How to Access DLC Areas in Dark Souls 2: A Comprehensive Guide
Accessing the downloadable content (DLC) in Dark Souls 2 is a bit more involved than simply downloading and playing. You need to locate specific entry points within the main game world, and those points are tied to your progress in the original campaign. Each DLC requires a specific key item that is automatically added to your inventory upon downloading the content, but it does not let you access the DLC directly. The entry points are usually located behind Primal Bonfires or at other significant locations in the game. Here’s a breakdown of where to go and what you’ll need for each of the three DLCs: Crown of the Sunken King, Crown of the Old Iron King, and Crown of the Ivory King.
Accessing the DLC: A Step-by-Step Guide
The process for accessing each DLC is tied to both game progression and the location of key shrines/bonfires within the world. Each DLC shrine is activated using a corresponding “Frozen” item, or in one case, an “Old” item, that gets automatically added to your inventory once the DLC is downloaded. Here’s the order you should generally approach them:
Crown of the Sunken King (Shulva, Sanctum City)
- Defeat The Rotten: If you haven’t already, you’ll need to defeat The Rotten boss in the Black Gulch. The Gulch itself is accessed from The Pit in Majula, so head down into the pit, get through the Gulch and eliminate the boss.
- Locate the Shrine: Once you have conquered the Rotten, find the Primal Bonfire at the end of the area, and you will find a shrine right there. This shrine is the entry point for the Crown of the Sunken King DLC.
- Activate the Shrine: With the DLC installed and a Dragon Talon (the “frozen” item added with the download) in your inventory, interact with the shrine to travel to the DLC area, Shulva, Sanctum City.
Crown of the Old Iron King (Brume Tower)
- Defeat the Old Iron King: Before accessing this DLC, you must have defeated the Old Iron King boss. The boss and the Iron Keep is accessible after progressing through several areas, so you might need to be quite far into the game to do this.
- Primal Bonfire Access: After defeating the Old Iron King, return to the Primal Bonfire located in the Iron Keep. The shrine is next to the bonfire.
- Activate the Shrine: With the Tower Key (the “old” item added with the download) in your inventory, interacting with the shrine at the Primal Bonfire will lead you to the Brume Tower in the Crown of the Old Iron King DLC.
Crown of the Ivory King (Eleum Loyce)
- Obtain Four Great Souls: To access the Crown of the Ivory King, you need to have obtained the four Great Souls from the main game: The Rotten, The Lost Sinner, Old Iron King, and The Duke’s Dear Freja.
- Open the Shrine of Winter: With all 4 great souls in hand, you can open the Shrine of Winter, which leads towards Drangleic castle.
- Locate the Ruined Fork Road: Within the Shaded Woods, find the Ruined Fork Road bonfire. This is the location of the portal for Crown of the Ivory King.
- Activate the Shrine: The Frozen Flower (the “frozen” item added with the download) will be added to your inventory if you have downloaded the DLC. Interact with the shrine, and you will be teleported to the Eleum Loyce area in the Crown of the Ivory King DLC.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some frequently asked questions that might help clear any remaining doubts:
1. How many DLCs are there in Dark Souls 2?
Dark Souls 2 features a total of three DLC campaigns, known collectively as The Lost Crowns Trilogy: Crown of the Sunken King, Crown of the Old Iron King, and Crown of the Ivory King.
2. In which order should I play the DLCs?
It’s generally recommended to play the DLCs in the order they were released: Crown of the Sunken King, followed by Crown of the Old Iron King, and then finally Crown of the Ivory King. This order is also beneficial for game difficulty.
3. What are the Key Items needed to access each DLC?
Each DLC has its own corresponding key item. These items will be added to your inventory after downloading and opening the game. The items are: Dragon Talon (Crown of the Sunken King), Tower Key (Crown of the Old Iron King), and Frozen Flower (Crown of the Ivory King).
4. Do I need to have all bosses defeated to access all DLCs?
No, you don’t need to defeat all bosses. But each DLC has different unlock requirements. Defeating certain bosses and obtaining their souls are necessary. For Ivory King, you will need all Great Souls.
5. Where is the Black Gulch Primal Bonfire?
The Black Gulch Primal Bonfire is located at the end of the Black Gulch area, right before you leave the location.
6. Where is the Iron Keep Primal Bonfire?
The Iron Keep Primal Bonfire is located in the very central room of the Iron Keep, after defeating the Old Iron King, and after a small walk in from the boss arena.
7. Where is the Shrine of Winter?
The Shrine of Winter is a location that is opened only after the player obtains the four Great Souls by defeating the four major bosses in the game. It will then be unlocked and will allow progression to Drangleic castle.
8. What do I get from the Crown of the Old Iron King?
Besides accessing the Brume Tower area and its challenges, Crown of the Old Iron King features the item that restores some spell casts over time.
9. How long does it take to complete the Ivory King DLC?
The main story of Crown of the Ivory King takes about 4.5 hours. Fully exploring and completing all side objectives can take around 8.5 hours.
10. What should I do after defeating the Old Ivory King?
After defeating the Old Ivory King, speak to Alsanna, who will give you a quest to collect Loyce Souls. Once you have obtained 50 of those souls, she will give you full access. You can obtain Loyce gear by hunting down the knights.
11. What is the first DLC for Dark Souls 2?
The first DLC to be released for Dark Souls 2 was Crown of the Sunken King.
12. Where do I get the Dragon Talon?
The Dragon Talon can be found on a body behind the Forgotten Door in the Pit of Majula. This will be automatically given to you once the DLC is installed, meaning no need to go to this location.
13. How do I get the Frozen Flower?
The Frozen Flower is automatically added to your inventory after you download Crown of the Ivory King. It is not found in the game world.
14. Is the Burnt Ivory King the final boss of the DLC?
Yes, the Burnt Ivory King is the last boss you face in Crown of the Ivory King.
15. What are the Burnt Ivory King’s weaknesses?
The Burnt Ivory King is extremely weak to lightning damage, so using buffs like Gold Pine Resin is a great idea, or you could infuse a weapon with lightning. Do not use Fire, Dark, Poison or Bleed.
By following these guidelines, you should have no trouble navigating to the new DLC areas in Dark Souls 2 and experiencing all the additional challenges and content the game has to offer. Good luck, and may the flames guide thee.