At some point, you will wake up and see the pale elf Astarion on top of you, ready to bite you.
Although he doesn’t seem to be trying to kill you, it’s clear that something is off.
In Baldur’s Gate 3, companions have interesting backstories and side quests. They are so much more than functions to be used in combat.
Knowing your decisions will affect the the way you experience a companion’s storyline, should you let Astarion bite you in Baldur’s Gate 3?
What Happens if Astarion Bites You
At a certain point, you’ll wake up and find Astarion staring at you, ready to take a bite. That’s when it hits you—he’s a vampire, or more precisely, a Vampire Spawn, as he later explains.
Typically, vampire spawns can’t handle sunlight and lack their own will.
Yet, something’s different due to the tadpole’s effect on him. Regardless, he still craves blood and aims to quench his thirst by biting you.
If you allow Astarion to bite you, your bond grows stronger. He’ll be on board with your choice, and it’ll open the door to a closer relationship if you’re interested in a romantic angle.
Note that Astarion might be unable to stop sucking your blood, and you will have to roll a d20 to make him stop.
But here’s the catch: this decision comes with a downside. You’ll get a penalty of minus one on all rolls of a 20-sided die. It might be just a small setback, but it sticks until you take a good, long rest.
Since you’re aware of what Astarion is, you will be able to use his bite action in combat. This attack allows him to regain HP while dealing damage to the target.
He promises you only to feed on enemies, and you won’t have to deal with sudden episodes of vampiric hunger anymore.
What Happens if Astarion Doesn’t Bite You
It depends on how you deal with the situation, but mostly speaking, nothing changes much. You can tell Astarion that you won’t let him feed on you, making him hunt something with four legs.
You won’t get the penalty for being fed on, and he will eventually unlock his bite action anyway.
The biggest difference is that you won’t strengthen your bond with the Vampire Spawn, which might make it a bit more difficult to romance him if that interests you.