ADRIAN

I hate that the choice you get about whether to take the advanced tadpole from the emperor is basically not a choice. Like you almost have to drop it and crush it in order to avoid having it. I am literally wearing a necklace that gives me advantage on wisdom, saving throws, however, it did not give me advantage on this specific wisdom saving throw to resist the advanced tadpole, which I think is ridiculous, because it has given me advantage on Literally Every Other wisdom saving throw I’ve ever had to do, including the dark urge saving throws. I also don’t like that when you make that dialogue option and you say “no way I do not want to become a mindflayer” the game basically meta-games you into being like “actually your brain really wants to be a mindflayer.”

For me, this time, the wisdom save was a 20 DC I have a zero wisdom modifier, which LITERALLY is why I have the amulet that gives me advantage on wisdom saving throws. It would’ve been literally impossible for me to succeed the wisdom saving throw because I have a +0 to my wisdom modifier Shadowheart hadn’t happened to be with me she could give me bless, but I would still have to roll a nat 20. I literally double checked after the conversation to make sure I was still wearing the amulet because it did not give me the ability to have advantage on that check.

I also would not be so against the idea of a forced mind flayer thing if it did not permanently affect your character’s appearance in a way I don’t like. I will be 100% honest with that. If it was just a passive thing that happened to you mentally, but did not give you the fucked up looking face, and then I would be much more willing to just accept the choice and be like “all right. This is some thing that has happened to my character and I understand that it is, part of the story and it’s a mindflayer influence and some things in DND are intentional failures in order to create more tension and have more of an impact on the player character.” But the physical transformation to your face is what makes me go “”no I don’t want that” Like if it was more subtle or I had the chance to forgo it or something like that maybe I would be more open to it but it is permanently disfiguring.

My reluctance to except the alternative tadpole is 100% based on the physical transformation. If it was just the mind powers, I would literally be all over it but the way it affects the face is so drastic. So the idea that I cannot keep myself from making a physical transformation like. I know I’m rambling, sorry. But the idea that the game has it so it’s a literally impossible for you to resist an urge that will permanently alter your body in a way you don’t want, I don’t like. It seems very weird that that would be something in the game. Meanwhile, Astarion‘s whole plot line exists.

Also the fact that if you DO accept it or fail the save, Astarion can judge you for it on that exact basis!!! He says like “I don’t want something happening to my body against my will again”. Bitch neither did I but here I am.