The Blood of Dawnwalker: Should you kill or spare Xanthe?

Xanthe has one of the most disturbing backstories out of all three of Brencis' Boyars in The Blood of Dawnwalker, as it's eventually revealed during The Cycle of Love quest that all the murders she's committed have been done to preserve her daughter, Chariklea. Once you discover this truth, you can choose to spare her life.

Interestingly, Xanthe is also the only Boyar who can be encountered and killed early, rather than by following the game's standard structure of weakening Brencis' court and then unlocking a Boyar's special quest. Many players - including myself - have stumbled upon her while exploring Svartrau Cathedral at night, and it's totally possible to kill her before even getting close to defeating Ambrus or Bakir.

All of this makes the question of whether you should kill or spare Xanthe in The Blood of Dawnwalker one worth pondering. We'll answer that question in this guide, offering advice on the benefits of both outcomes.

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Should you kill or spare Xanthe?

I recommend you kill Xanthe rather than sparing her if you want to obtain her unique Legendary Corrupted Pendant, although doing so does make the finale a little bit harder. In my initial playthrough of The Blood of Dawnwalker, I chose to kill Xanthe, but there are some benefits to sparing her.

Killing Xanthe

Like many others, I initially ran into Xanthe in the cathedral and took her down then. Doing so means you'll miss out on her quest later, but also frees up a significant amount of time in the game. The choice is yours. | Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/Rebel Wolves

Killing Xanthe means that Chariklea will die, but it also means that Xanthe won't be able to murder other women in order to keep her daughter alive. If you go this route, you can also choose to kill Chariklea early and put her out of her misery.

Additionally, killing Xanthe gets you the Corrupted Pendant, a Legendary amulet that grants increased damage against mortals and more vampire health.

If you decide to drain Xanthe's blood as well, you'll also obtain Blood Surge, an awesome vampire skill that causes a target to explode, insta-killing normal enemies and dealing big damage to bosses. You can obtain Blood Surge if you find a Phial Of Xanthe's Blood in the wild, but it's easiest to acquire by draining her.

Sparing Xanthe

To avoid dealing with the looping rooms of Xanthe's trap in the endgame, sparing her may be advantageous. | Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/Rebel Wolves

Sparing Xanthe means that she'll likely continue killing innocent women to keep Chariklea alive, but your final attack on Greifberg Castle will be easier. You won't have to fight any Blood Guard enemies, and Xanthe will offer you advice on how to navigate the castle and take down Brencis.

Xanthe's trap will also be disabled in the finale. This trap is a series of looping rooms that may slow your final rush to the finish line. (See our guide on how to escape Xanthe's trap for more info.)

That finishes our guide on whether you should kill or spare Xanthe in The Blood of Dawnwalker. For more assistance on this game's complex quests, check out our guides on how to keep Vicho alive, A Bulwark Against Darkness, and Forge It Anew. If romance is more your style, we've also got guides on how to romance Anca, Lacra, and Crake.