I'd like to add: If Astarion Dark past is going to be realized and a dialog will be added too.
I hope we get to see his past restored one way or another.
Originally Posted by LiryFire
I wish Tav could say, "I am yours and you are mine".
So do I!
Originally Posted by LiryFire
After Tav turn to Spawn. Full dialog with all companions.
The decision to put this in banter that doesn't even trigger is very weird.
To be honest, I find it even stranger that the ascension and Tav turning into a vampire is not a deal breaker for Karlach and Wyll. They cry over a dozen or two tieflings being sacrificed for an alliance with Minthara but are chill about sending 7007 souls to Hell? How does that make sense? The ritual and the final battle decision are probably the most evil choices in the game.
Originally Posted by jinetemoranco
I honestly think a lot of the suggestions in this thread are less interesting than what's in the game. I think it's cool we don't get a perfect romance with Ascended Astarion, it's narratively consistent with what the ritual means for him psychologically. I'd rather have something interesting and consistent than something that's OOC just for another cliché "bad boy romance who makes an exception for you" to fulfill the player's fantasy. Him being abusive is as refreshing as the fact that there is an option to ignore his consent issues in act 2. I don't see game romances usually going there, but I have definitely seen game romances doing the bad boy thing. Minthara is probably closer to the romance I see people asking for here, if only her romance wasn't broken...
I like this route a lot and my favorite parts of Ascended Astarion lie in him being fucked up, to put it bluntly. IDK I think with what's in the game is very cool and honestly maybe it'd be cooler if they went even further, the epilogue was too soft.
The only thing I agree with is that it'd be okay for a naive/not very bright Tav to get another option during his romance scene that's not about being a vampire, sex or reading him for filth but caring for his wellbeing instead. But I don't even think that's necessary since I tend to value narrative over roleplay (which is to be fair a personal preference), and a Tav that's done that already fulfills a certain amount of tropes that make those options that are already available the most interesting. But at least that one I understand and find doable since I think it'd just redirect to one of his already existing lines, since he wants what he wants (to control you).
This thread is about his overall romance spanning over all acts as well as covering all of his paths, not just for Ascended Astarion. A big amount of suggestions are about content that's clearly missing and is bugged or not working well.
"Bad boy who make an exception for you" is precisely what the spawn path is about. A power hungry vampire who plots how to become stronger the whole game changes his mind last minute because you persuade him that he should "pet bunnies" instead and he sacrifices his ambitions for you.
I've made several suggestions here that would make him even more evil than what he is the game. The abusive part is not there if you roleplay an evil or at least morally chaotic character who agrees with his worldview, loves him the way he is and intends to stay with him forever, like they promised they would. This kind of Tav would genuinely care for his wellbeing. I think it's great that the game allows you to roleplay as a harmonious power couple or have a toxic dynamic where you're trapped in a relationship. The same thing in the spawn path - you can roleplay as a heroic goody-two-shoes who thinks abandoning power is truly the best thing for Astarion and believes he can heal that way better or a manipulative possessive coward who's scared of him getting stronger and wants to keep him dependent on you and to have a pretty vampire pet.
