Astarion’s Book of Hungers (Deep Dive & Review)

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Astarion—everyone’s favorite razor-tongued vampire spawn from Baldur’s Gate 3—is now getting even more time in the spotlight, thanks to a new Dungeons & Dragons supplement. Entitled Astarion’s Book of Hungers, the book is a digital-only expansion on D&D Beyond that was just released as a companion piece to Wizards of the Coast’s two new Forgotten Realms D&D sourcebooks: the player-focused Heroes of Faerûn and the DM-centric Adventures in Faerûn. You can pick it up now on D&D Beyond.

The new digital expansion is currently being bundled with those two books and a few other digital extras on D&D Beyond, and is positioned as both a rules and adventure add-on that leans hard into vampiric play. It’s a first for Wizards of the Coast who hasn’t typically released exclusive content in this format before, and it remains to be seen just how will this new digital strategy will go over with fans.

So just what kind of new bloodthirsty adventures await in Astarion’s Book of Hungers? Below, we stake out all the details.

Table of Contents

• What’s included in Astarion’s book of hungers?
• What are the new character options like?
• What are the NPCs and monsters like?
• What are the adventures like?
• What is the art and design like?
• How much is Astarion’s book of Hungers?
• When was Astarion’s Book of Hungers released?
• Who is Astarion?
• Is Astarion’s Book of Hunters worth picking up?
• Final thoughts & review score

What’s included Astarion’s Book of Hungers?

Astarion’s Book of Hungers is a 32-page digital supplement on D&D Beyond that’s designed for both players and Dungeon Masters. The book itself is broken into the following sections:

• Introduction: Offers advice on how to use the book, plus offers a brief breakdown of the history of Astarion (covering his early days and undead transformation to the current time period of 1501 DR) along with an introduction from the charming vampire spawn himself.
• Chapter 1: Vampiric Character Options: Provides new player options themed around vampirism, including three backgrounds (Carouser, Vampire Devotee and Vampire Survivor), the Dhampir species, and a collection of vampiric-themed feats.
• Chapter 2: Creatures of the Night: Includes background for several vampire NPCs from Astarion’s past, plus new five monster stat blocks: Fiendish Icon, Harvester Devil, Speaker Devil, Vampire Infernalist and Vampire Warden.
• Chapter 3: Adventures with Astarion: Presents two adventures set in Rat’s Run (Astarion’s favorite Baldur’s Gate tavern) alongside a full setting guide with NPCs, maps, and story hooks that explores Astarion’s bloodsoaked past.

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What are the new character options like in Astarion’s Book of Hungers?

Astarion’s Book of Hungers introduces new backgrounds, feats and a species all tied to the theme of vampirism. The three new backgrounds include Carouser, Vampire Devotee, and Vampire Survivor. The Carouser stands out for its flavor, evoking the image of a charming socialite navigating the taverns and gambling dens of Baldur’s Gate. Vampire Devotee offers a more sinister twist, appealing to players who enjoy morally ambiguous characters with ties to the undead. The weakest of the trio feels like Vampire Survivor, which presents the cliched archetype of a hardened monster-hunter without much mechanical innovation. Still, all three backgrounds mesh neatly with the supplement’s focus on personal histories shaped by vampiric influence.

The largest portion of the character options chapter is dedicated to Feats, which are a bit of a mixed bag in terms of offerings. The Origin Feats are the strongest overall, directly tying to the new backgrounds.Vampire’s Plaything, for example, lets you craft minor potions and even communicate telepathically with your former vampire master. Vampire Hunter feels useful and cinematic, offering resistance to necrotic damage and advantage when escaping grapples.

The General Feats vary more in quality. Bloodlust is practical and well-tuned, letting a player heal themselves mid-fight after striking a bloodied enemy. Similarly, Love Bites adds a fun, dramatic touch by allowing melee attackers to briefly charm opponents. Others, like Putrefy and Rebuke, however, feel generic, rehashing simple combat bonuses without much flavor. The Epic Boon Feats are also fairly well done. Boon of Blazing Dawn makes a character immune to radiant damage and able to emit sunlight when they strike, while Boon of Misty Escape lets them survive death by transforming into mist. Together, the feats provide a solid blend of combat effectiveness and gothic style, though some lean more on concept than meaningful gameplay impact.

The book also includes the new Dhampir species. It reuses the basic concept introduced in Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft, but its inclusion here feels appropriate, given the book’s focus on Astarion and his world. Dhampirs retain familiar traits like Darkvision, Spider Climb and the Vampiric Bite, which allows players to recover health or boost their next attack. While not groundbreaking mechanically, it’s a solid option, although it would have been great to see the book include a few more species options, rather than simply rehashing something we’ve already seen before. A Vampire Spawn species, for example, seems like it should have been a no-brainer for players who actually want to run an undead PC.

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What are the NPCs and monsters like in Astarion’s Book of Hungers?

The section of the book briefly covers Cazador Szarr the elf vampire lord who spawned Astarion. It also includes a short description of the vampiric “family” that. Szarr has created, including Aurelia (the poised and secretive first spawn), Pale Petras (the arrogant third) and Violet (a sadistic manipulator who becomes Astarion’s chief rival in later adventures).

Most of the chapter, however, is focused on five new monster stats. The Fiendish Icon is a CR 1 animated statue that would work well in a low-level gothic or urban campaign. The Harvester Devil (CR 3) and Speaker Devil (CR 12) add infernal flavor, each representing a distinct kind of temptation or manipulation. The Harvester Devil’s contract-based abilities lean into roleplaying and moral tension, while the Speaker Devil’s magic and sonic attacks make it an imposing high-level threat.

