Key items have been a staple aspect in many games over the years, as they not only force the player to search for a way through an obstacle but represent the age-old quest of seeking a path, any path, towards one's goal. In Dead Cells, there are quite a few keys to find, each granting access to a new area or unlocking a secret, though, the Gardener's Keys are one of the first encountered and the most sought-after.
There are 3 Gardener's Keys that can be found, and players will need every one of them to unlock the blueprint for the mighty Explosive Crossbow ranged weapon located in the same biome where the keys can be found: the Promenade of the Condemned. Furthermore, after collecting the way to create this powerful armament, there are additional uses for the Gardener's Keys, though more on that later.
Before one can even begin their search for these hidden keys, players will need to have a few Runes that grant abilities and open up pathways underground, though these will need to be found elsewhere.
Where To Find The Ram, Spider, & Homunculus Runes
Location Of The Ram Rune
Deep down in the bowels of the body-choked Ossuary, one can find the Ram Rune, which grants the ability to do a ground pound that can break through certain floors. As the areas in Dead Cells procedurally generate as the player enters them, there's no set location of where the room housing this Rune will be, however, it is one with spikes and a switch-operated door. Finding this room is not enough, however, as one will also have to take out an elite Slasher enemy that is guarding it.
Location Of The Spider Rune
Within the Slumbering Sanctuary, there is a room with a steep drop and a long banner that subtly marks the whereabouts of the Spider Rune, though, like other Runes, it is guarded fiercely. The player will have to defeat an elite Caster enemy in order to acquire this Rune that lets one cling to ledges.
Location Of The Homunculus Rune
Arguably the most difficult out of these 3 Runes to collect, the Homunculus Rune is found in one of the endgame areas of Dead Cells: the Throne Room. To gain the power of this Rune, which allows the player to leave their body (while still being tethered to it), one will need to defeat the Hand of the King, one of the final bosses of the game.
Where To Find The Gardener's Keys
Now that one has the path-clearing Runes, they are ready to find the 3 Gardener's Keys in the Promenade of the Condemned without issue, however, be sure to keep in mind that the location of these keys will change every run, though will still be found in the same kinds of places.
Location Of The First Key
In a random underground area, players can find the first key sitting at the bottom of a deep pit. This underground pit is always one that is blocked by a destructible floor; the kind that can be broken with a ground pound powered up by the Ram Rune.
Location Of The Second Key
The next one is found in an above-ground structure; a tower with a few different ways in. Players can either use the clinging ability granted by the Spider Rune, or the out-of-body ability of the Homunculus Rune, to scale and penetrate this tower and acquire the second key.
Location Of The Third Key
Using one's eyes is the only true requirement for seeking out this key, as it is found within a potted rose that looks very much like the key itself. This flower can be found on the grassy surface ground of the Promenade of the Condemned. It will never be underground or higher than the ground floor, so players keeping their eyes peeled should have a relatively straightforward search.
How To Use The Keys
With the 3 Gardener's Keys in hand, the player can now head back to the tower near the beginning of the Promenade of the Condemned to unlock the doors barring one's way from the treasured blueprint. Simply walk up to each door and interact with them to pass through and collect one's much-desired ranged weapon schematic.
However, this is not all that the beautiful and flowery keys have unlocked. In future runs, this tower will remain open, but will now have a precious gem, like a Malachite or an Amethyst, in place of the Explosive Crossbow's blueprint. The tower will also house random weapons and skills, which can make the early parts of each run easier and more fun.
Furthermore, after players have acquired a few Boss Cells, the Gardener's Keys can be used to open up other doors in the Ramparts, the Graveyard, and the Forgotten Sepulcher biomes which lead to the Moonflower Key; the item one needs to obtain the coveted Acceptance mutation.