Shadow Of The Tomb Raider lets fans explore a rich world filled with culture, animals, and a ton of collectibles for them to find. And because this is an open-world game, you get to do side quests, most of which are mainly helping out the locals.
While all missions are essential to really experience everything this game has to offer, some of them are better than others, either because of the new gear you get or for the experience they grant Lara (which leads to skill points to upgrade her abilities.) So take a look at the best side missions in Shadow Of The Tomb Raider.
Widow's Tears
How to get it: You'll have to equip Lara with the Serpent Guardian outfit, go to a house near the top of the Hidden City and talk to one of the guys in the crowd.
Quest rewards: The upper piece of Yaway's Battle Tunic and 450 gold pieces.
During this mission, Lara's objective is to find out what happened to Sumaq, a villager recently murdered. She'll have to talk to one of the cultists blocking the house entrance and help him out by clearing the crowd outside.
But this murder isn't what it seems; the murder weapon is nowhere to be found, nobody saw Sumaq being murdered, and the main suspect, Taruca, pleads innocent, so it's up to Lara to find out what really happened.
After talking to more people and following a blood trail leading outside the house, you'll get to speak to Akna, another one of the servants and one who seems rather nervous. Still, there's no clear answer to what happened, head outside the house and try to get to the other side of the broken gate where you first talked to Akna. There use Lara's survival instincts to see that there's blood everywhere and find the murder weapon buried outside. Akna will immediately come out and tell you what really happened.
Then simply return to the main house and tell the cultist inside what happened, proving Taruca's innocence in the process. The cultist will give Lara the Yaway's Battle Tunic, which increases the endurance herb effect duration.
Star Crossed
How to get it: Talk to Guillermo, the archeologist, in the Mission of San Juan location.
Quest rewards: Kantu's Gilded Vest and 750 gold pieces.
This is the only mission in the Mission of San Juan area; however, it takes you to various places on the map, so it's a fun one to do is you're all about exploring. When speaking to Guillermo, he will explain that his friend Isabella has gone missing, asks Lara for her help, and tells her she should start investigating at n the cemetery.
Upon arriving, Lara will speak with an older woman and some kids. These kids give refuse to move until they found the treasure they're looking for. Lara can easily find it behind the well that's right there in the graveyard, dig it up and give it to the trees so they will move.
Return to the old woman and help her move the cross; after doing so, you'll be tasked with following the path of crosses all the way till the last one, which you can interact with by pressing the button in the front of the stone. Doing so will open the crypt entrance that's nearby.
You'll have to enter the crypt and explore it to find Isabella; of course, this includes things like jumping, using climbable walls, rappelling, and even swimming. Eventually, you'll find the woman, and she will tell Lara what happened and how she got injured.
Lara has to then find another way out of the crypt to get some help. Before leaving, open the coffin near Isabella, you'll discover Kantu's Gilded Vest, which increases the wearer XP while hunting.
After finding your way out, Lara will speak with Guillermo again to tell him what happened, and he is relieved that Isabella is okay and say he will handle the rescue.
Freedom
How to get it: From a man named Poma that lives in the skull cave in the region of Paititi.
Quest rewards: Ch'amaka's Greaves and 300 gold pieces.
First, you'll have to find the skull cave in the Hidden City; once you enter, talk to Poma, and he will task Lara with freeing four rebel prisoners; their locations will be highlighted with a green circle on the map.
Head to the rebel that's nearest to your position and then go to the others; there aren't enemies or guards near the prisoners, so it's very easy to free them. Each time you go to a rebel, he will tell you a little bit of what happened, and eventually, you'll learn there's a five rebel out there.
After the first four are safe, return to the cave where Poma is, and Lara will tell him about the fifth rebel. Poma will reward Lara with Ch'amaka's Greaves War Vest; this item gives Lara extras XP for non-stealth kills.
Stop The Ritual
How to get it: You'll first have to complete the Decipher the Murals side quest, the quest giver Mayu will give you Stop the Ritual.
Quest rewards: New Bow "Heart of the Eagle" and 450 gold pieces.
This mission starts in the region of Paititi; after deciphering all the murals, Lara heads back to the spot where she first spoke to Awil. Once there, Mayu will inform her that Awil's father has taken the child and wants to "reward" her by letting her participate in a ritual. Lara then goes to the abandoned village where Awil was taken to.
In your map, the village location will be marked, there you'll see a bunch of cultists that think Lara is there to participate in the ritual, so they don't see her as a treat. This allows Lara to free the little girl before her father has a chance of ripping out her heart. The cultists will start to attack almost immediately. Keep in mind that these enemies will attack using melee weapons or bows, so prepare accordingly.
After Lara takes out all of the cultists and kills Awil's father, head back to the place where you first spoke to Mayu and Awil. There Lara talks her out of thinking she was meant to be sacrificed, and the two women don't tell the little girl what really happened to her father. Nevertheless, Lara receives a sweet new bow as her reward; it might not be the best weapon in the game, but this one is a longbow used by Paititi's eagle warriors and has improved handling.
Retrieve The Champion's Bow
How to get it: Unlocked just before the final story mission, you'll have to speak to Uchu, who's near the Skull Cave Base Camp.
Quest rewards: Manko's Tunic and 350 gold pieces.
This one is the final mission in Hearts and Minds questline, so you'll only get it if you completed the other two. After speaking to Uchu, he'll task Lara with retrieving the Champion's Bow, the final item they need for Etzli's coronation.
According to Uchu, this bow was stolen from Etzli's father by Nahual, a being that can magically transform people into animals. You can find this bow in the wilderness, in the location marked on the map.
Once there, you'll know where to enter as the tunnel's entrance is decorated with red paint, feathers, and bones. When you emerge from the tunnel, Lara meets two children who aren't sure if they should enter the forbidden area or not; after that, you'll have a new objective: Investigate the Wilderness with a new location marked on the map.
Go to the new location and pay attention to your surroundings because along the way, you'll be able to find an explorer backpack, the Wild Jungle Base Camp, and an entrance for a challenge tomb. However, neither of these are required to complete Retrieve the Champion's Bow side quest.
After exploring the wilderness, you'll get to another cave entrance, similar to the first one you saw. The goal will be updated again, saying that the new one is to Find the Champion's Bow. Before entering the cave, craft a fair amount of arrows because you're going to them for what's coming.
Upon entering, Lara examines the Champion's Bow that's lying casually on the ground; however, almost immediately, the Nahual comes out of hiding to attack Lara; you'll have to get out of this one by doing quick-time events. After Lara is freed you'll have to defeat the creature, and here is where those arrows you crafted earlier become handy.
This is a mini-boss fight. Once it's over, Lara can approach the beast and remove its mask, revealing that it isn't a magical creature but a giant Jaguar under cool armor. After the animal dies, Lara can take the bow and the Mask of the Nahual, an artifact in the game.
All that is left to do now is to bring back the bow so the ceremony can proceed. Upon returning the weapon, back in the Skull Cave, Lara is rewarded with Manko's Tunic, an upper body piece of clothing that makes Lara undetectable to animals for a little longer.