How to Obtain Vendrick’s Crown in Dark Souls 2: A Comprehensive Guide

The path to acquiring Vendrick’s Crown in Dark Souls 2 is a multi-step process that requires both skill and dedication. It’s not a simple loot drop; you’ll have to earn it by traversing treacherous lands, conquering formidable foes, and finally, facing the tragic figure of King Vendrick himself. Here’s a step-by-step guide to claim this valuable crown:

Step-by-Step Guide to Vendrick’s Crown

1. Defeat King Vendrick: This is the cornerstone of obtaining his crown. King Vendrick is an optional boss located at the bottom of the Undead Crypt. You’ll find him wandering aimlessly; he will initially ignore you unless attacked repeatedly. Keep in mind that the damage you inflict upon Vendrick is directly influenced by the number of Giant Souls in your inventory. Ideally, you should acquire all five Giant Souls to inflict normal damage. Fighting him without these souls will significantly reduce your damage output, making the battle extremely protracted. The Giant Souls are obtained from:

   • The Ancient Dragon (near the Dragon Shrine).
   • The Giant Lord (in the Memory of Jeigh, accessible via the Memory of Orro).
   • Two souls are obtained within the memories accessible by the Ashen Mist Heart after defeating the Giant Lord.
   • One soul is located near the final boss, inside a chest.

2. Acquire the Ashen Mist Heart: This is a vital item needed to access the memories of giants. The Ashen Mist Heart is obtained after defeating the Guardian Dragon at the Dragon Aerie. You will need this to access the memories to get two Giant Souls, as mentioned earlier.

3. Travel to the Shrine of Amana: Once you have defeated King Vendrick, journey to the Shrine of Amana.

4. Locate the Hidden Door: From the Crumbled Ruins Bonfire, follow the left wall. You’ll discover a wooden door concealed behind branches and roots. This door is locked and only opens after you have defeated Vendrick and are human.

5. Claim Vendrick’s Set: Behind the hidden door, you will find a chest. Within this chest lies the entire King’s Set, including Vendrick’s Crown.

This completes the initial acquisition of Vendrick’s Crown. However, its power is not fully realized until further steps are taken.

Blessing Your Crowns

To fully realize the power of all the crowns, including Vendrick’s, you must undertake a final journey after acquiring the three DLC crowns: the Crown of the Sunken King, Crown of the Old Iron King, and Crown of the Ivory King and the King’s Crown. Here are the next steps:

1. Return to the Undead Crypt: Head back to the area where you initially fought King Vendrick.
2. Enter Vendrick’s Memory: Interact with the clothing on the floor where Vendrick once stood. This will transport you into his memory.
3. Speak with Vendrick’s Spirit: In his memory, you’ll be able to speak with King Vendrick.
4. Receive the Blessing: After this interaction, a message will inform you that a “strong heat has returned to the crowns”. This blessing grants a significant effect to all the crowns.

The Crown’s True Power

With the blessing obtained from interacting with Vendrick in his memory, all four crowns gain an extremely powerful effect:

• No Hollow Upon Death: If you die while wearing any of the crowns, you will not turn hollow. However, you will still lose your souls as normal.
• Complete Curse Immunity: When wearing any crown you gain 100% curse immunity, rendering you completely resistant to any curse effects.

This combined power makes the crowns, including Vendrick’s, incredibly valuable in late-game encounters, especially against enemies and bosses that utilize curse attacks, like Nashandra.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some frequently asked questions regarding the process of obtaining Vendrick’s crown and other related topics:

1. Where is the King’s Crown located in the Shrine of Amana?

The King’s Crown is behind a locked wooden door covered by roots. This door is located if you follow the left wall starting at the Crumbled Ruins Bonfire. It requires that you are human and have defeated Vendrick.

2. How do you get all four crowns in Dark Souls 2?

Three crowns – Crown of the Sunken King, Crown of the Old Iron King, and Crown of the Ivory King – are acquired by defeating the final bosses in each of their respective DLCs. The fourth, King’s Crown, is obtained after defeating Vendrick, and claiming his armor set in the Shrine of Amana.

3. What happens when you get all crowns in Dark Souls 2?

When all four crowns are acquired and blessed by speaking to Vendrick in his memory, wearing any of the crowns grants you the ability to stay human upon death (you still lose souls) and makes you immune to curse.

4. Is Vendrick the final boss in Dark Souls 2?

No, Vendrick is an optional boss. The final boss is Nashandra, fought in the Throne of Want after acquiring the Ashen Mist Heart and obtaining the Giant Lord Soul.

5. How do I unlock Vendrick’s boss fight?

Vendrick is in the Undead Crypt. You do not need to do anything to unlock the fight, however, you will do minimal damage if you do not have Giant Souls.

6. Can you summon help for the Vendrick boss fight?

No, you cannot summon players to help you fight Vendrick. He is a solo encounter.

7. What is the easiest way to defeat Vendrick?

The easiest way is to make sure you have all five Giant Souls in your inventory, which will allow you to deal normal damage. After this, it is simply learning his attack patterns.

8. Which crown is considered the best in DS2?

Many players consider the Crown of the Old Iron King to be one of the best due to its passive spell regeneration ability. However, all crowns, once blessed, have a similar core effect – the ability to prevent hollowing upon death and immunity to curse.

9. What are the three DLC crowns in Dark Souls 2?

The three DLC crowns are the Crown of the Sunken King, the Crown of the Old Iron King, and the Crown of the Ivory King.

10. What is the strongest armor set in Dark Souls 2?

The Havel’s Set is often considered one of the strongest for raw defense, but there are other excellent sets like the Alonne Captain Set, and the Aurous Set.

11. Which bosses drop the most souls in DS2?

King Vendrick and Velstadt are among the best bosses for farming souls, especially when combined with gear that enhances soul gain.

12. How many Giant Souls do I need to fight Vendrick?

You need all five Giant Souls to deal normal damage to Vendrick. Every soul will increase the damage you inflict by roughly 2x each. Without the Giant Souls the battle can take a long time due to the low damage output.

13. What do you get for killing Vendrick?

Defeating Vendrick grants access to his armor set and his soul. His soul can be traded for the powerful King’s Ultra Greatsword.

14. What is the most powerful weapon in Dark Souls 2?

There are several contenders for the most powerful weapon, but some of the most commonly cited options include the Sacred Chime Hammer, Crypt Blacksword, and King’s Ultra Greatsword. The “best” weapon will often depend on the player’s build and play style.

15. How many endings are there in Dark Souls 2?

Dark Souls 2 has two endings, though one was added post-launch.

By following these steps and heeding the advice provided, you will be well-equipped to obtain Vendrick’s crown and unlock the full potential of your character in Dark Souls 2.