Hey, adventurers! Let's dive deep into the world of Baldur's Gate 3 and explore how to make the most of everyone's favorite vampire spawn, Astarion. We'll be looking at the best builds for him, focusing on the Rogue, Ranger, and Fighter classes. If you're wondering how to optimize Astarion's abilities and make him a powerhouse in your party, you've come to the right place. We'll break down the strengths, weaknesses, and playstyles of each class, helping you decide which path is perfect for your sneaky companion.

Why Astarion? Understanding the Vampire Spawn

Before we jump into the builds, let's talk about why Astarion is such a unique character. As a vampire spawn, he brings some inherent advantages and disadvantages to the table. His vampiric nature grants him some cool abilities and resistances, but also leaves him vulnerable in certain situations. He is naturally inclined towards dexterity-based builds due to his agility and penchant for stealth. Astarion's story arc is also fascinating, and his character development can influence your gameplay and decisions. He starts with a Rogue subclass, so we will look into how to build him to be better at this. Now, let's explore how to make him thrive in various roles.

Astarion's Core Stats and Abilities

• Dexterity: This is his primary stat, crucial for attack rolls, damage, and armor class. High dexterity is essential for all builds. It's the core of his sneakiness and agility.
• Strength: While not his primary stat, Strength can be helpful for certain Fighter builds, or for carrying capacity if you're willing to make him more of a hybrid build, but it's not a priority.
• Constitution: Important for hit points and concentration saves, which are crucial for maintaining spells and abilities during combat.
• Wisdom/Charisma: These stats can play a role depending on the build, especially if you want to multiclass or focus on skills that use these abilities. It depends if you want to create a character that can be used on a battle or for story purposes.

Astarion as a Rogue: The Shadow Master

Let's start with the class that Astarion begins with: the Rogue. It is a natural fit for him, given his backstory and inclination towards stealth and subterfuge. As a Rogue, Astarion excels at dealing burst damage, controlling the battlefield, and getting into advantageous positions. There are several subclasses to consider, but we'll focus on the best options.

Subclasses for the Rogue

• Thief: This is often considered the best subclass for Astarion, as it grants an additional bonus action each turn. This allows him to perform multiple actions, such as attacking twice, using two potions, or moving and hiding. This synergy is very strong for a character like Astarion.
• Assassin: This subclass is excellent for dealing high burst damage at the beginning of combat. If you can get the drop on your enemies, you can deal significant damage and potentially eliminate a foe right away. This is very good for stealth gameplay.
• Arcane Trickster: This subclass adds some spellcasting to the mix, which can make Astarion more versatile. He can use spells like Mage Hand and Minor Illusion to control the battlefield. However, it takes away from his primary function as a damage dealer. It can also be very useful for story reasons and roleplay, allowing you to use more interactions with the other characters.

Building the Rogue

1. Race: Wood Elf is great for the extra movement speed and stealth proficiency, but any race with Dexterity bonuses will work. The Drow is also a strong choice, thanks to the inherent darkness and spells it can grant.
2. Stats: Prioritize Dexterity (to 16 at level 1, then max it), then Constitution. Wisdom and Charisma can be useful, but aren't as crucial as the other two, so invest in them depending on your desired roleplay.
3. Skills: Stealth, Acrobatics, and Perception are your most important skills. Expertise in Stealth is a must.
4. Feats: Alert (to go first in combat), Sharpshooter (if using ranged weapons), and Dual Wielder (if using dual weapons) are all excellent choices. If you want to lean into the support role, you can consider other builds.
5. Gameplay: Position Astarion strategically, using stealth to get advantage on attacks. Use your bonus actions effectively. In combat, focus on dealing massive damage to priority targets, or use control abilities to shut down enemies. Use the environment to your advantage.

Astarion as a Ranger: The Hunter of the Wilds

Next up, we have the Ranger. It might seem like an unusual choice, but Astarion can be a very effective Ranger, especially if you focus on his strengths. The Ranger class allows him to excel in ranged combat and utilize his knowledge of the wilderness. This build is all about exploiting the environment, laying traps, and picking off enemies from a distance.

