How do I unlock Astarion's personal quest in Baldur's Gate 3?
To unlock Astarion's personal quest in Baldur's Gate 3, you need to build a strong relationship with him by gaining his approval and progressing through the story. Astarion is a high elf vampire spawn with a complex backstory, and his personal quest revolves around his past and his connection to his former master, Cazador. HereÔÇÖs a detailed guide on how to unlock and progress through his quest.
First, you need to recruit Astarion. He can be found early in Act 1, near the Nautiloid crash site. After the crash, head west from the starting area, and youÔÇÖll encounter him near the beach. He will initially pretend to need help, but it quickly becomes clear heÔÇÖs a vampire. Agree to let him join your party, and he will become a companion.
Once Astarion is in your party, you need to gain his approval. Astarion approves of selfish, cunning, and morally ambiguous choices. He dislikes acts of charity, selflessness, and overly righteous behavior. For example, if you encounter the tieflings holding LaeÔÇÖzel captive, siding with the tieflings will lower his approval, while siding with LaeÔÇÖzel or avoiding the conflict entirely will maintain or increase it. Similarly, in dialogue, choosing options that reflect a pragmatic or self-serving attitude will earn his favor.
As you progress through Act 1, youÔÇÖll encounter a scene where Astarion tries to bite you during a long rest. This is a key moment in his questline. When he attempts to bite you, you have several options. Allowing him to bite you will increase his approval, but you can also refuse or stop him mid-bite. If you allow him to bite you, he will gain the ability to use a bite attack in combat, which can be useful. However, if you stop him, he will be upset, and his approval will drop. This scene is crucial for unlocking his personal quest, as it reveals more about his vampiric nature and his struggles.
In Act 2, AstarionÔÇÖs personal quest begins to take shape. YouÔÇÖll encounter a group of Gur hunters who are searching for him. They will reveal that Astarion is a vampire spawn and that they are hunting him on behalf of his former master, Cazador. This encounter is a turning point in his questline. You can choose to side with Astarion and help him evade the hunters, or you can turn him over to them. Siding with Astarion will increase his approval and progress his quest, while turning him over will end his questline and remove him from your party.
As you continue through Act 2, youÔÇÖll learn more about Cazador and his plans for Astarion. Cazador is a powerful vampire lord who has enslaved Astarion and other vampire spawn. AstarionÔÇÖs ultimate goal is to free himself from CazadorÔÇÖs control and gain power for himself. To do this, youÔÇÖll need to confront Cazador in Act 3.
In Act 3, youÔÇÖll finally confront Cazador in his palace. This is the climax of AstarionÔÇÖs personal quest. YouÔÇÖll need to navigate the palace, defeat CazadorÔÇÖs minions, and ultimately face Cazador himself. During the confrontation, Astarion will have the opportunity to complete a ritual that will grant him immense power, but at a great cost. You can choose to support him in completing the ritual, or you can convince him to abandon it and find another way to free himself. The choice you make will determine the outcome of his quest and his future.
Throughout AstarionÔÇÖs questline, itÔÇÖs important to maintain his approval. This can be challenging, as his preferences often conflict with those of other companions. For example, Shadowheart and Wyll tend to approve of more altruistic choices, while Astarion prefers selfish ones. Balancing these conflicting preferences can be difficult, but itÔÇÖs essential if you want to maintain a good relationship with all your companions.
One common mistake is making choices that lower AstarionÔÇÖs approval without realizing it. For example, helping the tieflings in Act 1 or siding with the druids in the grove conflict will lower his approval. To avoid this, pay close attention to his reactions and try to make choices that align with his values.
Advanced techniques for optimizing AstarionÔÇÖs questline include using his vampiric abilities to your advantage in combat. His bite attack can be a powerful tool, especially if you allow him to feed on enemies during combat. Additionally, his rogue abilities make him an excellent scout and damage dealer, so positioning him strategically in combat can give you an edge.
In terms of D&D 5E rules, AstarionÔÇÖs vampiric abilities are based on the vampire spawn stat block. This includes his bite attack, which deals necrotic damage and can heal him. His rogue class gives him access to sneak attack, which allows him to deal extra damage when he has advantage on an attack roll or when an ally is within 5 feet of the target.
