I think no party member approved of Astarion's ascended version. I absolutely loved how Lae'zel in her 'astral projection' form happened to give Critical hits in succession.
Astarions body language as if he's in a mildly uncomfortable social situation while you stand there in complete silence menacingly contemplating eating his brain is so fucking funny
And to make matters worse she's going to sarcastically say "so you finally killed asterion huh?" Afterwards just to let you know that she really was just watching lol
I want someone to draw Shadowheart sitting at a table drinking wine peacefully while in the background, mindflayer Tav and the gang are absolutely bodying a screaming Astarion.
Nothing ruins a great session faster than two players who secretly harbour dislike for each other, but instead of actually having it out, have their characters go at it. I was involved in it once. Even though I won, I'll never engage in that again.
For reals, there needs to be a mod or a patch that lets you kill this bony bastard... least with a DM, you could always punch them in the face if you so wished. Disclaimer - I'm not necessarily endorsing or _recommending_ you go around punching DMs... just saying, it **is** an option, technically speaking.
“Astarion’s sweet brain may be a bit less wrinkled then the rest, but you hunger for its teasing cells.” Gods, Tav might not be able to eat him but that didn’t stop the narrator from cooking.
And here I was thinking it was customary for co-op campaigns to leave a charred vampire elf corpse behind. Well, only 2/3 cases in my experience, but that ain't bad.
Oh no he remembers, he just doesn’t care. He says in a line of dialogue. Vampire Lords are already Psychopathic. Can’t imagine what a Vampire Ascendant is like.
@@MrBaconlover9000 Megalomaniacal beyond imagination, I'm sure. We're giving the most narcissistic, asinine egotistical prick more power and influence than he could possible know what to do with, and basically leave nothing that actually could feasibly leave him in check. He's not big enough for the gods to care about, and he's too powerful for 99% of mere mortals to even hope to slay now. He's in the perfect, golden environment for someone like him to thrive and abuse others in, until an adventuring party has to cobble up and try to kill him in some other campaign in the future...which is destined to happen, because Astarion already said it himself how he's going to die. His ambitions and desires will constantly elevate again and again, until he overreaches even his own considerable powers and attracts the wrong kind of attention from people/entities who inevitably will be able to kill him. In a weird way, vampires are the biggest wannabes ever because of it. They just can't help themselves, and it always leads to their ending.
"Astarion's sweet brain maybe less wrinkled than the rest." Shows him looking at his fingernails LMFAO 😂😂😂😂 AMELIA IS GONNA GET ME TO SPIT OUT MY DRINK ONE DAY 😂
It's so stupid that Withers would kick you out even though everyone obviously came to hate Astarion after he ascended. I mean, why else would everyone jump him?
@@greenchilistudioz4537 Should, not will. Obviously it's in their right and I have no control over them, but there's a lot of reasons to kill Ascended Astarion, and the fact the entire party joined in means everyone was in agreement that Astarion was ruining it being there. Everyone should be banished by this logic.
Well he's a true neutral. He maintains balance, morals aside. Astarion is definitely an ass after you let him ascend, but you're the one who broke the rules and resorted to violence, regardless of how wronged you might feel.
@@I2dios8 A true neutral wouldn't be so lawful as to ignore the fact that if somebody is soiling the mood for literally everyone else(hence the party itself coming to help), that person was more than likely ruining the party to begin with, and getting rid of them would allow things to be merry again. The only thing Tav did was remove a thorn in everyone else's side.
Are you kidding me? I've waited 6 months for this... this sweet little smooth brain 😂. Withers can send Tav back home now but every member of the party is happy with the end-result.
One of the things I absolutely love about this game is that by feeding into Astarion's (and even shadowheart's to an extent) bad behaviours and ambitions you actually help put them on the road of becoming the worst version of themselves. It's just another thing I really enjoy about this game. Like yeah! He becomes just as bad and perpetuates the same thing!
@@stell2081 i’ve seen lots of girls saying ascending him is the good choice because you’re giving him what he asked for and letting him walk in the sun too
he is evil from the start and the only way to make him give up his lust for power is to piss him off by prevnting him from having it. astarion is going to die in my run when i decide im sick of him.
I remember when he was trying to convince us to control the mindflayer army ourselves before we reach Moonrise towers, and we ask him how we're going to control the army. He says "I don't know, I'm not a details person. Just sewing chaos has worked for us so far, let's do that" 😂😂😂 I was DYYYYYINNGGG laughing at him. I love non-ascended Astarion, but god, I swear he's the biggest idiot of the group(aside from Minsc, of course). It's so funny that even Larian literally points it out in game and the narrator calls Astarion a smooth brain, I was dying 😂😂😂
@@FroggywitchmamaThe roll to not eat Minsc's brain narrates that everybody thinks his brain has problems, but you'd like to have a taste and prove how perfect it is.
Doesn't he have an INT stat of 8 or so? So, the lowest the game allows a humanoid to have? I know that gameplay isn't story - but generally, the stats distribution matches the characters pretty well
@@Nastara Funny thing, I adore Astarion, but when he's trying to be charming, he really isn't. I like him best when he's actually being genuine about his feelings or acting snarky and sarcastic. That's when it feels like you're getting the real him, and not just another performance.
@@red_calla_lily Nope, Astarion has an INT 13. He actually has the second highest INT among your companions by default. Gale has the highest 17 INT. Wyll also has INT 13. The other companions all have lower intelligence than these three, ranging from 8 to 10.
Everytime I've played through Astarion hasn't ascended, and after seeing what a good man he becomes on that route it's amazing how absolutely hatable they make him in his ascended form.
@@queliolionelo that's wrong. Once you tell astarion he shouldnt ascend you are given the option to kill the 7k vampires with Cazador's staff. This only leaves the 7 original spawns. Everyone approves of this even Halsin to some extent. The Gur Also come and tell you you did a good thing and will be your allies for the final fight. You can also release them if you wish but you don't have to.
