A Comprehensive Guide to Defeating The Vampire Lord Cazador in Baldur’s Gate 3

Astarion seeks revenge on Cazador, who once held him as a thrall in his mansion located in the upper center area of the Lower City. Despite his dark history in the mansion, Astarion has been freed from his vampiric afflictions.

In Baldur’s Gate 3, a crucial opportunity arises where you can aid Astarion in confronting this foe and thwarting a destructive blood ritual that requires the sacrifice of 7,000 lives. Cazador’s quest for godlike abilities poses a threat to Baldur’s Gate, and it is your responsibility to vanquish the Vampire Lord.

Are you up for the challenge of saving the city from this age-old malevolence?

1. Strategies for Defeating Cazador in Baldur’s Gate 3

How to Defeat Cazador in Baldur's Gate 3 — How to Defeat Cazador in Baldur’s Gate 3 | Source: In-game footage

In the third act of Baldur’s Gate 3, you will come face to face with the Vampire Lord Cazador Szarr, who has an army of bats and monsters under his command. To defeat Cazador, you have the option to either kill him directly or interfere with his ritual.

Despite being an optional questline, completing it will bring about valuable rewards such as strengthening your bond with companion Astarion and improving your combat prowess. No matter how you choose to handle the situation, the tactics to defeat him remain unchanged. Be ready for a difficult fight, but with the proper strategies, you will come out triumphant.

2. Where to Find Cazador in Baldur’s Gate 3

To begin your quest to defeat Cazador Szarr, head to the Lower City Central Wall waypoint in Act 3. From there, go up the rampart and find the small door labeled Szarr Palace South Tower (X-68, Y-53).
As you enter the door, carefully navigate through the corridors, trying to avoid any confrontations with Vampire Spawn. It is highly recommended to have Astarion accompany you, as he can use his skills in Persuasion and Deception to help you avoid potential fights.
Inside the palace, you’ll encounter a Sinister Door that requires the Kozakuran Dictionary and Szarr Family Ring to unlock. Find the Dictionary in a dresser in a room on the left (jump over Necrotic Mist to access it) and the Ring in another room, down the corridor on the right (protected by a weak skeleton named Godey).
With both items, unlock the Sinister Door and defeat the werewolves and bats. Then, unlock the door on the right side of the palace ballroom and head downstairs via the elevator platform. Heal yourself if needed, as you’ll soon face Cazador Szarr and his minions.

Hunter Stats in Baldur’s Gate 3

With his Level 12 Vampire Lord status, Cazador Szarr commands respect and is a formidable opponent. He boasts:

Spells that cause significant damage.
Characteristics that greatly enhance his ability to survive.
The health pool is significant, with over 200 HP.

Szarr Hunter
AND: 21
STR	DEX	WITH	INT	ALREADY	NO
18	18*	18	17*	15*	18

Szarr Hunter Stats Block

Prominent Characteristics:

Attention: Gain a +5 bonus to Initiative and cannot be caught off guard.
Arcane Enchantment: Provides a bonus of +1 to both Spell Save DC and spell attack rolls.
Arcane Vampirism: When creatures fail their Saving Throws, you regain 1d4 hit points.
The Improved Extra Attack feature allows for two additional attacks to be made after the initial attack with the main-hand weapon.
Sunlight Hypersensitivity: Results in taking 20 Radiant Damage when exposed to sunlight and having Disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks.
Vampire Regeneration: Restores 20 hit points at the beginning of each turn, unless the vampire is exposed to sunlight or has been affected by radiant damage or holy water.
In Tactician mode, the player gains a +10 bonus to their next Saving Throw through Legendary Resistance.

Resistances:

Capable of withstanding non-magical slashing, piercing, and bludgeoning attacks.
The individual is immune to both non-magical and magical necrotic damage.

Extra Skills:

Is able to cast advanced spells such as Call Lightning.
Misty Escape can be utilized to become intangible and acquire temporary Hit Points.

4. Strategies to Defeat Cazador in Baldur’s Gate 3

After watching a short cutscene, continue through the door and pause on the stairs. If you are accompanied by Astarion, temporarily remove him from your party and leave him behind. Reunite with your other party members and approach Cazador’s whereabouts.

Keeping Astarion away from the conversation area will effectively trick Cazador into thinking that you will bring your companion to him. This strategy will also prevent Cazador from performing a ritual that would give him additional healing each turn, making him easier to defeat.

