Dragon's Dogma Off With Its Head Quest

In Dragon's Dogma, the hero and his party must seek out Mercedes at the mountain waycastle gate. From the encampment, head north along the main road and reach the mountain waycastle gate. Talk to Mercedes and learn she has prepared a wagon (pulled by an ox) to carry the head of the hydra all the way to Gran Soren. By showing the head of the hydra to the duke at Gran Soren, Mercedes hopes to impress the duke with the fact that a champion for hunting the dragon has been found. This is the off with its head quest. This will guide the hero in escorting the wagon with the hydra's head to Gran Soren.

The hero must protect the ox and the cart or wagon at all times. Along the way, the hero will be attacked by the following enemies -

• hobgoblins and goblins
• wolves
• snow harpies
• undead warriors and corpses

Whilst fighting these enemies, the hero should stay close to the ox to ensure that the enemies attack the hero and his party and not the ox. Prepare a party of a mage (hopefully this will be the hero), two fighters and a strider. As the hero mage, launch Ingle attacks at the snow harpies whilst they are flying in the air, and they will crash onto the ground, where the fighters will hack to them pieces. For the wolves, use fast attack when they are approaching the hero, or are engaged in attacks on the hero's pawns. Use heavy attack only when the wolves are next to the ox, so that their health will deteriorate rapidly with each attack, and the ox will be protected at the same time.

About three quarters down the road to Gran Soren, the hero and the wagon party will approach a small outpost just outside a gate. Hobgoblins and goblins have pitched up here, and a ferocious battle is about to start. However, before reaching the hobgoblins and goblins, the ox and wagon would have suffered some damage at the hands of the monsters and rockfalls from high ground. It would be useful to have a mage in the party. As the mage hero, the hero can cast the Anodyne or healing spell, and heal the ox, wagon, himself and the party before engaging the hobgoblins and goblins. With health restored, and the above tactics, the hobgoblins and goblins will be defeated. Activate the lever to the left side of the gate and open it to head towards Gran Soren.

Finally, the hero arrives near Gran Soren, but the monsters are not all eliminated. A new breed of monsters (at least for Dragon's Dogma so far) arises from the soil. They are the undead warriors and corpses that have been buried in the ground. Space out the party, but do not stray too far from the ox and wagon and defeat the corpses and undead warriors.

The hero, his party, the ox and wagon arrive at the south gates of Gran Soren. Note that the hero cannot enter Gran Soren unless the ox and wagon also arrive at the same time. When this happens, a cutscene will occur and the hero now has access to Gran Soren.

Pleased with the hero's defeat of the hydra, the duke allows the hero to enter Gran Soren, and will later grant him the title of hunter. However, there is the task first of speaking to Mason and unlocking the quest of the pawns in Gran Soren. After Mason, the hero should pitch up at the inn at Fountain Square to purchase and upgrade skills for himself and his main pawn, to store equipment and to purchase new equipment before proceeding forwards in the main quests in Dragon's Dogma.