@@queliolioneloworth noting that I released the 7000 prisoners and some of them died of starvation or had to be killed because the went feral. But for the most part, they moved under the city and feed on the criminals who pass through
@@froztrollbru makes sense when literally every githyanki NPC is racist and Shadowheart's squad mates got killed by them while stealing the astral prism
Now... imagine BG4 being kind a like the Witcher games, where you can upload a save game from BG3 and this determines the state of the world. Hell, it'd be an even bigger undertaking than BG3 :o
I would be down for that actually. Like....have it be a game where it reads your BG3 Save files. So it can read your combat data, your most used spells, most used classes and all your choices in game just so it can be extra mean to you. I would be 100% down for that. I love it when my previous choices comes back to haunt me.🤣
Or hopefully a DLC. Do not wish to wait for another Solas, I’m patiently waiting for DA4 after romancing Solas in 3. If they do think about having Ascended Astarion as a villain, it’s best to do it in a DLC. Who knows how long it’ll take them to make part 4
I sort of like this ending. Withers does for you what you never did for Astarion, and so the cycle is ended. No more monsters, and you get your revenge and the chance to fix your mistake
@@martzza It doesn't say for sure, but most assume that he sends you to his domain, the Fugue Plane, which is basically where souls go when you die. It's a boring, endless grey landscape with a city in the middle.
The entire party decides it's time to jump Astarion all at once. Halsin has been there the least amount of time and was so ready to throw hands at Astarion he snatched Initiative off EVERYONE without even being involved in the conversation. Shadowheart just in the corner being the wine-o she always has been. Lae'zel absolutely ragdolling an Ascended Vampire in a single turn. Pappy Withers MAKING you kick rocks for having the audacity to disrupt his party. Yeah, this one's got it all.
Idk idc what why? When people think about this and argue about it, but idc having fun is above all else. It everything... cring is okay. Just have fun. You don't have fun, then idk go lick yourself in a secret spot idc anyway Goodbye, and good luck.
I only ascend Astarion during an evil playthrough AND when I am not romancing him. Because he is straight up the toxicity of our city, our cityyyy. Ascension is the way to go if you view him as only a fighting companion, but as far as romance goes? Ehhhhh, only if you're into dominating abusers. I mean, he could turn you into a full vampire, but instead he wants you to be his spawn, telling you "all in good time" if you ask about the full vampirism. All because he wants to have complete control over you. Dude is absolutely Cazador 2.0. Unromanced hes pretty decent. Hes a little insufferable, with his "Im now stronger and better than everyone else" attitude, but then again, especially in an all evil party, who isnt like that to some degree? We are all seeking power, so its on brand for evil. The best evil romance is definitely Minthara, as even though she's evil, tyrannical, cruel, and violent, on the flipside she is actually very loyal and loving. Despite the fact she seeks and craves power, when romanced, she desires to share it with you wholly, and views you as an equal (unlike Astarion Acendant, who sees you as and wants to place you beneath him as his spawn and refusing to make you a full vampire. He views you as property instead of a person, let alone an equal, and any promises of sharing power with you is half truths and lies. Sure, you're a concubine of a very powerful vampire lord, but thats all you have). Minthara even stays with you when/if you turn into a mindflayer, seeing you not as a monster or ugly, but beautiful and powerful, as its honestly about her partner's personality and strength that attracts her to you. She's ride or die, literally. Tldr; Minthara is the best, don't romance Ascended Astarion unless thats your kink lol.
Well said. I often wondered about this myself, regarding Minthara and how she is too loyal to the end to be true. Thank you for sharing your thoughts ☺.
Great comment but at what point does he think he's better and stronger than everyone else? I never once got that impression from him since he literally spells out much he likes strong and scary people and needs their protection
WHY IS WITHERS KICKING YOU OUT IF THE REST OF THE GANG IS PARTICIPATING ON YOUR SIDE. Also Shart is such a mood and honestly she would be me. Just drink and watch the drama unfold.
Because it’s a damn newborn mind flayer lol. Completely unpredictable. Withers was like I ain’t gonna see you feast on no one else’s head, so be gone! 😂
Dark Urge : *resist Bhaal, resist the Urges, surrenders their body to save Baldur's gate Astarion : *ascends and dumps illithid bf Illithid Dark Urge : you know what? F* THE URGES, I don't need it to eat your FRIKIN BRAINS
He is, but I like that Withers actually punishes Tav for ending AA. Tav might be hurt and angry at him for how things, and how he turned out, ultimately it was Tav who failed to make him see that he is enough as he is. That he doesn't need power gained by sacrificing 7000 souls in order to be safe. That he can be safe, and can be himself with Tav, and he has worth as a person. Even if Tav here was just plain naive to let him ascend, wanting the best for him, it was still foolish to think that this diabolic ritual, or even simply taking Cazador's place as a true vampire wouldn't change him for the worse.
Imagine. The humiliation. Cazador ruled for literal centuries. Astarion...6 months. I just KNOW he's getting laughed at and belittled by Cazador's slane soul or worse, all of the above plus torture.
@@SunniRae-st9sj I was just thinking that, everyone is on your side except Gale who apparently is neutral, and Shadowheart who is drunk and just wants to watch you all beat him up
@@kapitainein they should include a latina background for my bard Tav so I could convince Withers to use Astarion as a pinhata, it would be a hell of a party.
“I achieved what he only dreamed about” ironic because cazador dreamed about his mortal life when you detect thoughts after the fight, if astarion isn’t there.
I bet Shadowheart had a great time, imagine having all the wine to yourself while having a front row seat to a fight of a mindflayer and his gang VS an ascendant vampire.
I think the only way im ever having astarion ascend is in my origin playthrough, bc i can actively choose not to be such a sanctimonious ass and cazador jr
I did that once and accompanied Karlach to Avernus. He had the same interaction options as a non-ascended Astarion would get. Out in the hells and no time for politics 🙂.
I just did exactly that in my Honor mode and it was so wholesome. Everyone was so sweet and wonderful at the party but then Volo, the annoying piece of shit stated talking about forging my signature and I snapped and killed him. Back to Avernus for me #worth
This is such an incredible fuckin' game. I have played so many video games in my life but never one like this, of this quality and calibur. The amount of quests, relationships, endings, paths, the intricate systems, everything. I really hope they make another one soon.
That part where Astarion emphasizes, “I could do things that he couldn’t even dream of” was very well done by Neil. I can really feel the seething passive aggression and I love it.
