transcended beyond the hunt more times than they can count. Intrepid hunters may look at their trophy list, however, and notice that they've managed to leave one stone unturned. From Software is notorious for putting obscure secrets within their games, but players who've seen everything that Yharnam and the Fishing Hamlet have to offer will have to dive deep into the chalice dungeons to find the final, secret boss in Bloodborne.
Chalice dungeons are a unique feature in Bloodborne, offering players a nearly limitless amount of procedurally generated content containing exclusive rewards and juicy bits of lore. Deep within these chalice dungeons lies the secret final boss of the game, and it's one of the most significant bosses within Bloodborne's lore. Because of this, players looking to get the full picture of the intricate story behind the game should stock up on blood vials and prepare to die in the ruins far beneath Yharnam. So, spoiler warning ahead: here's how to find the secret final boss battle in Bloodborne.
How to Find the Secret Battle with Lady Yharnam in Bloodborne
That's right, Bloodborne's secret final boss is Lady Yharnam - a central figure in the game's story (although players will be forgiven for having no clue who she is or why she's standing around bleeding all the time). The battle against Lady Yharnam is found in the Great Pthumeru Ihyll Chalice dungeon, so players will have to progress all the way through the Pthumeru dungeons in order to reach her. Chalice dungeons can be confusing for players who just want to secure the platinum trophy and move on with their lives, so here's a brief rundown of how they work. There are four different chalices which players will use to begin a dungeon; Pthumeru, Hintertomb, Loran, and Isz. To acquire these chalices, players must kill the Blood-starved Beast, Amygdala, and Ebrietas within the main storyline (the Hintertomb chalice is found within the first Pthumeru dungeon). Once acquired, players can begin the ritual to open a chalice dungeon in the Hunter's Dream, at the gravestones along the elevated path on the left side of the Hunter's Workshop. Players will begin their journey into the chalice dungeons with the "Pthumeru Chalice," and will have to work their way down each depth. The final boss of each dungeon will give players the chalice required to begin the next depth, so they must be played in order. Every ritual to begin a dungeon has a material cost associated with it as well, so players will need the appropriate materials to begin the next depth. (Note: "Root" chalices, as they're labeled in-game, are the randomized variants of each chalice dungeon. They're used to farm exclusive gear and weapons, and do not need to be completed to reach Lady Yharnam).
To access the Great Pthumeru Ihyll Chalice dungeon, players must complete each preceding Pthumeru dungeon leading up to it (Pthumeru, Central Pthumeru, Lower Pthumeru, and Defiled). However, From Software couldn't possibly make it as easy as playing through each Pthumeru dungeon in order. Players looking to take down Lady Yharnam must also complete the Ailing and Lower Loran Chalice dungeons to acquire the materials needed for the Defiled and Great Pthumeru Chalice dungeons, respectively. Altogether, the six necessary dungeons leading up to the Lady Yharnam fight should give players enough materials to unlock each dungeon in order, however, players may need to run one or two extra Root dungeons to build up their supply of Arcane Haze or other necessary ritual materials. Once players have completed these prerequisites to access the Great Pthumeru Ihyll Chalice dungeon, they can enter and confront Bloodborne's secret final boss.
The boss fight with Lady Yharnam may be the most ambitious secret in any of From Software's games, as it's the only secret buried deep beneath incomprehensible menus, and layer upon layer of identical dungeons. That said, the chalice dungeons manage to hide some of the most unique and challenging boss fights that can be found in any of the Soulsborne games to date - Lady Yharnam included. Like many things in Bloodborne, though, it just takes a little bit of figuring out for players to enjoy them to their fullest.
Five years along and Bloodborne remains a masterpiece, offering players an immersive Lovecraftian horror RPG sequel. For the time being, however, there can't be any harm in taking to the streets of Yharnam for one more hunt, right?
Bloodborne is available now on PS4.
