Astarion is a vampire. Under 5th edition DnD rules that makes him undead. The fact that he doesn't have an undead tag in game is either a bug, or was done for story reasons to keep his vampirism secret.
It's definitely for a combination of "at least _pretend_ to keep it a secret", and gameplay. Being classed as Undead instead of Humanoid makes a LOT of differences, and is a little _too_ unique for a playable party member compared to the other playable Origins. So, for the most part, he's classed as a Humanoid, but since each Origin character has their own unique tag, some benefits to being undead/a vampire are baked into the "Astarion" tag, or at least that what appears to be happening.
Which is funny, because in the early access days they never let it slip that Astarion was a vampire spawn until he tells you (there were some hints, like how he'd take damage crossing running water). In the full release it's right there in the character creation screen blurb about him, much less secret.
I don't think there was any attempt to actually hide what Astarion is considering the player can select him as the MC. The not being technically undead is handwaved by the tadpoles. The tadpole is essentially turning off the negative effects of being a Vampire Spawn (save for the hunger) while allowing him to keep the bonuses associated with consuming blood.
@@WayBackWayBackHome that one is the one most people are familiar with(outside of accidentally losing out on him because SH is the resident guidance caster)
Astarion's undead tag also comes in handy if you let Balthazzar take the Nightsong and then fight him under Moonrise. The vats you need to escape from suck the life out of you, but he has a special line about the quirks of not being alive if you let him stay there a couple of turns
For the Ring of Protection, you can also steal the idol after you deal with Kharga and the Shadow Druids. Confronting her and the Shadow Druids by investigating the place in the swamp stops the ritual.
Yeah, you just need to make sure you pick up the steal the idol quest (just don't do the stealin' yet) before dealing with Kagha. Unless it changed in a patch, Mol won't ask you to steal the idol if the ritual is already stopped.
You could also sneak up on her, use her as an improvised weapon (you'll probably need an elixir of hill giant strength for this), and take her to a waypoint where no other druids can see her before you kill her. That will stop the ritual without fighting the Shadow Druids or making the Druids slaughter the Tieflings.
The use of tadpoles and illithid powers not having steeper consequences was the biggest missed opportunity in an otherwise great game. I don’t know why it was changed so much from early access.
Don't also forget how Omeluum quest reward of "Mind-shielding ring" was changed from ring that blocks tadpole influence to Advantage against charm. It was such a sad change, when we as EA players through that ring would be very important in the long run of we wanted to be "pure"(and yes i finished all game on tactician with this ring and without even unlocking tadpole menu on release).
@@sanderkiki I totally agree! That was very disappointing. They had an incredible story telling mechanic with the choice to use or not use tadpoles and now it’s a lazy power up that you don’t even need to beat the game once you understand how to optimise combat. The choice to release Baldur’s Gate 3 as it was, massively unfinished in its story is very disappointing and one I feel Larian is responsible for not Wizards of the coast/Hasbro. Act 3 is very disappointing, the cut content shows throughout Act 2 as well but its very obvious in Act 3. Larian studio had my trust up till the point they said they were going to scrap the DLC and sequels they were working on for BG3 to work on new projects under their own IP, it’s heartbreaking news. It’s hard for me to look at Larian as a studio that values creativity and their audience above all when they make decisions like this. I would gladly pay double for the incredible story we were promised from data-mined content and what we saw in early access, I wish Larian would reconsider their choice for their fans. Baldur’s Gate 3 is an amazing game, truly the best game I have ever played but its so sad to say goodbye to its story and captivating characters ❤️🩹
@@empressofdestinyholy cow relax. The game took 6 years to make and is incredible as is. You want to wait 10 years for a game that is marginally better?
@@mitchz465 It is a great game, no doubt the the best we’ve had. However to spend 6 years on a games story and characters and then to release it as it is with so much cut content especially in Act 3 which feels very rushed is just sad. It hurts the fans the most that Larian has decided to not make DLC or expansions, I wish they would reconsider.
@@empressofdestiny i mean, also need to consider the logistics of relying on WOTC for Larian's future titles. Hasbro's management of WOTC has shown over the past year to be less than stable, with Larian even saying that the majority of WOTC team members they worked with have been fired over the past several years. Combined with the fact that Larian needs to pay Hasbro for permission to even use their IP as part of Baldurs Gate, I can understand why they felt it would be better to take the massive surge of popularity BG3 afforded them and focus their efforts on their own IP, where they don't need to pay royalties or be reliant on a team as fickle as WOTC. Of course it's not all on Hasbro, Larian said it was as much due to a lack of interest as working with WOTC, and Larian also almost never makes DLC's, with only one of their games created ever receiving one. It's very disappointing, I too love BG3, but Larian almost never makes DLC's for their games, and there are plenty of good reasons BG3 wasn't meant to be the exception. Sad, but understandable.
About the last thing on the list. The first time any character uses their tadpole influence and succeeds, that character gets the Illithid Persuasion ability for free. I've checked it on 5 separate plays, it always works. After my second play through I've always switched to a new character for each dialogue just for the free power. So when it says it's taking something you won't get back, it's actually giving you the ability. You can even do this before you've convinced that character to use their powers, and they will have it when you do convince them.
I was shure that every caracter can use that power once per long rest but now i can't say if it is true, probably heard this in some video on yt and never checked myself
Also, if you use the illithid powers in blighted village, there's actually a interaction with all your companions about the powers and one of the few instances where companions speak to one another which is pretty rare.
Illithid Persuasion is unlocked by default on all characters with a Tadpole. It's what _allows_ you to use the [Illithid] dialogue checks in the first place.
@@Blazieth the illithid powers is not the point. The point is the companion reply not just your dialogue input, but having ACTUAL conversation cutscene with other companions in the party. Throughout the game, the only time companions talk to each other usually tend to happen when you exploring the map, not during a cutscene.
More importantly, if you use the illithid powers too many times your character can't reject the evolved tadpole the Emperor gives you between Act 2 and 3. It seems most people aren't aware of that.
