10 Secret Open-World Bosses Everyone Missed
4. Karstaag (The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim)
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim has been going strong since 2011, and as usual, its varied environments are a key reason for jumping in.
True, there are luscious forests, bustling settlements, and snowy mountains to investigate for hours, but its foreboding dungeons and caves are just as alluring. That’s particularly evident when it comes to meeting the titular Frost Giant ghost of Castle Karstaag Ruins (within Solstheim)
Like Crustosteo in World of Warcraft, Karstaag remains a secret over a decade later both because he’s restricted to an add-on (2012's Dragonborn DLC) and because his location is extremely vague.
Specifically, players need to locate the unmarked Summoning Karstaag quest. After getting the Karstaag’s Skull from Glacial Cave, they need to take it to the Ruins, murder all the Rieklings, and put Karstaag’s head on the throne (thereby joining it with the rest of his body). Next, Karstaag materializes for a satisfying duel.
Luckily, beating Karstaag allows you to summon him to aid in battle for two minutes. Regrettably, this can only be done three times, and he may turn on you if he’s attacked too much. Still, he can do massive damage, so he justifies the risks and effort.