Dark Souls 2 Guide: The Doors of Pharros and How to Defeat the Royal Rat Authority

This article first appeared on USgamer, a partner publication of VG247. Some content, such as this article, has been migrated to VG247 for posterity after USgamer's closure - but it has not been edited or further vetted by the VG247 team.

The Doors of Pharros

The enemies in this area are tough to stun, so attack once, then block or evade their next attack, and repeat this strategy until they go down. Defeat the enemy dead ahead and continue toward the stairs to engage the next enemy. Take him down, then grab the ten Prism Stones in the corner, but don't be tempted by the chest; if you access it, it comes alive and kills you!

Head through the small opening in the water to find a bonfire to the right. Light the bonfire, then head through the monster-mouth doorway. Quickly kill the dog, and the enemy just beyond before the invader engages you. The larger enemy swings slowly, but will swing multiple times before taking a pause. Do not counterattack until you know it has stopped attacking. When both enemies are down, engage Bowman Guthry, the invader.

Guthry uses two crossbows, which means you don't have to worry about him too much at close range. He raises the crossbow he's about to fire, telegraphing that an attack is about to happen. He evades well, though, so keep this in mind as you attack. In addition, he uses a Estus Flask to replenish his life if you let him get too far away from you, so press the attack and keep on him.

Take down Guthry to find a Royal Swordsman Armor. In the far right corner of the room (from the perspective of the entrance), pick up the item to obtain two Amber Herbs. Go through the doorway near the far left corner to reach the item on the balcony above. Pick up the item to obtain a Gyrm Axe and a Torch.

Head back down, then across the water and through the doorway in the other corner. Take out the two rats that attack, then head up the ladder on the far side of the room. Pick up the item to the left to obtain a Twisted Barricade and the Soul of a Proud Knight.

Take out the enemy ahead and continue along the path to engage the second enemy. Just beyond the second enemy there are spikes along the right wall. The enemy in the alcove ahead activates the trap, but it only remains active a short time. Wait until the spikes retreat, then quickly run past the trap and take down the enemy in the alcove to the right.

The chest in the alcove is rigged with a poison trap that goes off when you open it, so be prepared to nullify the poison if necessary, then pick up the Titanite Chunk and Petrified Dragon Bone that are found within.

Continue down the path and around to the far side of the stairs just ahead. Pick up the item on the ground to obtain a Pharros' Lockstone and the Large Soul of a Nameless Soldier. Head up the stairs to reach the room you started in -- only this time you're on the second level -- then proceed to the left. Enter the first doorway on the left to find a bonfire and a mist door.

If you enter the mist door you battle against the Royal Rat Authority. However, if you head back out first, and continue down the path, engaging the enemies and crossing over two stone bridges, you'll find an item to the left after the second bridge. Pick up the item to obtain a Large Soul of a Brave Warrior.

Boss Battle: Royal Rat Authority

When you enter the mist, the boss battle does not begin immediately. Instead, four rats await you on the far left side of the room, with the Royal Rat Authority on the platform just above them. The rats inflict toxic, so be ready to combat that if need be.

The best strategy against the rats is to use a weapon with a wide attack range that can hit them all if they're grouped together. It's very important to kill the four rats as quickly as possible so you can focus on the Royal Rat Authority, but you only have a short time to do this before the Authority begins attacking.

Head toward the rats, or use a ranged attack to engage the enemies. Back up until at least three of them are grouped together close enough to hit them all with a single attack. If you're decently geared and levelled, a single attack should take the rats down. Even if you need two attacks, as long as you're hitting more than one rat at a time, you shouldn't have trouble taking the rats down before the Authority enters the fray.

Once the rats are down you can properly deal with the Royal Rat Authority. The best course of action is to run between its legs, stand directly under its body, and attack the hind legs aggressively. If you linger in front of the Authority, it uses two horizontal swiping attacks with its front paws. If blocked, the attacks consume a large amount of stamina when combined. However, there's enough time after the second attack to recover your stamina before the Authority attacks again.

If you get too far away, the Authority charges at you, diving head first in your direction. If you block this attack it consumes all of your stamina but, like the paw attacks, you have time to recover before the next attack.

All of the Authority's attacks are difficult to evade, which means your best bet is to block the dive attack and immediately move into place directly under the boss. Stay there as long as possible, attacking the hind legs, then move with the boss if it jumps away. Keep in mind, if it jumps too far away, it may attempt the diving attack again, so be prepared to block.

When the boss is close to death, it vomits an acidic liquid that must be avoided. It spreads quickly, which means you need to move away, essentially resetting the fight and allowing the boss an opportunity to use the dive attack again. It's best to finish off the boss as soon as you see the yellow vomit appear. If you can't finish it off, you'll need to move away, wait for it to come to you again, then reposition yourself under its legs for another attack.

After defeating the boss, you can either take the bonfire back to the first bonfire you visited in the area (Gyrm's Respite in Doors of Pharros), or if you wish to join the rat covenant, head through the small opening opposite where the boss started the battle. Head into the room on the left and speak with the Rat King.

When you arrive at the first bonfire of the area, head left and out into the open, then up the stairs. Kill the enemy in front of the chest to the left, then open the chest to find a Dragon Charm. Head past the fire and into the next room to find a Lifegem in the corner. Continue up the ramp, through the doorway at the top, and down the hall to engage the next enemy. He throws both of his axes as you approach, so be ready to guard before you reach him.

Continue down the hallway, take out the bug on the ground before it disappears, then head down the hall to the right. Kill the enemy inside, then head back and continue down the corridor and engage the enemy ahead. Be careful not to fall off while you battle.

Head into the doorway and up the stairs. Break the pottery on the left, just beyond the fountain to find a Radiant Lifegem, then go through the doorway to enter Brightstone Cove Tseldora.

If you need more information and help, the rest of our Dark Souls 2 walkthrough and complete guide can be found here.

This article was compiled with help from Prima Games

You can find many more hints and tips, plus strategy guides and over 65,000 cheat codes, unlocks, achievements, trophies, Easter eggs and secrets at Prima Games.