The Blood of Dawnwalker: How to Get the Mandrake Ward Perk

The Mandrake Ward is one of the strongest survival perks in the Vampirism skill tree in The Blood of Dawnwalker. It pulls Coen back from the edge of death once each night, which turns a fatal hit during a hard fight into a second chance. You cannot buy or level into it. The only path runs through Lacra and a single quest called The Night of Horrors.

Quick answer: Complete Our Rotten Roots with Lacra, wait a couple of in-game days, then finish The Night of Horrors by following the will-o-the-wisps and eating the Mandrake at Kallias’ lair. After the quest, spend a perk point at a shrine to activate Mandrake Ward in the Vampirism tree.

Image credit: Bandai Namco Entertainment

What Mandrake Ward does

Mandrake Ward is a passive perk that triggers when Coen’s health drops close to zero. Instead of dying, he regains three health segments. The effect works once per night, then resets when the next night begins. Because it lives in the Vampirism tree, it only helps you while you are in vampire form after dark, which is exactly when the toughest enemies, including Brencis, tend to appear.

Detail	Value
Skill tree	Vampirism
Type	Passive perk
Effect	Restores 3 health segments near death
Cooldown	Once per night
Source	The Night of Horrors quest

Before you can start The Night of Horrors

The quest does not appear on its own. You have to clear the earlier step in Lacra’s arc first, and then let a little time pass in the world.

Finish Our Rotten Roots with Lacra. She says she is ready to face Brencis but needs time to research something.
Wait a couple of in-game days. The Night of Horrors becomes available after that gap.
Return to Lacra at night and ask about the project she was researching. Lacra’s missions only start after dark, since she is a vrakhir.

Lacra points you toward the old battlefield where St. Mihai fought the ancient vrakhir Kallias. Kallias once used powers similar to what Brencis wields now, so she wants to study or claim that power for herself.

Note: The Night of Horrors unlocks alongside a quest called Midnight Reckoning. Midnight Reckoning leads to the fight with Brencis and the point of no return, so handle Mandrake Ward first if you want the perk for that finale.

The Night of Horrors walkthrough

Travel to the starting point with Lacra. The Swamp is too large to search normally, so you need the will-o-the-wisps to guide you. These creatures feed on negative feelings such as fear, regret, and sadness.

Summon the wisps by sharing hard memories. Coen and Lacra take turns talking through their grief, anger, and regret. When you are prompted, pick the calm, supportive replies to keep the exchange moving.

Follow the wisps to Kallias’ lair. The lair is packed with enemies and decent loot, so clear it as you push deeper.

At the apparent dead end, wait for Coen to recall a bad memory. The wisps then reveal a hidden path. Beyond it lies the petrified body of Kallias and, next to it, a Mandrake. The vrakhir’s essence turned into that plant after centuries in one place.

Eat the Mandrake when prompted. There is no choice to split the power. Lacra eats it too, so both of you gain from it. Consuming the Mandrake is what unlocks Mandrake Ward for the Vampirism tree.

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Activate the perk and confirm it worked

Finishing the quest makes the perk available, but it is not switched on yet. Head to a shrine and spend one perk point on Mandrake Ward in the Vampirism tree. Once the point is spent, the passive is live and will trigger the next time your health drops near zero at night.

You will know it worked when Coen recovers three health segments instead of dying during a night fight, and when the perk shows as unlocked on the skill tree at the shrine.

Why the quest can fail

The Night of Horrors runs on a night timer, and one common mistake ends it early.

Right after the opening cutscene in the swamp, you may spot hostile soldiers on patrol. Fighting them is a boyar activity that advances the clock.
If time reaches near morning, The Night of Horrors fails automatically. Avoid the soldiers, run from them, and do not kill anyone during the patrol so you keep enough night to finish.

There is no alternate route to this perk. If you skip Lacra’s arc or let the quest fail, Mandrake Ward stays locked until you meet her and complete The Night of Horrors. The same quest also rewards the Mesmerize vampiric skill, so a clean run gives you both.