Dark Souls 3: Critical Path and Game Progress Route, Where to Go After Aldrich and Yhorm
Learn all the important parts of your journey without spoiling the experience.
Dark Souls 3 is a very in-depth game with a lot of hidden areas to explore, and a lot of hidden items to obtain. While this can be extremely fun to explore on your own, it can also lead to you missing out on entire areas of the game, if you aren’t careful. Unlike our full walkthroughs, this guide won’t show you where to find the items, how to beat the bosses, or when you should roll or block. This guide will, however, showcase the game’s critical path, that way you can easily follow along without spoiling the story for yourself.
It should be noted that there will be light spoilers throughout this guide, as we will list the names of the areas that you need to visit, as well as the NPCs you need to interact with. However, this is the extent of these spoilers. If you wish to view more in-depth guides, please take a look at our complete Dark Souls 3 guide for more details about items, NPCs, and more.
In order to make this guide easy to follow we have marked Optional Bosses a [OB], and Mandatory Bosses as [MB]. Entries markes [R] are required steps, and are the mandatory steps you must complete to progress the game.
Cemetery of Ash
Defeat Titanite Lizard
[R] Defeat Ludex Gundyr [MB]
Firelink Shrine
Defeat Sword Master Saber for Uchigatana
[R] Light Bonfire in Firelink Shrine Hub
Talk to Andre the Blacksmith, The Shrine Handmaiden, Hawkwood, and Firekeeper
Unlock Tower to gain access to top of shrine and Crow’s Nest
Key Item: Estus Shard
[R] Port to High Wall of Lothric
High Wall of Lothric
Recruit Greirat of the Undead Settlement
[R] Speak to Emma, High Priestess of Lothric Castle to obtain Way of Blue Covenant and obtain Small Lothric Banner
[R] Defeat Vordt of the Boreal Valley [MB]
Undead Settlement
Recruit Yoel of Londor
Key Item: Estus Shard
Acquire Warriors of Sunlight Covenant
Acquire Mound Makers Covenant
Recruit Cornyx of the Great Swamp
Recruit Irina of Carim
Help Siegward of Catarina
Key Item: Umbral Ashes
Key Item: Undead Bone Shard
Befriend the Giant at the top of the tower
Defeat Curse-Rotted Greatwood [OB]
Get access to Velka, Goddess of Sins within sewers
Road of Sacrifices
Speak with Anri of Astora
Speak with Horace to acquire Blue Sentinels Covenants
Speak with Orbeck of Vinheim
Defeat Exile of Farron and other NPC
Key Item: Farron Coal
Key Item: Undead Bone Shard
Key Item: Pyromancy Tome
[R] Defeat Crystal Sage [MB]
Cathedral of the Deep
Acquire Rosaria’s Fingers Covenant
Defeat Crystal Titanite Lizard
Recruit Unbreakable Patches
Help Siegward of Catarina
Key Item: Undead Bone Shard
Key Item: Deep Braille Divine Tome
[R] Defeat Deacons of the Deep [MB]
Farron Keep
Pray to Old Wolf to Acquire Watchdogs of Farron Covenant
Key Item: Sage’s Coal
Key Item: Sage’s Scroll
Key Item: Golden Scroll
Defeat Crystal Titanite Lizard
Defeat Stray Demon [OB]
[R] Defeat Abyss Watchers [MB]
Catacombs of Carthus
Speak with Anri of Astra twice
Key Item: Pyromancy Tome
Key Item: Umbral Ashes
Access Smouldering Lake
Key Item: Undead Bone Shard (2X)
Defeat Fire Demon guarding entrance to Smouldering Lake
Confront Horace in Smouldering Lake
[R] Defeat High Lord Wolnir [MB]
Optional Area: Smouldering Lake
Defeat Old Demon King [OB]
Defeat Giant Worm
Key Item: Undead Bone Shard
Key Item: Pyromancy Tome
Turn off Ballista
Irithyll of the Boreal Valley
Speak with Anri of Astora at Church of Yorshka bonfire
Help Siegward
Key Item: Undead Bone Shard
[R] Defeat Pontiff Suulyvahn [MB]
Irithyll Dungeon
Rescue Karla
Key Item: Undead Bone Shard
Access Archdragon Peak
Optional Area: Archdragon Peak
Defeat Ancient Wyvern and The Nameless King [OB]
Profaned Capital
Rescue Siegward
Unlock shortcut to Irithyll Dungeon Bonfire
[R] Defeat Yhorm the Giant [MB]
Anor Londo
Marry Anri of Astora to further quest
Acquire Blade of the Darkmoon Covenant
Key Item: Ring
Key Item: Giant’s Coal
[R] Defeat Aldrich, Devourer of Gods [MB]
High Wall of Lothric
[R] Defeat Dancer of Boreal Valley [MB]
Lothric Castle
[R] Defeat Dragonslayer Armour [MB]
Key Item: Undead Bone Shard
Optional Area: Consumed King’s Garden
Defeat Oceiros, the Consumed King [OB]
Optional Area: Untended Graves
Defeat Champion Gundyr [OB]
Obtain Eyes of Firekeeper
Grand Archives
[R] Defeat Lothric, Younger Prince [MB]
Key Item: Undead Bone Shard
[R] Kneel at bonfire in Firelink Shrine to travel to Kiln of the First Flame
Kiln of the First Flame
[R] Defeat Soul of Cinder [MB]
[R] Choose Ending
