Astarion Was Meant To Be A Tiefling
Astarion Was Originally Designed as a Tiefling in Early Baldur's Gate 3
How exciting to learn that our brooding vampire companion was almost a tiefling! According to revelations at the recent GDC panel, Larian Studios originally designed Astarion as a tiefling before changing him into a vampire spawn.
His Backstory Was Quite Different
Instead of being Cazador's plaything for 200 years, Astarion lived freely in Baldur's Gate where he ran a tavern. However, his tiefling heritage and infernal bloodline caused prejudice among customers, impacting his business. How unfortunate that even in a fantastical world like Faerûn, discrimination remains.
His Personality Was More Cheerful
Early concepts showed Astarion with a charming and mischievous personality, quick with a jest or clever quip. While we adore his snark and sass as a vampire, a cheerful tiefling innkeeper sounds delightful! The studio likely thought two upbeat companions (Astarion and Wyll) would be repetitive, leading to our favorite vamp.
He Maintained His Dashing Good Looks
One thing that didn't change was Astarion's attractiveness. As a tiefling or vampire, he cuts a dashing figure with his tousled hair, piercing eyes, and roguish smirk. At least we were destined to fall for this charmer no matter what form he took!
Astarion's journey from tiefling to vampire was quite the transformation, but we're grateful to have him in our party no matter his race or backstory. His humor, style, and skill have ensnared our hearts. Our only regret is we'll never get to visit The Charmed Devil for an ale!
Developers Changed Astarion to a Vampire Spawn for Narrative Reasons
Isn't it exciting to get a behind-the-scenes look at how our favorite characters came to be? Learning that Astarion was originally meant to be a tiefling just makes him even more fascinating. The developers had a change of heart during development and turned him into a vampire spawn instead, and aren't we glad they did!
Vampires Bring Mystery and Allure
Vampires are dark, mysterious creatures that capture our imagination. As a vampire spawn, Astarion is complex and layered in a way that a tiefling character may not have been. His undead nature and need to feed on blood create opportunities for interesting interactions and storylines.
An Intriguing Transformation
Imagining Astarion as a tiefling is strange now that we know him as a vampire. The transformation from one race to another during development must have been a tricky one, but the narrative potential of a vampire companion clearly won out. Kudos to Larian Studios for having the courage to make a bold change that resulted in such a compelling character.
So Much Backstory to Explore
As an immortal vampire, Astarion has a rich backstory spanning hundreds of years that provides fertile ground for character development. We've only just begun to scratch the surface of his long, storied history. Astarion still has many secrets left to reveal, and we can't wait to discover more about him as the full game is released.
Larian Studios knocked it out of the park with their choice to make Astarion a vampire spawn. He is a fantastically complex character who brings so much mystery, intrigue and possibility to the game. We couldn't ask for a better undead companion!
How Astarion's Character Arc Could Have Differed if He Stayed a Tiefling
If our favorite vampiric companion had remained a tiefling, his character arc in Baldur's Gate 3 could have been wildly different—and honestly, pretty awesome!
Fiery Personality
As a tiefling, Astarion may have had a fiery, rebellious personality to match his infernal heritage. We could have seen more of his mischievous side and thirst for freedom as he raged against his vampiric master. Astarion's tiefling form may have given him an added boost of confidence to act out and cause trouble.
Internal Struggle
Staying a tiefling could have created an interesting internal struggle for Astarion between his mortal and immortal natures. On one hand, tieflings value passion, desire, and living life to the fullest. On the other, Astarion's vampirism demands restraint, detachment, and secrecy.This tension may have fueled his character development in poignant ways.
Special Abilities
As a tiefling, Astarion would have access to some seriously cool special abilities, like the ability to cast hellish rebuke or darkness.We might have seen him using spells like burning hands or fireball in combat. How awesome would it be to fight alongside a vampiric tiefling wizard? The possibilities for unique character builds and playstyles are endless.
While we love Astarion as a vampire, keeping him a tiefling could have made for an unforgettable journey through the realms. His internal struggles, rebellious spirit, and fiery magic may have combined to create one of the most compelling characters in Baldur's Gate 3. Though we'll never know for sure, it's fun to imagine what might have been!