Cazador Szarr/Combat

Overview

Combat

Cazador Szarr
Vampire Lord
Voiced by	Graham Hoadly
Family	Amanita Szarr (niece)
Hometown	Szarr Palace, Baldur's Gate
Stats
Size	Medium
Type	Undead
Race	Vampire
Balanced Difficulty Stats
Level	12
HP	208
AC	16
Initiative	+9
Proficiency	+4
Movement	9 m (30 ft)
Weight	70 kg (140 lb)
XP reward	1400
Ability scores
STR	18 (+4)
DEX	18 (+4)
CON	18 (+4)
INT	17 (+3)
WIS	15 (+2)
CHA	18 (+4)
Saving throws
STR	+4
DEX	+8
CON	+4
INT	+7
WIS	+6
CHA	+4
Resistances (info)
Conditions
Ritual Sources For each ritual source, movement increased by 1 m / 3 ft, +10 temporary hp, and 1d10Necrotic additional damage to attacks and spells.  Ritual Drain: Yousen The creature gains 3d8hit points every turn while drawing on Yousen's vitality.  Ritual Drain: Astarion Has an additional bonus action after draining Astarion's life force. This effect can only apply once per round.  Ritual Drain: Violet The creature has an additional +5 to its Armour Class after absorbing Violet's strength.
Features
Alert You gain +5 to Initiative and can no longer be surprised.  Arcane Enchantment You gain a +1 bonus to Spell Save DC and Spell Attack rolls.  Arcane Vampirism When the creatures affected by your spells fail any associated Saving throws, you regain 1d4hit points.  Improved Extra Attack You can make two additional attacks after attacking with your main-hand weapon.  Opportunity Attack Automatically attack an enemy moving out of your reach.  Sunlight Hypersensitivity This creature takes 20Radiant damage if it starts its turn in sunlight. While sunlit, it has Disadvantage on Attack rolls and Ability checks.  Vampire Regeneration The vampire regains 10hit points at the start of its turn if it isn't in sunlight, or has taken Radiant damage or damage from Holy Water, in which case this trait doesn't function until the start of its next turn.
Explorer Difficulty Stats
Level	12
HP	145
AC	16
Initiative	+9
Proficiency	+6
Movement	9 m (30 ft)
Weight	70 kg (140 lb)
XP reward	1400
Ability scores
STR	18 (+4)
DEX	18 (+4)
CON	18 (+4)
INT	17 (+3)
WIS	15 (+2)
CHA	18 (+4)
Saving throws
STR	+4
DEX	+10
CON	+4
INT	+9
WIS	+8
CHA	+4
Resistances (info)
Conditions
Ritual Sources For each ritual source, movement increased by 1 m / 3 ft, +10 temporary hp, and 1d10Necrotic additional damage to attacks and spells.  Ritual Drain: Yousen The creature gains 3d8hit points every turn while drawing on Yousen's vitality.  Ritual Drain: Astarion Has an additional bonus action after draining Astarion's life force. This effect can only apply once per round.  Ritual Drain: Violet The creature has an additional +5 to its Armour Class after absorbing Violet's strength.
Features
Alert You gain +5 to Initiative and can no longer be surprised.  Arcane Enchantment You gain a +1 bonus to Spell Save DC and Spell Attack rolls.  Arcane Vampirism When the creatures affected by your spells fail any associated Saving throws, you regain 1d4hit points.  Improved Extra Attack You can make two additional attacks after attacking with your main-hand weapon.  Opportunity Attack Automatically attack an enemy moving out of your reach.  Sunlight Hypersensitivity This creature takes 20Radiant damage if it starts its turn in sunlight. While sunlit, it has Disadvantage on Attack rolls and Ability checks.  Vampire Regeneration The vampire regains 10hit points at the start of its turn if it isn't in sunlight, or has taken Radiant damage or damage from Holy Water, in which case this trait doesn't function until the start of its next turn.
Tactician Difficulty Stats
Level	12
HP	270
AC	17
Initiative	+10
Proficiency	+4
Movement	9 m (30 ft)
Weight	70 kg (140 lb)
XP reward	1400
Ability scores
STR	18 (+4)
DEX	20 (+5)
CON	18 (+4)
INT	17 (+3)
WIS	15 (+2)
CHA	18 (+4)
Saving throws
STR	+4
DEX	+9
CON	+4
INT	+7
WIS	+6
CHA	+4
Resistances (info)
Conditions
Legendary Resistance: Crowd Control You have a +10 bonus to your next Saving throw affecting multiple targets.  Ritual Sources For each ritual source, movement increased by 1 m / 3 ft, +10 temporary hp, and 1d10Necrotic additional damage to attacks and spells.  Ritual Drain: Yousen The creature gains 3d8hit points every turn while drawing on Yousen's vitality.  Ritual Drain: Astarion Has an additional bonus action after draining Astarion's life force. This effect can only apply once per round.  Ritual Drain: Violet The creature has an additional +5 to its Armour Class after absorbing Violet's strength.
Features
Alert You gain +5 to Initiative and can no longer be surprised.  Arcane Enchantment You gain a +1 bonus to Spell Save DC and Spell Attack rolls.  Arcane Vampirism When the creatures affected by your spells fail any associated Saving throws, you regain 1d4hit points.  Improved Extra Attack You can make two additional attacks after attacking with your main-hand weapon.  Opportunity Attack Automatically attack an enemy moving out of your reach.  Sunlight Hypersensitivity This creature takes 20Radiant damage if it starts its turn in sunlight. While sunlit, it has Disadvantage on Attack rolls and Ability checks.  Vampire Regeneration The vampire regains 10hit points at the start of its turn if it isn't in sunlight, or has taken Radiant damage or damage from Holy Water, in which case this trait doesn't function until the start of its next turn.
Honour Difficulty Stats
Level	12
HP	270
AC	17
Initiative	+10
Proficiency	+4
Movement	9 m (30 ft)
Weight	70 kg (140 lb)
XP reward	1400
Ability scores
STR	18 (+4)
DEX	20 (+5)
CON	18 (+4)
INT	17 (+3)
WIS	15 (+2)
CHA	18 (+4)
Saving throws
STR	+4
DEX	+9
CON	+4
INT	+7
WIS	+6
CHA	+4
Resistances (info)
Conditions
Legendary Resistance: Crowd Control You have a +10 bonus to your next Saving throw affecting multiple targets.  Ritual Sources For each ritual source, movement increased by 1 m / 3 ft, +10 temporary hp, and 1d10Necrotic additional damage to attacks and spells.  Ritual Drain: Yousen The creature gains 3d8hit points every turn while drawing on Yousen's vitality.  Ritual Drain: Astarion Has an additional bonus action after draining Astarion's life force. This effect can only apply once per round.  Ritual Drain: Violet The creature has an additional +5 to its Armour Class after absorbing Violet's strength.
Features
Alert You gain +5 to Initiative and can no longer be surprised.  Arcane Enchantment You gain a +1 bonus to Spell Save DC and Spell Attack rolls.  Arcane Vampirism When the creatures affected by your spells fail any associated Saving throws, you regain 1d4hit points.  Improved Extra Attack You can make two additional attacks after attacking with your main-hand weapon.  Legendary Action: Vampiric Swarm Once per round, Cazador can spend a Legendary Action to conjure a  Vampiric Swarm.  Opportunity Attack Automatically attack an enemy moving out of your reach.  Sunlight Hypersensitivity This creature takes 20Radiant damage if it starts its turn in sunlight. While sunlit, it has Disadvantage on Attack rolls and Ability checks.  Vampire Regeneration The vampire regains 10hit points at the start of its turn if it isn't in sunlight, or has taken Radiant damage or damage from Holy Water, in which case this trait doesn't function until the start of its next turn.
Technical
UID	S_GLO_Cazador
UUID	2f1880e6-1297-4ca3-a79c-9fabc7f179d3
Stats	GLO_Cazador