@@elenalizabeth She doesn't have to be the one stealing it either. You could have Astarion sneak down there but use the Send to Jahiera button instead of putting it in his own inventory. Vicar Humbletoes will then blame her and she would get the curse if not wearing the amulet.
If you dont use your Illithid powers, once you get to Last Light Inn, you will have the option to tell Jaheira that the tadpole is tempting you to use its powers, but that you are resisting. She will ask you if you plan to resist in the future and if you say yes, she will believe you, since you are drinking the truth serum wine. Nice small detail, not sure if it has consequences down the line.
About Mol's quest, it's actually faster to just save Arabella from Kahga's snake, then either pass the investigation check with Donni, or shapshift into a gnome to get in the side entrance to their hideout.
Before the dream visitor was changed, in early access, overuse of illithid powers could cause a game over on your next long rest. Apparently a pretty cool one considering the descriptions online and that one of the major theme songs of the game, down by the river, is dedicated to that game over. I kind of wish they had kept that. It was apparently taken out because they wanted people to use the powers.
I suppose players don't really like having powers made available to them then getting punished for using them. And I understand why. The main drive of RPGs is the quest for power, and punishing players for it is a bit of a contradiction, at least in a video game where roleplay is not necessarily the focus from a player's perspective.
@@theslay66 The story tells us, power comes with a price. You can be a powerful warlock if you sell your soul to a devil. If Astarion ascends, or Gale becomes a god at the end, they lose their humanity. The game is still telling us it has consequences to use the illithid powers, but it hasn't. That's inconsistent, at least in a video game where tactical fighting is not necessarily the focus from a player's perspective.
@@Candy_McK in both examples with Gale and Astarion it actually seems like they are better off and havent lost something valuable. Being pushed in a Game over on the otherhand for using a power seems like to much though, so they locked the best power behind becoming a Mindflayer and losing your humanity too. which is a much better solution.
@@mermidion7552 You and I have obviously not the same values. What are these marvelous powers good for? Beating the game a little bit faster - that's all. I don't use the illithid powers and I will never let Astarion ascend.
For the first thing on your list, if you find the Gemless Ring and then talk to Ferg without him seeing Shadowheart, you can ask about the gem he sells that matches your ring and he'll let you see his special stock without passing any skill checks.
I knew about Bane through Gortash speak with the dead.. I made sure Karlach was there especially after her post-Gortash dialogue to cheer her up getting to hear that he was being eternally tortured by Bane.
However if his corpse is too badly damaged you can't do it: there was still a Monty-Pythonesque hand floating above his dead body and while Tav and Karlach moved away is still came down on top of him, making his body "unspeakable" after the fight :(
I discovered the skeletons in moonrise towers from a very unusual interaction in my honor playthrough. Lae’zel used a smoke power bomb which damaged either some property or a member of the fist which caused them to arrest me. What’s funny is- they put Lae’zel into the prison of the place we were currently seizing. This was right after the first fight where you have the option to take Jaheira with you.
@@sanderkiki well if you care about how your characters look it is a decent consequence. I think they should have gone farther on the grotesque nature of a partial transformation, and even have it come with negatives on charisma based rolls, but the transformation in game is definitely less than pretty, and is a constant reminder of what you traded for power.
@@Dragonking3787 I think it's unique to romancing Astarion... and don't simp just because he's fancy. Ascended Astarion is every bit as bad as Cazador ever was and this is very much a _bad_ relationship for the player. He's manipulative, possessive, controlling, and shows every indication that he'll get abusive later on, just like Cazador.
10:50 Seems to me that the first time a character uses the illithid dialogue option, whatever character is currently being used "unlocks" the very first illithid power (which happens to be Illithid Persuasion) which becomes a passive feature of that character. (as if you had used a mind flayer specimen to unlock a feat like you normally would in the menu) Currently I have yet to use *ANY* illithid dialogue options on Lae'zel in my current playthrough (post killing goblin leader who is performing the ritual in the goblin camp on the mind flayer) and when I press "B" to access parasites she does not exhibit the Illithid Persuasion feat, nor is that section of her brain greyed out as it is with my other characters on which I have made use of the illithid dialogue options in speech. I have never heard the "something stirs deep within you hungry and alert" dialogue from the narrator on Lae'zel as a result. By using the illithid persuasion dialogue option at any point BEFORE unlocking it with a specimen found in the open world, it acts as a "free" parasite and unlocks the passive feat "Illithid Persuasion. Holy dick, I cant tell if that makes perfect sense or none at all. I'm fairly certain there is some sort of meat still on the bone to be had here, im just unsure what to do with it haha.
8:30 Stealing the idol is still a bit finicky. On my current playthrough, it took two or three attempts again, even though I didn't change my strategy or actions. Finish the "Investigate Khaga" questline (defeat the Shadow Druids), thus putting a stop to the Rite of Thorns. I then typically put someone with high stealth and sleight of hand up there next to it and drop some sort of empty container at the base of the pedestal. Next I use another character to cast fog cloud or darkness or something on the ground near the base of the pedestal, switch to my stealth-guy, open the container and then have that character drag the idol from where it stands into the open container menu. I know this works if the character does this action without moving to the right side of the pedestal/idol first - if he does that, he'll get spotted and I have to reload. Maybe this is a failed stealth-roll or something? Don't know. I've seen instances where I succeed in dragging the idol into the open container and nobody in the grove will react - or they realize it's been stolen but can't figure out that it's just sitting in a backpack right next to the pedestal. More importantly: They won't blame the party for the theft. In any case: I'm not sure if you have to exit and re-enter the grove after this, but when you come back, you can simply pick up the container with the idol in it without anyone stopping you. I then usually bring it to Mol to get the ring and then pickpocket it right back off her and return the idol to its pedestal. What's great about that last bit is that the devs have provided lines of dialogue for this approach - when you speak to Mol again right after you returned the idol, she'll tell you that someone has stolen the idol from her and that if she ever found out who did it, she would recruit them on the spot.
