What happens if I let Astarion ascend in Baldur's Gate 3?
Letting Astarion ascend in Baldur's Gate 3 is a significant story choice that occurs during his personal questline, "The Pale Elf." This questline revolves around Astarion's desire to free himself from his vampiric curse and gain power. Ascension is the ultimate outcome of this quest, but it comes with major consequences for Astarion's character, your relationship with him, and the story as a whole. Here's a detailed breakdown of how to achieve this outcome, the mechanics involved, and what to consider.
To let Astarion ascend, you must first progress through his personal questline. This begins in Act 1 when you learn about his vampiric nature and his desire to find a way to walk in the sun again. In Act 2, you will encounter a group of vampire spawn in the Shadow-Cursed Lands, which leads to the discovery of a ritual that could grant Astarion immense power. This ritual involves sacrificing 7,000 vampire spawn to the vampire lord Cazador, Astarion's former master. To proceed, you must confront Cazador in Act 3 during the quest "The Pale Elf."
When you reach Cazador's palace in Act 3, you will face a series of challenges, including combat encounters and puzzles. The key moment comes when you confront Cazador in his ritual chamber. Here, you have the option to either help Astarion complete the ritual and ascend or persuade him to abandon it. To let Astarion ascend, you must support his decision to complete the ritual. This involves defeating Cazador and ensuring Astarion takes his place in the ritual circle. Once the ritual is complete, Astarion will ascend, becoming a full-fledged vampire lord with immense power.
The mechanics of this choice are tied to dialogue options and combat strategy. During the confrontation with Cazador, you must ensure Astarion is alive and able to participate in the ritual. Cazador will attempt to incapacitate Astarion, so you need to protect him during the fight. Additionally, you must choose dialogue options that align with Astarion's desire for power, such as encouraging him to take control of the ritual. If you succeed, Astarion will ascend, gaining new abilities and a darker personality.
There are several important tips and considerations to keep in mind. First, ascending Astarion has significant consequences for his character. While he gains immense power, he also becomes more ruthless and detached, losing some of his humanity. This can affect your relationship with him, especially if you are romancing him. Second, completing the ritual requires sacrificing 7,000 vampire spawn, which raises moral questions and may conflict with your character's alignment or personal values. Third, ascending Astarion locks you out of other potential outcomes for his questline, such as helping him find a more peaceful resolution to his curse.
Common mistakes to avoid include failing to protect Astarion during the fight with Cazador or choosing dialogue options that discourage him from completing the ritual. Additionally, some players may not realize the full implications of ascending Astarion, so it's important to consider the long-term consequences before making this choice.
Advanced techniques involve optimizing your party composition and combat strategy for the fight with Cazador. Since Cazador is a powerful vampire lord, you should bring characters with radiant damage, such as clerics or paladins, to exploit his weaknesses. Additionally, using crowd control spells and abilities to manage the vampire spawn in the room can make the fight easier. Ensuring Astarion is well-equipped and positioned to survive the fight is also crucial.
From a D&D rules perspective, ascending Astarion aligns with the concept of a vampire lord gaining power through dark rituals. In D&D 5E, vampires are powerful undead creatures with abilities like charm, regeneration, and shapechanging. Ascending Astarion enhances these abilities, making him a formidable ally or a dangerous foe, depending on your choices.
In summary, letting Astarion ascend in Baldur's Gate 3 is a complex and morally ambiguous decision that requires careful consideration. By following the steps outlined above, you can achieve this outcome, but be prepared for the consequences it brings to the story and your relationship with Astarion.
To let Astarion ascend, you must first progress through his personal questline. This begins in Act 1 when you learn about his vampiric nature and his desire to find a way to walk in the sun again. In Act 2, you will encounter a group of vampire spawn in the Shadow-Cursed Lands, which leads to the discovery of a ritual that could grant Astarion immense power. This ritual involves sacrificing 7,000 vampire spawn to the vampire lord Cazador, Astarion's former master. To proceed, you must confront Cazador in Act 3 during the quest "The Pale Elf."
When you reach Cazador's palace in Act 3, you will face a series of challenges, including combat encounters and puzzles. The key moment comes when you confront Cazador in his ritual chamber. Here, you have the option to either help Astarion complete the ritual and ascend or persuade him to abandon it. To let Astarion ascend, you must support his decision to complete the ritual. This involves defeating Cazador and ensuring Astarion takes his place in the ritual circle. Once the ritual is complete, Astarion will ascend, becoming a full-fledged vampire lord with immense power.
The mechanics of this choice are tied to dialogue options and combat strategy. During the confrontation with Cazador, you must ensure Astarion is alive and able to participate in the ritual. Cazador will attempt to incapacitate Astarion, so you need to protect him during the fight. Additionally, you must choose dialogue options that align with Astarion's desire for power, such as encouraging him to take control of the ritual. If you succeed, Astarion will ascend, gaining new abilities and a darker personality.
There are several important tips and considerations to keep in mind. First, ascending Astarion has significant consequences for his character. While he gains immense power, he also becomes more ruthless and detached, losing some of his humanity. This can affect your relationship with him, especially if you are romancing him. Second, completing the ritual requires sacrificing 7,000 vampire spawn, which raises moral questions and may conflict with your character's alignment or personal values. Third, ascending Astarion locks you out of other potential outcomes for his questline, such as helping him find a more peaceful resolution to his curse.
Common mistakes to avoid include failing to protect Astarion during the fight with Cazador or choosing dialogue options that discourage him from completing the ritual. Additionally, some players may not realize the full implications of ascending Astarion, so it's important to consider the long-term consequences before making this choice.
Advanced techniques involve optimizing your party composition and combat strategy for the fight with Cazador. Since Cazador is a powerful vampire lord, you should bring characters with radiant damage, such as clerics or paladins, to exploit his weaknesses. Additionally, using crowd control spells and abilities to manage the vampire spawn in the room can make the fight easier. Ensuring Astarion is well-equipped and positioned to survive the fight is also crucial.
From a D&D rules perspective, ascending Astarion aligns with the concept of a vampire lord gaining power through dark rituals. In D&D 5E, vampires are powerful undead creatures with abilities like charm, regeneration, and shapechanging. Ascending Astarion enhances these abilities, making him a formidable ally or a dangerous foe, depending on your choices.
In summary, letting Astarion ascend in Baldur's Gate 3 is a complex and morally ambiguous decision that requires careful consideration. By following the steps outlined above, you can achieve this outcome, but be prepared for the consequences it brings to the story and your relationship with Astarion.