Bloodborne’s Chalice Dungeon system can be a daunting and confusing task, especially for new players. After completing the main game, there’s still a vast labyrinth of underground chalice dungeons to traverse before you can claim your platinum trophy. This guide will provide a step-by-step walkthrough of the easiest way to make your way through the intricate web that is Bloodborne’s Chalice Dungeons.
Navigating Bloodborne’s Chalice Dungeons may seem like an impossible task at first, but it’s just a linear path to the final boss when you break it down. Whilst some areas are particularly punishing, make sure you keep on fighting Follow the steps below to help reach the Pthumerian Queen and achieve your well-deserved platinum trophy.
For a breakdown of how I obtained the platinum for Bloodborne, including tips to help you, click here.
Warning, the following information may contain spoilers endgame spoilers. I would recommend completing the main game before attempting the Chalice Dungeons.
A note on missables: The living string is required to access the final Chalice Dungeon. This is obtained by killing the Brain of Mensis in the Nightmare of Mensis. If you start NG+ before grabbing this item you will have to play through to Margo’s Loft (middle) again.
Chalice Dungeons Explained
How to Access
To access a Chalice Dungeon, you must perform a Chalice Ritual at a Ritual Altar in the Hunter’s Dream. Chalice Rituals require Blood echoes and chalice materials. Entry-level materials can be purchased from the Bath Messenger in the Hunter’s Dream, whilst high-level ritual items are farmed from the Chalice Dungeons. The Ritual Altars are located on the far left side of the Hunter’s Dream (when facing the Doll).
Design Layout
Each Chalice Dungeon varies in many ways, but the same basic layout elements remain the same throughout. Some important elements are:
- Progress through the dungeons is marked by lamps.
- The main path for each dungeon is highlighted by gold lamps outside of the door. Any other doors you see are optional areas, and will often contain chalice materials.
- When in the main dungeon area, you will see a locked gate marked with purple lamps. The goal of each dungeon layer is to find a lever that unlocks this gate. Once unlocked, the lamps will turn blue. Behind this gate is the boss area and often another side path.
- After defeating a boss you will find another lamp, as well as a lift down to the next layer of the dungeon
1. Pthumeru Chalice Dungeon
Materials needed for Ritual: Pthumeru Chalice, 2 x Ritual Blood (1), 1000 Blood Echoes
Layers: 3
Bosses: Undead Giant (Layer 1)
Merciless Watchers and Chieftain (Layer 2)
Watchdog of the Old Lords (Layer 3)
The first Bloodborne Chalice Dungeon you will have access to is the Pthumeru Dungeon. The Pthumeru Chalice is dropped after defeating the Blood-Starved Beast in Old Farnham.
The bosses in this dungeon are not too punishing. They shouldn’t be too difficult. This Dungeon does contain one of the best boss designs in the whole game, though: Watchdog of the Old Lords. Additionally, I would advise exploring the optional areas of this Chalice Dungeon to acquire enough Ritual Blood (2).
Ritual Blood (1) can be found in the story or bought for 2500 echoes after defeating the Blood-Starved Beast.
2. Central Pthumeru Chalice Dungeon
Materials Need for Ritual: Central Pthumeru Chalice, 6 x Ritual Blood (2), 1800 Blood Echoes.
Layers: 3
Bosses: Beast Possessed Soul (Layer 1)
Keeper of the Old Lords (Layer 2)
Pthumerian Descendant (Layer 3)
You will obtain the Central Pthumeru Chalice after defeating the Watchdog of the Old Lords in the previous dungeon. If you explored the Pthumeru Chalice Dungeon you should have at least 6 x Ritual Blood (2) for the Chalice Ritual. The most difficult boss in this dungeon is the Pthumerian Descendant. He isn’t too bad though, just extremely aggressive and relentless.
Make sure to explore layer 2 and find the Hintertomb Chalice. Whilst not needed for the trophy, you may need this to farm materials (specifically Ritual Blood).
3. Lower Pthumeru Chalice Dungeon
Materials Need for Ritual: Lower Pthumeru Chalice, 9 x Ritual Blood (3), 3200 Blood Echoes.
Layers: 4
Bosses: Merciless Watchers and Chieftain (Layer 1)
Undead Giant (Layer 2)
Rom, the Vacuous Spider (Layer 3)
Bloodletting Beast (Layer 4)
You will obtain the Lower Pthumeru Chalice after defeating Pthumeru Descendent. Ritual Blood (3) can be found in Central Pthumeru. If short, you can try creating a Hintertomb Chalice and exploring that. Additionally, once a Chalice material has been collected, it can be purchased (for a steep price) from the Messengers in the Hunter’s Dream.
Lower Pthumeru has four layers, therefore four bosses. The first three are all familiar. You may have trouble with Rom due to the room the fight takes place in, but use the skills you learned from the main game to defeat him again. The real challenge comes with the Bloodletting Beast. Another extremely aggressive opponent. Don’t give up, you’re halfway there!
4. Ailing Loran Chalice Dungeon
Materials Need for Ritual: Ailing Loran Chalice, 9 x Ritual Blood (4), 4 x Coldblood Flowerbud, 5500 Blood Echoes.