This page focuses on Cazador's behavior during turn-based combat gameplay.

Attacks and abilities

 Blight ( + )   –  Woe

Damage: 8~64

8d8Necrotic

Deals 8d8Necrotic to a target. Plants take maximum damage from this spell, and have Disadvantage on the Saving throw against it.

CON Save

 Range: 9 m / 30 ft

 Call Lightning ( + )

Damage: 3~30

3d10Lightning

Call down lightning to hit all targets within range and its area of effect for 3d10Lightning damage. Then for 10 turns, you can call down lightning again without expending a spell slot.

DEX Save

 Range: 18 m / 60 ft

AoE: 2 m / 7 ft (Radius)

 Fly ()

Fly to a target position

 Range: 18 m / 60 ft

 Forced Teleportation ()

Damage: 3~24

3d8Necrotic

Cazador forcibly teleports one of his vampire spawn to a nearby location.

 Range: 18 m / 60 ft

 Misty Escape ()

Transform into a tiny mist cloud. It can't fall, and fits through small openings. It is very hard to damage.

The cloud has Advantage on Constitution, Dexterity and Strength Saving Throws.

 Range: Self

Recharge: Per turn

Enough, Wretches!

When Cazador reaches low enough health, he will use Enough, Wretches!, and switch to physical attacks.

 Enough, Wretches!

Cazador switches from spells to savage melee attacks.

Recharge: Per battle

 Claws ()

Damage: 7~13

2d4 + 5Slashing

Lash out with deadly claws.

 Melee: 1.5 m / 5  ft

 Multiattack ()

Damage: 12~24

2d4 + 4Slashing

+ 2d4 + 4Slashing

The target must be  Blood-Sapped.

 Melee: 1.5 m / 5  ft

Recharge: Per turn

Tactician mode

 Potent Misty Escape ()

Transform into a tiny mist cloud. It can't fall, and fits through small openings. It is very hard to damage. Foes within 4 m / 13 ft of the cloud may be  Blinded and take 3d6Necrotic at the start of Cazador's turn. The cloud has Advantage on Constitution, Dexterity, and Strength Saving Throws.