Using the Illithid dialog options DOES have a consequence. If you don't wish to become Illithid and wish to reject the tadpole the Emperor gives you early in Act 3, the number required to win the role increases if you use Illithid powers OR dialog. So if you really want to make sure that roll is as easy as possible, you need to avoid the dialog choices.
Slight correction: Ferg won’t sell to you if he specifically SEES Shadowheart with you. If you ungroup her before she enters his line of sight, then you can do business with him just fine!
An easy way to steal the Idol from Mol is at the Tiefling party. She’s off on her own by the ruins with the mirror. Love her dialogue after it’s stolen.
About the Ancient Lair: Astarion is not the only one immune to the effects. If you (or anyone in your group) are a Necromancy Wizard you are also immune. And unlike (canon) Astarion, wizards can actually benefit from this
Don't wait too long on getting the quest from Mol for the ring, I'm not sure exactly on the triggers but at some point she won't offer the quest anymore once you "save" the Tieflings. So get the quest before you actually save them.
As for the ring of protection, if you complete Kagha's quest, you can steal the idol without provoking a fight between druids and tieflings. So, you can use the ring to wipe out the goblin leaders, and you don't have to wait until everyone leaves the Grove.
You can immediately steal the idol back from Mol. No need to wait until Act 2! Just leave the cave and when you reenter she’ll be back be the river. Quickly head to that spot and when she walks by you enter turn-based mode and yoink it off of her.
Also, you can turn on non-lethal attacks and take it off of her unconscious body. This will break a paladins oath. (Can always have a party member do it)
@@davidwagner3710 Wait! What!? Are you telling me my pally is going to lose her Oath, that which guides her life and her every action, just for beating up and knocking unconscious, a little girl!? Man, this game just turned out to be utterly unplayable garbage… _pikachupokerface.webp_
If you romance Astarion and have him turn you into a vampire then your character is also immune to the spell rot. Considering how poorly implemented being turned into a vampire is otherwise (the happy buff your character gets still says Astarion for example) it was a neat little detail.
I have to say… I love your videos so much.. like most the facts I tend to know. It that’s not why I love your videos (the facts are great not taking away from that) I love your videos because there is no “fluff” in them.. no super long intro or outro.. no extra long winded topics, none of that! Just straight to the point from start to finish.. LOVE IT keep it up! You’re amazing ❤
For the Iron Throne tadpole, it’s in the same room as Omeluum, so if he gets captured, you can grab it and have him teleport you back to the ship once he’s free
WAIT… so there are NO consequences for using illithid powers in dialogue?!?! I’m in my first playthrough and I haven’t used them yet nor have I had any of the tadpoles I’ve collected, for fear of something bad happening. Kinda mad I’m just finding this out! There were so many times I could’ve used those! Lol
If you're fast enough you can steal the idol in broad daylight, immediately click go to camp, and come right back without the druids ever noticing. Gets you the ring very early in the game.
In the Iron Throne where you found the Parasite is the room where Omeluum is found if he wasn't killed in the Underdark ... not sure if you have to speak to Bluirg at the Lodge first or if he's there without getting the quest to find him.
"What do you mean, 'tadpole in my brain'? I've just had my eyes opened to the Absolute, I don't have a tadpole in my brain. Oh god, you have a tadpole in your brain? You should get that taken out." ~True Souls "Here, have a tadpole you can put in your brain to increase your tadpole brain powers." ~True Souls when giving you quest rewards
Just found something new 500hrs in, never seen anybody mention. North-NE last light inn x:-8 y:217 shield of scorching reprisal. Perception check finds dead flaming fist under rubble. Moving rubble requires strength.
>nobody finds her alive >my dumbass going straight for Nightsong and only then exploring the map in the first time playing I literally didn't know you could go to the tower beforehand and just assumed it would be in my best interest to make Shadowheart into a Dark Justiciar asap(she didn't go with it)
There’s a tarnished necklace that’s uncommon too!!! I wonder if you equip both?! Now I gotta figure out who I sold that necklace to and the gemless ring. 🤦♂️
... found the the skeletons death shepherd thing by accident on one of my guys... I was running away from harpers cuz they picked a fight with me cuz they slipped on my ice (yep) after we won the fight on the main floor of moonrise... and I ran into all the undead in the basement... I was just like... why?! Thankfully, it was just one guy that got killed
About the illitth power. The only real consequence is that spoiler. Btw. During the Initial astral tadpole enticement. It makes the DC higher the more lvls you got on it I think. Or straight up does away with The DC.
I thought using the Illithid powers means you need to make a save to reist the Astral Tadpole. iirc if you've never used them, then you can ignore the Astral Tadpole without a save.
It's definitely true. I learned about that from SpudtheKing, so I made a spore druid, fighter that makes use of that club. It's the most powerful weapon for that build along with the torch of revocation I think it's called. I highly recommend the video. It had really good insight into why torches are the strongest weapon early to mid game and in this instance late game too.
@@pokemonmusiclover5 It kind of sucks though. You can't cast spells in that form, and your stats become Str 20/Dex 14/Con 17/Int 10/Wis 10/Char 8 even if all those stats were higher before. In my first Dark Urge Playthrough I used the Slayer against Orin and was extremely disappointed to find it made me weaker in every way. I'd consumed an Elixir of Cloud Giant Strength (making my Str 27) and was wearing the Gloves of Dexterity (making my Dex 18), the Amulet of Greater Health (making my Con 23), and the Warped Headband of Intellect (making my Int 17), and had respecced my character to minimized those replaced stats and maximize my Wisdom and Charisma. I had a crazy number of spells and dealt a lot of damage with my Dwarven Thrower (I was Duergar). All those benefits were lost when I became a dumb beast.
Iv found several books worth 2000 and I think one might be more but idk what to do with them iv even had characters with high high int and wis read them and proficient in arcane and religion and history. I think maybe they just meant to sell for money
My o.h. played with other friends online in the testing and he would usually stay at home making sure all the curtains and staircases were appropriate to their idiom...
