What specialization will be better for Astarion?

[Olga 1987]

I play as a Paladin on Balance and have Shadowheart, Gale and Astarion in my party (Laezel remains in the camp).
So, I currently choose between making Astarion a Magical trickster or an Assassin. He's good in combat as is, so will it be good to make him kind of multiclass? AFAIR Dakkon in P:T could fight and cast some spells with his 13 INT...

[Jaeleth]

Magical trickster is the most versatile, immo. Some spells he gets are REALLY useful to enhance his thieving / ambushing skills, and since the party members number is limited...
Astarion, in the magic trickster role, is, practically, the only NPC that has a permanent seat in my party, all the others rotate and I only leave Astarion out in very specific combats that I want to approach in a very brutish manner. He's usually there for the initial sneak attack and support ranged fire or for hit and run on the local merchant stock, in broad daylight... Assassins only are good for combat, although they're pretty cool in that, maybe an hireling role, no?

[Kernest]

Arcane Trickster is terrible at combat, even more so than the other Rogue subclasses.

I'd go with Assassin.

To be clear, Rogues are fine early on (where you seem to be), but kinda drop off hard compared to others later on when you can just burn through all of their abilities and take a long rest after almost every combat.

A lot of people will suggest a lot of things when it comes to multi-classing, most of them involving taking 3 levels of Rogue for thief extra bonus action, but I personally don't like multi-classing all that much so I'm not gonna say any more on the subject.

[seeker1]

If you want to look at mods, there is one rogue subclass PERFECT for him - sanguine stalker, very vampiric in nature.

Beyond that, I usually keep him an assassin (ninjafied with some addons), or go pirate where he becomes a dual wielding swashbuckler, that can use pistols & muskets. I also like the cunning strike mod, which lets him do different tricks with his sneak attack.

Bonus: look at "become a vampire" mod, which upgrades his vampiric abilities above mere spawn level.

[Valar Morghulis]

I prefer to always have at least someone with (part) bard in my party. Extra short rest, longstrider etc buffs, socials. It is just very good to have. Astarion is rather a colourful character and the hat you can find in the grove is just too good on his head ;)

Short version, i would make him a bard, and or after x levels something else as well. Swordbard 6 / rogue thief / etc is amazing. dual handcrossbows and pew pew.

[Kernest]

Originally posted by Kernest:

A lot of people will suggest a lot of things when it comes to multi-classing, most of them involving taking 3 levels of Rogue for thief extra bonus action,

Originally posted by Valar Morghulis:

Short version, i would make him a bard, and or after x levels something else as well. Swordbard 6 / rogue thief / etc is amazing. dual handcrossbows and pew pew.

Called it

[Яeplicant]

Dak'kon was a Fighter/Mage, though.

Either Thief or Assassin should be fine but that depends on what role you want Astarion to play in and out of combat.

[Olga 1987]

I use him as a rapier-wielding fighter in combat and for picking locks 🔏 and disarming traps outside of combat. Casting spells may be nice, but I already have 3 other characters who can do it 🤔
BTW, could someone manage to have a high relationship with him while playing as a good character, because he frequently disapproves my actions (and Gale approves seemingly everything lol)?

[元心]

My Astarion, 9 arcane trickster, 1 wizard, 2 ranger. Dual wielding crossbows.
Not a very powerful choice, but I think it fits his personality better.

[guard65]

I tend to always multi class him into Fighter Battle Master I will give him only 2 or 3 levels of rogue. As a front line fighter he gets to bite on a daily basis ensuring that boost of happiness and handing out that state of bloodless.

[Mander]

Fertilizer for the spores of my druid.

[アンジェル]

Originally posted by Olga 1987:

What specialization will be better for Astarion?
I play as a Paladin on Balance and have Shadowheart, Gale and Astarion in my party (Laezel remains in the camp).
So, I currently choose between making Astarion a Magical trickster or an Assassin. He's good in combat as is, so will it be good to make him kind of multiclass? AFAIR Dakkon in P:T could fight and cast some spells with his 13 INT...

Try The Bard
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3124459563
if you respec with multiclassing you can as well respec his stats

[Olga 1987]

Also a good variant, thanks.

[[TG] zac]

Duel wield hand cross bows.
Then grab either ranger or swords bard for archery fighting style then go far enough into it to grab extra attack.

After that go thief rogue for the extra bonus action which will give you an extra off hand attack. (level 5 will also give you a reaction to halve any incoming damage he would take).

Don't forget to grab sharpshooter.

Congrats you now have a ranged damage machine gun that also has proficiency in at least 5 skills and expertise in 2-4 of them (the later if you went bard and rogue)

The last 2 levels can be spent in warrior to grab the second level warrior feature that gives them a second round of combat.

Swords bard 6 + sorcerer 6 can also work.
Its a bit lower damage output until later level when you can twin cast haste then proceed to shoot everything a bunch of times.

[Valar Morghulis]

Originally posted by Kernest:

Originally posted by Kernest:

A lot of people will suggest a lot of things when it comes to multi-classing, most of them involving taking 3 levels of Rogue for thief extra bonus action,

Originally posted by Valar Morghulis:

Short version, i would make him a bard, and or after x levels something else as well. Swordbard 6 / rogue thief / etc is amazing. dual handcrossbows and pew pew.

Called it

lol, well full bard is excellent too ;-) But i do like at least part of a bard in every team, its just too good heheh

[DeathStroke]

while trickster is nice in theory he doesnt have the intelligence to be any good at it , so hes never going to be more than a guy who can cast grease and darkness ect, basic rogue doesnt offer anything you require beyond what hes already got , so that just leaves assassin . having someone who can whittle down packs of mobs with cheeky stealth kills is hard to pass up.