Bloodborne players and fans will have their own stories to tell once they are through with the game. However, the ones that are hooked on to the game's Chalice Dungeon feature, speak of entirely different (and procedurally generated) experiences.
Of all the things related to Bloodborne's Chalice Dungeon, the most important is that the feature adds a substantial amount of replay value to the game. This is mainly due to randomised dungeon experiences players come across with new enemies, bosses, and loot.
In case you are just heading into the Chalice Dungeon mode for the first time, there will be a few questions and doubts that are better cleared as early as possible. Here are a few help tips that will not only get your started, but also allow you to survive and acquire more loot.
What Are Chalice Dungeons?
Chalice Dungeons are procedurally generated instances that contain the hardest encounters and the best loot that the game has to offer. They are a complete offering with exclusive art assets, new bosses, and opportunities for Co-Op.
How To Unlock Chalice Dungeon?
Note that you can unlock as many as three chalices by defeating bosses in the main game. While the Pthumeru Chalice is obtained by defeating the Blood-Starved Beast, the Ailing Loran Chalice can be obtained from Amygdala. The Isz Chalice, however, can be obtained from Ebrietas, Daughter of the Cosmos. Apart from that, all other Chalice and Root Chalices are to be unlocked within the Chalice Dungeons themselves.
To Enter A Chalice Dungeon
In order to access a Chalice Dungeon you will need to use a Holy Chalice item. You can find Holy Chalices throughout the main game, and once you have the essential items, just head back to Hunter's Dream and look to your left to find a row of tombstone-like objects. Use one of the Holy Chalice items on the tombstones to enter a Chalice Dungeon. Also note that to play with a friend, you will have to set a password and then share the dungeon and password with your friend.
What is Chalice Dungeon Depth?
Each of the items that you will use to enter a Chalice Dungeon carries a certain level of depth. In fact, the higher the depth, the more difficult the Chalice Dungeon becomes. As you move from one layer of the Chalice Dungeon to the other, things start getting more complex (more on the layers later).
Apparently, the level of depth roughly corresponds with 25% of the game completed. This means that depth 1 is the first 25% of the game, Depth 2 is the second 25%, 3 is the third, 4 is the fourth, with 5 being harder than the actual game. That being said, you should be ready to deal with anything the Chalice Dungeon throws at you, once you reach around level 70 or 80. So it's better if you level up your character outside the Dungeon and then try your hand on it.
What Are Chalice Dungeon Layers?
Each Chalice Dungeon has been divided into layers, with each layer having three parts. While the first part is the beginning hallway to the first door at the end of that hallway, the second part, the middle one, contains the lever and the boss hall door. The third part, on the other hand, is the path from the Boss hall to the boss. In the first layer, you will need to find and pull a large lever somewhere in the dungeon to unlock the door that leads to the boss battle. If you can successfully defeat the boss here, you'll have access to the next layer where you must repeat the process.
Tackling Enemies in Chalice Dungeons
While the first bit of the Chalice Dungeon might feel like a piece of cake to some, note that things get more complex and convoluted as you move further in. For instance, you will now start facing unexpected and new enemies inside the Dungeon in swarms. These swarms of enemies appear out of nowhere the moment you are heading into a different layer, or reaching a new item. It is better that you take your time with them, backtracking as often as possible to gain higher ground, as opposed to your opponent.
To Get More Loot in Chalice Dungeon
Inside the Chalice Dungeons, you should come across a number of chests, alongside corpses (just like in the main game). Know that each layer of a Chalice Dungeon is generally filled with loot, so exploration remains a key factor before heading to the next area. But that's not all! After overcoming certain bosses, you will be able to purchase new gear from the Bath Messengers or Insight Fountain back in Hunter's Dream.
[Source: Reddit, Prima Games]
