Elden Ring: War Dead Catacombs Full [Location & My Tips]

War Dead Catacombs is located in the Caelid, one of the most darkest and dangerous locations in the Lands Between. Although, the dungeon of War Dead Catacombs is minor. But it holds many secrets and precious rewards that are a must-have for every kind of player in the game. You will be going to the east side of the stretching desert in the Caelid region. 

If you have defeated the Radahn, you can use the Starscourge Radahn site of grace too easily fast travel in the desert and then progress further to the War Dead Catacombs. Here is the complete walkthrough of the location. 

Now that it has come to your attention, you might also need a walkthrough of the War Dead Catacombs Elden Ring and how to complete the dungeon. This guide entails all the details that you need to know about the dungeon and how you can navigate inside it. With that said, let’s get right into it. 

Similar Read: Elden Ring Bloodhounds Fang: Locations, Builds, and Requirements

How to get to the War Dead Catacombs

Getting to the War Dead Catacombs might seem a bit tricky, but using the site of grace makes the process seamless. Instead of searching the vast desert, which not only wastes time but also risks encountering lurking enemies, follow these steps:

1. Fast travel to the Starscourge Radahn site of grace.
2. Head north, keeping close to the mountain along the coast.
3. Utilize your torrent to cover the substantial distance between the site of grace and the War Dead Catacombs gate.
4. When you reach the double doors set in the large stones, interact with them to gain access to the dungeon.
5. Now, you can explore the elements inside the War Dead Catacombs and uncover all the secrets it holds.

War Dead Catacombs Walkthrough

Now that you have finally gained access to the dungeon, you will be surprised to see a unique location with some familiar blood-thirsty enemies. As soon as you enter through the gate, you will see a site of grace that you will have to hit before diving into the Catacombs. 

I descend the stairs into a hall that leads to additional flights of stairs. What immediately catches my attention is a heated spirit battle raging between spectral knights and soldiers. While they pose a threat to my character, I decide to exercise patience and wait for a few minutes, observing as they gradually disappear from the hall.

The battle doesn’t end entirely; it continues below in the scarlet rot. Once they’re gone, proceed to either set of stairs in the hallway to reach the other side of the dungeon. Beware of archers hiding in the shadows; they’ll attack your character. Equip suitable weapons and armor or dodge their arrows to avoid damage.

To complete the dungeon, follow these steps:

1. Begin by heading down the right stairs at the end of the hallway. Before doing so, collect the Magic Grease from the corpse in the center of the hall. Additionally, on the left side of the corpse, you’ll find a Grave Glovewort item that will be useful in your journey in the Lands Between.
2. Now, take the stairs on the far left side of the hall. This will lead you to another section of the dungeon. You’ll encounter another spirit archer here. Ignore these spiritual enemies and proceed straight until you spot a statue-like structure from a window ledge. Jump below and take the stairs on the left side.
3. Once again, ignore the archer and interact with a lever located below the statue.

After interacting with the lever and receiving the message “Somewhere, a heavy door has opened,” you’ll return to explore the War Dead Catacombs in Elden Ring and collect valuable loot.

1. Head back to the main hallway where you obtained the Magic Grease. If you’re facing the hallway with the main entrance behind you, take the first stairs on your character’s left. This leads to the basement arena where spirit knights battle in the rot.
2. Here, you’ll find a chest containing the item “Collapsing Stars.” As you move a bit backward, you’ll also discover a corpse on the left side, yielding a “Golden Rune.” Additionally, at the end of the Scarlet Rot, there’s another corpse that provides a “Silver-Pickled Fowl Foot.”

To continue exploring the War Dead Catacombs in Elden Ring:

1. Follow the straight path from the corpse mentioned earlier to exit the Scarlet Rot. Take the stairs, and you’ll return to the original hallway where you began.
2. Now, head back to the same location where you pushed the lever to open the heavy door.
3. Instead of taking the window ledge with the archer, continue straight, and you’ll come across another corpse in the Scarlet Rot. This corpse contains “Radahn Soldier Ashes,” a valuable addition to your arsenal if you’re looking for a companion to fight alongside your character.

Continuing forward through the Dungeon Lever statue, I follow the straight path until I arrive at a doorway flanked by two statues. These are the doors that I previously unlocked by interacting with the lever. This marks the culmination of the entire dungeon and leads to a formidable boss fight against the Putrid Tree Spirit. Upon successfully defeating the boss, I’m rewarded with a Golden Seed and the Redmane Knight Ogha spirit as my well-deserved prizes.

Tips for Defeating the Putrid Tree Spirit

Facing the Putrid Tree Spirit as the boss in the War Dead Catacombs dungeon was quite the challenge, and it really put my patience and skills to the test. To prepare for this formidable foe, I made sure to bring plenty of Flasks to regenerate my health during the battle.

One effective approach is to use a combination of a sword and shield. The shield not only helps you evade the fast strikes from the Putrid Tree Spirit but also enables you to execute Parry attacks, dealing significant damage.

If you’re new to Elden Ring, you can refer to a guide that provides all the details on how to perform Parry attacks in the game. Another crucial tip is to take advantage of the boss’s introduction. When the Putrid Tree Spirit emerges from the ground, it’s a safe moment to inflict heavy damage early in the fight. You can execute strikes with your sword or even use jump attacks.

Alternatively, you can employ a block-and-attack strategy to bring down the boss. Be sure to avoid the boss’s powerful blow attacks, as they can be fatal for your character. Ultimately, you can explore different strategies and character builds to defeat the boss, depending on your preferred playstyle.

Final Thoughts

With numerous items available for players to loot and a unique experience with a Putrid Tree boss fight, War Dead Catacombs are indeed worthy of attention in Elden Ring. It can be a little tricky to navigate inside the catacombs. However, following the complete walkthrough will make things much easier to finish the dungeon. 

That is about it for completing the infamous War Dead Catacombs dungeon. Do you find this guide helpful for navigating inside the War Dead Catacombs in Elden Ring? What are your approaches to taking on the ancient Putrid Tree Spirit battle? We would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section down below.