Layers: 3
Bosses: Beast Possessed Soul (Layer 1)
Blood-Starved Beast (Layer 2)
Abhorrent Beast (Layer 3)
Up until now, you shouldn’t have had too much trouble. Some say this is where the real Bloodborne starts.
The Ailing Loran Chalice is dropped by Amygdala in the Nightmare Frontier. The Nightmare Frontier is an entirely optional secret area of the main game, but for the trophy, you will need to head there. Ritual Blood (4) can be picked up from any dungeon that requires Ritual Bood (3) to open; Lower Pthumeru, Lower Hintertomb. Coldblood Flowerbud can be picked up in the Nightmare Frontier or can be bought from the Bath Messengers after defeating Amygdala.
Only three layers are present in the Ailing Loran Dungeon. You are familiar with the first two bosses, but the Abhorrent Beast is a different animal altogether. You do have the option to fight one in the main game and gain a bit of practice, but this fight will be much harder. It will likely take you plenty of tries and a lot of frustration.
5. Defiled Chalice Dungeon
Materials Need for Ritual: Defiled Chalice, 9 x Ritual Blood (4), Bastard of Loran, 22 x Arcane Haze, 5500 Blood Echoes.
Layers: 3
Bosses: Keeper of the Old Lords (Layer 1)
Watchdog of the Old Lords (Layer 2)
Amygdala (Layer 3)
Upon entering the Defiled Chalice, you are immediately cursed and your health cut in half. Additionally, this dungeon contains some of the most brutal and aggressive enemies and bosses. It’s probably the toughest part of the entire game. Push through though, you are almost there!
If you have been following the guide, you would have picked up the Defiled Chalice back in the fourth layer of Lower Pthumeru; after defeating the Bloodletting Beast. Bastard of Loran can be picked up in an optional area of the Ailing Loran Chalice. Ritual Blood (4) can be bought from the Bath Messengers, or found in Ailing Loran. You also need a lot of Arcane Haze for the final three dungeons. This is dropped from Fluorescent Flowers (large centipede-looking enemies). It can also be extracted from other chalice materials using the Workshop Haze Extractor, which is located in the Lower Pthumerian Chalice Dungeon.
All of the three bosses are rather difficult, due to the fact the Hunter is cursed in this Chalice Dungeon. Keeper of the Old Lords is tough, but the Defiled Amygdala is probably the most difficult boss in Bloodborne. Defiled Amygdala has a ridiculous amount of health, and can one-shot you with just about all of its’ attacks. Once you get it down to around 30% health the aggressiveness is upped to the maximum, and it almost feels unfair at times. Keep fighting though, once you get past it, the rest will be a walk in the park in comparison.
6. Great Isz Chalice Dungeon (Optional)
Materials Need for Ritual: Great Isz Chalice, 9 x Ritual Blood (5), 3 Pearl Slug, 25 Arcane Haze, 11500 Blood Echoes.
Layers: 3
Bosses: Brainsucker (Layer 1)
Celestial Emissary (Layer 2)
Ebrietas, Daughter of the Cosmos (Layer 3)
This Chalice Dungeon is semi-optional. You only need to play through this one to pick up the Red Jelly required for the Great Pthumeru Ihyll Dungeon. If you decided to play through NG+, you can pick up all the required Red Jelly in the Nightmare Research Hall. It’s entirely up to you how you progress here, depending on whether you want to play through NG+ or not. Overall, this dungeon is challenging but is much easier than the Defiled Chalice Dungeon.
The Great Isz Chalice is obtained by defeating Ebrietas, Daughter of the Cosmos, in the main game; another optional boss. There are three Pearl Slugs in the main game, or they can be purchased in the Hunter’s Dream with insight.
The bosses aren’t too difficult, and after dealing with some of the ones in the previous Chalice Dungeons, you should stomp all over these ones.
7. Great Pthumeru Ihyll Chalice Dungeon
Materials Need for Ritual: Great Pthumeru Ihyll Chalice, 9 x Ritual Blood (5), 4 Red Jelly, 25 Arcane Haze, 1 Living String, 11500 Blood Echoes.
Layers: 3
Bosses: Pthumerian Descendant (Layer 1)
Headless Bloodletting Beast (Layer 2)
Yharnam, Pthumerian Queen (Layer 3)
The hardest work is behind you. You’re almost there. Just three more layers to go!
The Great Pthumeru Ihyll Chalice is dropped by the Defiled Amygdala. Follow the steps section for Red Jelly, whilst Living String is dropped from the brain of Mensis in the Nightmare of Mensis.
The first two bosses here are not easy, but you should get through them without too much trouble. You will find the Pthumerian Queen at the end of the third layer. Congratulations on getting this far, you are so close! The boss fight itself, whilst tricky, is not the hardest in your run. You have defeated up to six harder bosses throughout the dungeons. Aim for attire with high blood defense and make sure you are level 120 or higher. See below for a video on how to defeat the final boss, courtesy of PowerPyx. Once you kill her, give yourself a nice pat on the back. You deserve the trophy.