The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrimis chock-full of side quests for players to pursue. Some feature fixed endings that cannot be changed, but there are others that give players a choice in how the quest plays out.“A Daedra’s Best Friend"is one such quest, and since the ending of said quest varies depending on the player’s decisions, some players may struggle with completing it.
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Skyrim’s “A Daedra’s Best Friend” requires players tolocate a lost dogand reunite them with their master. Finding the dog is simple enough, but the path back to its owner,Clavicus Vile, can be a little confusing if players have yet to explore the area west of Falkreath.
How To Start A Daedra’s Best Friend
Players are free to start the “A Daedra’s Best Friend” side quest as soon as the Dragonborn reachesLevel 10. The quest can then be started by traveling toFalkreathand waiting for an NPC to approach the Dragonborn and ask them to speak toLod, Falkreath’s Blacksmith. Lod’s house can be foundacross from the Jarl’s Longhouse, and Lod himself can often be seen just outside.
Speaking with Lod, he will ask the Dragonborn tohead west and follow the road away from Falkreathto find a dog. If players agree to this quest, a marker will appear, marking the dog’s exact location. Once there, a dog named Barbas will approach the Dragonborn and ask for their help.
Travel With Barbas To The Shrine Of Clavicus Vile
If players agree to help Barbas find his master during their first meeting, they will need to follow him toHaemar’s Shame, which can be found directly south of High Hrothgar. Those who wish to make the journey on foot are free to follow Barbas to the location itself, but players who want to get there quickly canfast-travel to Helgenand continue the journey from there by following the road east.
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After entering Haemar’s Cavern, the Dragonborn will need to fight or sneak past a few differentgroups of Vampiresuntil they reach the entrance to Haemar’s Shame; inside Haemar’s Shame, toward the end of the area, the Dragonborn will need to fight a large group of powerful Vampires to progress the quest. This battle can be a little overwhelming, but if players have access to a bow, they can remain a safe distance away and deal damage from afar. Once all the vampires have been defeated, the Dragonborn can interact withthe statue of Clavicus Vileto speak to him.
Retrieve The Rueful Axe With Barbas
No matter what dialogue option players choose while speaking with Clavicus, he will always end the conversation by asking the Dragonborn to find and retrieve theRueful Axe. To begin the search for this mysterious weapon, players should fast-travel toRimerock Burrowand enter inside.
Rimerock Burrow is a pretty small cave in which only two enemies,a Flame Atronachand aBreton Mage, reside. The Rueful Axe can be found on the stone pedestal to the left of the Arcane Enchanter, where the Breton Mage is standing.
How To Complete A Daedra’s Best Friend
Once the Rueful Axe has been acquired, the Dragonborn should fast-travel back to Haemar’s Shame and proceed to where Clavicus Vile’s statue is waiting. Interacting with the statue once more, players will be given the choice toeither kill Barbas with the Rueful Axe or instruct Clavicus to take Barbas back.
Killing Barbas rewards players with theRueful Axe, while theMasque of Clavicus Vilewill be rewarded for sparing him. Both items are unique in their own ways, but the Masque of Clavicus Vile is arguably superior due to the bonuses it offers; the Rueful Axe is one of the less impressive weaponsSkyrimhas to offer.
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrimis available for PS3, PS4, PS5, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