Because of a glitch, that's what he did for me xD When I choose to eat him because, damn, he was toxic to my Tav, broke up with him and then proceeded to insult him some more, Astarion just turned into a bat and flew away. He had a red circle but I wasn't in a fight. So I ended up chasing after him throughout the party, not knowing something was wrong xD
Same for me. He wanted to dominate the world and asked me to do so. How can I say no to my darling? I made him my slave and he will serve now. Poor baby lost his fear at all, forgot that you shouldn't trust anyone. 😂 Now he is a powerful tool. I helped him to get his power, lets count it as a payback.
The only time I've ever ascended astarion was for honour mode because I was taking any benefit I could out of fear, because it just sucks to see him like this
Astarion, the person, died, and his soul was trapped in this plane. A new creature, a vampire spawn, a soul-less abomination, was born; with his memories, but definitively not him. If you destroyed the vampire, and somehow ressurected him, Astarion would be back; with none of the memories of vampire Astarion; the moment you destroyed vampire-astarion, he and his memories are gone, and the real, original Astarion, would go back to wherever his intended afterlife was. The actions and choices of vampire-astarion would not matter at all. @@Mene0
@@sabsain2399 I'd like to know the exact source too. My guess is, there is a manual that says vampires have no soul, and this person takes this to mean that you are not the same person before and after you lose your soul, despite the fact that you still have the same brain. On another note: I hear a lot of people saying that vampire spawn have souls / can be good, but full vampires do not, so maybe that's something they changed in edition 5. The monster manual of Edition 3.5 lists both vampires and vampire spawn as "always evil". But I wouldn't put too much stake in that. The game partially changes this and has its own canon.
Something about this is so trigerring to me lol. I absolutely adore astarion but hated how he changed and acts like a douche here. Reminds me of how I felt with my irl ex, wish I had a revenge plot too though-
Ascended Astarion: "I've been killing and eating my tastiest party guests, and plan to become the next big bad." Ascended Astarion Fans: "He's still a sweet woobie! And so hott!" Mindflayer Durge: "Time to eat my ex boytoy." Mindflayer Fans: "Mindflayer's are people too, and not at all evil!" Your Party: "We get to kill Astarion? Finally!"
The Ascendant Vampire had to know he fucked up when the people he once traveled with and called friends and spent several weeks with him fighting a mind flayer cult sides with an actual mind flayer over him.
He may be a god who has witnessed the life and death of every soul in existence. He may be invulnerable and a master of life and death. But if you have the gall to ruin Jergal’s end of adventure party, you will be banished forever.
I literally could not be more proud of how my Astarion turned out. I barely freaking recognize him here! Kinda took Raphael's words to heart when he said an Ascendant would be something beyond any full vamp and Cazador was a pretty good template to make me go "oh HELL NAH stake his ass!" xD
I like how there's a solid 30 seconds of Mind Flayer Tav staring at Astarion with the most blatant "I'm going to try to eat you" face and he's just too stupid to realize anything's wrong.
Omg YES!! In my second run I wanted revenge on ascended Astarion so bad that I picked the Bhaal ending just for the sake of turning that ungrateful little shit into a puppet, but this....this is PERFECT! everyone jumping at him together!!
Friendly reminder that the lead writer confirmed in a recent myth busting interview that Ascended Astarion is still himself just handling his fear in a less healthy way. He didn’t lose himself.
@@darkurgediaries bless you. i see all these comments saying he's Cazador 2.0 and I'm like, seriously? we're really gonna pretend the world is black and white again, even after all the crap we've seen? it's so eye-opening seeing so many people constantly jump to conclusions about the characters in this game over and over and over again without ever stopping to consider that maybe, just maybe, there is such a thing as *nuance.*
I knew Astarion would turn out to be a major asshole if I let him ascend. He just turned into a second Cazador. Even if my paladin did turn into a mind flayer. He would have felt betrayed and killed him too
Ascendant Astarion hurt my feelings as a Durge character because he essentially threatened me, my new family and the army im amassing in the Underdark (Drow Elf Durge romanced Minthara- rejected Bhaal) that ending made me realize I didnt do enough to make my friend better or even happy :(
![[#2024MAMA] G-DRAGON - 무제(Untitled, 2014)+POWER+HOME SWEET HOME+뱅뱅뱅+FANTASTIC BABY | Mnet 241123 방송](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Ox29z5Nf1Uk/mqdefault.jpg)
Even Lae’zel without any context looks at the situation ‘mindflayer is attacking Astarion’ and thinks “yeah he’s worse”
I think no party member approved of Astarion's ascended version. I absolutely loved how Lae'zel in her 'astral projection' form happened to give Critical hits in succession.
😂😂😂
astarion was paralyzed with hold person, every hit was a guaranteed crit@@kapitainein
To be worse than ghaik? Devastating
@@kapitainein I think only Minthara approves
"Astarion's sweet brain may be a bit less wrinkled than the rest"
Did the narrator just straight-up call Astarion a smooth-brain?
He's a himbo through and through
@@SleepyReaper75 ascended Astarion is just a Jock. No kindness there
I mean is she wrong, though? He came here, apparently completely unguarded, and went out of his way to insult his ex who's a literal mindflayer...
@@SleepyReaper75only spawn astarion! Not This jerk of a vampire
@@zacharybosley1935a feminist
Tav: "Time to eat Astarians brain."
LITERALLY EVERYONE ELSE IN CAMP: "We'll help!"
Ascended Astarion really was a dick. lol
this isnt Tav, this is Durge
Everyone helps you regardless of who it is. I had the dialogue trigger after talking to Karlach and everyone was still just as willing to attack her.
..and his normal sefl wasn't? lol
@@tetefather Not THIS blatantly lol 😂
I think that's your hormones talking@@GoddessOfThree
Astarions body language as if he's in a mildly uncomfortable social situation while you stand there in complete silence menacingly contemplating eating his brain is so fucking funny
This
Lol ya he also looks at his fingernails
I had to watch the scene again 😆.
Shadowheart watching everyone jump the vampire twink while she's sipping on wine like a drunk goth girl at the club is such a mood.
Praise the Lady Shar (hic) Goddess of, oh look I wonder what Astarion did now to get himself into this mess?"
