When players reach Cazador's Palace, located in the Lower City in Act 3 of Baldur's Gate 3, they will face a difficult and important decision that will affect the fate of 7,000 vampire spawn. This decision is especially significant if Astarion, who has been enslaved by Cazador for two centuries, is a member of the party, as it directly affects his storyline in Baldur's Gate 3.
Cazador’s Prisoners Dilemma Guide
After Cazador's ritual has been prevented, players will have 3 options for what to do with the 7,000 vampire spawn. Here is a list of all the options and their consequences:
Release the Spawn
If players choose to free the spawn, it will cause Astarion to free all 7,000 prisoners, using Cazador's staff to open each of the cells. In general, this is the most recommended option, as Astarion will order his brothers and sisters to send the spawn to Underdark, where they can be safe from sunlight and have plenty of food, so they will not harm and terrorize the citizens of Baldur's Gate. This will save players from various negative consequences and will not affect the main plot. Besides, Astarion himself will like this choice.
Kill all the Prisoners
If gamers think that the release of 7,000 vampires is too dangerous for Baldur's Gate, they can choose to kill all the prisoners. After making this choice, Astarion will use his staff to slay all of them, except for his 6 brothers and sisters as they have been living with their thirst for centuries, unlike the others who are likely to run wild and start hunting people.
This option is not really recommended, as Astarion will feel guilty about his actions, even though he will realize that he has avoided a great risk for the citizens of Baldur's Gate. Nevertheless, when the players leave the ritual room, they will come across the Gur Tribe, who will be grateful for killing Cazador and consider Astarion's choice to be the right one.
Remain Indifferent
Besides killing or rescuing, players can also choose to just leave the spawn. If this option is chosen, Astarion will break the staff, making it impossible to free the vampire spawn or perform any rituals in the future. In addition, he will have no desire to clean up Cazador's mess and will release his six brothers and sisters.
Baldur's Gate 3 is available now on PC and PS5, with an Xbox Series X/S version also in development.