To ensure that you have set everything up correctly, make sure that Cazador begins the dialogue by acknowledging Astarion’s absence and initiating the fight without any additional hit points. While Cazador’s abilities may appear intimidating, there are effective strategies to take advantage of his traits and gain an advantage. Here are some helpful tips:

1. Exploit Cazador’s Weakness

Although Cazador, the Vampire Lord, possesses few weaknesses, there is one particular damage type that proves to be extremely effective against him: Radiant Damage. This type of damage, often utilized by Clerics and Druids through spells like Daylight and Moonbeam, has the potential to completely turn the tide of the battle.

Casting Daylight directly on Cazador will result in continuous damage and prevent him from transforming into Mist Form. Another option is to use Moonbeam, a targeted and mobile spell that inflicts direct damage.

To start the battle, use a high-powered spell to deal significant damage, then follow up with area-of-effect magic that can hit Cazador’s Mist Form.
It’s crucial to target multiple enemies, as all must be defeated to complete the encounter.
Recommended spells for this fight include Fireball, Cloud of Daggers, Wall of Fire, Chain Lightning, and Shatter.
If the Daylight spell is available to you, employ it to greatly reduce Cazador’s strength.

To take a different and unexpected approach, you could try implementing a cheese strategy. Begin conversing with Cazador and have one of your party members cast Daylight on him while still talking. This will cause Cazador to sustain damage without retaliating, ultimately resulting in his defeat.

2. Using Crowd Control

The presence of his accompanying enemies and the Vampire Spawn in Sacrificial Circles are two major factors that can increase the difficulty of the Cazador fight. If the ritual begins, these spawns will bolster Cazador’s strength, but this can be countered by having a party member stand in the circles to deactivate them and weaken Cazador.

Prioritize defeating Cazador’s allies, such as bats, Werewolves, and other enemies, before targeting Cazador. Utilize powerful spells like Radiant-type Spirit Guardians to swiftly eliminate bats and either knock Werewolves off the edge or engage with them simultaneously.
While managing minions and disrupting the Sacrificial Circles, maintain control over Cazador using crowd control (CC) measures.
Consider using Otto’s Irresistible Dance to immobilize Cazador for up to 10 turns.

It is advisable to have Level 6 spells and a team consisting of Level 12 members for this difficult battle.

3. Push Cazador Off The Edge

Pushing Cazador into the chasm surrounding the central platform is a simple yet effective method to defeat him. Unlike most foes, defeating Cazador does not permanently eliminate him; instead, he will respawn in the coffin located at the center of the room.

To execute this strategy, use abilities like Thunderwave, Smokepowder, Roaring Thunder arrows, Eldritch Blast with specific Eldritch Invocations, or the Shove Action.
Illithids possess a range of abilities for pushing and pulling, with Void Bulbs proving especially advantageous.

Unlike other boss battles, in which pushing enemies into chasms would usually result in the inability to loot, this approach allows for looting even after defeating Cazador. Once he is defeated, grab his key and proceed to the Counting House for added bonuses.

5. Astarion’s Fate

After defeating Cazador, be sure to save your progress and then proceed to the nearby coffin. Here, you will be presented with a significant choice: either allowing or denying Astarion’s ascension to Vampire Ascendant.

If you allow Astarion to ascend, he will acquire considerable power, including improved attacks and a fresh ability to drain the health of his enemies. Nevertheless, this will result in a slight alteration to his personality, making him more driven by a desire for power.

If you disrupt the ritual, Astarion will engage in a fight to the death with you. However, if you are able to persuade him to abandon the ritual, there will be minimal consequences. Astarion will agree with your decision and help you free the Vampire Spawn, thus completing the quest.

Armed with these tips, the battle against Cazador Szarr and his minions now hinges on your decisions.

Remember to employ strategic tactics when facing Cazador Szarr, and keep in mind that if all else fails, a simple push can effectively end the battle by knocking the vampire off the ledge.

About Baldur’s Gate III

The game Baldur’s Gate III was created and released by Larian Studios as a role-playing game. It offers players the option to play alone or with others in multiplayer mode.

Inspired by the tabletop role-playing system of Dungeons & Dragons, the game is brimming with surprises, camaraderie, backstabbing, and an unending pursuit for ultimate supremacy. It also offers players the freedom to shape their own destinies and become whatever they desire.

Despite facing numerous challenges, it will be your responsibility to shape the destiny of the Forgotten Realms.