Ametris, what else can I say? You said all the good stuff, I could agree on everything. My English is not good enough for a great conversation! I just want to add…
You also made good observations! Don't be shy.
Originally Posted by Zayir
And that’s correct, the siblings don’t seem to like him either, wether they call him „weak“ or being „alwas selfish“.
In his origin Petras even calls him a piece of shit and the worst of them all.
Originally Posted by Zayir
He is indeed most time very self-centered. (Even in the tender act 2 hug-scene, it depends on the options, but he is always talking about himself. When you ask him, why he slept with you, he says things like, „I needed protection“, and „seducing you was easy, frankly“, „you were a complication I didn’t see coming“ – really mean words, in my opinion, for my innocent good Tav, yet Astarion didn’t even say a word of „sorry“ to Tav. Imagine someone would tell you, he just slept with you out of purpose, to get a benefit from it, and there is not one word of regret. Astarion is still here self-centered. I really missed an option to tell Astarion: „Oh wow, wait! What you just said - hurt ME!“)
My Tav wasn't hurt, because at first she was also using him to have someone on her side. Drow are very mistrustful and disliked after all and she was worried about getting backstabbed. Plus he was an elf too so they had a connection because of it. The joke was on them both.
Originally Posted by Zayir
I had the feeling from act 1, that he is into such things and I was hoping and waiting for such a scene. This game has so many different romance scenes for different types of tastes. And this is, in my eyes, also a scene for people with some special taste. As Ametris said, Astarion has a domination kink (In the goblin camp he likes Tav to be tortured by Abdirak and to be humiliated with kissing the goblin‘s feet). So, I myself, always saw Astarion as a dominant romance Partner. „On your knees“ and the insight check „He will always see you as degrading yourself if you continue to be with him. But perhaps you WISH to DEGRADE YOURSELF. And he KNOWS it.“ Gave me chills (in a positive way). People with special interests will not question his behaviour or the insight check. For us, there is nothing odd about it. It is really interesting how many interpretations of this insight check exists. I am lucky to just say: The storyteller is right!
If Shadowheart is present he also admits he was hoping Tav was into kinky stuff. But then when he has banter with Lae'zel he says not to group him up with the likes of Tav, lol.
That insight check also gave me chills. Honestly, I don't even know how many times in my playthrough I was affectionately swearing at the screen calling him an effing bastard when he had that smug face and knew precisely how to make my Tav go along with his ideas. And then the game called me out. This is also why I prefer the ascension path, because we get to see the innermost depth of his character. He doesn't change himself for Tav, but does what he wants with his newfound freedom and it's interesting to see. Only in there after all the buildup does he allow himself to indulge and turn his fantasies into reality. Spawn Astarion seems verbally and sexually repressed in comparison. Is he ashamed of himself when he's with Tav?
It's also worth noting that AA's body language changes too after ascending. He doesn't gesticulate with his whole body like before, doesn't resort to theatrics and emphatic bending (unless he's mocking his old self and is very angry during the breakup). Instead he's moving his head and hands more, while standing still and straight. He exudes an aura of confidence.
Originally Posted by Zayir
Compared to how he behaved and approved in act 1/2 – where he had already evil traits - he doesn’t become worse, mostly prouder. I must say, I really expected and hoped him to become a bit more evil toward others, but „unfortunately“ or not, he is still very soft for being a Vampire Lord - hahaha. Well it’s okay. I love Astarion and Tav being in their Vampire-marriage-spawn-consort-slave-whatever relationship, they are deeply bond forever.
I also see his pride as the main change. Maybe he was actually like this before being turned into a vampire. He was a noble after all, and they also like intrigue and playing games. Killing and outsmarting Cazador might have simply given him his pride back. At some point in the game when making evil choices I started chuckling when seeing 'Astarion approves'. Well, of course he does! Every time.
What I find surprising is that he doesn't go after Tav when they've broken up with him after being turned into his spawn and before the ending. Maybe it's his wounded ego or maybe he's just waiting for the right moment.
