The Watching Woods

7. The Watching Woods, Salt and Sanctuary

You should have grabbed the Bloodflower Charm after defeating The Queen of Smiles. Equip the charm immediately to boost your physical attacks. In The Watching Woods, you will collect an item that provides the next level of upgrade after Lock of Hair.

Start from the sanctuary of the Village of Smiles, head right, descend the ladder, and continue on right to enter The Watching Woods. Some enemies in this area can inflict the poison status effect, especially the Poison Cytoplasm. The Poison Cytoplasms are rather difficult to see because they appear as transparent while clinging to the side of tree trunks. Stock up at least Antidote x 10. The consumable can be purchased from the Merchant NPC.

A large section of The Watching Woods is littered with breakable platforms. Consider using a bow and arrows to lure enemies one at a time to you instead of fighting enemies while standing on a breakable platform. An unbreakable platform is marked by a layer of white dust or ash. The whole of The Watching Woods is like a giant maze. It can be confusing and dangerous at first to navigate. Explore the area gingerly and fight one enemy at a time.

The sanctuary of the area has the Alchemist NPC, who can transmute a weapon to a higher class. This particular Alchemist belongs to the creed The Stone Roots. Do not join the creed yet. Instead, rest at the sanctuary and level up and/or spend your Black Pearls as necessary.

Notable loots:

• Antidote x 9
• Pouch of Salt
• Bag of Salt
• Bundle of Salt
• Stone Mage. On a platform, accessible by ascending a number of hidden platforms. The shiny also contains a Bundle of Salt.
• A Soldier's Poem. An upgrade material. Save this for upgrading the Warhammer.
• Brightcoral Ring. Increases your Willpower by 3 points and hence your item find rate as well. Useful whenever you need to farm for rare items.
• Mossy Charm. Increases your attack speed. Useful for a Strength build, especially if you wield a heavy weapon. If you are wielding a heavy weapon, you should instead equip the Bloodflower Charm to boost your damage output.
• Stone Sellsword. Offer at a sanctuary to spawn the Sellsword NPC, who allows you to play the game with local co-op.
• Gray Pearl
• Black Pearl. Can be collected after defeating the area boss.
• The Mad Alchemist's Ear. Automatically given to you after defeating the area boss. The item is an ingredient for transmuting any Spear to the Trident.
• Mossy Key. Can be collected after defeating the area boss. Unlocks the door to the Sunken Keep.

The Mad Alchemist

8. The Mad Alchemist, Salt and Sanctuary

This boss is dangerous because he can spawn Poison Cytoplasms to poison you. An easy strategy to fight the boss is to throw Birian Firepots at him. Stock up at least Birian Firepot x 20, stand on a platform, and throw the item at the boss.