Dragon's Dogma 2 is a weird, beautiful, and often frustrating masterpiece. One moment you're soaring on the back of a Griffin, and the next, you're standing in a dusty camp outside Bakbattahl wondering why a salty beastren mercenary is yelling at you. If you’ve spent any time in the Battahl region, you’ve definitely run into Beren. He’s the guy. The legendary warrior who just wants to train some recruits but keeps hitting roadblocks.
Claw Them Into Shape DD2 is the quest that usually trips people up because it demands things the game doesn't always explain clearly. You need weapons. You need a motivated soldier. And honestly, you need a bit of patience because Beren doesn’t just hand out rewards for showing up. He wants to see grit.
Where to Find Beren and How to Start
Most players stumble upon Beren’s Childhood Home or his work site south of the Checkpoint Rest Town. He’s hard to miss—a massive beastren with a somber attitude. To kick off the questline, you usually need to have encountered him at his camp. He’s looking to whip some new recruits into shape, but he’s lacking the hardware and the talent.
He’ll ask you for two things: three swords and a "motivated" soldier.
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Don't overthink the swords. I’ve seen people scouring the map for legendary blades, thinking Beren needs top-tier steel to train recruits. He doesn't. Go to the nearest vendor—the one in the Checkpoint Rest Town is the easiest—and buy three Iron Swords. They are cheap. They are heavy. They get the job done. If you have extra junk swords in your storage, those work too. Just hand them over.
Finding the Right Recruit: The Humphrey Problem
This is where the quest gets slightly annoying. Beren isn't looking for just any random NPC. You need someone with actual potential. If you head back toward Vernworth, specifically near the central square or the vocational area, you’ll be approached by a young man named Humphrey.
Humphrey is your guy.
He’s eager. He’s a bit green. But he’s exactly the kind of "motivated" soul Beren is looking for. Once you talk to him and tell him about Beren’s training, he’ll head off on his own. You don't have to escort him. Thank goodness, because escorting NPCs in Dragon's Dogma 2 is a recipe for a headache involving a stray Ogre and a very dead quest giver.
The Sparring Match: Don't Kill the Man
Once you've delivered the steel and the recruit, Beren will challenge you to a bout. This isn't a fight to the death. Please, for the love of the Arisen, do not unleash your most powerful "Meteoron" spell or a "Heavenly Shot" right into his face.
The goal is to knock him out of the ring or just deplete a bit of his stamina/health until the match ends.
If you’re playing a Thief or a Warrior, it’s a breeze. Just push him. Literally. Use the grab button. If you’re a Mage, just whack him with your staff. It feels ridiculous, but it works. Winning or losing doesn't technically "fail" the quest, but winning gives you that sweet, sweet satisfaction of showing the master how it’s done.
The Cyclops Interruption
Just when you think you’re done, a messenger usually sprints into camp with news of a monster attack nearby. This is the "Claw Them Into Shape" turning point. You’ll follow Beren to a site where a Cyclops has been wreaking havoc.
This fight is scripted to feel urgent.
The Cyclops here isn't particularly tougher than the ones you find roaming the woods near Vernworth, but the terrain can be a bit cramped. Focus on the legs to trip it, then go for the eye. If you have a Pawn with the "Chirurgeon" specialization, they’ll keep Beren and the recruits patched up while you do the heavy lifting. Once the beast is down, the quest technically concludes, but Beren’s story is far from over.
Why Everyone Struggles with the Follow-up
A lot of people think the quest ends at the Cyclops. It doesn't. Well, "Claw Them Into Shape" ends, but it immediately bleeds into "Beren’s Final Lesson."
If you want the Warrior Maister skill—the Arc of Obliteration—you have to see this through. Beren will eventually be fired from his position. It’s sad, honestly. He’s a good teacher caught in some political nonsense. You’ll find him back at his Childhood Home.
The Ambush and the Maister Skill
At his home, a snack-sized dragon (a Lesser Dragon) or a similar threat might show up depending on your world state, but usually, it's a matter of visiting him one last time before he leaves for his ancestral lands in Battahl.
Pro tip: Give him a gift.
If he doesn’t hand over the "Champion’s Fable" scroll immediately, his affinity might be too low. Bunch of flowers, a nice ore, or just talking to him on consecutive days usually triggers it.
I’ve had games where he just stood there staring at me. I had to rest at an inn, come back, and then he finally coughed up the skill. If he leaves for Battahl before you get the skill, you’ll have to track him down south of Bakbattahl, which is a much longer walk.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Killing Beren: Seriously, check your swings during the spar.
- Losing Humphrey: If you don't talk to Humphrey in Vernworth, the quest just sits there. He usually spawns near the fountain.
- Ignoring the Swords: You can't just give him the money for swords. You have to physically have three 1H swords in your inventory.
- The "Wait" Period: Sometimes the quest won't progress until a full in-game day has passed. Use the campfire nearby. It’s there for a reason.
The Reality of Pawn AI in This Quest
Your Pawns will likely be useless during the sparring match. They’ll stand on the sidelines like awkward teenagers at a school dance. This is intended. The game wants you to prove yourself to Beren.
However, make sure your Pawns are set to "Wait" if you’re worried about them accidentally clipping Beren with a stray arrow or spell if a random wolf wanders into camp during the dialogue. It happens more often than you’d think.
Actionable Next Steps for the Arisen
- Check your inventory: Ensure you have three basic Iron Swords before heading to Beren's camp.
- Locate Humphrey: Find him in the Vernworth Merchant Quarter; he’s the one who looks like he’s practicing his swing.
- Spar gently: Use shoves and basic attacks to win the duel without triggering a "wakestone" moment.
- Follow the trail: Immediately head to the "Moonglow Garden" area if Beren disappears after the quest; that’s where his final arc concludes.
- Claim the prize: Don't leave until you have the Champion's Fable. If you're a Warrior main, this is the hardest-hitting move in your arsenal, and missing it makes the vocation feel incomplete.