Wait, wait, wait! I saved Mirkon in three playthroughs and Mol only said thanky ou for saving Mirkon. But I never got any quest. How do I get that quest?
I think you have to save Arabella too. Also, don't go to her hideout before saving Mirkon and definitely don't stick around when she tells you to leave, or she will go to a guard to claim you were threatening her and then won't talk about anything else for the rest of Act 1.
@@ctheblacks2244 could be, I think there’s a lot of references in the game that fly over our heads. I see random NPC’s all the time with odd names and I’m like “oh that’s someone’s character from a pen and paper DnD session”
I played Early Access a lot and im really disappointed how Larian butchered Illithid powers and deleted consequences to submitting to them T_T Dream Visitor was also much more interesting than what we got.
One of the coolest things in early access is when you kill someone with a tadpole, the tadpole would actually leave their body and slither away FAST. If you wanted to capture and consume it, you had to be READY to pounce on that thing as soon as it left the corpse and made a run for it.
What would that be, other than becoming partial illithid is at some point? I’ve put in over 500 hours at this point (I have no life) so if there’s somehow something we are all missing why not just tell us?
The Dance Macabre has been more of a hindrance than a help, in my playthroughs. It can split up turn orders and I lose out on synergies. Is it possible to directly control their actions? Maybe I have missed something.🤷♂️
Mf mentioning a useless ring like it's a game changer or good ability or some🤦🏿♂️ this the second time you wasted my time with some nonsense.... There won't be a third..
Err if I abducted Isobel and screw over the night song I wonder if I'll still get that legendary spear 🤔👀 all for 2 parasites 🪱 When you get the quest from Mol, you can reveal the dark druid plot and after settling that, they won't need the ritual anymore which is the safest time to steal the idol without any consequences. After handing it to Mol for the ring, you can then steal it back from Mol right then and there as early as act 1 😝😂
It is a different version of the legendary spear based on whether you kill or spare Aylin. The Shar version is arguably better. You also get the very rare Dark Justiciar armor set for killing her, but just an extra two handed glaive for sparing her (unless you also run the Moonlight Armor mod). If you kill the Nightsong before killing or kidnapping Isobel then Isobel will die too, unless you cast Silenceover your party. Being silenced doesn't stop you from getting your rewards, but it does prevent the cutscene in which Isobel dies. There is then custom dialogue for you to tell Isobel how you slaughtered her lover, or to let you lie and try to convince her to wander into the shadow curse and try to save her. You can also kill Kagha without consequences if you can lure her out of the grove first so no other druids see you do it.
Buy V Rising now on Steam: store.steampowered.com/app/1604030/V_Rising/?TOYHOUZE
Wishlist on PlayStation: playstation.com/games/v-rising/
I am so buying V Rising for sure, I could make Astarion be a vampire lord there. XD
To anyone curious, Ive played a significant amount of vrising, and it is legitimately really fun, especially with a friend
Astarion is a vampire. Under 5th edition DnD rules that makes him undead. The fact that he doesn't have an undead tag in game is either a bug, or was done for story reasons to keep his vampirism secret.
It's definitely for a combination of "at least _pretend_ to keep it a secret", and gameplay. Being classed as Undead instead of Humanoid makes a LOT of differences, and is a little _too_ unique for a playable party member compared to the other playable Origins. So, for the most part, he's classed as a Humanoid, but since each Origin character has their own unique tag, some benefits to being undead/a vampire are baked into the "Astarion" tag, or at least that what appears to be happening.
Which is funny, because in the early access days they never let it slip that Astarion was a vampire spawn until he tells you (there were some hints, like how he'd take damage crossing running water).
In the full release it's right there in the character creation screen blurb about him, much less secret.
I don't think there was any attempt to actually hide what Astarion is considering the player can select him as the MC. The not being technically undead is handwaved by the tadpoles. The tadpole is essentially turning off the negative effects of being a Vampire Spawn (save for the hunger) while allowing him to keep the bonuses associated with consuming blood.
It's because astarion is essentially the 5e dhampir race from Van Richten's, his bite feature is almost identical to theirs.
If he had the Undead tag we wouldn't be able to heal him. That alone is one of the larger reasons he likely isn't tagged as one.
For the second to last one, if you bring Minsc his unique option is 'Minsc'
😂😂😂 I seem to remember another line he has elsewhere something like “I will be the Minsc-est Minsc that ever was” and then Boo squeaked in agreement
I did not know this one. Thank you for sharing.
Ferg will sell you the secret items if you specifically have Shadowheart in your party and had her kill the night song.
You can also pass a roll (persuasion I think) if she is not in you party to get the secret items.
@@WayBackWayBackHome that one is the one most people are familiar with(outside of accidentally losing out on him because SH is the resident guidance caster)
He will also sell you even if you have her in your party but separated and she's far away
@@danielvasquez9216 selling actually useful items still locked behind a persuasion check unless sh embraced shar.
@@clarencewalters338 For my first and now my Durge playthrough I respecced her to a cleric of life to be my healbot XD
Astarion's undead tag also comes in handy if you let Balthazzar take the Nightsong and then fight him under Moonrise. The vats you need to escape from suck the life out of you, but he has a special line about the quirks of not being alive if you let him stay there a couple of turns
For the Ring of Protection, you can also steal the idol after you deal with Kharga and the Shadow Druids. Confronting her and the Shadow Druids by investigating the place in the swamp stops the ritual.
Yeah, you just need to make sure you pick up the steal the idol quest (just don't do the stealin' yet) before dealing with Kagha. Unless it changed in a patch, Mol won't ask you to steal the idol if the ritual is already stopped.
You could also sneak up on her, use her as an improvised weapon (you'll probably need an elixir of hill giant strength for this), and take her to a waypoint where no other druids can see her before you kill her. That will stop the ritual without fighting the Shadow Druids or making the Druids slaughter the Tieflings.
