Drangleic Castle

To reach Drangleic Castle, you must proceed through the Shrine of Winter. Start from the Ruined Fork Road bonfire. The gates of the Shrine of Winter can be opened in one of two ways. First, you must defeat The Lost Sinner, Old Iron King, The Rotten, and The Duke's Dear Freja. These four bosses should be defeated by now so there is no problem in opening the gates of the Shrine of Winter. The second way to open the gates is to accumulate at least one million Soul Memory in your current playthrough.

36. Drangleic Castle, Dark Souls II: SotFS

Notable loots:

• Sunlight Medal. Dropped by the Falconers near the Ruined Fork Road bonfire. Farm the Falconers for Sunlight Medal to help you rank up in the Heirs of the Sun covenant.
• Titanite Slab. Dropped by the Crystal Lizard near the stairway leading to Drangleic Castle. The lizard also drops Titanite Chunk x 3.
• Sublime Bone Dust. Near the entrance of Drangleic Castle, past Wellager. Inside a room where the entrance is protected by a Royal Guard.
• Frozen Flower. In a room adjacent to the room with Stone Soldiers. This item is required to access the Crown of the Ivory King DLC.
• Gower's Ring of Protection. Reduce by 50% the damage taken from behind. The ring has low durability and breaks after taking approximately five hits from behind. Equip the ring together with the Bracing Knuckle Ring+1 you bought from Wellager. You must defeat the Executioner Chariot horse, found in a large hall before the room with the Estus Flask Shard.
• Estus Flask Shard. In a room guarded by Desert Sorceress x 2. On the roof of the room stand an Alonne Knight Captain and a Gargoyle.

The entrance to Drangleic Castle must be opened by the two stone golems next to the gates. Activate the golems by defeating enemies next to the golems. The souls from defeated enemies would be absorbed into the golems, thus activating them. Enter the gates, walk up a flight of stairs, and exhaust the dialogue of Chancellor Wellager who appears to be an apparition. He is the only merchant who sells an infinite amount of Repair Powder. Stock up on Repair Power. Purchase the Bracing Knuckle Ring+1, which slows the degradation of your equipped weapons, armour pieces, and rings. Light the King's Gate bonfire.

Next to the King's Gate bonfire is a room filled with Stone Soldiers and two stone golems. Pairs of Stone Soldiers kneel in front of various stone gates. Most of the Stone Soldiers become hostile once you approach them. Farm them for Titanite Slabs. The gates can be opened by defeating enemies near the gates so that souls would be absorbed into the gates. The same principle of activation applies to the two stone golems. Once a pair of stone gates are opened, be ready to fight a Ruin Sentinel within. Use the Tower Shield to block attacks and lure one Ruin Sentinel at a time into an adjacent room to fight.

Defeat all hostile Stone Soldiers and Ruin Sentinels. A pair of stone gates unlock a room whose floor collapses to reveal a hidden area. Light your torch and drop down. You would be dropped into a cave occupied by a Dark Stalker, who should be backing off because of the fire from your torch. Take the opportunity to defeat the Dark Stalker, then light the Under Castle Drangleic bonfire. Towards the end of the game, you would need this bonfire to complete a side quest. Warp back to the King's Gate bonfire and explore the rest of Drangleic Castle. Be sure to light the Forgotten Chamber bonfire, which is hidden behind an illusory wall.

Dragonrider x 2

37. Dragonrider x 2 at Drangleic Castle, Dark Souls II: SotFS

This is a gank boss where you must face two Dragonriders. One uses a Halberd, which is the same as the Dragonrider you fought at Heide's Tower of Flame, and stands on the floor at the back of the arena. The other uses a Greatbow and stands on a platform to snipe you. The first thing you should do upon entering the fog wall is use a bow and arrows to shoot the Dragonrider who stands on a platform. Doing so prompts the Greatbow Dragonrider to jump down to the floor of the arena. Now take your chance to dispatch of the Greatbow Dragonrider as quickly as possible prior to fighting the Halberd Dragonrider. Be in the face of the Greatbow Dragonrider, constantly hugging him so his arrows would miss you. Summon Pilgrim Bellclaire to help you distract one Dragonrider. Buff your weapon with lightning.

38. Central Drangleic Castle, Dark Souls II: SotFS

Defeat the twin Dragonriders and light the nearby Central Castle Drangleic bonfire. You should find Benhart sitting next to the bonfire. Exhaust his dialogue to advance his quest line. Return to Majula and purchase all Brightbugs from Melentia.

Your next objective is to obtain the Key to King's Passage. This item is required to progress in the game because the key opens the door leading to the next mandatory boss, i.e. Looking Glass Knight. Within the same room where you acquire the Key to King's Passage, you will find a Milfanito imprisoned in a cage. You require the Key to the Embedded to unlock the cage, but the key is obtained later in the game.

Looking Glass Knight

39. Looking Glass Knight, Dark Souls II: SotFS

If you are playing online, there is a chance that the boss would summon another player into the arena to PvP you. Buff your weapon with magic or dark. Don't hit the boss' shield as your weapon would bounce off the shield and deal no damage. To advance Benhart's quest line, you must summon him for this fight and ensure that he survives the fight.