Originally Posted by Marielle
Yes, I've read that in BG3 there's as much as two hours of content dedicated to cheating, reactions to it, choices between different partners and the like (with all companions in total, not just Astarion). It's a shame that in the pursuit of such innovation in romance, the authors completely forgot about those players who want a beautiful story of true faithful love (maybe love at first sight, or first bite, why not? astarionhappy) and there's not a single line that takes into account such an attitude towards the beloved at all. During the first game, I was a bit confused at all why almost everyone is trying to seduce me, as if they were blind and couldn't see that I was with Astarion. And most importantly, okay, they're trying, everyone may think they're the most charming and attractive, but I myself have no way to say anything about our relationship with Astarion. Yes, at first one can imagine that Astarion cares about his independence, he has only recently gained his freedom, he should not be pressured to talk about relationships, and in time there might be an opportunity to get closer, he needs time to start trusting. But then it turns out that he is really a bit fragile and insecure, you can feel it in the confession scene of Act 2 after Oblodra, when he reacts so much to the unexpected kindness shown to him that he spontaneously confesses and opens up (though I didn't even consider it a special act, it's natural to support Astarion in such a situation, even more natural for me would be to punch Oblodra in the face in such a situation, but come on). The way Astarion asks: "Really?"

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

He really seems so fragile at this moment, it's as if he doesn't believe in your feelings and doesn't expect anything good. Astarion wouldn't mind if you could confess your feelings to him earlier and tell him that you don't need anyone else but him, he'd love it, he'd probably be playful and pleased, clearly no less than when Tav picks him out of the love triangle. Really, it's like we're expected to do this experimenting and flirting, well okay, some will appreciate the opportunity, and some like to play seriously and with immersion. And after all, for Astarion, fidelity would be especially valuable, it would make him feel more confident and better about himself. It's him, not Will or Gale, that the game allows to be dragged into a "threesome with Halsin", and there's a very heavy scene with him in a brothel (Will and Gale avoid that pain too). So why not make a scene for true love with fidelity as well? A fair balance is when there's a bad scene and there's a good one. There are tons of bad scenes with Astarion. Let's not count all the breakup scenes and other bad scenes, specifically about fidelity - here are two situations with infidelity, there's also infidelity with Mizora, with the Emperor, early love triangles with the entire compaine are spelled out, companion lines for that, and on the other side... Zero. "Evil is isolation", fidelity is a void? Fidelity exists in real life relationships, so there should be room for it in game relationships too.(...)
He does seem so vulnerable and sweet in this moment! The pure hopefulness and wonder in his face and his voice when he says "Really?" during the confession scene. Like he didn't even dare to hope your feelings for him were real the whole time. My opinion is this feeling is very new for Astarion. He knows this is something special but he can't quite put his finger on what it is yet. All those years with Cazador, he wasn't able to make his own choices about romance and what he truly wanted. He'd forgotten how to love. Now finally he has something with someone he actually wants - which is genuinely giving him happiness.

At some point if the player tries to break up with him while he's still a spawn, he says he basically expected that to happen, since he doesn't think he has anything to offer you in a real relationship (like he doesn't think he's good enough). It would have been great if we could do more to reinforce our character's devotion, if that's how we want to roleplay it.

I completely agree that ideally there should have been a better balance where you can also get something special (and some more content) if you remain faithful to your partner throughout your playthrough, no matter who it is that you're romancing. Maybe instead of focusing solely on the extra content for the love triangle and sex stuff, they could have taken some of that out and given the loyal romance paths something to acknowledge it, too.

Originally Posted by Marielle
I think the dance scene would look great the night before the night after the Ascension, like they're celebrating a victory.
Having a beautiful slow dance as a celebration with him after the ascension ritual would be so nice. I feel like we didn't really get the chance to revel in his triumph with him. He gains so much in addition to his freedom from Cazador and the world feels brand new and exhilarating for him. My Durge does smile at him right after the ascension when he says "We did it," but that's about it.

Originally Posted by Marielle
Yeah, it's very unfair that you can't hug and kiss the person closest to you. I've only hugged Shadowheart and Gale, with Halsin I can't bring myself to do it because he looks at Tav like he wants to have sex with her, it's disgusting. With Gale the hug is a one time thing, but with Shadowheart you can hug as much as you want and the hug is very touching. I have nothing against her personally, and treat her well, but it's so unfair in contrast to the fact that we can't even touch Astarion at all! Larian did a lot of great work filming scenes that then didn't make it into the game, which is a shame (like the great scenes from EA). And it would be a shame if the kiss scene of patch 5 will suffer the same fate, the scene is beautiful, many people like it, very much need a kiss in the epilogue, it would be logical - to return players their favorite scene, and keep in the game already done a great job. By the way, no one asked for new kisses after patch 5, Larian themselves decided to make players such a "gift", which caused a storm of just indignation, it's good that they promised guaranteed to fix the faces, but that Astarion needs a kiss in the epilogue, players have been writing for a long time.
The fact that it (patch6 kisses) was given to us as some kind of gift out of the blue was just awful too. I still can't believe that whole nightmare happened at all. I remember being excited when I heard about a kiss update but then we got the hurtful thing we got... And then we had to wait a long time to hear that something will be done about it. During all of those months, nothing was said or done about it. Finally they announced they're going to fix that mistake (with "improvements") but it shouldn't have ever happened. Not to mention how long it stayed in the game in its current state, which has caused more problems, and continued hurting people. The damage has been done and it stayed in the game for way too long.
But yes, I couldn't agree more... It's very unfair for AA to be the only companion you can't kiss or hug/touch at all in the epilogue to this day! In general, I feel that my Tav/Durge doesn't get much chances to show him affection or tell him that she loves him at all. We're in a committed relationship with him at that point and it's so strange to me that we don't get the option to give him any affection in a relaxed atmosphere. If we choose a happy dialogue branch, then an option for a kiss/hug should be added.