The use of tadpoles and illithid powers not having steeper consequences was the biggest missed opportunity in an otherwise great game. I don’t know why it was changed so much from early access.
Don't also forget how Omeluum quest reward of "Mind-shielding ring" was changed from ring that blocks tadpole influence to Advantage against charm. It was such a sad change, when we as EA players through that ring would be very important in the long run of we wanted to be "pure"(and yes i finished all game on tactician with this ring and without even unlocking tadpole menu on release).
@@sanderkiki I totally agree! That was very disappointing. They had an incredible story telling mechanic with the choice to use or not use tadpoles and now it’s a lazy power up that you don’t even need to beat the game once you understand how to optimise combat. The choice to release Baldur’s Gate 3 as it was, massively unfinished in its story is very disappointing and one I feel Larian is responsible for not Wizards of the coast/Hasbro. Act 3 is very disappointing, the cut content shows throughout Act 2 as well but its very obvious in Act 3. Larian studio had my trust up till the point they said they were going to scrap the DLC and sequels they were working on for BG3 to work on new projects under their own IP, it’s heartbreaking news. It’s hard for me to look at Larian as a studio that values creativity and their audience above all when they make decisions like this. I would gladly pay double for the incredible story we were promised from data-mined content and what we saw in early access, I wish Larian would reconsider their choice for their fans. Baldur’s Gate 3 is an amazing game, truly the best game I have ever played but its so sad to say goodbye to its story and captivating characters ❤️🩹
@@empressofdestinyholy cow relax. The game took 6 years to make and is incredible as is. You want to wait 10 years for a game that is marginally better?
@@mitchz465 It is a great game, no doubt the the best we’ve had. However to spend 6 years on a games story and characters and then to release it as it is with so much cut content especially in Act 3 which feels very rushed is just sad. It hurts the fans the most that Larian has decided to not make DLC or expansions, I wish they would reconsider.
@@empressofdestiny i mean, also need to consider the logistics of relying on WOTC for Larian's future titles. Hasbro's management of WOTC has shown over the past year to be less than stable, with Larian even saying that the majority of WOTC team members they worked with have been fired over the past several years. Combined with the fact that Larian needs to pay Hasbro for permission to even use their IP as part of Baldurs Gate, I can understand why they felt it would be better to take the massive surge of popularity BG3 afforded them and focus their efforts on their own IP, where they don't need to pay royalties or be reliant on a team as fickle as WOTC. Of course it's not all on Hasbro, Larian said it was as much due to a lack of interest as working with WOTC, and Larian also almost never makes DLC's, with only one of their games created ever receiving one. It's very disappointing, I too love BG3, but Larian almost never makes DLC's for their games, and there are plenty of good reasons BG3 wasn't meant to be the exception. Sad, but understandable.
About the last thing on the list. The first time any character uses their tadpole influence and succeeds, that character gets the Illithid Persuasion ability for free. I've checked it on 5 separate plays, it always works. After my second play through I've always switched to a new character for each dialogue just for the free power. So when it says it's taking something you won't get back, it's actually giving you the ability. You can even do this before you've convinced that character to use their powers, and they will have it when you do convince them.
I was shure that every caracter can use that power once per long rest but now i can't say if it is true, probably heard this in some video on yt and never checked myself
Also, if you use the illithid powers in blighted village, there's actually a interaction with all your companions about the powers and one of the few instances where companions speak to one another which is pretty rare.
Illithid Persuasion is unlocked by default on all characters with a Tadpole. It's what _allows_ you to use the [Illithid] dialogue checks in the first place.
@@Blazieth the illithid powers is not the point. The point is the companion reply not just your dialogue input, but having ACTUAL conversation cutscene with other companions in the party. Throughout the game, the only time companions talk to each other usually tend to happen when you exploring the map, not during a cutscene.
More importantly, if you use the illithid powers too many times your character can't reject the evolved tadpole the Emperor gives you between Act 2 and 3. It seems most people aren't aware of that.
Jaheira also have (on her house) Khalid's Gift wich grants her imunity to all curses including spell rot
Also stops her getting cursed when she steals everything from the Stormshore tabernacle basement
I wonder if this also works with the Tav, seeing as you can ask astarion to turn you if you were romancing him and choose to ascend him.
@@ethanseaman5576No, it's an only-for-Jaheira thing. Gift from her late husband.
@@elenalizabeth She doesn't have to be the one stealing it either. You could have Astarion sneak down there but use the Send to Jahiera button instead of putting it in his own inventory. Vicar Humbletoes will then blame her and she would get the curse if not wearing the amulet.
@@tinydarkjewel It gives +1 Wisdom and the ability to cast a variant of Aid to anyone wearing it, but curse immunity is for Jahiera only.
If you dont use your Illithid powers, once you get to Last Light Inn, you will have the option to tell Jaheira that the tadpole is tempting you to use its powers, but that you are resisting. She will ask you if you plan to resist in the future and if you say yes, she will believe you, since you are drinking the truth serum wine.
Nice small detail, not sure if it has consequences down the line.
I believe the check to resist using the astral tadpole is easier if you haven't used any tadpoles yet.
@@Zyquux You don't even have to make a check at all.
No Jaheria you dont understand I can turn into a big panther thing. I had to use it
@@Dracattack
Once I started flying around in Act 3 there was no going back
About Mol's quest, it's actually faster to just save Arabella from Kahga's snake, then either pass the investigation check with Donni, or shapshift into a gnome to get in the side entrance to their hideout.
Before the dream visitor was changed, in early access, overuse of illithid powers could cause a game over on your next long rest. Apparently a pretty cool one considering the descriptions online and that one of the major theme songs of the game, down by the river, is dedicated to that game over.
I kind of wish they had kept that. It was apparently taken out because they wanted people to use the powers.
I suppose players don't really like having powers made available to them then getting punished for using them.
And I understand why. The main drive of RPGs is the quest for power, and punishing players for it is a bit of a contradiction, at least in a video game where roleplay is not necessarily the focus from a player's perspective.
