Highlights

  • Patch 4 of Baldur's Gate 3 adds a color-blind mode, updates spell mechanics, and fixes combat-related crashes, but also removes the ability to defeat the boss by Shoving him off a ledge.
  • Shoving Cazador Szarr to his death became a popular meme in the community, with players using humorous tactics like using a miniature giant space hamster or turning enemies into sheep.
  • The battle against Cazador Szarr was a mood shift in the game, as it was a silly and non-dramatic death in between tense cutscenes. Patch 4 has made the boss battle more challenging, removing the Shove option and adding new abilities to Cazador.

Dungeons and Dragons-inspired RPG Baldur's Gate 3 received its fourth post-launch patch on November 2. The patch adds a color-blind mode, updates the mechanics of several spells and weapons, and fixes multiple combat- and dialogue-related crashes. However, Patch 4 also puts to rest a popular meme in the Baldur's Gate 3 fan community, which allowed players to defeat powerful vampire Cazador Szarr by simply Shoving him off a ledge.

Szarr is the final boss of the companion quest "The Pale Elf," which centers around vampiric rogue Astarion. The villainous vampire has planned a ritual to become an ultra-powerful Vampire Ascendant by sacrificing several thousand vampire spawn, including Astarion. Players must defeat him in a tense, timed battle in order to stop the ritual and save Astarion's life. The fight is meant to be a tricky one, featuring multiple minions and a boss who can turn invisible at will. However, the fight took place on a platform over a chasm, and Cazador's intangible form was extremely lightweight, allowing him to easily be fatally shoved into said chasm prior to Baldur's Gate 3 Patch 4.

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Shoving Cazador Was A Source Of Memes

Baldur's Gate 3 players quickly discovered the possibilities of Shoving Cazador to his death, and just as quickly turned it into a meme. It was also far from the only combat-related meme to develop in the community. Others included using beloved miniature giant space hamster Boo to defeat bosses, Polymorphing enemies into sheep mid-fight, and fighting with humorous weapons like sticks of salami.

"The Vampire Descending"

Most of Cazador's scenes and dialogue - and many of Astarion's - relate to the ancient vampire's obsession with the Ascension ritual, for which he spends two centuries planning. Fans pointed out the irony of him dying via fall, literally "descending." Pictures of a falling Cazador were referred to as "Opposite Ascension" or "The Vampire Descendant."

"Astarion Approves"

Cazador's spawn, Astarion, is notable for how difficult his approval is to earn. He is focused on self-preservation, often disapproving of typically "heroic" actions like saving innocents. This is especially frustrating for players who hope to romance the attractive vampire. Although Shoving Cazador mid-battle did not actually earn any approval from Astarion, images of the vampire dying so pathetically were often paired with the "Astarion approves" caption or images of Astarion smiling or looking satisfied.

Tone Shifting And Corpse Teleporting

The battle against Cazador Szarr is sandwiched between multiple dramatic cutscenes, in which Astarion confronts and overcomes his past as a captive spawn forced to bring in victims for 200 years. These scenes are quite emotional, with voice actor Neil Newbon receiving praise for his genuinely heart-wrenching performance. Inserting a rather silly and non-dramatic death between such tense scenes was quite the mood shift. The presence of a cutscene in which Astarion stabs Cazador after his master's death also caused the body to humorously teleport from the chasm back to the platform, even allowing players to loot the corpse as normal.

This Late-Game Battle Has Become More Challenging

Baldur's Gate 3 Cazador Boss Guide Radiant Damage Moonbeam

Although it is unclear whether the meme will permanently die off, Patch 4 has made the boss battle against Cazador Szarr much more difficult, as befits the epic conclusion to a companion's quest. The "Shove" option is removed because, if pushed off the cliff, the vampire will simply turn into mist and fly back to the battlefield. In addition, his range of vision was extended, he gained the ability to turn into a swarm of bats, and he was granted Legendary Resistance on Tactician difficulty. The fight will likely prove a much greater challenge to players going forward.

Baldur's Gate 3 will likely continue to see regular updates as Larian Studios continues to patch glitches and make changes large and small. It remains to be seen what memes the community will develop in the absence of Cazador's once-humorous undignified death.