Astarion's Pale Elf Companion Quest: A Choice of Morality in Baldur's Gate 3

In the world of Baldur's Gate 3, Astarion's Pale Elf Companion Quest is a pivotal moment that can significantly impact the game's narrative. After defeating Cazador and rescuing Astarion multiple times, players are faced with two possible endings for the quest. Astarion is finally free from Cazador's grasp, and he now has a choice to make that will determine his future.

The Consequences of Completing Cazador's Ritual

If Astarion chooses to complete Cazador's ritual, he will become a Vampire Ascendant, granting him incredible powers and abilities. However, this comes at a terrible cost. He will have to sacrifice the lives of all the spawn in the ritual room and potentially thousands more. This will result in Gur's quest to Investigate Cazador's Palace being marked as failed, and the Gur tribe becoming another enemy in the game.

Moreover, if Astarion completes the ritual, it will erase all the progress he has made towards redemption during the three acts. However, this choice can lead to interesting outcomes, especially for those who want to play an evil playthrough.

Rewards of Completing the Ritual

On the mechanical side, Astarion will gain the following perks if he completes the ritual:

• A +1d10 Necrotic damage bonus to weapon and unarmed attack rolls.
• Ascendant Bite bonus action: 6d6 healing and 6d6 Necrotic damage.
• Misty Escape bonus action: transform into a mist cloud that is hard to damage and can fit in small openings.
• Gains Astarion as an ally for the Gather Your Allies quest.

The Alternative Choice: Preventing Astarion from Completing the Ritual

If Astarion is persuaded not to complete the ritual, he will choose a different path, and it will lead to a better future. However, this means that he will not gain any enhanced stats or skills. On the other hand, if you prevent Astarion from completing the ritual, it sets him on a good path, and you will notice that he starts approving good choices instead of bad ones.

However, not sacrificing all those lives during the ritual also means letting loose thousands of vampire spawn into the world. Although you can convince most of them to go down into the Underdark, you will still be introducing an army of blood-sucking creatures into Faerun.

How to Prevent Astarion from Completing the Ritual

Preventing Astarion from completing the ritual requires careful choice of dialogue options. Giving up on helping Astarion altogether will result in him leaving the party forever. On the other hand, interrupting his ritual after he has started will lead to a fight and potentially his death.

Here are the correct dialogue options to stop Astarion from completing the ritual and keep him in the party:

1. If I help you complete the ritual, it will kill all these people.
2. (PERSUASION) I want you to live a life you're proud of. You can't be proud of this.

Choosing these dialogue options will require passing a DC18 Persuasion check, but they will make Astarion realize that he is better than Cazador, leading him to spare the lives of all the spawn.

The Impact of Your Choice

Whichever choice you make will significantly impact Astarion's future and the overall narrative of the game. If you choose to help Astarion complete the ritual, you will be choosing an evil playthrough, while preventing him from completing it will lead to a more positive path. In the end, the choice is yours, but it is essential to consider the consequences of your actions before making a decision.