And to make matters worse she's going to sarcastically say "so you finally killed asterion huh?" Afterwards just to let you know that she really was just watching lol
I want someone to draw Shadowheart sitting at a table drinking wine peacefully while in the background, mindflayer Tav and the gang are absolutely bodying a screaming Astarion.
She really said that ain't got shit to do with me😂
She was probably thrilled with the entertainment 😂
Shadowheart, stop chugging your 8th bottle of wine and please help me defeat my ex vampire boyfriend.
Aye she likes her wine! 🤣
You f**ked him, you deal with him.
Lmfao!
He died right after Cazedor , he basically was like I used you now im Free ... well he is now a corpse in camp enjoying his "Freedom"
Perhaps shes lost divine favor after brains defeat? Shes not an active Selune worshipper afterall.
Would be fun if Withers said: "I'll allow it"
or "fate spins along as it should"
noooooooooo (in Withers voice of course)
Withers is the most based character lol
"This is the price of balance"
@@ElectricalExistence😂😂😂
Withers is the DM punishing you for engaging in PvP at his table when he explicitly told you not to
"Bro, I justed wanted us all to have a good time, now feelings are hurt. Get out"
"hey, it's not my fault his brains smelled delicious, it's what my character would do..."
Nothing ruins a great session faster than two players who secretly harbour dislike for each other, but instead of actually having it out, have their characters go at it.
I was involved in it once.
Even though I won, I'll never engage in that again.
He didn’t even get a turn in though. He took a threatening posture and then without any further cause, everyone else just said “JUMP HIM!”
For reals, there needs to be a mod or a patch that lets you kill this bony bastard... least with a DM, you could always punch them in the face if you so wished.
Disclaimer - I'm not necessarily endorsing or _recommending_ you go around punching DMs... just saying, it **is** an option, technically speaking.
“Astarion’s sweet brain may be a bit less wrinkled then the rest, but you hunger for its teasing cells.” Gods, Tav might not be able to eat him but that didn’t stop the narrator from cooking.
Seems more than a bit burned to me.
That was beautiful lmao
This comment is amazing!!! 😂😂
narrator litterally called him a dumb slut
Would have been extra hilarious if this was the ONE TIME Withers allowed someone to be killed at his party.
I know, right? Isn't Astarion technically already dead anyway? He has a grave and everything!
Almost the entire party saw this and went “Finally, an excuse to murder Astarion”
@@rjai5003 "I've been waiting for this since Act 1!"
And here I was thinking it was customary for co-op campaigns to leave a charred vampire elf corpse behind. Well, only 2/3 cases in my experience, but that ain't bad.
“you squids basically all look the same” he says to the one mindflayer that looks nothing like the others
Seriously 😂.
he kinda doesnt care, thats the point
@@reecedactyl -☝️🤓
@@anomaly_jackie i am wearing glasses yes
@@reecedactyl learn to enjoy jokes
Lmao, Getting called a smooth brain by a mindflayer is... Devastating.
Well, Illithids are super smart, so probs everyone in the camp is a smoothbrain compared to the squidified Tav
Not by a mind flayer. By the *Narrator*.
@@yuriysukhorukov391 They did specifically point out comparably, wo whatver else youve been snacking on was less smooth
@@PoolNoodleGundam the narrator that is literally saying the mindflayers thoughts lol
Can a mindflayer cast a telepathic vicious mockery?
Me before this epilogue came out: idk maybe ascended astarion can change for the better
Me after: GET HIS ASS TAV
I wanted to kill him too 😂😂😂
I wonder why it was so easy to kill him tho, with him being Ascended now?
And thus ends Cazador 2: Electric Boogaloo
The worst of the Cazador trilogy tbh
@@rulerofzeuniversenah, I think Cazador's Sire was the worst, somehow
This comment needs more likes.
He forgets that all this wouldn’t be possible without Tav. AscensionAstarion makes me so sad.
That's what happens when you perpetuate the cycle of abuse.
Oh no he remembers, he just doesn’t care. He says in a line of dialogue. Vampire Lords are already Psychopathic. Can’t imagine what a Vampire Ascendant is like.
@@MrBaconlover9000 Megalomaniacal beyond imagination, I'm sure.
We're giving the most narcissistic, asinine egotistical prick more power and influence than he could possible know what to do with, and basically leave nothing that actually could feasibly leave him in check. He's not big enough for the gods to care about, and he's too powerful for 99% of mere mortals to even hope to slay now. He's in the perfect, golden environment for someone like him to thrive and abuse others in, until an adventuring party has to cobble up and try to kill him in some other campaign in the future...which is destined to happen, because Astarion already said it himself how he's going to die.
His ambitions and desires will constantly elevate again and again, until he overreaches even his own considerable powers and attracts the wrong kind of attention from people/entities who inevitably will be able to kill him. In a weird way, vampires are the biggest wannabes ever because of it. They just can't help themselves, and it always leads to their ending.
you mean without Durge? This is Durge.
@@Eugine1888 Thank you. My brain was being stupid. 😂
"Astarion's sweet brain maybe less wrinkled than the rest."
Shows him looking at his fingernails
LMFAO 😂😂😂😂
AMELIA IS GONNA GET ME TO SPIT OUT MY DRINK ONE DAY 😂
He would be a God damn smooth brain for breaking up with me. 😂
It's so stupid that Withers would kick you out even though everyone obviously came to hate Astarion after he ascended. I mean, why else would everyone jump him?
You would think Larian Studios will let you make this exception?
@@greenchilistudioz4537 Should, not will. Obviously it's in their right and I have no control over them, but there's a lot of reasons to kill Ascended Astarion, and the fact the entire party joined in means everyone was in agreement that Astarion was ruining it being there.
Everyone should be banished by this logic.
Lawful neutrals and their sense of humor I guess.
Well he's a true neutral. He maintains balance, morals aside. Astarion is definitely an ass after you let him ascend, but you're the one who broke the rules and resorted to violence, regardless of how wronged you might feel.
@@I2dios8 A true neutral wouldn't be so lawful as to ignore the fact that if somebody is soiling the mood for literally everyone else(hence the party itself coming to help), that person was more than likely ruining the party to begin with, and getting rid of them would allow things to be merry again.
