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Cazador Szarr
| Overview | Combat |
Cazador Szarr is a vampire in Baldur's Gate 3 and Astarion's former master. He is the primary antagonist of Astarion's personal quest, The Pale Elf.
“First, thou shalt not drink of the blood of thinking creatures.Second, thou shalt obey me in all things.
Third, thou shalt not leave my side unless directed.
Four, thou shalt know that thou art mine.„
Overview
History
Cazador became a Vampire Lord in the year 1276, claiming the position of master vampire of Baldur's Gate from Vellioth the Martinet.[1]
Involvement
Act One
While not making an appearance within Act One or Act Two, Cazador's influence is still felt. If Astarion is chosen as player character, they can encounter a dream sequence involving Cazador, where he recites four rules he enforces amongst his spawn. Astarion as a companion can also show the party the scars on his back, which is revealed to be part of an Infernal Pact. What this pact entails is unknown, but he assumes it is extremely important to Cazador.
Act Two
While still not appearing in Act Two, Astarion can decipher the meaning of the pact with the help of Raphael. His scars are part of a ritual imparted to Cazador by Mephistopheles. When performed, the recipient of the ritual becomes 
, a creature that retains all the power of a Vampire, but none of the weaknesses, including their weakness to sunlight and thirst for blood.
Act Three
Once in Baldur's Gate, the party can hunt down Cazador at Cazador's Palace. He is eventually found in his Dungeon, revealing that the ritual required not just the seven Vampire Spawns he sired, but also thousands of others. The "meals" Astarion brought Cazador were not for him to feed on, but rather prepared and turned into spawns for use in his ritual. Upon encountering Cazador, he reclaims Astarion, and begins his attempt to use him for the ritual. Should the party free Astarion, and defeat Cazador, Astarion readies himself to take over the ritual, and absorb the power for himself - only for Cazador to reveal, that if Astarion were to continue the ritual himself, he would simply be consumed for it, as he has the marks of the pact on his back, and the ritual would have still taken his soul as a result, as it requires an exact amount of souls. The party must then make an important choice.
The Black Mass Ritual
Letting Astarion finish the Ritual
Should the party allow Astarion to finish the ritual, he connects to the player character's parasite, and copies the scars on his back onto Cazador's own flesh, therefore fulfilling the requirements for the ritual, while allowing himself to remain alive. Astarion then consumes Cazador's, and all of the thousands of Vampire Spawns' essence to successfully become the Vampire Ascendant.
Convincing Astarion to kill Cazador and stop the Ritual
If succeeding on a 
or 
check, Astarion does not continue the ritual for himself, and instead stabs Cazador to death, falling to his knees, and sobbing, finally free from Cazador's tyranny. If even one of the Vampire Spawns died during the fight, the Vampire Ascendent ritual cannot be conducted and Astarion defaults to this option.
Refusing to help Astarion
If refusing to help Astarion without convincing him, or failing the skill checks and still refusing to help him, Astarion kills Cazador in the same sequence as above. But he then destroys Cazador's 
Woe, leaving the Vampire Spawns to rot. After this, he permanently leaves the party, stating that he hopes they "die screaming."
Killing Cazador without Astarion in the party
It is possible to stab Cazador, while he is in his coffin, if Astarion was not brought to the fight. Mentioning this to Astarion afterwards infuriates him, and he permanently leaves the party unless the party convinces him not to do so.
Interrupting the ritual
The party can choose to interrupt Astarion partway through the ritual. If they do so, the player character throws Cazador's 
Rhapsody at him, killing Cazador and making the ritual impossible to complete. Astarion then destroys Cazador's staff and attacks the party, forcing the party to kill him.
Breaking the ritual
Killing one or more of the sacrificial Vampire Spawns during the fight with Cazador results in Astarion killing Cazador and staying with the party without complaint (even if he is in the fight and witnesses a Vampire Spawns dying). Astarion's remaining siblings then flee the scene, skipping their normal cutscene. Several characters, including the Gur party, will react as if Astarion voluntarily forfeited the ritual.
No matter which choice the party decides on, Cazador ultimately dies.
Combat
Notable Loot
Related literature
Dawsen Kiltmaker's Confession
Eternal Cruelty
Favoured Spawn Ledger- Ledger: Blood Donors
Leon's Diary
Letter to Mrel Alkam
Meditations of a Vampire Lord- Party Planner
Related quests
Gallery
Cazador's model
Cazador's model during Early Access
Cazador's concept art
Cazador during the ritual
Character art by Edward Vanderghote
Notes
- During the Early Access, Cazador appeared with a beard. This is no longer the case, as Elves are unable to use Facial Hair options.
- The Release version of Cazador slightly resembles another unrelated vampire from Dungeons & Dragons -
Strahd von Zarovich.
