How to beat Shrewd in Remnant 2

Spooky.

A cloaked figure screams at the character in a red forest in Remnant 2.
Screenshot by Dot Esports

Remnant 2 has its fair share of bosses, with some requiring innate concentration and multiple attempts to overcome. But not all of them can be so hard to bring down.

Recommended Videos

Shrewd is an early boss you’ll encounter in The Expanding Glade section of the Yaesha Realm. As long as you’re a good shot and can hit the head, we reckon you’ll be fine to bring down this boss.

Defeating the Shrewd boss in Remnant 2, a guide

Shrewd, a cloaked figure, holding a bow in a red forest in Remnant 2.
Screenshot by Dot Esports

Shrewd is far from a difficult boss to defeat, with only a few key attack moves to watch out for. As with most bosses in Remnant, you’ll need a sturdy ranged weapon to deal damage as the boss is rarely within melee range. Ideally, bring a high-fire rate secondary as a backup for the latter stages of the fight.

As with many monsters in this game, Shrewd’s critical weakness is his head, so aim for headshots when firing. Shrewd appears on a platform on the edge of the arena and will aim his bow at you. Keep note of how he holds his bow before firing:

  • If he is holding his bow horizontally, Shrewd will fire two slow-moving arrow bolts that deal significant piercing damage.
  • If he is holding his bow vertically, Shrewd will fire a fast arcing shot that explodes dealing damage and inflicting Root Rot which slows your movement speed.

Related: Remnant 2: All status effects and how to cure them

After a first round of damage, Shrewd will disappear and summon eggs around the arena. After a short moment, the eggs will hatch and tree creatures will emerge. The eggs can be shot and destroyed in one hit, so try and shoot them all before they get a chance to fill the arena with mobs.

A screenshot of the Shrewd boss with a character holding a bow in the foreground.
Screenshot by Dot Esports

At approximately half health, Shrewd will teleport into the arena and attempt to strike you with his bow at melee range. These hits deal heavy damage so do your best to dodge them. His main melee attacks include:

  • At moderate range, Shrewd will charge up and dash a short distance, striking heavily with his scythe bow and inflicting Root Rot.
  • Shrewd will spin, swinging his scythe bow around himself three times for massive damage and inflicting Root Rot.

I found that by keeping my distance and kiting Shrewd around the tree in the center of the room, he wasn’t too hard to bring down. As long as you keep an eye on the eggs and his attack patterns, you’ll defeat him with ease.

Rewards for beating the Shrewd boss in Remnant 2

Ava McCabe from Ward 13, with the Rotted Arrow Weapon Mod open and available for crafting.
Screenshot by Dot Esports

Defeating Shrewd got me three Lumenite Crystals, 500 Scrap, a Tome of Knowledge, and a Soul Sliver. The Soul Sliver is key, as you can use this plus some other crafting materials at McCabe in Ward 13 to craft the Rotted Arrow Weapon Mod.

Rotted Arrow, when used, fires a detonating arrow that deals damage in a small area around the explosion. A small cloud of gas is left behind, dealing further damage over time to all enemies caught within.

Author
Image of Nicholas Taifalos
Nicholas Taifalos
Weekend editor for Dot Esports. Nick, better known as Taffy, began his esports career in commentary, switching to journalism with a focus on Oceanic esports, particularly Counter-Strike and Dota. Email: nicholas@dotesports.com