5 Secrets You Need to Know in 'Dark Souls 3: The Ringed City'

The final downloadable expansion for Dark Souls 3 is finally out for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC, ushering in the last new set of experiences members of the Dark Souls community will be able to tear into. While the future of the series seems uncertain since From Software is moving on to a new project, the good news is that The Ringed City offers some of the best experiences we’ve played through in any Dark Souls game to date, including a massive collection of secrets worth uncovering as you’re exploring the new areas for yourself.

Naturally, Dark Souls 3: The Ringed City isn’t in the business of holding your hand and giving you the all-access tour without putting up a fight, which means you’ll have to consistently be on the lookout for hints and passageways leading you to the best the expansion has to offer. If you’re interested in getting a head start, here are a few of our favorite secrets in The Ringed City, along with how to find them for yourself.

Spoilers beyond this point.

5. Showing Your Humanity

During the early hours of The Ringed City, you’ll come across a new NPC who seems to have forgotten his identity because of the hollowing slowly corrupting his mind. In search of his true self, Lapp has come to the Ringed City to find something known as the Purging Monument, which is said to completely reverse the effects of hollowing and return all of one’s memory as a result. Your job is to help him find it, and you’ll quickly notice it once you’ve passed the Ringed Inner Wall bonfire.

When you’re moving down towards the Abyssal Swamp, you’ll see the Purging Monument off and up above you on the left. To reach it, you’ll have to solve a riddle past the Ringed City Streets bonfire, however, which reads, “Show Your Humanity.” Simply head out into the Abyssal Swamp below, cast Chameleon to become a Humanity Sprite, and return to the wall to receive a ladder upwards for your efforts. You’ll then pass through a few enemies and be able to access the Purging Monument yourself.

4. The Dragonslayer

While exploring the Ringed City, you’ll come across a large open area which looks like a lake known as the Abyssal Swamp. Here, you’ll find dozens of new items scattered throughout and old ruins covered in enemies, but if you proceed to the back of the area you’ll be visited by an old friend. Among the crystals, dead Harald Legion knights, and dark water you’ll find the Dragonslayer Armour hunting once again.

Even though it isn’t a fully-fledged boss encounter like in the base game before the Grand Archives, the Dragonslayer Armour still puts up one hell of a fight. Look out for the various lightning-based attacks and heavy shield bashes while you take it down, then claim the armor set as your reward. Don’t forget to read the description of each piece of armor either; otherwise you’ll miss how the set made its way down into the Ringed City in the first place.

3. Lapp’s True Self

You’ll first meet Lapp while navigating the Dreg Heap and descending into the Ringed City off to the right of the broken cathedral with the two Lothric Knights inside. Before you can access his location though, you’ll have to move below the cathedral and further down until you see a tower fall above you. Then backtrack, head into the cathedral, and proceed across the broken tower to speak with Lapp.

There in search of the Purging Monument, he’ll consider you a true friend and provide helpful pieces of insight into the story surrounding the Ringed City itself and reward you with a few items he’s found. Eventually, you’ll find him sitting in a chair across from the Purging Monument where you can speak to him provided you’ve found the monument for yourself, and tell him its location.

Later in the DLC, you’ll find him doing the squat gesture in a small alcove within the Shared Grave. He’ll offer to show you the location of a treasure for being his only true friend while he was losing his memory. Accept his offer, and you’ll find one of the best surprises available in Dark Souls 3, one which we certainly won’t be spoiling here.

2. Darkeater Midir

One of the optional bosses located within the Ringed City, Darkeater Midir is an archdragon who was raised by the gods to serve as the last line of defense against the dark. While progressing through the DLC, you’ll notice him stalking you from behind various towers up until he strikes right before you entered the Shared Grave. Here, you’ll have to fight him to proceed across the bridge towards the tower. Instead of moving forward once he’s defeated however, backtrack to a gigantic church door by the Ringed Inner Wall bonfire and speak with Shira.

Accept her quest to kill Darkeater Midir for good, then proceed back into the tower and look for an elevator which takes you back to the Ringed City Inner Wall bonfire. While traveling up or down on the elevator, look for a passageway you can jump off into which leads small circular room. Just hit the knight without a sword to punch through an illusionary wall, and move into the next area to fight Darkeater Midir with the help of Shira. Remember to head back and talk to her once the task is complete to receive a Titanite Slab for your efforts.

1. A Familiar Face

Environments have always been a huge part of Dark Souls lore, more specifically, the statues which dot the landscapes, churches, towers, and buildings. Usually these statues highlight an element of the game’s lore or an upcoming encounter with a legendary figure, but sometimes you’ll find that they do little more than reference a character of the past known for tremendous accomplishments in the Dark Souls universe.

While exploring the tower below the Ringed City Inner Wall bonfire, you’ll come across numerous statues of Gwyn’s Silver Knights before entering a large chamber with a statue of a man placing a crown on what appears to be an undead. This, of course, is none other than the Lord of Sunlight Gwyn, who first discovered a Lord Soul and ushered in the Age of Fire at the center of the Dark Souls universe. Thankfully, he isn’t alive for you to fight again, but it’s a great throwback to the original Dark Souls from years ago.