In Baldur’s Gate 3, one of the most difficult decisions is whether to kill Cazador’s vampire spawn in Act 3 or set them free. This dilemma presents a moral quandary for players striving to do good. Although Cazador is not directly tied to the main storyline, the vampire is a significant antagonist with nefarious ambitions that endanger innocent lives. Encountering Cazador is crucial for completing Astarion’s personal story arc, and the outcome of this encounter can unfold in various ways.
[Warning: The following article contains spoilers for Act 3 of Baldur’s Gate 3.]
Cazador is responsible for Astarion’s traumatic past, having turned him into a vampire spawn and compelling him to serve. Regardless of the party’s influence on Astarion, he sees confronting Cazador as essential for closure. The planned ascension ceremony provides an opportunity for a dramatic showdown, but it also presents Astarion and the party with significant choices that can be viewed as either intriguing opportunities or dreadful fates.
From a mechanical standpoint in Baldur’s Gate 3, the encounter offers the advantage of sacrificing the souls that Cazador has gathered. Specifically, Astarion can take Cazador’s place and complete the ritual himself, transforming from a vampire spawn to an ascendant vampire and gaining more power. In combat, this results in a general +1d10 necrotic damage and additional abilities like Ascendant Bite and Misty Escape. The former is an upgraded version of the standard Vampire Bite, while the latter allows Astarion to transform into a mist once per short rest.
Completing the ascension ritual requires using the vampire spawn, and Astarion won’t gain any unique advantages by remaining a vampire spawn. Therefore, a campaign focused on success in battle should consider this option, especially in an Honour Mode playthrough where every advantage matters. This choice leads to an extra encounter with the monster hunters called the Gur after defeating Cazador, so caution is advised, but the additional fight shouldn’t be too challenging.
2024-01-20 10:00:04
Original from screenrant.com