The only thing Tav did was remove a thorn in everyone else's side.
I can't believe you'd ruin peepaw's party like that
Are you kidding me? I've waited 6 months for this... this sweet little smooth brain 😂. Withers can send Tav back home now but every member of the party is happy with the end-result.
It's peepaw's fault for not catering to Tavflayer's needs by bringing a brain and leaving it on a lil' table just for them
this comment alone cracks me right up every time I see it
I'm dying at this comment. Withers is the only reason I felt bad for rolling a 1 against my urge to eat Halsin's brain lol.
I've seen so many people defend ascending him but LOOK at him. worse than cazador. perpetuating the cycle of violence and abuse.
well yeah. people ascend him for a richer story experience and to explore other options. not because they think astarion is a good person ascended
One of the things I absolutely love about this game is that by feeding into Astarion's (and even shadowheart's to an extent) bad behaviours and ambitions you actually help put them on the road of becoming the worst version of themselves.
It's just another thing I really enjoy about this game. Like yeah! He becomes just as bad and perpetuates the same thing!
@@stell2081 i’ve seen lots of girls saying ascending him is the good choice because you’re giving him what he asked for and letting him walk in the sun too
But that juicy 1d10 necrotic damage for monk build tho
he is evil from the start and the only way to make him give up his lust for power is to piss him off by prevnting him from having it. astarion is going to die in my run when i decide im sick of him.
I like how the narrator said Astarions brain is a bit less wrinkled than the rest, pretty much saying he’s probably the dumbest in camp
Kind of mean considering Minsc was there. Its not like he's minus on his INT
@@Froggywitchmama LMAO I CAN'T
I remember when he was trying to convince us to control the mindflayer army ourselves before we reach Moonrise towers, and we ask him how we're going to control the army. He says "I don't know, I'm not a details person. Just sewing chaos has worked for us so far, let's do that" 😂😂😂
I was DYYYYYINNGGG laughing at him. I love non-ascended Astarion, but god, I swear he's the biggest idiot of the group(aside from Minsc, of course). It's so funny that even Larian literally points it out in game and the narrator calls Astarion a smooth brain, I was dying 😂😂😂
@@FroggywitchmamaThe roll to not eat Minsc's brain narrates that everybody thinks his brain has problems, but you'd like to have a taste and prove how perfect it is.
Which is crazy considering Minsc and Karlach are right fucking there.
Took me a minute to understand why Tav is suddenly talking about their father.
Probably worth mentioning this is a Durge run in the title.
Ah thank you. I haven’t gotten far in my Durge run so I didn’t realize who father was
Can u spoil it for me? Who's the father in durge?
@@fay4967 play BG1 and 2 to find out
@@fay4967 Bhaal
@fay4967 Like the first couple of games You are a Bhaalspawn. Which basically means your actual dad is Bhaal the god of murder
Lae'zel killing an ASCENDED vampire before he even has time to turn around 😂
Lae'zel is my bae.
On brand for Level 12 Lae'zel. She just... keeps going... she doesn't stop.
I guess Astral Silver works just as well.
@@DIEGhostfish 'How do you like that astral silver?' - Witcher Laezel
So astarion canonically is smooth brained? Good to know
Doesn't he have an INT stat of 8 or so? So, the lowest the game allows a humanoid to have? I know that gameplay isn't story - but generally, the stats distribution matches the characters pretty well
@@red_calla_lilyNo his Int is 13. Really they should have dumped his Wis to 8 and given him 13-14 Charisma. Man is charming.
@@Nastara Funny thing, I adore Astarion, but when he's trying to be charming, he really isn't. I like him best when he's actually being genuine about his feelings or acting snarky and sarcastic. That's when it feels like you're getting the real him, and not just another performance.
@@red_calla_lily Nope, Astarion has an INT 13. He actually has the second highest INT among your companions by default. Gale has the highest 17 INT. Wyll also has INT 13. The other companions all have lower intelligence than these three, ranging from 8 to 10.
@@red_calla_lilyINT is 13
THEY CALLED HIM SMOOTH BRAIN LMAOOOOO
Everyone jumping Astarion is so funny 😭😭😭
"quick, everyone help the brain hunger mindflayer kill the vampire..."
Even Lae’zel joined in to side with Tav (a literal mindflayer) which is wild 😂
Me: Take his chain.
The only way this would have been better is if Withers did not send you away lol
Imagine if even Withers was like "Yeah, that's fair."
Everytime I've played through Astarion hasn't ascended, and after seeing what a good man he becomes on that route it's amazing how absolutely hatable they make him in his ascended form.
but you had to let loose 7000 vampires for Astarion not to ascend. I think that's more damage to the world than ascended Astarion.
@@queliolionelo that's wrong. Once you tell astarion he shouldnt ascend you are given the option to kill the 7k vampires with Cazador's staff. This only leaves the 7 original spawns. Everyone approves of this even Halsin to some extent. The Gur Also come and tell you you did a good thing and will be your allies for the final fight.
You can also release them if you wish but you don't have to.
@@cloudy978 nice thanks!
@@queliolioneloworth noting that I released the 7000 prisoners and some of them died of starvation or had to be killed because the went feral. But for the most part, they moved under the city and feed on the criminals who pass through
I already despise him in his normal form -- in ascended form he would be unbearable for me. Better kill him off before the end.
Tav: Itchy tasty
Astarion: ?
Narrator: Your companion is not the sharpest tool in the shed...
Lmao not the resident evil reference 🤣 Wasn't Neil in one of those games? I'm not sure since I've only played the original 😅
"Yarp"
With the shape of an L on his forehead?
Damn Shadowheart, even Halsin joined the gang up on Astarion LMAO
Shadowheart would be the one chugging wine while viewing such a spectacle LOL
I kind of wished she'd join in with others.
Typical Karen
@@kapitaineinthe most she'd do is shout racial slurs at Lae'zel while healing her.
