Yes. You can reach and kill Rykard without joining Volcano Manor or accepting Tanith’s contracts. The contracts offer a separate shortcut that teleports you to his arena; otherwise, explore the manor dungeon and take its route to the Audience Pathway.
How to reach Rykard without joining Volcano Manor
Decline Tanith’s invitation and do not accept her assassination contracts. Instead, enter Volcano Manor and make your way through the dungeon. One alternate entrance is reached by letting the Abductor Virgin at Raya Lucaria kill you; it transports you to a secret entrance to the manor. See the Volcano Manor walkthrough for the route details.
- Enter the manor dungeon without accepting Tanith’s contracts.
- Proceed through the Prison Town Church area and continue through the manor.
- Pass Godskin Noble and go onward to the Temple of Eiglay.
- Use the portal that leads to Audience Pathway.
- Go through the gold fog door to enter Rykard’s arena.
The Volcano Manor route overview also distinguishes the dungeon path from Tanith’s contract progression.
Dungeon route or Tanith’s contracts?
| Route | What it involves | Best fit |
|---|---|---|
| Dungeon | Explore the manor, pass Godskin Noble, and reach the Audience Pathway portal. | You want to fight Rykard without joining or completing contracts, or you want to explore the area. |
| Tanith’s contracts | Progress through the assassination quests; Tanith can then teleport you directly to Rykard. | You want the contracts and their rewards, or prefer the shortcut over traversing the dungeon. |
The contract route is optional: it bypasses the castle traversal but is not a prerequisite for the dungeon route. The walkthrough describes both the dungeon progression and the direct teleport.
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What to do before defeating Rykard
Defeating Rykard ends Tanith’s questline, regardless of how far you have progressed. Any Manor assassination targets that have not yet been unlocked will be missed. If you want those contracts or related quest steps, finish them before killing Rykard. The consequences are also described in the Rykard reference.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Pick up the Serpent-Hunter in the arena
The Serpent-Hunter is an in-game weapon near the arena entrance. It can be picked up without alerting Rykard, and it is tailored to this encounter. You do not need to obtain it through Tanith’s contracts; it is available as part of the arena approach. Details on its placement appear in the walkthrough and the Rykard reference.
Quick Recap
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