2. Yes and no. I mean, what kind of route people have to take to kill ratman before meeting Yurgir, I mean, sure on my latest run I almost ran into the ratman before meeting Yurgir cause I was curious if that was even possible. Imho, what Larian should do to prevent people from doing that is make the displacer beast's spawn points depending on player's approach, rather than having her appear in only 1 spot. So meeting Yurgir would be harder to miss.
3. & 4. Thing is, there are 2 confession scenes. One was the 'Do you have a moment?' (the 'I want us to be something real') and the 'I want to thank you' (the Araj Oblodra one). The 1st one used to be really easy to trigger, all you needed to do was to reach Moonrise Towers (didn't even need to talk to Ketheric), have at least very high approval with him (again, easy at this point, even if playing an uber goody-two-shoes, heck it's super easy to be max 100 exceptional at this point in game) and rest and it would happen. Then some genius at Larian decided to move that scene (I guess due to the thing where you could get into relationship with him super easy and then get Astarion to suck Araj for the +2 str potion totally consequence free) to killing Yurgir for Raphael (what I am not sure about is - if you kill the ratman, Yurgir goes free if that would still trigger that scene or not, I am betting not) which yeah, is easy to accomplish but at the same time you will only trigger it at the end of act 2, what kind of sucks. Also, you still need very high + approval with Astarion in this case anyway, but like I wrote - approval isn't a problem at all. By the end of act 2 generally everyone but Halsin are sitting at exceptional approval anyway.
The way I would fix it is: make it so 'I want us to be something real' conversation just needs very high or exceptional approval, make it so it doesn't require us to visit Moonrise Towers either (so we could get it much earlier in the act, even before Wyll's stupid dance, so that would cut Wyll trying to woo us with that ballet thing), and make it so our decision with Araj has way higher impact. Make it so if you let him suck her blood, he breaks up with us with absolutely no way to talk ourselves out of that. And if we don't let him suck her, make it so he's still thankful, dunno, let us hug him again or something. No more stupidity.
5. True and agree. Everyone needs more hugs honestly. Like friendly hugs too!
6. That is already in the game but is not triggering. Companions do comment (in banters) on our slowly blossoming relationship with Astarion, there are banters for all acts as well but currently they're not triggering at all. All Larian has to do is flip a switch and make it so they trigger finally.
Act 3
1. Sure, but you have to remember that if it's done for Astarion, it has to be done for all other romances as well. And THAT would be a lot of extra work for Larian.
2. Agreed. I wish there was a way indeed to talk to Astarion to hear his opinion without that also meaning that we can't say no to Halsin if Astarion agrees lol.
3. Yeah, I guess if people want them both that would be a way to do it.
4. True, agreed.
5. Yep, as much as I think House of Hope is masterfully written, I do hate that nobody has any reaction to sleeping with Haarlep right in front of their eyes. Like everyone seems to give 0 fucks (just like Durge's death scene), and all they do is disapprove at best. I think that entire scene should be remain, but be completely rewritten, give all companions, not only romances, some goddamn reactions to what is about to unfold. Make romances furiously plead with Tav to reconsider, anything really.
6. Eh, no. The fact that we're meeting her again is enough.
7. No, Raphael played his role. At best maybe have him comment on present companions when we're exiting HoH, and maybe have him comment on Astarion's current state (ascendant or spawn, and if Tav is a vampire spawn, have him make a comment on that as well), but then have him make such comments on all companions' states (so like Sharran vs Selunite SH, etc etc).
8. Agreed.
9. Agreed on both counts again, but that also applies to all other romances, all romances imho should have a date, not only Karlach. Especially spawn Astarion who's lacking content compared to ascended lol.
10. Wait, really? How? What hoops are those. But yeah, having some time to decide would be nice. But then again, it would be hard to implement with the way this game is structured.
11. True, a vampire spawn with no fangs is no fun.
12. True, but all of them kind of do (in that vid I linked earlier). Cowards just have no courage to tell it to your face lol.
13. While on paper that sounds like a wonderful idea, it just would require too much work to implement. Also, I hear that there is a special cutscene for Tavs who rejected Astarion's immortality offer right after the docks, where he comes to you and kind of wants you back. I dunno how true it is, since I never went that route. Might test it one day.
