Amidst the labyrinth of Baldur’s Gate 3's adventures lies a tapestry of love that players can uncover by romancing certain in-game characters. To build successful romantic relationships, players need to fashion their choices according to what the character would approve of. Romancing the bubbly vampire and moving past his flirtatious side to discover a tragic life story may not always entail morally good decisions. In this article, we’ll take a look at how to romance the vampire elf, Astarion.
Romancing Astarion in Baldur’s Gate 3
Decision making is the driving force behind all romance storylines in Baldur’s Gate 3. Gaining the approval of your love interest may sometimes lead you astray from making the right moral judgments. So, if you plan to form a romantic relationship with Astarion, you need to consider his approval at every step of the way. Each decision you make will further impact your relationship with this vampire rogue.
Astarion’s flirtatious charm makes it easier to communicate with him. However, behind this elaborately crafted bubble of happiness lies a tragic past that players must get through in order to win him over. As your relationship with him grows, he will open up to you about his past, leading the storyline to Act 3, where you will join him in a companion quest to defeat Cazador, Astarion’s abuser.
Astarion drowns under hedonism, living life on his own terms. He finds himself pleased by the finer things in life, having led a long, long life as a vampire. Anything weak is instantly discarded, and so are any senseless acts of heroism. For players who are expecting a more savory approach to life, no companion is better than Astarion.
Astarion: Approval and Disapproval
Like any other romance storyline, Astarion’s approval will lead the relationship forward. The higher the approval, the closer you are. Players will come across this rogue in Act 1 on the Nautiloid, the mind-flayer ship. The first step to gaining his approval is to adhere to his vampire diet and let him feed on your blood. This can instantly spark up your relationship.
The following are some things that Astarion approves of:
Supporting his vampire-ness
Acts of dominance and ruthlessness
Appreciation of art
Being cruel to those who are weak
Aligning with evil creatures like goblins
Letting him feed on you and bite you
Being supportive of his decisions
The following are some things that Astarion disapproves of:
Senseless acts of heroism and kindness
Being concerned about the weak
Acts of submissiveness and restraint
Talking down to him
Being unsupportive of his vampire-ness
Upon completing ‘Rescuing the Druid Halsin’ and ‘Save the Refugees’ side quests,strike up a conversation with Astarion during the celebration with refugees at the campsite. Follow the given series of dialogues to charm him:
Really? Saving lives is awful?
True, the Goblins would have thrown a wilder party.
And what’s your idea of ‘a little fun’? Or We could have fun? We could spend some ‘quality time’ together.
All right, let’s do it. I’ll see you later.
Next, click on the bedroll to find yourself on the bed with Astarion. Before passionately consummating your relationship with him, follow the given series of dialogues:
You don’t have me yet.
And what do you want?
Choose to nod.
While enjoying your time with Astarion, you will be given the choice to let him bite you. This decision may not directly impact your relationship, but letting him do it can help you earn some approval. The next morning, Astarion’s scars will come to light, and you can follow the given dialogue to know more:
"Interesting scars. Where'd you get them?"
"Why did he write it in Infernal?"
Continue making decisions that will gain his approval. This will strengthen your relationship with Astarion. Doing this will also help you understand his past and as you swift through Act 1, you will gradually find yourselves in Act 3 on a companion quest to avenge Astarion’s sexual abuse by Cazador.