@@froztrollbru makes sense when literally every githyanki NPC is racist and Shadowheart's squad mates got killed by them while stealing the astral prism
Friends don’t let friends ascend
"Astarion's sweet brain may be a bit less wrinkled than the rest." That's actually a huge insult.
considering Minsc is there ... yeah, yeah that's an insult XD
So, if you let Astarion ascend, you essentially create the next big bad super villain for BG4. 😮
Now... imagine BG4 being kind a like the Witcher games, where you can upload a save game from BG3 and this determines the state of the world. Hell, it'd be an even bigger undertaking than BG3 :o
I would be down for that actually. Like....have it be a game where it reads your BG3 Save files. So it can read your combat data, your most used spells, most used classes and all your choices in game just so it can be extra mean to you. I would be 100% down for that. I love it when my previous choices comes back to haunt me.🤣
Or hopefully a DLC. Do not wish to wait for another Solas, I’m patiently waiting for DA4 after romancing Solas in 3.
If they do think about having Ascended Astarion as a villain, it’s best to do it in a DLC. Who knows how long it’ll take them to make part 4
imagine that modded saves dont work and 99.9% of the playerbase is enraged now aehuauehua@@Khantia
eh
No one is gonna bring up Halsin pulling initiative on everyone, especially Astarion? He was ready to ball
You noticed.
He's been waiting to kill Astarion for MONTHS, he NEEDED this.
I sort of like this ending. Withers does for you what you never did for Astarion, and so the cycle is ended. No more monsters, and you get your revenge and the chance to fix your mistake
Where does he send Tav?
@@martzza It doesn't say for sure, but most assume that he sends you to his domain, the Fugue Plane, which is basically where souls go when you die. It's a boring, endless grey landscape with a city in the middle.
@@mattc9598 Isn't it technically Kelemvor's domain now?
TEAR DOWN THE WALL!
(This message brought to you by the MotB gang)
Is that where you go if your name is on the wall of the nameless or whatever?
The entire party decides it's time to jump Astarion all at once.
Halsin has been there the least amount of time and was so ready to throw hands at Astarion he snatched Initiative off EVERYONE without even being involved in the conversation.
Shadowheart just in the corner being the wine-o she always has been.
Lae'zel absolutely ragdolling an Ascended Vampire in a single turn.
Pappy Withers MAKING you kick rocks for having the audacity to disrupt his party.
Yeah, this one's got it all.
OF COURSE SHADOWHEART IS CHUGGING ON THE ENTIRE BOTTLE.
Ah yes. Those who wants proofs AA still loves them will still find excuses for him.
fr ascended astarion apologists are so cringe and rampant
I agree with the comment above. People that think AA loves you are delulu and cringe
Fr everyone would respect you more if you just admit you like evil dom fantasy and move on
Idk idc what why? When people think about this and argue about it, but idc having fun is above all else. It everything... cring is okay. Just have fun. You don't have fun, then idk go lick yourself in a secret spot idc anyway Goodbye, and good luck.
@@Teacupvamp that's literally why 90% of AA fans like him. Are you just imagining problems?
I've always wanted to know if revenge on ascended Astarion was possible🤣 Thanks for posting
@@PuffyRedCloud I'm trying to understand why though you made him ascend and then kill him for the choice you made him do
I only ascend Astarion during an evil playthrough AND when I am not romancing him. Because he is straight up the toxicity of our city, our cityyyy. Ascension is the way to go if you view him as only a fighting companion, but as far as romance goes? Ehhhhh, only if you're into dominating abusers. I mean, he could turn you into a full vampire, but instead he wants you to be his spawn, telling you "all in good time" if you ask about the full vampirism. All because he wants to have complete control over you. Dude is absolutely Cazador 2.0.
Unromanced hes pretty decent. Hes a little insufferable, with his "Im now stronger and better than everyone else" attitude, but then again, especially in an all evil party, who isnt like that to some degree? We are all seeking power, so its on brand for evil.
The best evil romance is definitely Minthara, as even though she's evil, tyrannical, cruel, and violent, on the flipside she is actually very loyal and loving. Despite the fact she seeks and craves power, when romanced, she desires to share it with you wholly, and views you as an equal (unlike Astarion Acendant, who sees you as and wants to place you beneath him as his spawn and refusing to make you a full vampire. He views you as property instead of a person, let alone an equal, and any promises of sharing power with you is half truths and lies. Sure, you're a concubine of a very powerful vampire lord, but thats all you have). Minthara even stays with you when/if you turn into a mindflayer, seeing you not as a monster or ugly, but beautiful and powerful, as its honestly about her partner's personality and strength that attracts her to you. She's ride or die, literally.
Tldr; Minthara is the best, don't romance Ascended Astarion unless thats your kink lol.
Well said. I often wondered about this myself, regarding Minthara and how she is too loyal to the end to be true. Thank you for sharing your thoughts ☺.
"Hes a little insufferable, with his "Im now stronger and better than everyone else" attitude"
Especially since he's weak AF.
Its pretty hilarious to outright dump him after he wants to spawn you as Durge.
Great comment but at what point does he think he's better and stronger than everyone else? I never once got that impression from him since he literally spells out much he likes strong and scary people and needs their protection
I think im gonna play a male tav for the first time on my next playthru and go for her
Ascended astarion is like that one loser friend that was cool and genuine then change once they become famous.
lmaooo
You know, I never considered how ravenous a Bhaalspawn illithid would be. Terrifying!
WHY IS WITHERS KICKING YOU OUT IF THE REST OF THE GANG IS PARTICIPATING ON YOUR SIDE. Also Shart is such a mood and honestly she would be me. Just drink and watch the drama unfold.
No one likes an instigator
@@theonlychickensama8353should’ve thrown out Astarion before the violence then
Because it’s a damn newborn mind flayer lol. Completely unpredictable. Withers was like I ain’t gonna see you feast on no one else’s head, so be gone! 😂
Calling Shadowheart Shart just sounds so bad.😂
@@Timothy1395I came here to say this, I’m glad I’m not the only one 💀
Dark Urge : *resist Bhaal, resist the Urges, surrenders their body to save Baldur's gate
Astarion : *ascends and dumps illithid bf
Illithid Dark Urge : you know what? F* THE URGES, I don't need it to eat your FRIKIN BRAINS
Whoa shiii... Now hold on 😲😅
I think this was a female mind flayer, but I'm not sure. :P
Illithid nature vs Dark Urge.
"Kill him"
"Eat his brain!"