@@theslay66 The story tells us, power comes with a price. You can be a powerful warlock if you sell your soul to a devil. If Astarion ascends, or Gale becomes a god at the end, they lose their humanity. The game is still telling us it has consequences to use the illithid powers, but it hasn't. That's inconsistent, at least in a video game where tactical fighting is not necessarily the focus from a player's perspective.
@@Candy_McK I've never said it was the right thing to do. I'm just proposing an explanation for why they did it.
@@Candy_McK in both examples with Gale and Astarion it actually seems like they are better off and havent lost something valuable.
Being pushed in a Game over on the otherhand for using a power seems like to much though, so they locked the best power behind becoming a Mindflayer and losing your humanity too. which is a much better solution.
@@mermidion7552 You and I have obviously not the same values.
What are these marvelous powers good for? Beating the game a little bit faster - that's all.
I don't use the illithid powers and I will never let Astarion ascend.
For the first thing on your list, if you find the Gemless Ring and then talk to Ferg without him seeing Shadowheart, you can ask about the gem he sells that matches your ring and he'll let you see his special stock without passing any skill checks.
I knew about Bane through Gortash speak with the dead.. I made sure Karlach was there especially after her post-Gortash dialogue to cheer her up getting to hear that he was being eternally tortured by Bane.
However if his corpse is too badly damaged you can't do it: there was still a Monty-Pythonesque hand floating above his dead body and while Tav and Karlach moved away is still came down on top of him, making his body "unspeakable" after the fight :(
I discovered the skeletons in moonrise towers from a very unusual interaction in my honor playthrough.
Lae’zel used a smoke power bomb which damaged either some property or a member of the fist which caused them to arrest me.
What’s funny is- they put Lae’zel into the prison of the place we were currently seizing. This was right after the first fight where you have the option to take Jaheira with you.
Using illithid powers actually does have a consequence. You'll have to do a hard skill check to resist becoming partial illithid at the end of act 2
Wow, i would need to do a check to...*checks notes* get even more power without consequences a the end.
@@sanderkiki well if you care about how your characters look it is a decent consequence. I think they should have gone farther on the grotesque nature of a partial transformation, and even have it come with negatives on charisma based rolls, but the transformation in game is definitely less than pretty, and is a constant reminder of what you traded for power.
Your character can also benefit from the undead tag if you ascended Astarion and become a vampire spawn.
HUH? YOU CAN DO THAT?
Please tell me 😭
@@Dragonking3787 I think it's unique to romancing Astarion... and don't simp just because he's fancy. Ascended Astarion is every bit as bad as Cazador ever was and this is very much a _bad_ relationship for the player. He's manipulative, possessive, controlling, and shows every indication that he'll get abusive later on, just like Cazador.
@@Blazieth Yeah but I wanna see :)
I want to experience Neil's VA etc.
That's so backwards it's not even funny. The whole point it's to have all the powers of a vampire yet still be alive.
10:50 Seems to me that the first time a character uses the illithid dialogue option, whatever character is currently being used "unlocks" the very first illithid power (which happens to be Illithid Persuasion) which becomes a passive feature of that character. (as if you had used a mind flayer specimen to unlock a feat like you normally would in the menu) Currently I have yet to use *ANY* illithid dialogue options on Lae'zel in my current playthrough (post killing goblin leader who is performing the ritual in the goblin camp on the mind flayer) and when I press "B" to access parasites she does not exhibit the Illithid Persuasion feat, nor is that section of her brain greyed out as it is with my other characters on which I have made use of the illithid dialogue options in speech. I have never heard the "something stirs deep within you hungry and alert" dialogue from the narrator on Lae'zel as a result. By using the illithid persuasion dialogue option at any point BEFORE unlocking it with a specimen found in the open world, it acts as a "free" parasite and unlocks the passive feat "Illithid Persuasion.
Holy dick, I cant tell if that makes perfect sense or none at all. I'm fairly certain there is some sort of meat still on the bone to be had here, im just unsure what to do with it haha.
8:30 Stealing the idol is still a bit finicky. On my current playthrough, it took two or three attempts again, even though I didn't change my strategy or actions. Finish the "Investigate Khaga" questline (defeat the Shadow Druids), thus putting a stop to the Rite of Thorns. I then typically put someone with high stealth and sleight of hand up there next to it and drop some sort of empty container at the base of the pedestal. Next I use another character to cast fog cloud or darkness or something on the ground near the base of the pedestal, switch to my stealth-guy, open the container and then have that character drag the idol from where it stands into the open container menu. I know this works if the character does this action without moving to the right side of the pedestal/idol first - if he does that, he'll get spotted and I have to reload. Maybe this is a failed stealth-roll or something? Don't know.
I've seen instances where I succeed in dragging the idol into the open container and nobody in the grove will react - or they realize it's been stolen but can't figure out that it's just sitting in a backpack right next to the pedestal. More importantly: They won't blame the party for the theft.
In any case: I'm not sure if you have to exit and re-enter the grove after this, but when you come back, you can simply pick up the container with the idol in it without anyone stopping you. I then usually bring it to Mol to get the ring and then pickpocket it right back off her and return the idol to its pedestal.
What's great about that last bit is that the devs have provided lines of dialogue for this approach - when you speak to Mol again right after you returned the idol, she'll tell you that someone has stolen the idol from her and that if she ever found out who did it, she would recruit them on the spot.
Using the Illithid dialog options DOES have a consequence. If you don't wish to become Illithid and wish to reject the tadpole the Emperor gives you early in Act 3, the number required to win the role increases if you use Illithid powers OR dialog. So if you really want to make sure that roll is as easy as possible, you need to avoid the dialog choices.
Slight correction: Ferg won’t sell to you if he specifically SEES Shadowheart with you. If you ungroup her before she enters his line of sight, then you can do business with him just fine!
yeah in early druids could become the little brain thing if used this dialog 10:50
An easy way to steal the Idol from Mol is at the Tiefling party. She’s off on her own by the ruins with the mirror. Love her dialogue after it’s stolen.
