Traits in Remnant 2 are handled differently compared to other Souls-like games. Instead of the Trait being available from the get-go, many of these stat-altering cards are scattered throughout the worlds. The one this article is going to cover is called Barkskin, and like other traits like it, Barkskin is locked away in a one-time challenge.
Barkskin is a Trait that reduces all incoming damage by a value between (1%-10%). Damage reduction functions a little differently from your character’s Armor value. Firstly, both values contribute to your overall defense which negates the health damage the Wanderer takes. Secondly, there are attacks in the game that bypass Armor. This also includes status effects like Corrusive that greatly reduce Armor. DR helps mitigates some of the damage.
How to get the Barkskin Trait in Remnant 2?
To get the Barkskin Trait in Remnant 2, you’ll first have to find Meidra, the forest spirit. She is a friendly NPC that you can encounter while walking the forests of Yaesha. She can spawn in the first or second Overworld depending on your tileset. If you’re on a set that has the Forbidden Grove as the starting area, you’ll find her spot just before going back to the Ravager’s temple to set the gears in motion. Her location is a bit more secluded on the set that starts in the Red Throne.
But regardless of how you find her, getting Barkskin remains the same. You’ll need to answer her initial line of questioning in a matter that the Doe would approve of.
Meidra will ask 5 questions, and depending on how you answer them, you will align yourself with either the Doe or the Ravager. As far as we know, there are 25 potential questions that can she can ask.
Every time you are asked a question, you will answer in one of two ways. One of the options will align you with the values of the Doe. The same goes for the Ravager. To get the Barkskin trait, your alignment must be that of the Doe at the end of the 5 questions.
You don’t have to get all the answers to align with that of the Doe. We’d wager that 3 out of the 5 is enough. Though our tests definitely show that you can get the trait with 4 of 5.
Meidra Answer Doe Hints
The following is a list of observations we’ve made to help you answer the questions.
- The Doe sees the bigger picture. It’s not always cut and dry. It will risk potential harm if it means saving a life.
- The Doe values life greatly.
- The Doe is an advocate of personal responsibility and allowing others to live with the consequences.
- When it comes to questions involving theft and murder, the Doe’s answer is always to leave it up to the authorities. Let the Law decide the fate of the offender.
Sample line of questions
The following is a sample from one of our encounters with Meidra. Use this as practice for when you eventually meet her and want to have the Barkskin trait.
Question: Your child has taken up a dangerous game, taunting a wild beast for their amusement. If they continue, they will almost certainly get hurt, though they will learn much if they are not killed. Do you stop them or let them learn from their own mistakes?
Doe Eye Answer: “Stop them for their own safety.”
Question: You are an innkeeper. One of your loyal patrons proclaims he is to be imprisoned two days hence for a crime of which he is innocent. In his final days of freedom, he plans to poison those who have wrongly accused him. You know he speaks true, but you can stop him- a simple slip of Kyber seed powder into his next drink, and he will be bedridden, but otherwise unharmed, for days. Do you poison him, or do you turn a blind eye to his plots of revenge?
Doe Eye Answer: “Poison him.”
Question: Brutes have seized your village with intent to kill. You and your clan have taken refuge in the cellar of a large house. A babe threatens to cry out. In haste, you cover the child’s mouth. The child cannot properly breathe, but if you remove your hand, the warriors will find you. Do you risk smothering the child or save yourself and the others?
Doe Eye Answer: “Risk being found.”
Question: He that slew your sibling and escaped justice is incapacitated before you. You could slay him then and there in cold blood. Do you take vengeance or turn the sum over to the authorities from whom he already escaped?
Doe Eye Answer: “Turn him in to the authorities.”
Question: Imagine you are the immortal empress, but the secret of your immortality-and the immortality of all who pledge fealty to you-is gone. The Thaen is dead, and soo, all who are immortal will become mortal again. If you reveal this, you risk the loss of all your power. Do you tell your people the truth, or do you try to find another way?
Doe Eye Answer: “My followers deserve the truth.”
If you’re looking to go the path of the Ravager and get the Bloodstream trait, answer the questions as if you are Jedi on the brink of falling to the Darkside. (You’ll know it when you see it.)
For more Remnant 2 guides, check out our list of articles on the game.