Catacombs of Carthus

DARK SOULS III guide · After defeating the Abyss Watchers

This subterranean maze connects Farron Keep to the Boreal Valley, filled with reanimated skeleton warriors, rolling boulder traps, and bottomless drops. You must navigate through the winding corridors and break a rickety wooden suspension bridge to unlock access to the Smouldering Lake below. Finally, interact with an ominous skull chalice in the deepest chamber to face High Lord Wolnir and proceed to Irithyll.

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Grave Warden Pyromancy Tome: In the boss arena of High Lord Wolnir, resting in front of the boss when the fight begins

Achievements here

High Lord WolnirInteract with the goblet and defeat High Lord Wolnir to break the seal to Irithyll.

Achievement guide and roadmap →

Items

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Carthus Pyromancy Tome: In a corridor behind an illusory wall near the second skeleton ball staircaseUndead Bone Shard: Dropped by the first skeleton wearing a hat, which controls the upper rolling skeleton ball

Secrets

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Hit the wooden suspension bridge just before High Lord Wolnir's chamber to make it collapse, then interact with the broken ropes to climb down into the Smouldering Lake.Strike the plain wall on the right-hand side of the corridor leading past the second skeleton ball to reveal an illusory wall containing the Carthus Pyromancy Tome.

Enemies

High Lord Wolnir

Weak to Blessed weapons

Attack the glowing gold bracelets on his wrists to shatter them and deal massive damage before his dark fog engulfs you.

Carthus Swordsman

Weak to Strike damage, Blunt weaponsSteal / drop Sharp Gem

Agile skeletons that can inflict bleed, jump around erratically, and occasionally turn invisible during their dodge rolls.

Skeleton Ball

Steal / drop Undead Bone Shard

Giant rolling spheres of bones that crush anything in their path; they break apart upon hitting walls if their controlling hat-wearing skeletons are killed.

Anri of Astora (Hollow)

Steal / drop Anri's Straight Sword

If Horace was killed in Smouldering Lake and you told Anri his location, Anri turns hostile in the catacombs.

Shops and people

Anri of Astora: Progresses their storyline and inquires about the whereabouts of Horace the Hushed

Tips

Blunt and strike weapons deal massive bonus damage to skeletons and consistently knock them into pieces, preventing them from counterattacking.
Skeletons with glowing white eyes will revive once after being killed unless slain with a Blessed weapon or by breaking their body while collapsed.
Lure the rolling skeleton balls into groups of standard skeleton enemies to easily crush them without wasting weapon durability or FP.

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Farron Keep

Smouldering Lake

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