"Kill him!"
"Eat his brain!!"
"I'll kill him AND THEN eat his brain. There we go"
I love how everyone comes to your aid, ascended Astarion is such an asshole
He is, but I like that Withers actually punishes Tav for ending AA. Tav might be hurt and angry at him for how things, and how he turned out, ultimately it was Tav who failed to make him see that he is enough as he is. That he doesn't need power gained by sacrificing 7000 souls in order to be safe. That he can be safe, and can be himself with Tav, and he has worth as a person. Even if Tav here was just plain naive to let him ascend, wanting the best for him, it was still foolish to think that this diabolic ritual, or even simply taking Cazador's place as a true vampire wouldn't change him for the worse.
“Power doesn't always corrupt. Power can cleanse. What I believe is always true about power is that power always reveals.” - Robert Caro
Imagine. The humiliation. Cazador ruled for literal centuries. Astarion...6 months. I just KNOW he's getting laughed at and belittled by Cazador's slane soul or worse, all of the above plus torture.
The “Everyone is with you” but “Shadowheart is busy with her drink” bit had me laughing.
😂
OH GOD THE MIND FLAYER IS ATTACKING ASTARION!
*everyone approves
Withers: nah not at my party
Mind flayer: WORTH IT!!
Everyone is green 😂! Sad that Withers didn’t start to applaud!
Withers: *No*. It's my party so no fighting.
Unless it’s with a coop partner
Gale is Yellow! I wonder why.
@@SunniRae-st9sj I was just thinking that, everyone is on your side except Gale who apparently is neutral, and Shadowheart who is drunk and just wants to watch you all beat him up
@@kapitainein they should include a latina background for my bard Tav so I could convince Withers to use Astarion as a pinhata, it would be a hell of a party.
“I achieved what he only dreamed about” ironic because cazador dreamed about his mortal life when you detect thoughts after the fight, if astarion isn’t there.
Yes, and it was far from what I've thought he'd be thinking at that time. The things he missed. I almost left him alone there in the coffin.
Wait, really? Like, missing his mortal life? I thought ascended vampires are only capable of thinking evil.
Yeah and the guy grieves while Asstaron in his place is so glad.
@@SmartyPoohBeari’d assume it would be different in final momenta
2:52 even the narrator hates ascended astarion
Come on Withers...at least let Tav take that brain to go?
Durge not Tav
@@Eugine1888Durge would want the entire corpse.
"Doggie bag that for me"
I think it would be hilarious if Withers teleported Astarion away for ruining the party with bad vibes
I wonder if Withers sent out everyone back to their home because of the participation. Well, except Shadowheart of course.
OMG this was so satisfying and hilarious to watch! 😂 Cazstarion just got rocked by Lae’zel! 🤣
"The whole gang is with you on this": I laughed so hard HAHAHAHA
I bet Shadowheart had a great time, imagine having all the wine to yourself while having a front row seat to a fight of a mindflayer and his gang VS an ascendant vampire.
One thing ascension can't protect you from - a frigging hungry mindflayer
I think the only way im ever having astarion ascend is in my origin playthrough, bc i can actively choose not to be such a sanctimonious ass and cazador jr
I did that once and accompanied Karlach to Avernus. He had the same interaction options as a non-ascended Astarion would get. Out in the hells and no time for politics 🙂.
I just did exactly that in my Honor mode and it was so wholesome. Everyone was so sweet and wonderful at the party but then Volo, the annoying piece of shit stated talking about forging my signature and I snapped and killed him. Back to Avernus for me #worth
@@iglikagencheva593 You got 'Volo'd'. Even Jaheira can't stand him 😅
“I’ll never forget you as I’m eating your brain and incorporating all your knowledge and memories into me”
@@euca04 I wouldn't ever think of it this way if weren't for you. This is so deep. Dark Urge stuff.
This is such an incredible fuckin' game. I have played so many video games in my life but never one like this, of this quality and calibur. The amount of quests, relationships, endings, paths, the intricate systems, everything. I really hope they make another one soon.
I sincerely hope so 🙏
That part where Astarion emphasizes, “I could do things that he couldn’t even dream of” was very well done by Neil. I can really feel the seething passive aggression and I love it.
Very true. Neil poured out his soul into making this character memorable for a life time.
Honestly I'm a little disappointed he doesn't just bat away the moment he sees the Hungry Mindflayer Face.
Astarion: These squids look all the same to me. I have amassed so much power in this time frame. I can take them. Hells I can take them all.
Because of a glitch, that's what he did for me xD When I choose to eat him because, damn, he was toxic to my Tav, broke up with him and then proceeded to insult him some more, Astarion just turned into a bat and flew away. He had a red circle but I wasn't in a fight. So I ended up chasing after him throughout the party, not knowing something was wrong xD
@@Hadeshy 😂 That honestly sounds *amazing.*
This Astarian and God Gale are made for each other
So scary
This makes me glad I Ascended Astarion and then made him a puppet of the Absolute. He's a valuable asset, but too much of a dick to be unleashed.
Noooooo way 😅
Same for me. He wanted to dominate the world and asked me to do so. How can I say no to my darling? I made him my slave and he will serve now. Poor baby lost his fear at all, forgot that you shouldn't trust anyone. 😂 Now he is a powerful tool. I helped him to get his power, lets count it as a payback.
Your honestly sick WTF is wrong with you. He was already a slave for over 200 years why make him go through it again@@twomeow9904
Referring to Astarion as a smooth brain (in so many words) was the best bit here lmao
The only time I've ever ascended astarion was for honour mode because I was taking any benefit I could out of fear, because it just sucks to see him like this
Honestly, considering neither Tav nor Astarion have souls at that point, its surprising Withers cares.
Wait, Astarion has no soul? Is it implied that happens when you ascend?
Astarion, the person, died, and his soul was trapped in this plane. A new creature, a vampire spawn, a soul-less abomination, was born; with his memories, but definitively not him. If you destroyed the vampire, and somehow ressurected him, Astarion would be back; with none of the memories of vampire Astarion; the moment you destroyed vampire-astarion, he and his memories are gone, and the real, original Astarion, would go back to wherever his intended afterlife was. The actions and choices of vampire-astarion would not matter at all. @@Mene0
@@duloth5518 um... source?