Subclasses for the Ranger

• Hunter: This subclass is a solid choice. It focuses on dealing extra damage to your favored enemy type. It can also provide some area-of-effect damage, making Astarion a versatile damage dealer.
• Gloom Stalker: This is a very popular subclass for Rangers, especially those focusing on stealth. It gives you extra movement speed and advantage on attack rolls on your first turn in combat, making Astarion very powerful in the first round.
• Beast Master: A more unusual choice, but can be fun. With Beast Master, Astarion can summon a companion that can help him in battle. This allows him to have a meat shield, which allows him to attack from the back.

Building the Ranger

1. Race: Wood Elf is a solid choice for the extra movement speed. The Wood Half-Elf can also be very useful due to the benefits that they provide.
2. Stats: Prioritize Dexterity (max it), then Constitution. Wisdom is also important, as it determines the power of some Ranger abilities.
3. Skills: Stealth, Survival, and Perception are crucial. Expertise in Stealth is a must.
4. Feats: Sharpshooter is a must-have feat for ranged combat. Alert is still a good choice to ensure you go early in combat, and Crossbow Expert can remove the disadvantage from shooting in melee range.
5. Gameplay: Use your ranger abilities to track your enemies. Use stealth to position yourself advantageously. Focus on picking off enemies from a distance, or use melee if you have to. Utilize your spells and abilities to control the battlefield.

Astarion as a Fighter: The Martial Expert

Finally, we have the Fighter. This might be the least obvious choice, but Astarion can still be a very effective Fighter. This build focuses on maximizing his damage output and survivability, turning him into a relentless combatant. Fighters are renowned for their durability and consistent damage, so if you want a character that can fight in the front lines, this is your best bet.

Subclasses for the Fighter

• Battle Master: This subclass gives you access to special maneuvers that can add extra damage or control to your attacks. This makes Astarion more versatile in combat.
• Champion: This subclass focuses on critical hits, which will allow Astarion to deal massive damage more frequently. This is ideal if you like burst damage.
• Eldritch Knight: This subclass adds some spellcasting to the mix. It lets Astarion cast spells like Shield to increase his survivability. It takes away from some of his damage-dealing capabilities.

Building the Fighter

1. Race: Wood Elf is a good choice for the extra movement speed and stealth proficiency, but any race with Dexterity bonuses will work. The Drow is a strong choice too, thanks to the inherent darkness and spells it can grant.
2. Stats: Prioritize Dexterity (to 16 at level 1, then max it), then Constitution. Strength can be useful if you're willing to make him more of a hybrid build, but it's not a priority.
3. Skills: Acrobatics, Athletics, and Perception are your most important skills.
4. Feats: Alert (to go first in combat), Sharpshooter (if using ranged weapons), Dual Wielder (if using dual weapons) or Great Weapon Master are all excellent choices.
5. Gameplay: Position Astarion strategically, using stealth to get advantage on attacks. Use your action surge to deal extra damage or take extra actions. In combat, focus on dealing massive damage to priority targets, or use control abilities to shut down enemies. Use the environment to your advantage.

Multiclassing Considerations

Multiclassing can allow you to create some very powerful builds, allowing you to have the best of both worlds. Here are some of the best multiclass combinations:

• Rogue/Fighter: A popular combination. This build gives you the burst damage of the Rogue with the survivability of the Fighter. You can also get a lot of attacks each turn, which can be very powerful.
• Rogue/Ranger: This gives you a ranger's long-range attacks with the rogue's stealth abilities. This will allow you to get the first shot on enemies before engaging them up close.
• Rogue/Cleric: This is not a great choice, since the cleric uses spellcasting that the rogue is not good at.

Conclusion: Which Build is Best?

So, which build is the best for Astarion? Honestly, it depends on your playstyle and what you want from your party. The Rogue build is the most natural fit, but the Ranger and Fighter builds can also be very effective with the right strategy. Each class offers its strengths and weaknesses, so experiment and see what works best for you. If you prioritize burst damage and stealth, stick with the Rogue. If you prefer ranged combat and environmental control, consider the Ranger. And if you want raw damage and survivability, the Fighter is a solid choice. Have fun experimenting, and may your adventures in Baldur's Gate 3 be filled with epic moments and satisfying victories!

Disclaimer: This guide is based on current game mechanics and information. As the game updates, some information may become outdated.