Your journey in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree will eventually take you to a foreboding fortress in the middle of the realm. There, you'll find many challenges that await. However, it's also worth mentioning that there's a way to reach some well-hidden areas. Here's our guide that discusses the Shadow Keep flooded alternate path in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree. Likewise, please be reminded that this article contains minor spoilers.

How to access the Shadow Keep flooded alternate path in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree

The Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree Shadow Keep alternate path leads you to numerous areas that aren't so obvious at first glance. This legacy dungeon has some key objectives and quests that you can complete, as well as optional bosses that you can battle. Our guide has all the details that you need.

Map: Shadow Keep main path and alternate path

The map above shows the roads that lead to Shadow Keep:

• The main path simply requires you to take the road heading north from the Highroad Cross Site of Grace.
• The alternate path, meanwhile, requires you to do the following:
  • Head to Moorth Ruins and look for a building that has collapsed. Go down using the ledges, then climb up the ladder to reach Bonny Village.
  • Continue along the northeast road and follow it as it loops in a tunnel.
  • The tunnel takes you to the Church District Entrance Site of Grace.

The Church District Entrance

Now that you've arrived at the Shadow Keep alternate path in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, we do suggest being extremely careful here. That's because there's deep water everywhere. One wrong move and your character will perish if you fall off ledges and platforms.

The goal now is to jump across the buildings, picking up some items along the way. At the opposite side, you'll also notice a Fire Knight on a rooftop. To the left of this enemy is a ledge that takes you to the top of a roof with an opening. You can use it to drop down to the interior of the chapel.

What to do in the flooded area?

For now, you just need to contend with some Fire Knight enemies. Note that there are some points of interest in this area:

• The Prayer Room door is locked, but you should be able to open it if you meet the requirements. We discuss all these steps in our Iris of Grace and Iris of Occultation guide.
• There's a Scadutree Fragment held by a large statue. Be careful when you jump due to the deep water.
• The corridor to the south leads back outside, where you'll find a large lever and gear.
• The corridor to the north has a lift that takes you to the Storehouse - Back Section.

How to drain the flood waters in Shadow Keep

The Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree Shadow Keep flooded path doesn't need to be submerged the entire time. That's because you can drain the flood waters. If you take the path to the south, you'll reach an outdoor area with a few Screecher Bat enemies. At the top of a rampart, there's a gear and a lever. Interact with the device and watch the cutscene.

What can you expect in the Church District after draining the flood waters?

After draining the flood in Shadow Keep in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, you should be able to explore the ground level of the Church District. Watch out for not one but two Putrid Erdtree Spirits that are on a rampage, as well as some Giant Crabs that are eager to squash you.

The goal here is to head inside the main chapel, which is now filled with Bombardier Skeletons. At the back, there's a door that you can open, which takes you to a lower section with a major boss battle.

The Storehouse - Back Section and the Storehouse - Loft areas

If you decide to ride the lift from earlier, you'll find yourself in the Storehouse - Back Section area. You're basically in another portion of the Specimen Storehouse building, which means there are new rooms to explore. Here's a quick summary:

• You'll meet Redmane Freyja in a room on the fourth floor. She's also part of the Leda and Ansbach quest chain.
• If you continue climbing up, there's a lever that you can pull to raise some of the hanging carcasses. This will allow you to reach the Storehouse - Loft area.
• In the Storehouse - Loft area, you must use lifts and ladders to continue your ascent, all while watching out for Screecher Bats and Fire Knights. At the very top, there's another lift that brings you to the Shadow Keep - Back Gate.
• The fields outside have a major boss battle. The small chamber to the side also holds a particular secret, which we discuss in our Scaduview northeast region guide.

That does it for our guide on the Shadow Keep alternate path in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree. We hope you explore this legacy dungeon and discover all its secrets.

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree takes you to the Realm of Shadow where you have to search for Miquella the Empyrean. If you're looking for more tips and tactics, you can head over to our guides hub.