@@sabsain2399 I'd like to know the exact source too. My guess is, there is a manual that says vampires have no soul, and this person takes this to mean that you are not the same person before and after you lose your soul, despite the fact that you still have the same brain.
On another note: I hear a lot of people saying that vampire spawn have souls / can be good, but full vampires do not, so maybe that's something they changed in edition 5. The monster manual of Edition 3.5 lists both vampires and vampire spawn as "always evil". But I wouldn't put too much stake in that. The game partially changes this and has its own canon.
Something about this is so trigerring to me lol. I absolutely adore astarion but hated how he changed and acts like a douche here. Reminds me of how I felt with my irl ex, wish I had a revenge plot too though-
Well, if your ex still has his brain intact, then it's not too late. Just make sure that Withers won't send you away before getting your lunch.
@@9308323 LOL the fact that he let someone like me go really says something about this brain being intact.....hahahha
Wyll pirouetting in the background while you are contemplating how tasty astarion's brain would be is *chefs kiss*
You noticed it 😃
Ascended Astarion: "I've been killing and eating my tastiest party guests, and plan to become the next big bad."
Ascended Astarion Fans: "He's still a sweet woobie! And so hott!"
Mindflayer Durge: "Time to eat my ex boytoy."
Mindflayer Fans: "Mindflayer's are people too, and not at all evil!"
Your Party: "We get to kill Astarion? Finally!"
😂
The Ascendant Vampire had to know he fucked up when the people he once traveled with and called friends and spent several weeks with him fighting a mind flayer cult sides with an actual mind flayer over him.
Like the saying goes - eff around and find out 😅.
Shadowheart looks over, assesses the situation, then goes "Nah, they got this" and goes back to her drink. XD
😆.
He may be a god who has witnessed the life and death of every soul in existence. He may be invulnerable and a master of life and death. But if you have the gall to ruin Jergal’s end of adventure party, you will be banished forever.
Ascendant Astarion breaks my heart .... 💔💔💔
me too
I literally could not be more proud of how my Astarion turned out. I barely freaking recognize him here! Kinda took Raphael's words to heart when he said an Ascendant would be something beyond any full vamp and Cazador was a pretty good template to make me go "oh HELL NAH stake his ass!" xD
I like how there's a solid 30 seconds of Mind Flayer Tav staring at Astarion with the most blatant "I'm going to try to eat you" face and he's just too stupid to realize anything's wrong.
How much I absolutely ADORE the choose-not-to-ascend Astarion, how much I absolutely HATE this bastard
Omg YES!! In my second run I wanted revenge on ascended Astarion so bad that I picked the Bhaal ending just for the sake of turning that ungrateful little shit into a puppet, but this....this is PERFECT! everyone jumping at him together!!
lol 😂
3:53 WITHERS BLAST
Ascended Astarion is just Cazador using Astarion's body lol. Real Astarion checked out a long time ago
Friendly reminder that the lead writer confirmed in a recent myth busting interview that Ascended Astarion is still himself just handling his fear in a less healthy way. He didn’t lose himself.
@@darkurgediaries excuse me, may I ask which video is that, please? I'd be very interested in watching it! :)
@@celestemare155 it’s in a recent myth busting interview they did, not a video sorry!
@@darkurgediaries ooops sorry my bad, Annnd... thanks so much for letting everyone know about it (I just found it!) 😅
@@darkurgediaries bless you. i see all these comments saying he's Cazador 2.0 and I'm like, seriously? we're really gonna pretend the world is black and white again, even after all the crap we've seen? it's so eye-opening seeing so many people constantly jump to conclusions about the characters in this game over and over and over again without ever stopping to consider that maybe, just maybe, there is such a thing as *nuance.*
You know Ascended Astarion is an asshole when everyone sees you attacking him and goes "Hold up, I wanna get in on that!"
1:48
"I'll drink to that, bro."
*slurps Astarions brain*
Uuuu that hit the spot 😋
"Finally, some f**king good food"
I knew Astarion would turn out to be a major asshole if I let him ascend. He just turned into a second Cazador. Even if my paladin did turn into a mind flayer. He would have felt betrayed and killed him too
I wish this was the one event where Withers would just be like "Ill allow it"
@@Salt-Upon-Woundss My goodness, then whole BG3 community would go for it 😄.
If the narrator could, they would have joined in the fight 😂😂
😆
Everytime I hear him talk, I understand why he won the game award for the best voice actor
Are we going to ignore how they called him smooth brained
Everyone but withers: damn great party we got Astarion to finally get what's coming
Withers: tho shallt recieve party pooper oblivion
Lol.
Ascendant Astarion hurt my feelings as a Durge character because he essentially threatened me, my new family and the army im amassing in the Underdark (Drow Elf Durge romanced Minthara- rejected Bhaal) that ending made me realize I didnt do enough to make my friend better or even happy :(
oh shiiii
You know someone is insufferable when Lae'zel is willing to team up with a mind flayer without hesitation.
So true 😃.
Shadowheart is every messy club girl 😭 I love her fr
😃
Your brain: wrinkly, gross 🤮🤮🤮
Astarion's brain: smooth, pretty to look at 😎
Please don't forget his parietal lobe is aphrodisiac to a mind flayer 😅.
“Asterion’s sweet brain may be less wrinkled than other’s” LMAO!
I love ancient Peepaw with all my heart.
Were Tav to have done this in another place, at another time - I'm sure they would've gotten his support
Astarion is awfully full of himself for a mere vampire lord.
Extra points for the narrator basically calling him an idiot.
A vampire lord without the weakness of light isn't a small fish though
@@IlVostroNarratore
*Proceeds to get 1-turned by an angry Githyanki*
"I've achieved what he could only dream about."
Yeah, because of me! You'd be dead if you went in on your own. You almost did die due to your temper.
True,
"Shadowheart was busy with her drink" 😆
I love how the whole squad joins in on your side.
Truly, an A team! 😂
@@Nick-rs5if 😁
I love how the narrator implies that AA is fucking dumb 😂
Cause he is 😭 bro traded his intelligence for ascension
doesn't the narrator also say this about unascended Astarion tho? ^^