As we all know very well by now, Astarion is a rather complicated individual, with a very tragic past.
If left "untreated", Astarion's self-serving tendencies inevitably lead to embracing the tadpole and Ascending. He will do whatever it takes to survive and stay free, and that definitely means siding with the villains and killing remorselessly. Yes, he has the potential to be barely better than non-resisting Dark Urge.
If you play as Astarion, there is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to deter you from this mindset. You simply have a front row seat to the worst case scenario with our beloved vampire - but only if you are truly roleplaying as him.
IMPORTANT: If you don't mind adjusting Astarion's personality to your own taste regardless of his actual personality when he is a follower, you are wasting your time in this thread. Kudos to you, enjoy your game.
However, if you wish to stay true to Astarion's identity, you will have a problem, because the game does nothing to encourage you to redeem yourself, to change your mind, to help you be a better version of yourself. This is what Tav or Dark Urge do when they are protagonists. Other people in the party DON'T CARE. They will only make minuscule comments when it's already too late, or make remarks that will rub you the wrong way.
When Astarion is a follower, other followers can eventually acknowledge and respect him only because of Tav's/DU's influence. At first they are wary, and when his vampirism is revealed they are outright hostile. If Astarion is allowed to stay in the party, they either tolerate him, or are mildly amused by his sarcasm. THAT'S IT. They get to care for him ONLY if Tav/DU show that they care.
Astarion is very rough around the edges - understandably so, given his unfortunate experiences - and the others are too absorbed in their own problems to reach out to him. Tav/DU is the only one who does the "heavy lifting" and connects followers with each other. This is partly okay, even from the perspective of other playable Origin characters - but not from Astarion's.
Gale is friendly and charismatic. He is capable of mitigating the danger of the Orb. There is room in his story to go either way, depending on how you play. He can be either ambitious or striving for redemption. He is flexible, because he is learned and thoughtful. You can practically choose between good or evil genius.
Shadowheart's focus is her mission, but she knows she needs allies. Also, she's not a bad person to begin with. Even as a Sharran, even with her crippled memory, she knows right from wrong. She is inclined to keeping secrets, but she can adjust according to circumstances. There is room in her story to go either way, especially since the crux of her character is to literally choose between light and darkness.
Lae'zel is a soldier. She knows her goal, she knows what she must do, but she is in a foreign world and she knows she must adjust to survive. Depending on how you roleplay this adjusting process, her story can go either way. She has potential for both good and bad choices.
Wyll is a hero, but certainly not unfamiliar with gray area. He is charismatic and friendly, and he can be a good leader. He is very capable of using common sense, but he can also be impulsive. His morals can also go astray, depending on how you roleplay.
Karlach is a good person, but a decade in Hells can do awful things even to a good person. She knows strategy, she knows how to deal with a bad situation, so she has the potential to coordinate others. Her own story can go in various directions, since her spirit is adventurous above all else. (I know it's hard to imagine an evil Karlach, but she IS a barbarian at heart)
And then - we have Astarion.
Two hundred years as an enslaved prostitute. Forced to live in darkness and drink filthy blood. Tortured both physically and mentally on regular basis. He has seen only the worst in people. He was purposely trained to manipulate, forced to adopt such a mindset. He is starved for freedom - and for blood. He doesn't know friendship or love, he only knows how to use those to manipulate others. His people-skills come down to "use to achieve personal goal" rather than "sincerely connect". And he doesn't know shit about strategy and consolidating a team.
In other words - Astarion is a wreck deep down. There is no leeway to play as him in a good light, because he doesn't know what a good light is! Honestly, I don't see a functional purpose in playing as Astarion, other than seeing bits of his story from his own perspective. From the angle of his character, he has no reason whatsoever to do anything helpful for others. There is just no possible path for him other than "use the tadpole", "kill anyone who stands in my way", "kill Cazador" and "Ascend".
And other companions do NOTHING to change his mind. No one shows genuine interest in his situation. Hells, when he reveals himself as a vampire, only ONE companion reacts to it! It just seems that no one gives a damn. The only instances when they do give a damn is when it's something regarding their own moral compasses or their own personal issues.
No one talks with Astarion about Ascension, when he finds out about it. He is left to his own skewered devices to come to a decision - and the only decision he could make is to go through with it.
In general, the input of followers tends to be meagre when it comes to big decisions, no matter who you play as. But in Astarion's case, it is really, REALLY painfully obvious. If you're roleplaying with his personality in mind, there is simply no room for other options. You end up a villain, fundamentally broken inside.
Hey, if I am wrong, please explain how I could adjust my mindset to play as Astarion in any other way. And make sure to bring up meaningful arguments.
But if I am right, and playing as Astarion has only one logical path and outcome, then he shouldn't have been a player option to begin with... or Larian could have done it differently.
Last edited by Katarsi; 29/12/24 06:23 PM.