The two undead entries-the Vampire Infernalist (CR 14) and Vampire Warden (CR 10)-are the chapter’s mechanical highlights. The Vampire Infernalist is an undead who has made a pact with the archdevil Mephistophles to gain even more unholy powers including infernal spellcasting and a devestating Hellfire claw attack and the ability to teleport as a legendary action. The Vampire Warden, meanwhile, is a durable, stone-skinned guardian that petrifies itself to absorb damage. Both are mechanically interesting and are great options for a higher level vampire-themed adventure.

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What are the adventures like in Astarion’s Book of Hungers?

*** MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD ***

The book also includes two adventures that vary in tone and difficulty levels, both set in Astarion’s favorite haunt, Rat’s Run, a seedy tavern in Baldur’s Gate. The first is entitled Family Outreach and is designed for Level 3 characters. In it, Violet (one of Cazador Szarr’s vampire spawn) plots to assassinate Astarion using a local street gang called the Bloody Knives, with the vampire spawn hiring the heroes to help thwart her plans. It’s a compact, combat-driven scenario, but is also fairly linear and is about colorful encounters and character moments than player choice or intrigue.

The Wayward Son raises the stakes dramatically, both narratively and mechanically, serving as a higher tier adventure for Level 12 characters. The adventure focuses on a showdown between Astarion and his former master, Cazador Szarr. When Cazador’s patience runs out, he dispatches his minions to retrieve his disobedient spawn, forcing Astarion and the player characters into a series of escalating confrontations inside Rat’s Run. It’s a really unique

*** END SPOILERS ***

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What is the art and design like in Astarion’s Book of Hungers?

It’s worth noting that the writing and overall design in Astarion’s Book of Hungers is impressive. The constant asides from Astarion are particularly well done and something that fans of Baldur’s Gate 3 will definitely appreciate. The overall structure of the book is also simple and ease to reference, although it would be nice to see a print version at some point, so DMs running the game in person don’t have to constantly reference D&D Beyond on their phone or computer.

The art direction is also extremely well done, especially for relatively small book. The digital pages are packed with a surprising amount of new illustrations and every piece really captures the overall blood soaked vibes the book is going for. Again, it would be amazing to have a print copy of this as it’s definitely worth adding to your collection for hte art alone.

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How much is Astarion’s Book of Hungers?

Astarion’s Book of Hungers is available for purchase for $14.99 USD exclusively on D&D Beyond. (Notably it was included for free if you purchased the Forgotten Realms Ultimate Bundle on D&D Beyond). It’s not a bad price considering how much content you get, but it would be great to see Wizards of the Coast also release this on DMsGuild, so there’s more ways for players to access it.

When was Astarion’s Book of Hungers released?

Astarion’s Book of Hungers was published on D&D Beyond on November 11th, 2025. This is the same day that both Heroes of Faerûn and Adventures in Faerûn books were officially released in print format.

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Who is Astarion?

Astarion Ancunín is a high-elf rogue and vampire spawn from the Baldur’s Gate 3 video game. For two centuries he served the sadistic vampire lord Cazador Szarr, until he was abducted by mind flayers and infected with an illithid tadpole. Ironically, that affliction also lets him ignore some classic vampire limitations, such as sunlight, running water and crossing thresholds uninvited. Since the release of BG3, Astarion has quickly become a fan favorite companion, thanks in no small part to the performance of voice actor Neil Newbon.

Outside of Baldur’s Gate 3, Astarion has appeared in a variety of other Dungeons & Dragons media. Most notably, Neil Newbon revived the character in an actual play session featuring the cast of BG3 which took place at Magic Con Chicago in 2025. Astarion also made an easter egg apperance in the 2024 Player’s Handbook in an art piece that features a cleric casting a spell obliterating a group of vampires, with Astarion unscathed in the bottom right hand corner (see image below).

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Is Astarion’s Book of Hungers worth picking up?

Pros

• A fan favorite character: If you’re a fan of Astarion and Baldur’s Gate 3 chances are you’ll love seeing him highlighted in official D&D content.
• Solid presentation and art: The amount of new, high-quality artwork is impressive for a 32-page digital release, with stunning imagery that captures the mood and setting beautifully.
• Engaging adventures: Both included scenarios are tightly written, cinematic and make great use of Astarion’s lore and relationships.
• Creative monster design: The new creatures (particularly the Vampire Infernalist and Vampire Warden) add unique mechanics and flavor.

Cons

• Limited player options: While flavorful, the new Backgrounds and Feats sometimes feel uneven, with a few reusing familiar ideas rather than pushing design boundaries. It’s also a bit disappointing to have only one new species (the Dhampir) that’s also been previously covered in D&D 5e materials. Fans hoping to play as a vampire (or at the very least a vampire spawn) may also be disappointed.
• Digital-only format: With no physical or printable version, running the adventures at the table can feel cumbersome for DMs who prefer books over having to run the content from D&D Beyond on a smart phone or computer.
• Short length: At just 32 pages, the supplement feels a little short. That being said, it does pack a ton of content in a short amount of space.
• Narrow focus: Players uninterested in Baldur’s Gate 3 or vampire themes may find little here that applies to a broader D&D campaign.

Final Thoughts & Review Score

Astarion’s Book of Hungers is a surprisingly rich, stylish and entertaining digital supplement that brings one of Baldur’s Gate 3’s most beloved characters to the D&D table. While its short length and uneven mechanics occasionally hold it back, the combination of strong writing, memorable art and tight adventures makes it a solid choice for fans of Astarion or anyone looking to add a dose of blood-soaked charm to their next D&D session.

Final review score: 18 out of 20

You can pick up your copy of Astarion’s Book of Hungers now on D&D Beyond.

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