Assassin’s Creed Odyssey includes a slightly off-the-beaten-track gladiator arena where you can fight it out against a variety of foes. Conquering that arena will reward you with loads of drachmae and various gear, including a legendary armor set. However, that arena is something you can miss in AC Odyssey because the game’s family and Atlantis questlines do not direct players there to complete any mandatory quests. This is how you can find and conquer the Assassin’s Creed Odyssey arena.
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How to Find the Assassin’s Creed Odyssey Arena Location
To find the Assassin’s Creed Odyssey arena, you’ll need to unlock the “They Just Want Cruelty” side quest. First, complete the early game side quest “A Fight With Talos” by killing the Talos mercenary. When you’ve killed Talos, loot that mercenary to pick up a note from him. This note is an invitation to fight at the Pephka Arena, which unlocks the “They Just Want Cruelty” quest.
Selecting the “They Just Want Cruelty” quest directs you to the Assassin’s Creed Odyssey arena in Pephka. Pephka is an eastern region on the large island of Krete in the south of the map. I don’t recommend going there until you’ve begun the Gates of Atlantis questline by completing the “Father’s Legacy” quest. That quest directs you to Messara on Krete, which includes one of the Atlantis artifacts.
When you’ve started the “They Just Want Cruelty” quest, go to its objective marker that leads you to a guy called Maion. Maion will tell you about Pephka Arena and how to find it when you speak to him. You can find the arena by riding the small boat on the beach in an easterly direction along the northern coast of Pephka to enter its cove within Pirate Point, as instructed by Maion. Or you can walk along the northern coastline to find it.
The Pephka Arena location
When you’ve reached Pephka Arena, speak to Skoura outside its entrance. You can then select to say, “I’m ready to fight” and choose from six opponents. Those opponents are:
- Klaudios (level 22)
- Belos (level 29)
- Evante (level 36)
- Titos (level 43)
- Vasilis (level 50)
- A variable mercenary
Unlike other quests, “They Just Want Cruelty” is a more progressive one in which you fight enemies at variable levels ranging from levels 22-50. You can defeat some easier opponents when you’re beyond level 20. However, you’ll probably need to be at around at least level 45 to have a chance of completely conquering the Assassin’s Creed Odyssey arena by killing the level 50 opponents.
The entrance to the arena
Note that one of those opponents is a Cult of Kosmos member. You’ll need to kill Belos within the Assassin’s Creed Odyssey arena to complete the Heroes of the Cult branch. Killing him gives you the legendary Armor of Achilles, 1,000 drachmae, and another cultist clue.
Equipping Yourself for the Arena
The best, and perhaps obvious, advice I can give you for conquering the Assassin’s Creed Odyssey arena is to fight only opponents that match or are beneath your character’s level. The higher your character level is, the easier the opponents will be. Vasilis can still be a tricky blighter to kill even when you’re at level 50.
Aside from that, make sure you’re reasonably equipped to fight in the arena with the best warrior abilities. There’s no room for any stealthy assassinations in the arena where open combat rules. Second Wind is an essential ability to have for the arena that will enable you to replenish your health during fights. Overpower is another invaluable warrior ability for the arena with which you can unleash super-powerful attacks. Warrior Damage, Battlecry of Ares, Gear Master, and Shield Breaker are also warrior abilities that will make you much stronger in the arena.
The Second Wind ability
Enhance your equipped gear by adding engravings to them. Engravings are cheap gear upgrades you can unlock throughout the game and add to weapons and armor at blacksmiths. Add the standard Warrior Damage engraving to your weapons to increase your attack damage in the arena by up to 10 percent (at level five). You can strengthen your armor items by up to 30 percent for arena combat with the Total Armor engraving.
The Total Armor engraving
Also, don’t forget to craft or purchase as many arrows as you can carry before fighting in the arena. Your bow can be invaluable for arena combat, particularly against the bosses. Save most of your arrows for fighting the boss opponents in the arena. Aim for enemies’ heads to inflict maximum damage with your arrows.
When reasonably equipped to defeat the weakest arena opponents, you’re ready to fight! You must fight through four waves of standard enemies and one boss in all Assassin’s Creed Odyssey arena contests. The arena is full of fire and spike hazards you can try to utilize your advantage by knocking enemies into them (Spartan Kick is useful for that). Focus on killing one enemy at a time to reduce their numbers.
The inside of Pephka arena
Defeat the Mystery Opponent
To complete the “They Just Want Cruelty” quest, you’ll need to defeat all of the opponents on the list. Skoura will congratulate you when you’ve done that and tell you about one last fight he has set up. Select the “I’ll fight this new opponent” dialogue option and speak to Praxis outside the arena. Choose the Mystery opponent option to start the “Heroes of Arena” quest.
The Mystery opponent option
The mystery opponent is none other than Skoura himself. Although you’re given a dialogue choice to refuse to fight, selecting that option makes no difference. You’ll still have to kill Skoura in the Assassin’s Creed Odyssey arena to complete the quest, but he’s not an especially tough nut to crack. Completing the “Heroes of the Arena” quest gives you the Skoura’s Spear weapon plus 728 drachmae.
The “I won’t fight you” dialogue option
How to Obtain All the Legendary Arena Gear
You haven’t completely conquered the Assassin’s Creed Odyssey arena after defeating Skoura. Now, fight all the other opponents at the maximum level 50. You’ll receive legendary Arena Fighter’s Set gear for defeating level 50 opponents. These are the legendary items you can get by beating them:
- Arena Fighter’s Helmet: Defeat Vasilas
- Arena Fighter’s Waistband: Defeat Titos (level 43)
- Arena Fighter’s Armor: Defeat Klaudios
- Arena Fighter’s Gauntlet: Defeat Klaudios (level 22)
- Pit Fighter’s Boots: Defeat Evante
- Legendary Warriors crew: Defeat Titos
Skoura inside the arena
You’re a true champion of the Assassin’s Creed Odyssey arena when you’ve defeated all its level 50 opponents. Fighting in the arena is a great way to amass drachmae and new gear that will help you complete AC Odyssey’s main story and side quests. However, you probably won’t be able to fully conquer Pephka Arena until you’ve at least completed the game’s main family story questline.
