Your journey through No Rest for the Wicked hits its first major roadblock when you encounter Warrick the Torn, a massive pestilence-corrupted monstrosity guarding the path to Sacrament. This hulking beast represents your introduction to the game's demanding combat system, and he's not going to go easy on you. Here's everything you need to know to take him down.
What Makes Warrick the Torn Dangerous?
Warrick the Torn appears during the Sacrament main quest in the Orban Glades, serving as your first real test against a pestilence-infected enemy. What catches most players off guard is how deceptively fast he moves despite his enormous size. Each swing of his massive sword deals devastating damage, and his reach is far greater than you might expect.
You'll want to hit at least Level 3 before attempting this fight, though Level 4 or 5 gives you much better odds. The extra health and stamina make a huge difference when you're learning his patterns.
No Rest for the Wicked Boss Guide: Warrick the Torn
Pre-Fight Prep
Before you engage Warrick, take time to prepare properly. Stock up on cooked foods at a campfire (you probably picked up mushrooms and herbs during your journey). Remember that healing items have lengthy cooldowns, so timing when you use them matters more than how many you carry.
If you found any blade oils, apply one during the fight. The damage boost is absolutely worth the brief window it takes to use. Also, check your gear at the nearby Cerim Whisper. The Blacksmith appears there specifically to help you repair equipment without forcing you back to the keep.
Tip
Your weapon choice dramatically affects this fight. One-handed swords and daggers allow multiple quick strikes after dodging, while claymores require more careful timing due to slower swing speeds.
Stamina Management
Here's the thing most players miss: reckless attacking will get you killed faster than anything else Warrick does. You need to maintain a small stamina reserve at all times for emergency dodges. Getting caught without stamina means you can't escape his follow-up attacks, and those will absolutely wreck you.
The water in parts of the arena slows your movement, making stamina management even more critical. Plan your positioning to avoid getting trapped in shallow water when Warrick winds up an attack.
No Rest for the Wicked Boss Guide: Warrick the Torn
Warrick's Attack Patterns
Warrick relies on five core attacks that you'll need to recognize and counter:
Overhead Slam
His most telegraphed move. Warrick raises his sword high before bringing it crashing down directly in front of him. Sidestep to either flank and you'll avoid damage completely. Sometimes he chains this into a second attack, so watch for the follow-up before committing to your counterattack.
Lunging Thrust
He pulls his sword back, then drives forward in a straight line. The lunge carries him surprisingly far, but leaves him vulnerable afterward. Dodge to the side and punish him with 2-3 quick strikes while he recovers.
Wide Sweeping Slash
This horizontal swing covers a broad arc and often comes in a two-hit combo. Don't try to outrun it by backing up. Instead, dodge through Warrick toward his back. This is one of the best attacks to parry if you're comfortable with the timing.
Spiral Slash Attack
Warrick spins twice while swinging his blade in a wide circle. The momentum often causes him to stumble and fall after the second rotation. This is your biggest damage window. Let him complete both spins, then unleash your heaviest attacks while he struggles to right himself.
Aerial Leap Slam
He jumps straight up and hangs in the air briefly before crashing down. Don't dodge prematurely or you'll get caught when he lands. Wait for him to start descending, then roll away. The impact zone is surprisingly small, so you don't need to create much distance.
Phase Two
Once you reduce Warrick's health to approximately 50%, he transitions into a more aggressive state. He'll perform a special leap slam but remain stationary, emitting a powerful roar that releases a curse-inflicting shockwave.
Here's your opportunity: while he's roaring, you can't safely approach for melee strikes, but you can absolutely punish him with ranged attacks or thrown items like Scrap Bombs. This is one of the few moments where he's completely vulnerable to projectiles.
After this phase transition, his attack speed increases noticeably, and all his strikes now build up a curse meter on you. Let that meter fill too high and you'll face additional debuffs. His attack variety remains similar, but he chains moves together more frequently.
Warning
Watch for fake-out leap attacks in phase two. Warrick sometimes performs a quick second leap immediately after landing, catching players who try to attack too early.
Combat Strategy Comparison
When to Strike and When to Wait
The key to beating Warrick is recognizing your damage windows. After most single attacks, he needs a moment to recover. This is when you strike with light attacks and move. If he's in a multi-hit combo, wait for the full sequence to finish before approaching.
If Warrick hits you and it's not part of a combo, you're relatively safe to either heal (create some distance first) or attack him directly during his recovery period. He can't immediately follow up after landing a blow.
Your biggest mistakes will come from overcommitting. Charging heavy attacks when you don't have a clear window leaves you vulnerable. Spamming attacks until you run out of stamina removes your escape option. Stay disciplined with your stamina management.
Parrying Techniques
If you want to trivialize this fight and prepare for future challenges, practice parrying Warrick's attacks. His telegraphs are clean and consistent, making him an excellent training dummy for mastering this crucial skill.
The wide sweeping slashes and spiral attacks are your best parry targets. Successfully parrying not only negates damage but staggers Warrick, opening him up for a critical hit or extended combo. Plus, repair costs are free at this point in the game, so there's no penalty for practicing.
For those interested in mastering defensive techniques, check out our No Rest for the Wicked Guide: Parry Timing for detailed breakdowns of the parry system.
Optimal Gear and Stats for This Fight
While you can defeat Warrick with almost any setup, certain stat allocations make the fight significantly easier. If you haven't already, review our No Rest for the Wicked Stats Guide: Best Early Game Build to ensure you're investing points wisely.
Equipment weight matters tremendously. Heavier armor provides more protection but slows your dodge rolls, making it harder to avoid Warrick's sweeping attacks. Light armor allows for quick repositioning and backstab opportunities when you dodge through him.
Pro tip: The Corpse-Smeared Blade sometimes drops from Warrick. This claymore features four rune attacks, giving you incredible combat variety for future encounters.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Fighting in water: The shallow pools slow your movement. Position yourself on dry ground whenever possible.
Panic rolling: Random dodging burns stamina without purpose. Watch Warrick's animations and dodge with intention.
Greedy attacking: Going for one extra hit often means taking a massive blow in return. Know when to disengage.
Ignoring consumables: Blade oils and food buffs significantly increase your damage and survivability. Use them.
Poor camera management: Warrick's size can block your view. Manually adjust your camera to maintain line of sight on his weapon.
What to Do If You Die
Don't get discouraged by deaths. This is a souls-like game, and learning through failure is part of the experience. Each attempt teaches you more about Warrick's timing and patterns.
When you respawn, the Blacksmith remains available at the Cerim Whisper for repairs. You can also gather more cooking ingredients around the arena between attempts. Use this time to restock and adjust your strategy.
For players struggling with the overall difficulty curve, our No Rest for the Wicked Ultimate Beginner's Guide covers fundamental combat principles and progression strategies that apply throughout the game.