Early on in Dragon’s Dogma 2, you may encounter the Phantom Oxcart, an eerie blue-lite Oxcart that travels around outside of Vernworth at night. However, the Phantom Oxcart isn’t just for looks; there’s actually an entire quest built around it. Here’s everything you need to know about the Phantom Oxcart including how to get and complete its unique questline in Dragon’s Dogma 2.
How to start The Phantom Oxcart quest
You can actually encounter the Phantom Oxcart in the wild north of Vernworth at any time, but to actually start the quest you need to have first completed the main story quest Feast of Deception, and visited the Beastran area of Battahl. Once you have, return to Vernworth and just walk through the Merchant Quarter and you should overhear a couple of NPC’s talking about spotting the Phantom Oxcart. This should start the actual quest that is titled The Phantom Oxcart, but you can also visit Wilhelma at the Rose Chateau Bordelrie or speak to Brant who can provide more information about The Phantom Oxcart.
Finding The Phantom Oxcart
Now that you have the actual quest titled The Phantom Oxcart, it’s time to see what it’s all about. Head to the area on your map in the red circle on the map above, and as you get close you will see the blue Phantom Oxcart appear. A brief cutscene will take place and then the oxcart will speed off, but a soldier will be behind. Quickly run up to him and tackle him using the E key on PC, and then speak to the guard.
He tells you that he got bad into some gambling debts and is helping round up Pawns to be shuttled to Battahl. He also gives you a Merchant Document that details the deed and begs you not to report him. You now have two options:
- Take his Bribe
- Escort him to Vernworth
If you take his bribe, you will also get 5,000G alongside the Merchant’s Document item. However, choosing to escort him to Vernworth doesn’t appear to give any actual benefit other than it teleports you to the Royal Quarter where you get him arrested. Therefore, I recommend you take his bribe for the easy 5,000G. It’s not a lot, but it’s better than nothing.
Speak to Brant
With the Merchant’s Document in hand, head to Brant in Vernworth who shows up at the Stardrop Inn at night time. Speak with him and choose the option About the Phanntom Oxcart, and give him the Merchant’s Document item.
Brant ascertains that the document appears to be written by someone from the Royal Court, so he wants you to follow the Phantom Oxcart, either by trailing it stealthily or by disguising yourself as a Pawn and taking a ride aboard. Disguising yourself is a Pawn is much easier, more rewarding, quicker, and even gets you some extra story, so I recommend going that route.
Pursue the Oxcart disguised as a Pawn
Wait until it is nighttime again then unequip everything. This includes your weapon, clothing, cape, and any rings you have equipped. Head to the same location north of Vernworth, but before you get there, find a spot off the road and issue the command to your Pawns to “Wait”. If they are running all willy-nilly around you they will expose you and you will not be able to complete the quest.
Once your Pawns are standing still, circle around and approach the Phantom Oxcart from behind, and speak to its driver, Mansenn. If you try to run up right in front of him, you can startle him and he will either take off or not speak with you.
After you speak with Mansenn he will think you are a Pawn and tell you to hop in the oxcart, which you should do. Examine the door on the oxcart once you are inside to close it and it will begin heading towards its destination.
Fight off the Goblin raid
Along the way, the Phantom Oxcart will get ambushed by a raid of Goblin’s. Mansenn will instruct you and the rest of the Pawns to get out there and fight off the raid, which you should do. However, you cannot equip anything as doing so will expose you as not being a Pawn.
Just run out of the oxcart with the Pawns and start punching the Goblins. They will fall pretty quickly and the raid will be thwarted. Mansenn will tell you to get back in the Phantom Oxcart which you should do. Eventually, you will reach the Checkpoint Rest Town next to Battahl.
Take a Beating
When you reach the Checkpoint Rest Town, the guards there have heard that Pawns will take a beating without an Arisen to tell them not to, so they have you and the Pawns line up to start beating on you. Unfortunately, doing anything here will essentially fail the quest, so just stand here and do nothing. Hands off the keyboard and put the controller down!
After a few hits, an officer will order the guards to stop and tell you and the Pawns to get back in the oxcart which will continue the quest.
Reach the Flamebearer Palace
You’ll reach your final location of the quest, the Flamebearer Palace Spellseal Door. You and the Pawns are all told to get on your knees, which you can’t do. Why? Because there’s no control to do so, of course! This will alert one of the guards that you’re not a Pawn because you did not follow the orders like the rest of them, and they will attack you.
Quickly put your equipment back on and fight off the attackers. Simply killing one of the attackers will give you the Labor Requisition Orders item which is what is needed to complete this quest.
Return to Brant
Once you’ve fought off the attackers and have the Labor Requisition Orders in hand, return to Vernworth and head to the Stardrop Inn at night to speak with Brant again. Tell him about the Phantom Oxcart and hand over the Labor Requisition Orders. This will complete The Phantom Oxcart quest and reward you with 4,000 experience points, 14,500 G, and the Ring of Momentum.
