Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - Suggestions & Feedback Astarion Spawn Ending- change request

New here, I think this is supposed to be spoiled?

Yeah, since Larian changed animations for AA kisses because some fans felt like their Tavs were robbed of their agency, I think it's only fair to ask to add some agency to Tav in the Spawn's path as well.

Agree with this! It's so weird that we just stand there and let him run off alone without a word. I understand some say there's a scene order problem if Tav/Durge leaves before everyone else's dock endings are done, but the solution to that seems simple. Just play spawn Astarion's scene last if he's romanced?? Maybe it's not simple in the code, I don't know. If it would be too costly/difficult to bring the voice actors back for this tweak, I wouldn't mind if it was portrayed only with caring animations.

It's really devastating when you play origin Astarion

The other option is if you have Wyll as the blade of Avernus, he could jump right into his scene of telling Karlach that he's going with her, if you aren't there. Or like you mentioned, just changing the order of scenes.

You know from Astarion's origin run that he's actually right there on the boat next to the docks, hiding on the ship deck. They wouldn't even have to change the order of the scenes. There could just be a scene where the player goes over to make sure he's okay before Karlach's scene plays.

They changed the companion lines to be nicer but that was never really my issue with it bc I'm not supposed to be able to control their personalities. It's just really jarring to see a companion your MC might care about run away on fire and not have the option to uh, make sure they're alive and okay lol. In my first playthrough I wasn't even sure if he died and it took me out of the rest of the ending. This was when the game first came out so Karlach's ending was still broken and didn't play, which I'm glad about because I would have been distracted the whole time if it had. As it was it just skipped right from Astarion running away to all the NPCs in the city who I had no emotional investment in celebrating.

They've added so many scenes for the companions since release and this to me always felt like the result of them deciding to cut the game off at the docks right before release, so I'm surprised they didn't change it. I don't know if they're allowed to add new dialogue and voiced lines going forward beyond what they already had planned when they ended their deal with wotc, but it would be nice to at least have a cinematic for it.

Agreed- it wasn't the companion lines that were the main issue, though it's nice that they were fixed. It's really Tav doing absolutely nothing to help.

Yeah, I guess you can be roleplaying a Tav that doesn't care and would choose to just let him run off. So a choice would be fine. But I would argue that you aren't given that choice with Karlach. The character runs over to her in distress automatically. Obviously this is what almost every player would choose, and I think this has to do with the fact that her entire story is leading up to that scene so the devs want you to see it which makes sense to me, but there's still a disconnect here with how the scenes are treated.

I remember someone saying that they always had Astarion in their party but Karlach had stayed at camp the whole time, so while they were invested in Astarion's character they never got invested in hers. And it was weird for them to be prevented from doing anything when Astarion runs away, only to be forced into chasing down Karlach. I'm fine with Karlach's scene not being optional but I imagine that would make the experience even more jarring for the player.

I wonder if this with play differently without Karlach in the group. Though I'm not sure I'd be willing to abandon her for a playthrough to find out.

It doesn't. I've played without her. Astarion runs off and then it just cuts to the scene of the city celebrating lol. So before they added the epilogue if Karlach wasn't in your party that was the last companion scene. (Unless you romanced one of them.) It's like comically bad and bewildering.

So even if you don't have to help Karlach, you can't help Astarion? Ugh that's frustrating.

I keep wondering if they made some way to help him that no one's found yet, but that's probably just copium. This can't possibly be the only option for spawn, right???

The lack of option is unfortunately the only option, yes. You're just forced to watch him run away, which is even more frustrating when you know he's still right next to the docks. They added a forced narration voice over that says something like "no worries he's always been great at making himself happy/comfortable" with a shot of the player smiling as he departs which is. so much worse lol.

I also want to support this request. I'm glad that companions are now more empathetic towards Astarion, but I think it's our character who should say something more than anyone else. Especially if Astarion is our romance, it feels bad that our character can't show any signs of concern and just stands there silently watching their love burn and run away.

Also want to add that while it makes even less sense if the player romanced him, it's still bad if they didn't. In some ways it's worse (especially before they added the epilogue) because you don't get to see him at all afterward. Everyone I've seen react to it is left confused and upset lol.

I agree with this request. While it's good that the other companions have more compassionate reactions, it doesn't help that our Tav stand by and watch him getting burned by the sun and running away, trying to hide. I don't know if if's still doable at this point, but an ending animation with Tav (romanced or not) going in his direction to try to find him would be enough.

Well, since they've changed Tav's facial expressions, because AA fans said 'it removes player agency', I think it's totally doable here too, especially because Tav isn't voiced and not being able to show your concern in this scene removes player agency just as well.

Yes, I think this would be a simple fix to do, since our character isn't voiced. I don't understand why they haven't done it yet, honestly. It could be as simple as adding a short animation of our character running after Astarion. If changing the order of scenes is impossible, our character could say some line showing concern and an animation making the move to go after him, but Karlach dying draws our attention and stop us.

I don't know. Being our romance, it feels weird that our character prioritizes Karlach when he is also in mortal danger and we don't know if he is ok. Even weirder is the possibility of being able to go with Karlach to Avernus and abandon Astarion to his fate. I love Karlach to the moon and back, but this doesn't make any sense and in this aspect, the romance with Spawn Astarion feels neglected.

Yes, This makes perfect sense.

And very much so compared to AA.
I'm very grateful that Larian implemented his scene about cheating with Mizora, but honestly, it should have been there from the start, because AA version has always been there.

Yes, I'm glad too because he deserves to have a conversation just like the others. But in the end, it's not something that's going to add much to my playthrough, since I'm never going to choose to cheat on him with Mizora (I'm speaking for myself, but I think most people won't either). I mean, it's great that they fixed it, but I think it's much more important to fix his final scene at the docks so that his Spawn route doesn't leave us with this bittersweet taste in the end.

I agree with this!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm glad they changed the reactions of the companions but I wanted MY character to run to him. I love Karach but no offense to her if my boyfriend was burning up, I am having no other thoughts but to run after him make sure he is safe. Like when that scene is happening my character does not know if he died from the sun, my character would race after him casting darkness on him or at least giving him a cloak. Once I know he's good then I would run back to Karlach and have that scene. Or at least have Karlach's scene happen before Astarion's which IDK if they could do because they have Karlach's Hells scene which honestly makes no sense to have if I don't go with her.


I completely agree with this and his romance feels neglected because it is neglected :///