About the Ancient Lair: Astarion is not the only one immune to the effects. If you (or anyone in your group) are a Necromancy Wizard you are also immune. And unlike (canon) Astarion, wizards can actually benefit from this
Don't wait too long on getting the quest from Mol for the ring, I'm not sure exactly on the triggers but at some point she won't offer the quest anymore once you "save" the Tieflings. So get the quest before you actually save them.
7:48
The player is also unaffected if they are undead. So if you become Astarion's spawn, you also have nothing to worry about. 👌👍
As for the ring of protection, if you complete Kagha's quest, you can steal the idol without provoking a fight between druids and tieflings. So, you can use the ring to wipe out the goblin leaders, and you don't have to wait until everyone leaves the Grove.
You can immediately steal the idol back from Mol. No need to wait until Act 2!
Just leave the cave and when you reenter she’ll be back be the river. Quickly head to that spot and when she walks by you enter turn-based mode and yoink it off of her.
Also, you can turn on non-lethal attacks and take it off of her unconscious body. This will break a paladins oath. (Can always have a party member do it)
@@davidwagner3710 Wait! What!?
Are you telling me my pally is going to lose her Oath, that which guides her life and her every action, just for beating up and knocking unconscious, a little girl!?
Man, this game just turned out to be utterly unplayable garbage…
_pikachupokerface.webp_
If you romance Astarion and have him turn you into a vampire then your character is also immune to the spell rot. Considering how poorly implemented being turned into a vampire is otherwise (the happy buff your character gets still says Astarion for example) it was a neat little detail.
Congrats for the sponsorship! Finally got it!
(8:55) Actually, Mirkon is down, down, down by the river.
I have to say… I love your videos so much.. like most the facts I tend to know. It that’s not why I love your videos (the facts are great not taking away from that) I love your videos because there is no “fluff” in them.. no super long intro or outro.. no extra long winded topics, none of that! Just straight to the point from start to finish.. LOVE IT keep it up! You’re amazing ❤
For the Iron Throne tadpole, it’s in the same room as Omeluum, so if he gets captured, you can grab it and have him teleport you back to the ship once he’s free
WAIT… so there are NO consequences for using illithid powers in dialogue?!?! I’m in my first playthrough and I haven’t used them yet nor have I had any of the tadpoles I’ve collected, for fear of something bad happening. Kinda mad I’m just finding this out! There were so many times I could’ve used those! Lol
If you're fast enough you can steal the idol in broad daylight, immediately click go to camp, and come right back without the druids ever noticing. Gets you the ring very early in the game.
In the Iron Throne where you found the Parasite is the room where Omeluum is found if he wasn't killed in the Underdark ... not sure if you have to speak to Bluirg at the Lodge first or if he's there without getting the quest to find him.
Awesome video as always. Any plans to do more build guides? I just finished tactician with your sorlock build and it was incredible.
"What do you mean, 'tadpole in my brain'? I've just had my eyes opened to the Absolute, I don't have a tadpole in my brain. Oh god, you have a tadpole in your brain? You should get that taken out." ~True Souls
"Here, have a tadpole you can put in your brain to increase your tadpole brain powers." ~True Souls when giving you quest rewards
Just found something new 500hrs in, never seen anybody mention. North-NE last light inn x:-8 y:217 shield of scorching reprisal. Perception check finds dead flaming fist under rubble. Moving rubble requires strength.
>nobody finds her alive
>my dumbass going straight for Nightsong and only then exploring the map in the first time playing
I literally didn't know you could go to the tower beforehand and just assumed it would be in my best interest to make Shadowheart into a Dark Justiciar asap(she didn't go with it)
You forget to say, that skeletons battle is avaible only if you go there before battle at the main entrance.
There’s a tarnished necklace that’s uncommon too!!! I wonder if you equip both?! Now I gotta figure out who I sold that necklace to and the gemless ring. 🤦♂️
you can kill volo after he tells you about orin at your camp and hell drop the book, just dont let the doggy or owlbear see you or theyll go aggro
... found the the skeletons death shepherd thing by accident on one of my guys... I was running away from harpers cuz they picked a fight with me cuz they slipped on my ice (yep) after we won the fight on the main floor of moonrise... and I ran into all the undead in the basement... I was just like... why?! Thankfully, it was just one guy that got killed
About the illitth power.
The only real consequence is that spoiler.
Btw.
During the Initial astral tadpole enticement.
It makes the DC higher the more lvls you got on it I think. Or straight up does away with The DC.
Just a tip, but Mol won't trust you if you don't stop the mercenary from slapping one of the tiefling kids.
I thought using the Illithid powers means you need to make a save to reist the Astral Tadpole.
iirc if you've never used them, then you can ignore the Astral Tadpole without a save.
7:55 Astarion is a vampire…classified as undead
Still cool asf tho
i think Durge is also immune to spell rot (or it could’ve been a glitch)
Fog doesn't work anymore while trying to steal the Idol of Sylvanus patch 7. Darkness works though.
Astarions gains barbarian resistances from the circlet of bones(? I dont remember if thats what its called).
The club thing is insane if true. I need to test this!
It's definitely true. I learned about that from SpudtheKing, so I made a spore druid, fighter that makes use of that club. It's the most powerful weapon for that build along with the torch of revocation I think it's called. I highly recommend the video. It had really good insight into why torches are the strongest weapon early to mid game and in this instance late game too.
what is that morph at 3:24?
It's the slayer form. You can get it by playing as the dark urge origin
@@pokemonmusiclover5 It kind of sucks though. You can't cast spells in that form, and your stats become Str 20/Dex 14/Con 17/Int 10/Wis 10/Char 8 even if all those stats were higher before. In my first Dark Urge Playthrough I used the Slayer against Orin and was extremely disappointed to find it made me weaker in every way. I'd consumed an Elixir of Cloud Giant Strength (making my Str 27) and was wearing the Gloves of Dexterity (making my Dex 18), the Amulet of Greater Health (making my Con 23), and the Warped Headband of Intellect (making my Int 17), and had respecced my character to minimized those replaced stats and maximize my Wisdom and Charisma. I had a crazy number of spells and dealt a lot of damage with my Dwarven Thrower (I was Duergar). All those benefits were lost when I became a dumb beast.
