@EMC_V: Have you completed the romance in Patch 5, just prior to Patch 6? Or after patch 6? Just out of curiosity. I agree, both paths can be valid but stick with his personality so it is not so fractured like it is now. His story is now wobbling in a sinkhole that is about to collapse. It doesn't even feel like Astarion anymore, and this is just my opinion. I can enjoy either path with the extreme changes from the creator of his story to whatever it is right now. It is very frustrating that they made him into two completely different beings and it makes no sense. Meph's ritual had the potential to create a new monster and states the pact is fulfilled, with no other requirements, which is what it says in the game. But they reverted him to a true vampire that walks in the sun with cycles of abuse. Not how the original writer explained it and that is the reason I purchased the game, tbh. Spawn feels like (TO ME ONLY NOW, I am not speaking for anyone but myself) that I am his controller or master. I'm not too fond of that option either. I want him to be able to be free and allow him to not mask his feelings or just turn into an abuser when it wasn't in the in-game story. At least not the many campaigns I played, at least. Everyone has the right to headcanon, but does it have to play out for everyone else who doesn't have that headcanon? That is the ultimate question of pushing it too far to the spawn vs ascended. We all should be coming together, getting rid of the fighting and bullying (if some of you only knew....my gods), and working to keep a group of people who enjoy both sides of it.
I do like some of your suggestions though. They would show the spawn path as more of the Neutral evil of DnD character that didn't have to hide everything and gets to be working through stuff, but still be himself in I want a pretty new XYZ. He still has to go out and eat if you forget to feed him as I see many do in their playthroughs. This is before the end boss fight, obviously. There are dialogue choices that I would not expect him to have on either side of the path, whether it be spawn or ascended. The writing and story do not flow together as well anymore and there are weird little things thrown in that don't fit either path, coming out of nowhere. Allow the Spawn variant to be himself, get into mischief & chaos & do the witty little things he has always done. Yes, he still needs time to heal in BOTH paths, neither will be fixed in a day or whatever. That also bothers me, that he changes instantly. Uh..... I am not asking for reality because it is a game, but a little more realistic wouldn't be out of touch.
As far as the dominance, I don't think it needed to go into abuse. I am not trying to sound like a broken record, but instead, let him have something that is an "Us" thing than an "I am going to make you wish you were never born again". Once again, real-world vs realistic vs fantasy. A dark romance is not that hard. There are a lot of lines that were drawn in the sand that were crossed and BOUNDARIES crossed that shouldn't be there, in my opinion. But some fun things to do, I am for those types of things where his personality shines through instead......I am ALL for that for both paths. He didn't turn into an unfeeling beast. He still has them, but let's get the balance back for both paths. So everyone can enjoy. I am trying to look at this from all parts of Astarion with and without Tav/DUrge. He acts completely different with Spawn version vs Ascended vs Spawn Romanced vs Ascended Romanced vs left alone with Cazador in the world vs Origin. Most of the versions stick closer to his personality & character, as well as in his DnD alignment. But what they have done to the romance portion is just one note on one side versus one side changing completely and both being out of character in many ways. I am trying to keep this neutral, to spark conversation rather than attack and problems. I would rather have healthy real conversations without fighting and discuss our favorite character without the negative issues that come with the discourse. I want to discuss things among adults as opposed to my choice is the only way, blah blah blah. That hasn't worked so far.
