Hidden in one of the dark caves of Dragon’s Dogma 2 is a Medusa, whose head can do what all Medusa heads do: turn things to stone. The question, then, is twofold. First, how do you get one? And second, how do you use the Withered Medusa Head to petrify however and whatever you want? Let’s discuss.
Where to Get the Preserved Medusa Head in Dragon’s Dogma 2
Of course, before you can use the Withered Medusa Head, you have to get one. The only Medusa you can actually kill in the game is in the Nera’Battahl Windrift cave. Defeating her isn’t the simplest matter, but by far, the best way to do it is to play as Thief and use Gut and Run while attacking her head. Having a Sorcerer use a broken combo, or two is also a great way to chunk her health down quickly.
When the Medusa dies the first time, you can collect the Medusan Spellbow. However, as far as I know, in order to actually get her head, you need to kill her with an attack on her head so that it comes off. Again, Thieves are great for that, though you’ll need to have good timing if your pawn party members are dealing tons of damage on their own. Be sure to check around the Medusa’s corpse, as I’ve had the head find its way inside it, forcing me to search a bit.
Like any consumable in Dragon’s Dogma 2, the Withered Medusa Head has a shelf life. If you keep it in your inventory for too many in-game days, it will degrade into the Decayed Medusa Head and become a useless, head-shaped paperweight. You need to use it quickly, and while you can petrify pretty much anything in the game with it, bar maybe the final boss, there is one quest that uses it for more reward than just laughs.
How to Use the Withered Medusa Head to Complete A Case of Sculptor’s Block
The quest A Case of Sculptor’s Block ultimately requires you to help a sculptor in Battahl named Fulvio carve a statue of a man fighting a griffon. In the standard version of the quest, you simply need to keep the griffon quest-related monster occupied long enough for Fulvio to make a detailed sketch of it. However, if you use the Withered Medusa Head to petrify the griffon, the statue is far more detailed, and your quest reward is increased.
To start A Case of Sculptor’s Block, you need to be approached by Klark in the Noble Quarter of Vernworth. In my testing, you can start the quest almost immediately after reaching Vernworth following the introduction, but you will need to complete at least one portion of the main story quest to move Klark from standard NPC to quest giver. I completed the Monster Culling quest that Captain Brandt gives you at the start of the story, and Klark moved outside his home and gave the quest as I approached him.
Once you’re on A Case of Sculptor’s Block, you need to get to Battahl, either by progressing the main story past A Feast of Deception or making your way to the southern region by other means. Head to Bakbatthal and meet with Fulvio, who’ll ask you to meet him near a griffon’s nest north of the city. The quest isn’t timed, and Fulvio will wait for you there as long as you need him to, but once you have the Withered Medusa Head, I highly recommend progressing A Case of Sculptor’s Block rather than stashing it in your storage and putting the quest aside.
Regardless of what you do, you’ll definitely want the Sorcerer’s Stasis Augmet that slows the degradation of items while they’re in your inventory. From the Nera’Battahl Windrift cave where you kill the Medusa, book it north to the griffon’s nest. Speak with Fulvio before going in, and be sure to have your pawns wait some distance from the nest. You want as much control over the monster’s movements as possible. When the fight starts, go into your inventory and equip the Withered Medusa Head. It will take the place of your lantern.
Now, you’ll want to petrify the griffon, but do it quickly. If you take too long, Fulvio will complete his sketch, and the statue he makes will only be good, not great. Pull out the head, aim the purple beam at the griffon, and keep the beast inside it until it’s been turned entirely to stone.
Unfortunately, you’ll use up the Medusa head’s power so much that it doesn’t even decay, instead vanishing from your inventory entirely. Fulvio will comment on the petrification and then eventually head back to his workshop in Bakbattahl.
At this point, you can leave the sculptor to his work and do almost any other quest in the game that doesn’t result in you reaching the endgame. After a few days (or weeks) of in-game time, speak to Fulvio again, and he’ll invite you to Klark’s estate back in Vernworth to unveil the sculpture. As before, you can wait however long you like (within reason) to head back to the northern capital.
When you do decide to head back, visit the upstairs gallery inside Klark’s estate for a brief cutscene revealing the griffon sculpture. Once it’s done, you’ll receive your reward of 4,500 XP and 18,500 gold.
If you want another Whithered Medusa Head to use on unsuspecting civilians, other large monsters, or in whatever other insane fashion you desire, you’ll need to wait two in-game weeks for the monster to respawn, at which point you can kill it again and take the head. What you do after is entirely up to you.
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