Do you know why all those citizens are bunched up on the stairs of the Sharess' Caress basement, behind a locked door? XD
I was playing a monk rogue, with Lilithid powers so I flew around the iron throne in just a few turns
I'm late but the Tarnished Ring actually gives you +1 Deception
It actually does not, but I see what you did there. :)
Can you make full collectables videos per act based on progression so we can collect stuff 1 by 1 as we play?
If you asend Astarion and he turns the player before going into the ancient lair the player also has the same immunity
Ive missed these so much!
Iv found several books worth 2000 and I think one might be more but idk what to do with them iv even had characters with high high int and wis read them and proficient in arcane and religion and history. I think maybe they just meant to sell for money
I ran into Krizt at Moonrise my first playthrough lol
WAIT! Do you mean you can res your party members on the beach after the iron throne or everyone? It is sooo hard to save them all for me.
Just party members :(
Lol I was playing V-Rising last night w/ the wife. She absolutely loves it. Not a bad game :).
My o.h. played with other friends online in the testing and he would usually stay at home making sure all the curtains and staircases were appropriate to their idiom...
does anyone know if the memories recovered by Durge when Healed are the same or different as the when Durge eats a Noblestalk?
I think so. Noblestalk recovers a memory of a vivisection done alongside of the Butler.
Vampires are considered undead.
Wait, wait, wait! I saved Mirkon in three playthroughs and Mol only said thanky ou for saving Mirkon. But I never got any quest. How do I get that quest?
I think you have to save Arabella too. Also, don't go to her hideout before saving Mirkon and definitely don't stick around when she tells you to leave, or she will go to a guard to claim you were threatening her and then won't talk about anything else for the rest of Act 1.
Tarnished Ring, like in Tarnished from Elden Ring
There’s got to be more to that ring
It mght be a stretch but it might be an elden ring easter egg
@@ctheblacks2244 could be, I think there’s a lot of references in the game that fly over our heads. I see random NPC’s all the time with odd names and I’m like “oh that’s someone’s character from a pen and paper DnD session”
I played Early Access a lot and im really disappointed how Larian butchered Illithid powers and deleted consequences to submitting to them T_T Dream Visitor was also much more interesting than what we got.
Ah, yes, my favorite spell, shalaylee
Didn't miss any of these
Brooo does Aura of Hate work on Astarion?? Does anyone know?
But I thought that vampires were undead, as per general knowledge.
I mean, a ring, thats tarnished, maybe even be old, an elden ring…
why is it interesting that a vampire is undead thats weird huh lol
If you use the illithid powers too much in act 1 you will become a true soul
Which makes the illithid dialog option not require a wisdom check
V rising actually looks good but they could’ve given u a code with free stuff 😭
Is called the tarnished ring because if you don't have Shadowheart on your party, you are maidenless.
Lol this .
Also Melina would be a great companion in bg3 no one else really has a chaotic good apathetic personality about them
One of the coolest things in early access is when you kill someone with a tadpole, the tadpole would actually leave their body and slither away FAST. If you wanted to capture and consume it, you had to be READY to pounce on that thing as soon as it left the corpse and made a run for it.
I found Krizt alive after i killed Ketheric, then i killed her
Using the illithid powers does have a consequence once again
What would that be, other than becoming partial illithid is at some point? I’ve put in over 500 hours at this point (I have no life) so if there’s somehow something we are all missing why not just tell us?
The Dance Macabre has been more of a hindrance than a help, in my playthroughs.
It can split up turn orders and I lose out on synergies.
Is it possible to directly control their actions? Maybe I have missed something.🤷♂️
You can, 100% buy from Ferg with Shart in your party. For the love of god get your fucking info right.
astarion is undead, is a vampire bro... vampires are undead
if you become his consort you become too undead and you resist the curse, i did that quest and didn't had the malus
Wish they made more Larian dnd games dunno why they arnt the market is hungry for it
My headcannon is that Shadowheart wants to be “hole” /simp
Not even Shar could pull me out
U must be getting tired of it by now
No one who's played Baldurs Gate 3 would say that!
@@michaelhall8440 i played it for months, but that was definitely enough for me.
@@kaboutertje1561 yeah, fair enough, I was just making a Simpsons reference. Each to their own.
Mf mentioning a useless ring like it's a game changer or good ability or some🤦🏿♂️ this the second time you wasted my time with some nonsense.... There won't be a third..
man you really need to put *spoilers* tag on your titles
All bad things on this channel I cant
Err if I abducted Isobel and screw over the night song I wonder if I'll still get that legendary spear 🤔👀 all for 2 parasites 🪱
When you get the quest from Mol, you can reveal the dark druid plot and after settling that, they won't need the ritual anymore which is the safest time to steal the idol without any consequences. After handing it to Mol for the ring, you can then steal it back from Mol right then and there as early as act 1 😝😂
Shadowheart leaves the party if you let Balthazar take nightsong
It is a different version of the legendary spear based on whether you kill or spare Aylin. The Shar version is arguably better. You also get the very rare Dark Justiciar armor set for killing her, but just an extra two handed glaive for sparing her (unless you also run the Moonlight Armor mod).
If you kill the Nightsong before killing or kidnapping Isobel then Isobel will die too, unless you cast Silenceover your party. Being silenced doesn't stop you from getting your rewards, but it does prevent the cutscene in which Isobel dies. There is then custom dialogue for you to tell Isobel how you slaughtered her lover, or to let you lie and try to convince her to wander into the shadow curse and try to save her.
You can also kill Kagha without consequences if you can lure her out of the grove first so no other druids see you do it.