Time will tell. Funnily enough, judging by what I've seen here and on YT, once someone takes the ascension route they don't go back to the other path.
I will most certainly have him double-ascend once - maybe when Minthy gets patched enough to drag her along for the journey. I doubt it will change my overall perception, but I do need that perfectly chaotic ending just once. (And Gale's reaction to the ascension is just too precious.)
Originally Posted by Ametris
The tieflings are trying to reach BG, start a new life there and be accepted into the society. How is helping them not inspiring hope that they can succeed? Ah yes, Yenna - the kid that he also likes seeing told to get lost by Tav and approves of being murdered by Orin.
It is at the beginning of the story and he overall seems to be more ok with doing nice things than being put on display (like at the party) or big talk. Him generally being in favour of Aylin's revenge in dialogue is otherwise also at odds with the disapproval you get for supporting her against Lorroakan and there are a few more places when it's the talk that seems to bother him, not the action. I assume he approves of everyone getting murdered? I mean he isn't to bothered by Shadowheart getting handed over to Viconia either if I gathered that correctly.
Originally Posted by Ametris
A fun holiday with someone who has to deal with many restrictions? Honestly, my problem is that the narrator is romanticising this ending, and making it sound like it's all easy and dandy, and I'm providing examples to show that it's not as rainbows and unicorns like the epilogue is making it sound. The only realism is shown in the Underdark ending and in there we can see that he and Tav are living in constant fear, which should be applicable in the travelling together ending as well. They are vulnerable wherever they go. I agree about Scratch, why would they separate us, especially when we can see that Astarion has the most emotional reaction out of everyone to him dying?
Ok, that's a position I can get behind as I also don't care for fluffing things up too much - and I also have a problem with romanticising the "evil" ending too much ... and am surprised by people who let him ascend and are then surprised that he's not a perfectly cute little cupcake. I think in the Underdark ending they also want to show that the Underdark is very dangerous as this is also a point Sebastian's letter mentions.
As for the lack of unicorns, I recently watched a video of Gale's proposal to a Mind Flayer Tav and I think that would make overall much more sense for Spawn Astarion as well - with some slight adjustments. The acknowledgement of sacrifice, the need for an openminded priest and the catering being difficult make all much more sense for Astarion than the normal dialogue.
It's also such an odd idea to think that the player just forgot about Scratch, if they went to Avernus or flew off to fight in the rebellion maybe, but otherwise? He is officially your dog, if you did all the quests.
