Dark Souls 3 may seem like a straightforward game, but it is anything but. Like all Dark Souls games, the player can get through the entire game without visiting certain areas. The game doesn't promote or even acknowledge its various hidden locations.
Those who played the game without a guide undoubtedly missed a few interesting areas. Most of these are well worth exploring. They contain interesting pieces of loot, intriguing lore, and even gorgeous vistas that players have to see to believe.
Updated 04/30/2021 by Erik Petrovich – The Dark Souls 3 base game contains a variety of secret locations throughout the world, a feature that was expanded in the two DLCs for the game. The Ringed City and Ashes of Ariandel both introduce new zones to the game that come packed with secrets waiting to be discovered. Two of these secret locations, the Depths of the Painting and Priscilla's Tower, are optional secret areas that house items, upgrades, and even new area bosses.
12 Depths of the Painting
The Depths of the Painting is a secret zone in the Ashes of Ariandel DLC, located in the Painted World of Ariandel. It's necessary to discover this area if players want to fight the Champion's Gravetender and Gravetender Greatwolf boss fights. The Depths of the Painting hold many items like Hollow Gems, Embers, spells, and weapon and armor upgrading materials, as well as a crystal lizard and the aforementioned area bosses.
How to Find the Depths of the Painting: Cut the ropes attaching the bridge to the cliff walls near the Chapel and the ladder will fall – just like the entrance to Smouldering Lake.
11 Priscilla's Tower
Priscilla's Tower is another secret location in Ashes of Ariandel, but it's not an entire area like the Depths of the Painting. This is where the player fights Priscilla in the original Dark Souls, and it's visitable in Dark Souls 3 too. The player can find a Pyromancer's Parting Flame and a couple of Homeward Bones here.
How to Find Priscilla's Tower: Right after the Sister Friede boss fight, there is an illusory door with a nearby crystal lizard staring at it. After passing through it, the player will find themselves where Priscilla was once standing, near the ledge of the colosseum seen from far away.
10 Undead Settlement Elevator Secret
On the Undead Settlement Elevator, the player can see a massive area with a central fire and a wandering demon who pounces around looking for trouble. Upon entering the area with the demon, the player and the nearby intrepid Siegward will team up to destroy the enemy. The player will also find the Chloranthy Ring and the Mirrah Set in this area, making it well worth your time.
How To Find the Undead Settlement Elevator Secret: It's about halfway between the middle and top levels of the elevator in the Undead Settlement (where the spear-hurling giant resides). There exists a secret area. If the player walk off correctly, they will enter a secret level and meet Siegward, who is enjoying a drink on a ledge.
9 Smouldering Lake
Smouldering Lake has one of the most stunning areas in the entire game, and it among the most unique zones in the Souls franchise. The area is absolutely massive, the ground is made of lava, there are enormous tree-like entities throughout the area, and the air is littered with floating embers. It's absolutely gorgeous. Plus, there is tons of loot, a giant boss worm, giant crabs, a crossbow, and a boss called the Old Demon King.
How To Find the Smouldering Lake: Cut away the rickety wooden bridge in the Catacombs of Carthus. Once that is done, simply descend the bridge (now a ladder) and enter the secret area.
8 Firelink Shrine Rooftop
Throughout the game, the calming Firelink Shrine serves as the player's hub. It is where they level up, upgrade, and purchase necessary items for quests. But in addition to all of this, there is a secret area on the roof of the Firelink Shrine that's pretty easily accessible. The player will meet the Pickle Pee Pump-A-Rum Crow, who you can trade various items with, and find some hidden items scattered around the area too.
How to Find the Firelink Shrine Rooftop: Purchase the Tower Key from the Shrine Handmaid for 20,000 souls, which grants access to the rear Bell Tower, or use the famous exploit that allows a player to jump onto the roof using a bent tree as a launchpad.
7 The Aldrich Faithful Basement
Those looking for easy access through Irithyll would do well to avoid this basement. After descending the ladder, the player will find themselves in a wet basement surrounded by two Sulyvahn's Beasts.This fight isn't for the faint of heart. After defeating them, visit Archdeacon McDonnell in the North West corner of the room. He will bestow upon the player Aldrich Faithful, allowing you to join the covenant.
