{"id":475861,"date":"2025-05-09T00:43:57","date_gmt":"2025-05-09T00:43:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/?p=475861"},"modified":"2025-05-09T00:43:57","modified_gmt":"2025-05-09T00:43:57","slug":"why-is-astarion-so-hard-to-romance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/why-is-astarion-so-hard-to-romance\/","title":{"rendered":"Why is Astarion so hard to romance?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_67_1 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title \" >Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/why-is-astarion-so-hard-to-romance\/#Why_is_Astarion_so_hard_to_romance\" title=\"Why is Astarion so hard to romance?\">Why is Astarion so hard to romance?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-2' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/why-is-astarion-so-hard-to-romance\/#Understanding_Astarions_Complexity\" title=\"Understanding Astarion&#8217;s Complexity\">Understanding Astarion&#8217;s Complexity<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/why-is-astarion-so-hard-to-romance\/#Frequently_Asked_Questions\" title=\"Frequently Asked Questions\">Frequently Asked Questions<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/why-is-astarion-so-hard-to-romance\/#General_Questions\" title=\"General Questions\">General Questions<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/why-is-astarion-so-hard-to-romance\/#Romance_and_Relationships\" title=\"Romance and Relationships\">Romance and Relationships<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/why-is-astarion-so-hard-to-romance\/#Approval_and_Gifts\" title=\"Approval and Gifts\">Approval and Gifts<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/why-is-astarion-so-hard-to-romance\/#Story_and_Consequences\" title=\"Story and Consequences\">Story and Consequences<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/why-is-astarion-so-hard-to-romance\/#Character_Interactions\" title=\"Character Interactions\">Character Interactions<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_is_Astarion_so_hard_to_romance\"><\/span>Why is Astarion so hard to romance?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<p>Astarion is a complex character in <strong>Baldur&#8217;s Gate 3<\/strong>, and <strong>romancing<\/strong> him requires a deep understanding of his <strong>personality<\/strong>, <strong>desires<\/strong>, and <strong>boundaries<\/strong>, making it a challenging but rewarding experience for players. To successfully <strong>romance Astarion<\/strong>, players must navigate his <strong>push-pull dynamic<\/strong>, where he can be pleased or displeased by <strong>dialogue choices<\/strong>, often involving <strong>provoking<\/strong> and <strong>lying<\/strong> to other characters, which can lead to <strong>morally questionable decisions<\/strong>. <\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Understanding_Astarions_Complexity\"><\/span>Understanding Astarion&#8217;s Complexity<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Astarion&#8217;s <strong>romance<\/strong> is not straightforward, and players must be willing to <strong>manipulate<\/strong> and <strong>trick<\/strong> him to build a relationship, which can be <strong>daunting<\/strong> for some players. His <strong>approval rating<\/strong> plays a significant role in determining the success of the <strong>romance<\/strong>, and players must make <strong>choices<\/strong> that align with his <strong>values<\/strong> and <strong>desires<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Frequently_Asked_Questions\"><\/span>Frequently Asked Questions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"General_Questions\"><\/span>General Questions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Why can&#8217;t I romance Astarion?<\/strong>: To trigger Astarion&#8217;s <strong>romance scene<\/strong> in Act 3, you must have finished his <strong>companion quest<\/strong>, which involves taking down his <strong>master Cazador<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Does Astarion break up with you?<\/strong>: Players can pick whichever option they feel suits how they want their relationship with Astarion to be, and picking options that <strong>manipulate<\/strong> Astarion into having <strong>sex<\/strong> with you simply for <strong>pleasure<\/strong> will be followed by a <strong>cutscene<\/strong> where Astarion <strong>breaks up<\/strong> with the player.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Is Astarion easy to romance?<\/strong>: Some characters are easier to <strong>unlock romances<\/strong> with than others; one of the easier people to connect with is the <strong>vampire elf<\/strong> named Astarion.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Romance_and_Relationships\"><\/span>Romance and Relationships<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ol start=\"4\">\n<li><strong>How do you romance Astarion on a good run?