Players need to increase the level of their Flame Altar to increase the efficiency of their Shroud and characters. Gamers will need tons of ingredients to strengthen this structure per rank, which requires work. One material you will need early on is the Scavenger Matron Head, which you can obtain from the Scavenger Matron. This guide will show you how to find and defeat the boss on Scavenger Hill. 

Scavenger Matron Overview

The Scavenger Matron is a boss-type enemy you must farm to upgrade the Flame Altar. They are a hulking behemoth with body parts covered in protective armor. Their most notable feature is their thick helmet, which protects their head. There are two types of Scavenger Matrons, which are the following:

  • Gorger – Spits poison projectiles that deal significant AoE Damage
  • Grizzler – Summons reinforcements using a horn

You must alter your fighting style depending on the type of Matron you are fighting. The Gorger requires you to fight from a distance to avoid the poisonous bile, while the Grizzler forces you to quickly deal with AoE or Cleave attacks to take out her allies. 

Scavenger Matron Location

Scavenger Matrons can spawn in locations like Scavenger Camps, so you might accidentally encounter one while you explore the area. However, the surest way to find one is to go to Hill of Scavengers or the Fawnsong Frontier POI. The hill can be located south of the Mistbury Catacombs and southeast of the Farmer's Ancient Vault. The frontier is northeast of the Mistbury Catacombs and the Hidden Hunting Grounds. It is located Northwest of the Gate to the Pillars of Creation if you are more familiar with this place.

Players commonly go to the Hill of Scavengers to farm Scavenger Matron Heads because it is the most accessible. It would help if you also considered taking on the hill boss instead because it is a Gorger-type, which makes it an easier fight due to being a 1v1 duel. Fawnsong has a Grizzler-type, which is much harder to fight due to needing to fight hordes of enemies. 

The whole area is a giant ring with a pathway leading to the top of the area. The main path leading to the boss is on the area's eastern side. When you reach this part, look to the center and try finding stairs that would lead you to a giant tusked skull on a wooden barricade. After you pass through this landmark, you will encounter the boss. 

How to Defeat the Scavenger Matron

Bringing the right weapons and spells is the key to defeating the Scavenger Matron. While the boss doesn't have much HP, her armor does give her a degree of protection. Her helmet makes her immune to headshots, so you shouldn't expect to land any critical hits on that part. However, most of her torso is fully exposed, which is the area you should focus on attacking. 

As a poison specialist, she has developed a resistance to acid damage and explosion. However, she is very weak to fire damage, so she brings some flame abilities to the fight. Two ways to fight her are up close or extreme ranged combat.

The Scavenger Matron's most devastating attacks are only effective at mid-range. She is exceptionally sluggish in melee fights, so players should circle her and hit her from the side and back. In ranged combat, the key is to stay as far away as possible to ensure you are out of range of the poison vials. You can safely fire attacks from a distance if you keep yourself mobile. 

What to Bring to Fight

Before actively looking for a Scavenger Matron, you should bring several items. In most cases, you should get a Spectral Shield if you can equip a Ward. This protective armament gives you 100% poison resistance, which is extremely useful in the fight. Players can tank more attacks from the Matron with this shield. 

For weapons, anything that deals piercing and slashing damage is good for the fight. The Crackling Wand is the best for wand users since it provides the most flame damage in the early game stage. If you can access a Fireball spell, you will have an easier time fighting the Scavenger Matron. 

Scavenger Matron Head and Rewards

Once you've beaten the Scavenger Matron, you can loot her body to get her head and freely open the chests in the surrounding area. You can bring the Scavenger Matron Head to your Flame Altar to upgrade it from level two to three. On top of this, the structure also needs the following materials:

  • 10 Wax
  • 10 Salt
  • 5 Spark
  • 10 Shroud Wood
  • 10 Flintstone
  • 10 Charcoal

Once you've upgraded the Flame Altar, you will increase your character's bonuses and time you can spend in the Shroud and gain a higher Shroud passage level.