In conclusion, unlocking and progressing through AstarionÔÇÖs personal quest requires careful attention to his approval and the choices you make throughout the game. By understanding his preferences, making strategic decisions, and using his abilities effectively, you can help him achieve his goals and uncover the secrets of his past.
First, you need to recruit Astarion. He can be found early in Act 1, near the Nautiloid crash site. After the crash, head west from the starting area, and youÔÇÖll encounter him near the beach. He will initially pretend to need help, but it quickly becomes clear heÔÇÖs a vampire. Agree to let him join your party, and he will become a companion.
Once Astarion is in your party, you need to gain his approval. Astarion approves of selfish, cunning, and morally ambiguous choices. He dislikes acts of charity, selflessness, and overly righteous behavior. For example, if you encounter the tieflings holding LaeÔÇÖzel captive, siding with the tieflings will lower his approval, while siding with LaeÔÇÖzel or avoiding the conflict entirely will maintain or increase it. Similarly, in dialogue, choosing options that reflect a pragmatic or self-serving attitude will earn his favor.
As you progress through Act 1, youÔÇÖll encounter a scene where Astarion tries to bite you during a long rest. This is a key moment in his questline. When he attempts to bite you, you have several options. Allowing him to bite you will increase his approval, but you can also refuse or stop him mid-bite. If you allow him to bite you, he will gain the ability to use a bite attack in combat, which can be useful. However, if you stop him, he will be upset, and his approval will drop. This scene is crucial for unlocking his personal quest, as it reveals more about his vampiric nature and his struggles.
In Act 2, AstarionÔÇÖs personal quest begins to take shape. YouÔÇÖll encounter a group of Gur hunters who are searching for him. They will reveal that Astarion is a vampire spawn and that they are hunting him on behalf of his former master, Cazador. This encounter is a turning point in his questline. You can choose to side with Astarion and help him evade the hunters, or you can turn him over to them. Siding with Astarion will increase his approval and progress his quest, while turning him over will end his questline and remove him from your party.
As you continue through Act 2, youÔÇÖll learn more about Cazador and his plans for Astarion. Cazador is a powerful vampire lord who has enslaved Astarion and other vampire spawn. AstarionÔÇÖs ultimate goal is to free himself from CazadorÔÇÖs control and gain power for himself. To do this, youÔÇÖll need to confront Cazador in Act 3.
In Act 3, youÔÇÖll finally confront Cazador in his palace. This is the climax of AstarionÔÇÖs personal quest. YouÔÇÖll need to navigate the palace, defeat CazadorÔÇÖs minions, and ultimately face Cazador himself. During the confrontation, Astarion will have the opportunity to complete a ritual that will grant him immense power, but at a great cost. You can choose to support him in completing the ritual, or you can convince him to abandon it and find another way to free himself. The choice you make will determine the outcome of his quest and his future.
Throughout AstarionÔÇÖs questline, itÔÇÖs important to maintain his approval. This can be challenging, as his preferences often conflict with those of other companions. For example, Shadowheart and Wyll tend to approve of more altruistic choices, while Astarion prefers selfish ones. Balancing these conflicting preferences can be difficult, but itÔÇÖs essential if you want to maintain a good relationship with all your companions.
One common mistake is making choices that lower AstarionÔÇÖs approval without realizing it. For example, helping the tieflings in Act 1 or siding with the druids in the grove conflict will lower his approval. To avoid this, pay close attention to his reactions and try to make choices that align with his values.
Advanced techniques for optimizing AstarionÔÇÖs questline include using his vampiric abilities to your advantage in combat. His bite attack can be a powerful tool, especially if you allow him to feed on enemies during combat. Additionally, his rogue abilities make him an excellent scout and damage dealer, so positioning him strategically in combat can give you an edge.
In terms of D&D 5E rules, AstarionÔÇÖs vampiric abilities are based on the vampire spawn stat block. This includes his bite attack, which deals necrotic damage and can heal him. His rogue class gives him access to sneak attack, which allows him to deal extra damage when he has advantage on an attack roll or when an ally is within 5 feet of the target.
In conclusion, unlocking and progressing through AstarionÔÇÖs personal quest requires careful attention to his approval and the choices you make throughout the game. By understanding his preferences, making strategic decisions, and using his abilities effectively, you can help him achieve his goals and uncover the secrets of his past.