How To Find The Aldrich Faithful Basement: Travel through the Valley of Giants from the Pontiff Sulyvahn bonfire. After reaching the door at the far end, strike an illusory wall to reveal the secret area.
6 Rosaria, Mother Of Rebirth
Those who stormed through the Cathedral of the Deep almost certainly missed this statue that allows for one major gameplay mechanic. Rosaria, Mother of Rebirth, allows the player to change their physical appearance and re-allocate stats using all cumulative souls through a playthrough. She definitely comes in handy when switching weapon focus, and can save a save file from bad stat allocations.
How To Find the Statue of Rosaria: Access the elevator in the Cleansing Chapel and move through the area to the roof arches of the Cathedral. Then, move to the opposite side, jump down to a stone platform, and jump down again to the area below. There are a few monsters in the way, but the room is clear.
5 Archdragon Peak
It's amazing that Dark Souls 3 hides an area as stellar and massive as Archdragon Peak. This is an entire area, not just a secret room, that contains mysterious, beautiful views. Additionally, challenging enemies that reward high-tier loot. It's also the home of the Nameless King Boss Fight.
How to Find Archdragon Peak: Acquire the Path of the Dragon gesture from another hidden area, the Consumed King's Garden. Then, find the meditation area in Irithyll Dungeon with the Dragon Stone Torso. Then, perform the Path of the Dragon gesture while looking at the mountains in the distance. After a few seconds, the player will be transported.
4 Untended Graves
The Untended Graves is another beautiful area that every player needs to experience. This dark and foreboding area serves as an exact replica of the Cemetery of Ash from the beginning of the game. Much like the beginning, the boss fight is Champion Gundyr, a tougher version of Iudex Gundyr. The player will also find the original Firelink Shrine, which is shrouded in darkness and silence. Key items are also found here, including the Eyes of the Firekeeper, the Blacksmith Hammer, and the Coiled Sword Fragment.
How To Find the Untended Graves: Find the illusory wall behind the chest in the Oceiros, the Consumed King, boss room. Breaking this wall leads directly there.
3 Consumed King's Garden
On the subject of Oceiros, the Consumed King's Garden is a hidden area containing the aforementioned boss as well as a variety of optional paths. This is a very hard area, complete with a massive, toxic swamp and Cathedral Knights. Eventually, the path will lead the player to Oceiros, the Consumed King. They must defeat him access Archdragon Peak. Also found scattered throughout the area are the Ring of Sacrifice, the Shadow Set, the Dragonscale Ring, and the Magic Stoneplate Ring.
How To Find the Consumed King's Garden: Turn left after ascending the ladder in the cathedral of the High Wall of Lothric. Pass a mace-wielding knight, and descend into the marshy area.
2 Old Wolf Of Farron
The Old Wolf of Farron is an NPC and the covenant leader of the Watchdogs of Farron. If you pray to the sleeping Old Wolf of Farron, the player will be granted the Watchdogs of Farron medallion. This allows them to join its covenant. The description states that "Summoning takes place automatically while this is equipped," which means the player will be automatically summoned to defeat various bosses as other covenant members need.
How To Find the Old Wolf of Farron: Locate the slug-guarded ladder in Farron Keep, near the Keep Ruins bonfire. At the top of the ladder is a bonfire as well as the Old Wolf itself, which can be worshipped to join the Watchdogs of Farron covenant.
1 Stray Demon Hidden Area
Located near the Old Wolf of Farron is the Stray Demon. This particularly challenging miniboss grants the player a boss soul. However, the player is able to leave the fight at any time, as the game doesn't consider it a full boss. While here, the player will find Crystal Lizards, the Dragon Crest Shield, a Heavy Gem. There's also the Lightning Spear, a miracle that allows the user to conjure and throw a lightning spear at enemies. Those doing a Faith need to stop here at some point in their playthrough, but the extra boss souls and adventuring items won't go to waste for non-Faith users.
How To Find the Stray Demon Area: Near the bonfire at the Old Wolf of Farron, there is a broken piece of the wall. Go through this hole, and activate the pressure plate near the Dreamchaser's Ashes loot. Then take the elevator upwards to the boss area.