Baldur’s Gate 3, the critically acclaimed RPG, has captured the hearts of gamers worldwide, and no character is more intriguing than the mysterious elf, Astarion. For those who started to romance with the enigmatic vampire spawn, it can be pretty challenging to pursue him early in the game, especially for those playing as good-aligned characters.
In this detailed guide, we will delve into the process of romancing Astarion, covering every step of how to gain his approval.
Meeting Astarion
To recruit Astarion as your companion in Baldur’s Gate 3, head to the Nautiloid ship crash site on the Ravaged Beach he should be at X:170, Y:287. Your opportunity to recruit him is early in the game, just after the prologue. As you approach the location, you’ll discover Astarion in distress, seemingly calling for help.
When you get close or leave, Astarion will draw his knife, attempting to slit your throat. Let him talk and comply in answering his questions. Then the mind-flayer parasites will intervene, connecting your thoughts with his. This unusual connection prompts a change of heart. He releases you apologizes to you, and ultimately agrees to join your party.
However, this newfound alliance establishes in building trust with Astarion. So make sure to take him to your party most of the time to progress his character quest and his affection towards you.
Additionally, consider his Rogue class build, as it plays a crucial role in shaping his abilities and contributions to your party’s damage output. His amazing skills in lockpicking and pickpocketing open a lot of doors to hidden treasures and secrets that would be harder to open without him. These qualities alone make him a sought-after companion in the world of Baldur’s Gate 3.
Gaining Astarion’s Approval
To start a romance with Astarion in Baldur’s Gate 3, you first need to earn his approval. This approval rating is an important factor in determining whether or not he will return your affection. Astarion, like all characters in the game, has his own preferences, likes, and dislikes. This crucial step occurs during the refugee celebration after completing the “Save the Refugees” side quest.
Here’s how to gain Astarion’s approval:
Actions That Earn Astarion’s Approval:
- Supporting his desires.
- Being supportive of his nature and condition.
- Aligning yourself with creatures of evil nature, such as goblins or devils.
- Being ruthless to those he views as weak.
- Demonstrating your power over others.
- Appreciating the fine arts.
- Displaying cruelty to others.
- Allowing him to bite you.
Actions That Earn Astarion’s Disapproval:
- Showing concern for the weak.
- Exercising restraint.
- Being judgmental towards him and his condition.
- Engaging in general acts of heroism.
Astarion’s preference for a darker and more chaotic approach to life makes it challenging to maintain high approval as a good-aligned character. However, if you are willing to embrace a more sinister path occasionally, winning Astarion’s favor becomes an easy goal.
Romancing Astarion in Act 1
To initiate a romance with Astarion, you must reach Act 1 and complete the quests “Rescuing the Druid Halsin” and “Save the Refugees” questline. When you complete these quests, take a long rest, and you will trigger the celebration with the refugees that will occur at your campsite. An important scene will happen so make sure you save it just in case you mess up. Approach Astarion and talk to him, and if you have a high approval rating with him, he will invite you to have sex in the woods.
Head to a bedroll and interact with it and it will lead to a passionate night with Astarion. During this scene, you can choose to let him bite you if you want that extra increase in his approval of you, or just let him continue.
The next morning, you’ll have an intimate conversation about his scars, but make sure not to anger him. The key is to show concern. This dialogue exchange provides an insight into his past and how he received the scars on his back.
Romancing Astarion in Act 2
In Act 2, you will encounter the devil, Raphael again in the entrance of Thorm’s Mausoleum (X:-118 Y:112). He will ask you to hunt down Yurgir the Orothon, in doing so he will give you information about Astarion’s scars. Accept his deal and proceed to go to Thorm’s Mausoleum.
Go deeper into Thorm’s Mausoleum and you’ll find yourself inside the ancient temple of Lady Shar (X: -673, Y: -754). When you encounter Yurgir, you have two options:
- Persuasuade Yurgir: You can try and persuade Yurgir to kill himself and his minions. You just need a high perception check to trigger this dialogue option. It’s gonna be a hard ability check, so make sure to have a high perception check or save scum this part of the dialogue, it’s gonna be easy but very tedious to do.
- Killing Spree: If you want a more chaotic approach, you can kill him, but it’s gonna be a hard fight. So make sure to gear up and save this fight for last.
When the fight is over head back to camp and Raphael will appear to congratulate you and reveal the hidden secret of Astarion’s scar.
After this scene make sure to ask if he’s alright, and always show care and compassion towards his circumstances. This scene deepens your relationship with Astarion, focusing on his past and emotional struggles. While it doesn’t lead to explicit romance, it advances your romantic subplot with him. Again, don’t be afraid to save scum, but if you want to have a natural outcome of the scene just make sure that you follow his preferences.
Romancing Astarion in Act 3
To trigger Astarion’s romance scene in Act 3, you must complete his companion quest, which involves confronting his cruel master, Cazador. This is a difficult boss fight, so make sure that you take advantage of your crowd control spells because there are going to be lots of enemies.
After Cazador’s defeat, you have two options:
Stopping the Ritual:
If you choose to stop the ritual, you have to make sure to convince him not to kill his brothers and sisters. Remind him that it isn’t worth the cost of many lives over power.
If you have successfully convinced him you can head back and rest at your campsite after the battle, and Astarion will want to talk to you. This choice leads to a romantic scene between you and him in a graveyard. After your romantic night with him, you’ll gain more insight into his character and how he endured and survived Cazador’s cruelty.
Completing the Ritual:
If you complete the ritual, allow Astarion to carve his runes on Cazador’s back, and don’t interrupt the ritual. After Astarion’s ascension, head to your campsite. Astarion will approach you during rest. Make sure you approve everything he says to get a happy ending with him. This path leads to a more carnal encounter, and Astarion will feed on you, turning you into a vampire and granting you the vampire bite ability.
