There’s nothing worse than a locked door without a key. Dark Souls: Remastered retains the exploratory spirit of the original. Half the fun of Dark Souls is checking out each new, elaborate area and discovering what challenges await your Undead Champion. But, these environments are so detailed, there are plenty of items that are incredibly easy to miss. That includes keys.
If you’re stuck behind a locked door and don’t know what to do next, we’ve got you covered. This guide is going to list all the items that unlock doors (or areas) in the game. Not all of these items are keys. You’ll find a few crests, pendants, and dolls thrown into the mix. We’ll try to explain where to get all the keys, and what those keys unlock.
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All Keys (And Doors They Unlock) Locations Guide
Keys are special unique items that unlock doors and remove barriers when held. Most keys are found, but some can be purchased from NPCs. The Master Key is a special key that unlocks multiple doors. Below, you’ll find all keys and the doors they unlock. Any doors that can also be opened with the Master Key will be marked.
Unique Keys
- Master Key
- Can be selected as a starting gift, or comes with the Thief Class loadout.
- Rewarded for defeating the Asylum Demon on your first try.
- Can be purchased from Domhnall of Zena at the Firelink Shrine for 5,000 souls.
- He will move to the Firelink Shrine after you ring both bells and unlock Sen’s Fortress.
- Unlocks many different doors. Doors that can be unlocked with the Master Key will be marked below.
- Crest of Artorias
- Purchase from Andre the Blacksmith for 20,000 souls. Alternatively, you can kill him and he’ll drop the key for free.
- The key unlocks the sealed gate in the Darkroot Basin.
- Peculiar Doll
- Special key found in the Northern Undead Asylum, only when you return from the Firelink Shrine. Use the Firelink shortcut elevator to step onto the ruin roof and reach a nest at the top. Curl up at the base of the nest to transport back to the asylum.
- If you have the Peculiar Doll, you’ll be able to enter the Secret World of Ariamis when interacting with the giant painting in the cathedral of Anor Londo.
- Broken Pendant
- Dropped by the Crystal Golem near the entrance lift to the Duke’s Archives. The Broken Pendant will only appear if you’ve killed the Hydra in Darkroot Basin. Return later and destroy the Gold Golem in the cave behind the Hydra to rescue Dusk of Oolacile. Talk to her.
- After that, destroying the Crystal Golem in the Duke’s Archives will cause the Broken Pendant to drop.
- Go back to the cavern where Dusk of Oolacile appeared. At the back of the cave, a cutscene will trigger if you’re carrying the Broken Pendant, and you’ll be transported to Oolacile.
Undead Asylum Keys
- Dungeon Cell Key
- The first key you’ll get in-game. Collect from the corpse dropped into your cell.
- Unlocks the door to your cell in the tutorial area.
- Undead Asylum F2 East Key
- Given by the half-dead knight NPC.
- Unlocks the door behind the trap.
- Undead Asylum F2 West Key
- Found on the Firelink Shrine rooftops, accessible from the Firelink Shrine lift shortcut to the Undead Parish.
- Used to unlock the Floor 2 west door in the Asylum when you revisit. Located behind the Elite Undead enemy.
- Big Pilgrim’s Key
- Dropped if you’re able to defeat the Asylum Demon on your first try.
- Unlocks the door to the asylum exit.
Undead Burg Keys
- Residence Key
- Purchased from the Undead Merchant NPC in the Undead Burg.
- Used to unlock two doors in the Undead Burg; a residence door in the upper areas, and a door where Griggs of Vinnheim is trapped in the Lower Undead Burg.
- The Master Key can unlock the door in the upper Undead Burg.
- Basement Key
- Found on the steps to the Undead Parish, near the huge entrance gate.
- Unlocks a door near the start of the bridge leading to the Undead Parish from the Undead Burg. The door unlocks a path to the Lower Undead Burg.
- Key to Depths
- Dropped by the Capra Demon boss in the Lower Undead Burg.
- Unlocks the door past the Capra Demon’s arena that leads to the Depths.
- Watchtower Basement Key
- Found on the tower, past the Moonlight Butterfly boss arena bridge.
- Unlocks a door in the Undead Burg, creating a shortcut to the Darkroot Basin.
Undead Parish Keys
- Mystery Key
- Found near the ladder (near the armored boar enemy passage) in the Undead Parish.
- Used to rescue NPC Lautrec, through the breakable door in the second floor of the Undead Parish.
- The Master Key can be used here.
Depths Keys
- Sewer Chamber Key
- Found on a corpse in the giant rat sewer.
- Used to unlock a bonfire in the slimey first hallway of the Depths.
- The Master Key can be used here.
- Blighttown Key
- Dropped by the Gaping Dragon boss.
- Used to unlock the door to Blighttown.
New Londo Ruins
- Key To New Londo Ruins
- Found in a chest, in the cave leading from Blighttown to the Valley of the Drakes.
- Used to unlock the shortcut door from New Londo Ruins to the Valley of the Drakes.
- The Master Key can be used here.
- Key To The Seal
- Talk to Ingward after gaining the Lordvessel to get this key.
- Unlocks the lower levels of New Londo.
Sen’s Fortress
- Cage Key
- Jump the broken bridge on the Sen’s Fortress rooftops to reach a tower with the Crestfallen Merchant. The key is at the bottom of the tower.
- Used to unlock multiple locked hanging cages, including the cage holding the NPC Logan. It can also be used to unlock the cage lift shortcut.
- The Master Key can be used here to open normal locked cages — it can’t be used to unlock the cage lift.
The Duke’s Archives
- Archive Tower Cell Key
- After being captured, kill the sleeping guard to get this key.
- Unlocks the door to the tower prison.
- Archive Prison Extra Key
- Found on a corpse as you drop into the fourth cell.
- Unlocks the cell door and a shortcut in the bonfire cell.
- Archive Tower Giant Door Key
- Open the chest behind the gramophone in the prison tower.
- Unlocks the exit door to the tower.
- Archive Tower Giant Cell Key
- Found at the bottom of the Duke’s Archives area, near the Crystal Cave exit.
- Used to unlock the doors for NPC Pisacas and Logan.
Painted World of Ariamis
- Annex Key
- Found on a wheel skeleton in the underground passage of the Painted World of Ariamis. Attack the walls in the tunnel beneath the well to find secret alcoves.
- Unlocks the Annex door in the castle.
Oolacile Township
- Crest Key
- Found in a chest in Oolacile Township. Search the interior rooms for a chest, near a burning fireplace.
- Unlocks the door up the stairs in the arena, after defeating Artorias the Abysswalker.
