Baldur’s Gate 3: Should You Help or Stop Astarion From Finishing the Ritual in BG3

After defeating Cazador and rescuing Astarion repeatedly to prevent him from getting consumed by this would-be vampire lord, there are two ways Astarion’s Pale Elf Companion Quest can end. Astarion feels he went through a lot of trouble to free himself of Cazador’s shackles.

Thanks to his efforts, he will never have to give in to Cazador’s torture, ultimately setting him free from his spawn status. The power behind this ritual beckons him. With a Vampire Lord’s power, he will have never need to fear anyone again – but is going through the ritual worth it?

Should Astarion Complete Cazador’s Ritual in Baldur’s Gate 3?

Astarion can complete Cazador’s ritual to become an super vampire or be talked out of it. Though that sentence might be oversimplifying matters.

To complete Cazador’s vampire lord ritual, Astarion would have to sacrifice all the spawn in the ritual room, the cells outside, and, potentially, thousands and thousands more. This would mean Gur‘s quest to Investigate Cazador’s Palace in BG3 would be counted as a failure, and the Gur tribe would become another enemy.

Additionally, story-wise, choosing to let Astarion finish the ritual obliterates any progress toward a redemption path he might have made during all three acts. Of course, this choice sounds inviting if you’re going for an evil playthrough.

If Astarion is persuaded not to complete the ritual, he will accept that there is a better future for him, and sacrificing all those lives is not worth it. He will stay in the party, albeit with no enhanced stats or extra skills. Preventing Astarion from completing the Vampire Lord ritual sets him on a good path. You will soon notice he starts approving “good” choices instead of “bad” ones.

Baldur’s Gate 3: How to Prevent Astarion From Completing the Ritual in The Pale Elf

The options during this cutscene are a bit tricky. Refusing to help Astarion altogether will cause him to leave the party forever and wish that you die screaming, literally.

Related: Baldur’s Gate 3 Fans Desperately Hope To “Fix” Astarion When Full Game Releases

To stop Astarion from completing the ritual and prevent him from leaving the party, choose the following dialogue options:

1. If I help you complete the ritual, it will kill all these people.
2. (PERSUASION) I want you to live a life you’re proud of. You can’t be proud of this.

These choices will make Astarion realize he’s better than Cazador — although that doesn’t prevent him from giving the guy multiple stabs before leaving in all his shirtless glory.