<\/strong>: You can support him in his desire to use the <strong>mind flayer tadpole<\/strong> to his advantage, and you&#8217;ll also please him by assisting the <strong>goblins<\/strong> in the <strong>goblin camp<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Can you romance Astarion without letting him bite you?<\/strong>: You&#8217;ll then see a <strong>romance scene<\/strong> between you and Astarion, and during the scene, you can choose to let Astarion <strong>bite<\/strong> you or not.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Can you romance Astarion if you don&#8217;t sleep with him?<\/strong>: Doing a good <strong>playthrough<\/strong> with him is fun, and you don&#8217;t need to <strong>sleep<\/strong> with him at the party to begin <strong>romancing<\/strong> him.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Approval_and_Gifts\"><\/span>Approval and Gifts<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ol start=\"7\">\n<li><strong>How do you know if Astarion likes you?<\/strong>: As you begin to <strong>romance<\/strong> Astarion, you can check up his <strong>approval rating<\/strong> of you on the <strong>character sheet<\/strong>, and the goal is to gain high <strong>approval<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>How to make Astarion love you?<\/strong>: Astarion&#8217;s <strong>approval list<\/strong> includes <strong>supporting his desires<\/strong>, being <strong>supportive<\/strong> of his <strong>nature<\/strong> and <strong>condition<\/strong>, and <strong>aligning<\/strong> yourself with creatures of <strong>evil nature<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Should you let Astarion feed on you?<\/strong>: If you plan to make Astarion a permanent part of your <strong>party<\/strong>, you should consider letting him <strong>suck your blood<\/strong> for the <strong>Happy buff<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Story_and_Consequences\"><\/span>Story and Consequences<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ol start=\"10\">\n<li><strong>Is it bad to let Astarion ascend?<\/strong>: Despite being vocally <strong>grateful<\/strong> to you, he will quickly become much more <strong>arrogant<\/strong> and <strong>power-hungry<\/strong>, even noting in the following conversation his desire to <strong>subjugate<\/strong> the world.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Can you have a happy ending with Astarion?<\/strong>: Alternatively, going for the <strong>morally good ending<\/strong> and keeping Astarion as a <strong>Vampire Spawn<\/strong> opens the potential for a <strong>DLC<\/strong> centered around helping him stand <strong>sunlight<\/strong> again.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Character_Interactions\"><\/span>Character Interactions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ol start=\"12\">\n<li><strong>Does Astarion like the dark urge?<\/strong>: Astarion <strong>sympathizes<\/strong> with <strong>Dark Urge<\/strong> and their <strong>struggles<\/strong> very much and is very <strong>supportive<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Can you romance Astarion if you save the Grove?<\/strong>: As of Act 1, there is only one opportunity to get involved with Astarion <strong>romantically<\/strong> and <strong>carnally<\/strong>. ! <\/li>\n<li><strong>Can you romance Astarion with fair approval?<\/strong>: &#8220;Fair&#8221; is good enough to start the <strong>romance<\/strong> at the <strong>tiefling party<\/strong> later on, if you make the right <strong>choices<\/strong> at the party itself.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Should you ask Astarion about his scars?<\/strong>: Apparently, you should always ask Astarion about his <strong>scar<\/strong> for the <strong>scar-reading scene<\/strong> to appear.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Why is Astarion so hard to romance? Astarion is a complex character in Baldur&#8217;s Gate 3, and romancing him requires a deep understanding of his personality, desires, and boundaries, making it a challenging but rewarding experience for players. To successfully romance Astarion, players must navigate his push-pull dynamic, where he can be pleased or displeased &#8230; <a title=\"Why is Astarion so hard to romance?\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/why-is-astarion-so-hard-to-romance\/\" aria-label=\"More on Why is Astarion so hard to romance?\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-475861","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blog"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/475861","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=475861"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/475861\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=475861"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=475861"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=475861"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}