14. Umm, I think that entire vampire bride is just people grasping at straws and headcanoning stuff. And sure, as spawn you could bite him and it is tragic he has absolutely no reaction lol. But I think that Tav is just his spawn, nothing special or elaborate.
15. Sure, but the problem is that both Astarion (and Tav if spawn) change. Like entirely change, so what they feel towards each other is more akin to extreme possessiveness and not pure (innocent) love. Heck, when Astarion tries to convince Tav and says he loves them he does so in a very mocking manner. So not having the option to tell him you love him is actually pretty true to vampire lore in D&D. Altho, I guess vamp spawns, especially as fresh as Tav still retain some feelings in them (Astarion was 200 years a spawn and he could still feel love, so why not Tav?).
16. Yep, even after patch 4 the kiss is the most chaste peck I have ever seen. Generally I think there should be different kissing animations for all companions and dependent on their story progression. So 3 different kissing animations for Astarion. Pre-Cazador we can have that dumb peck. Post ritual: something really spicy for ascendant and something grabby and sweet for spawn.
17. The entire Emperor/Orpheus ending sequence needs massive rework and appropriate reactions from all companions between the cutscenes. That entire section is a mess narratively.
18. I guess? Again, so much work for Larian for such a small change. Quite odd they didn't actually think of it tbh (just proves that act 3 was rushed to hell).
19. True, it's pretty funny and clearly an oversight by Larian (rushed act 3 and rushed endings tsk tsk tsk).
20. & 21. & 22. There is already a lengthy topic about spawn Astarion & the docks scene out there.
The enemies Tav might be referring to might be our companions, I have seen what the endings look like if you played as Astarion - and he can actually decide to declare our companions his enemies and wish to either convert them into vampires or murder 'em. Or, y'know, clerics or Lathander. Or us vs the world. Plenty of enemies to be found.
But yeah, about the spawn Astarion I complained pretty much relentlessly. It's just so damn out of character for him to be so damn insecure out of nowhere. Not to mention after the graveyard scene, he really thinks we'd leave him? Sure, ascended is the only one you can't leave in the ending sequence, so I guess Larian wanted to give us a chance to just drop him like a sack of potatoes (can be done to pretty much all romances from what I've seen on youtube, even Wyll who proposes to you much earlier in act 3 trololol). But what I find extra tragic is if you compare spawn Astarion with a normal Tav/Durge vs mind flayer one. In MF version he suddenly remembered he loved us. Hmmmm. I will use his own words from the party scene: "I hate it!".
23. & 24. & 25. You really really love ascendant Astarion, don't you? But yeah, agree with all these points.
26. Hard disagree. Astarion is never going to be stronger than an actual deity, even if a quasi deity (after 2nd sundering that's what the Dead 3 have been reduced into: quasi deities). Sure Astarion could notice something is off, but in best case he'd be laughed at by Bhaal, in worst case he'd end up dying for interfering.
Now to add my own thoughts and ideas, since yeah, this topic covers a lot of my own thoughts on potential improvements to Astarion's romance as it is.
What I would add is: add different dialogues for when we ask him 'What are we , to you?'. Pre-Cazador and spawn Astarion have only 1 answer to that. Ascended has like 5 different replies. That needs to be changed, sure I'd add an extra confused reaction to that question to pre-Cazador Astarion and at least 2 extra to spawn (to at least bring it a little closer to ascendant's reactivity).
Spawn Tav should be able to offer Araj to suck her blood for that damn potion, it's not like she cares who does it as long as it has pointy teeth and is cold to the touch, right? Seems like an oversight to me.
With romanced Astarion we should be able to ask him how he is doing just like we can ask Gale that, and it would be fun if he, just like Gale, had different answers to that depending on what we've done in the story etc etc.
Definitely need a date scene with Astarion (and all romances) a'la Karlach one.
A nitpick, but it would be nice if we could actually find Astarion's grave in the damn graveyard, why does it have to be a cutscene specific thing? Heck, if you approached that thing with ascendant Astarion he could have a pretty strong reaction to it. Can you imagine the possibilities? Ho ho!