Originally Posted by Marielle
Originally Posted by Celesti4
There is a lot of misinformation that gets spread carelessly by people who don't like (or misunderstand) his ascension path. It is upsetting because more people will see those things and assume them to be true. For example, show me where he says he resents you for "making" him ascend?
At no point do we force him to ascend, first of all. He always wants to do it, and when the time comes, he still wants to do it and he asks us for help. But he is still the one who decides on it and does it on his own.

There's plenty of misinformation on the topic of Ascension. For example, I once saw some nonsense in a game magazine about "some players saying" how they saw a scene in which Astarion himself refuses the ritual. And a YouTube user wrote that to me in the comments too. And the request to show this magic video or at least the keywords where this something can be found, of course, led to the instant disappearance of the active and vigorous disputant from the discussion, lol. And now something else new, Astarion is being "forced" to Ascend! Astarion is literally begging for help, this stupid manipulative persuasion check can fail, then if you don't help Astarion, he will leave the group and say he wants Tav to die in agony. One cannot accept this as true if one has played the game, can read, or understands the language Astarion speaks. Perhaps only if one really wants to feel right, the game gives them the opportunity to force (now, really force) Astarion to behave the way they want, be dependent, "nice", and not dare raise their voice to their highness. Needless to say, they don't like the Ascension path. Anyway, yeah, it's misinformation for new players, certainly not for those who understand the plot of the game, but for those who decide what they want to do in that scene. I read all sorts of crap once too, and thought that there would be something bad after Ascension (of course, I wouldn't have left Astarion as a spawn forever anyway, though there were thoughts of quitting the game at that point), that I might have to do the main quest quickly, bring Astarion to the finale, and never play again. It was great to find out that wasn't the case, though! I felt like Astarion even appreciated my "attempt at self-sacrifice," judging by how heartfelt he said: "You gave me everything. Thank you." <3
I am glad that you still ended up playing the way you wanted to and didn't let the negative misinformation deter you. I admit, during my first playthrough romancing him, I got hung up for a while on the whole narrative/discussion of whether he actually loves the MC after the ascension. It was upsetting for me (as a new player) to hear all that talk about him not caring about you anymore. And even though he openly says he loves you several times after ascension, some people claim he's lying or just being manipulative when he says it, or whatever. It's just their opinion and not the truth. Meanwhile, there are plenty of things he does and says which prove his feelings of love are real. I agree, I love the way he says "You have given me everything. Thank you."... I feel that he includes you when he says "everything." Now that he has you by his side, he really has everything. smile

Originally Posted by Ametris
Certainly looks like Larian is promoting the hookup culture. C'mon now, all the breakup scenes are cool, after all they make our romances "better", don't they? wink rolleyes
Yeah, so much effort put into the breakups and cheating and love triangles. A little more balance to include special content for loyalty and monogamy for sure would have been nice.^^

Originally Posted by Sini
When the Little Lord wakes up, he has a bad headache and is feeling sick. "Sceleritas, what happened?" Oh, my corrupt little master, you must have eaten too many blood candies at once." Sceleritas carefully collects the red crumbs from the white fur and carefully strokes the little bat's belly. "I guess you had your first sugar rush... you have again and again try to pounce on the sack full of candies and eat more candies, biting around you.* Sceleritas shows his hand covered in tiny bites* "Tiny Sceleritas is better rationing the candies for you now, my beloved sweet master." "Don't squeeze my belly so hard Sceleritas, I feel so sick." *A tiny red bubble forms on his mouth" "I'll never eat blood candy again... "
The poor baby. But I'm sure he'll be all better in a few hours and ready for more candies.^^ I bet Jr. looks adorable wearing a little cactus-shaped beanie with a flower pom-pom at the top that Sceleritas knitted for him.
That evening, Jr. will join Dad on his first exercise flight around the castle. The little one will probably not be able to make it all the way around, and then Astarion will have to fly in his bat-form while carrying the tiny bat on his back (good strength and endurance training for him lol).
As Astarion flies past the main bedroom window, he gets distracted by the vision of his consort standing at the window, with a sweet smile on her face, holding a daisy in her hand. smile This gives him some ideas...