 Range: Self

Recharge: Per turn

Honour mode

 Vampiric Swarm

Damage: 12~144

12d12Piercing

Call forth a swarm of vampire bats. Targets are pushed backwards 7 m / 23 ft and may become  Swarmed.

DEX Save

 Range: 10 m / 33 ft

AoE: 5 m / 17 ft (Cube)

Loot

• Rhapsody
• Szarr Family Ring
• Woe

Allies

• Bat -6x (6 additional bats spawn each round)
• Chatterteeth
• Fallen Gur Hunter - 3x
• Predator Werewolf - 4x

Encounter details

• If Astarion is in the party when meeting Cazador, a cutscene plays out in which he becomes trapped as part of the ritual. He can be freed using the  Help action.
• Cazador attempts to complete the ritual to become the Vampire Ascendant. If 3 turns pass without the ritual being interrupted (by freeing Astarion or killing one of the Vampire Spawn) then at the beginning of the 4th turn Cazador consumes them all to become the Vampire Ascendant. This permanently kills Astarion and Scroll of Revivify,  Revivify, or Withers cannot be used to revive him.
• Cazador is empowered by 7  Ritual Sources from each of the trapped vampire spawn, granting him 1m of movement speed, 10 temporary hit points, and 1d10Necrotic per trapped spawn. These sources are represented by lines of red magic on the floor and can be "stolen" by the party if they stand on top of the magic circles in front of the vampire spawn. 3 of them provide additional bonus effects:
  • Ritual Drain: Astarion: Gain an additional bonus action
  • Ritual Drain: Violet: Gain +5 AC
  • Ritual Drain: Yousen: Heal for 3d8hit points each turn
• If Cazador succeeds in becoming the Vampire Ascendant, he permanently gains  Sinister Lord which replaces the previous Ritual Source effects. Standing on the magical circles does no longer have any effect.
• If Astarion is not in the party when meeting Cazador, then he is unable to capture him at the start of the fight. This prevents Cazador from starting the ritual and thus deprives him of all the  Ritual Sources and Ritual Drain bonuses as well as the 3 turn countdown to become the Vampire Ascendant.
• Cazador always upcasts  Call Lightning to level 5.

Tactics

• In the lead-up to the final confrontation with Cazador, Astarion can be split-off from the party and left way back up the stairs. Then upon descending the stairs with the rest of the party, Cazador believes that Astarion did not accompany the party and does not entrap him. However, as of Patch 6 if Astarion later joins the fight and Cazador is still alive, the fight is interrupted by a cut scene and Astarion is captured. This technique can nonetheless be used to delay the three turn countdown for Cazador's ascendance, and to hold off Astarion's imprisonment until a more manageable time in the battle. It is also possible to avoid the capture with Astarion in the party by attacking Cazador from range and initiating the fight without dialogue. Astarion is captured if he tries to move up the steps onto the ritual dais, but if he stays on or near the entrance stairs he remains safe.
• It is possible to start combat as normal, separating Astarion from the main party and selecting him to walk up to Cazador to initiate combat, leaving the other three party members behind. As the cutscene starts, it is possible to attack Cazador with any of the other three party members, which should, instead of drawing them into immediate combat, add them to the conversation. All cutscenes play as normal prior to the start, and after combat. This should also not count as an action for the attacking party member either. Essentially it gives the party a free attack on Cazador before combat starts without cutting off the party from any part of the story.
• If Astarion is captured as part of the ritual, it is imperative to free him ASAP so that Cazador cannot kill him and become the Vampire Ascendant. Using  Dash and  Misty Step can allow allies to reach him within a single turn so they can free him with  Help on the next turn. Alternatively a party member could use  Dimension Door to transport an ally (even Scratch!) across the room, and this second ally can free Astarion that same turn.
• The narrow stairway is a fantastic choke point for crowd-controlling the mobs with spells early in the fight. Some lightning resistance for the party and there will be little Cazador can do on lower difficulty levels since Call Lightning is the only ranged attack he has.  Wall of Fire can be extremely effective if placed across the front of the dais, killing all the bats and weakening or killing the stronger minions.
• Using  Daylight or similar effects impose  Sunlight Hypersensitivity on Cazador, reverting his mist form and causing 20Radiant at the start of his turn. Keeping Cazador close to a Daylight source makes the fight significantly easier. Daylight can also be used to trigger the fight with Cazador and skip the cutscene completely, allowing to start the fight with Astarion already free.
• Summons are very effective in this fight since they give more bodies to block Cazador's  Ritual Sources. Even something as simple as a  Spiritual Weapon can be used to block one of the ritual sources.
• The 10 temporary hit points provided by  Ritual Sources can be refreshed by walking off of and back onto the magic circles.
• This fight can be made significantly easier if Astarion is not in the party when starting the dialogue with Cazador since it prevents the 3 turn Vampire Ascendant countdown as well as the ritual source and ritual drain buffs. The party can achieve this outcome either by taking a different companion in Astarion's place or by leaving Astarion at the top of the stairs and having him enter the fight partway through.