This guide details the sixth part of the Mortal Shell 2 walkthrough, focusing on the Blackridge Cliffs region. Players will explore new areas, battle formidable enemies, and acquire valuable items, including a new weapon and a new Shell.
Exploring Blackridge Hamlet
Begin by fast-traveling to the Blackridge Pass Beacon, located north of Widow's Overlook. Turn around from the beacon and take the left path to enter the Blackridge Cliffs. This region connects several important areas, and some paths are initially blocked by corruption that can be cleared using Mether's Breath. It is advised to strategically clear corruption to avoid being overwhelmed.
Upon entering, observe a battle between Cultists and a Tarred Vestige. Once the enemies are dealt with, turn right to find an area of corruption blocking a path and a fog wall leading to a dungeon. Cleanse the corruption using Mether's Breath. As you ascend the slope, three Tarred Corpses will emerge. After dispatching them, proceed into Blackridge Hamlet.
Within the Hamlet, take the left-hand path to another area of corruption. Clear it to reveal a bridge guarded by two Batushkas. Defeat them but do not cross the bridge yet, as it leads to a larger area to be tackled later. Instead, turn back and check the other side of the tree at the edge of the bridge to find 2x Ventrium.
Return to the Hamlet and take the first left. Three more Tarred Corpses await, near a well surrounded by explosive barrels. Shooting a barrel can eliminate nearby Tarred Corpses. To the left, collect a Devout's Chalice from a statue's mouth.
Continue down the path at the far end and turn left. Drop into the air current below and proceed until you find a broken bridge. To your left, collect a Coin Of Mammon. Ride the air current back up and take the left path. Descend a slope leading to explosive barrels; shoot them to collect 3x Laterite. Directly opposite, loot the Ventrium on the table next to a Wretch. Finally, head straight back to the second corruption area you cleared, just before the bridge. Drop down the lower ledge to your right to find a shortcut back to the Mushroom Village, revealing an air current that connects directly to Blackridge Hamlet.
Conquering the Coward's Retreat
Return to the entrance of Blackridge Cliffs where the Cultists and Tarred Vestige fought. This time, proceed through the fog on the right and descend via elevator into the Coward's Retreat dungeon. Be cautious of a collapsing floor near the entrance, directly in front of a Bone Statue. Sidestep this trap and destroy the statue for a Laterite. Past the next doorway, you will be attacked by Brigands and a Sturdyman. Loot the chest in their camp for another Laterite. Follow the main path to a piece of wood sticking up; attack it to create a bridge. Kill the two Brigands around the corner and loot the cell to your left for a Ventrium. Further along, find a 300x Coin Pouch, and a corpse pile marking the dungeon's end.
Defeating the Bell Snail and Traversing the Cliffs
Exit the dungeon and proceed counter-clockwise around the central corrupted growth. You will reach a path along the cliffside, where more Tarred Corpses will emerge. Defeat them and cross the bridge. Ahead, you will encounter a Bell Snail, a new enemy type. To defeat it, observe its attack tell, where its ribcage-like maw flexes open. Block or dodge this attack, and strike when it retreats into its bell and exits the animation. To the left of where the Bell Snail was, find 4x Weltcap and a Devout's Chalice. Turn around and cross the bridge back.
Head straight across from the bridge to find three paths. Take the middle route along the cliffside. You will be attacked by more Tarred Corpses; defeat them. Continue along the cliffside until you reach a small bridge guarded by Brigands and an Armed Knave. Defeat them carefully, prioritizing any Crossbowmen.
Reaching the Sanguine Caverns and King's Crypt
The path diverges ahead. Ignore the right-hand turn into a clearing with a Tarred Archer and Tarred Corpses, and proceed straight on to a Bone Gate. Interact with it to be transported to the other side. Behind you, find 3x Weltcap and a sitting spot. Ahead, encounter two hostile Grisha Hunters; try to engage them one at a time. This point offers access to two new areas: to the north, a bridge leads to the Sanguine Caverns, and opposite, a corruption area hides another new zone. For now, collect a Laterite from a stone coffin on the cliff edge and return to the Bone Gate.
Cross the Bone Gate back to the original side, then take the side route down the slope. Defeat the Tarred Corpses, starting with the Archer. At the far right, a short path leads to a statue containing a Devout's Chalice. Enter the dungeon through the fog wall near where the Tarred Corpses were. Descend the elevator into the King's Crypt.
Acquiring the Veteran's Battle Axe
In the King's Crypt, kill the lone enemy in the corridor, minding pressure plate traps and an exploding barrel. In the next room, defeat more Tarred Corpses, avoid pressure plates, and destroy crates in the far right corner to reveal an Infested Wretch. Dodge its death explosion and proceed along the path, dropping down a hole. Break the wooden wall at the bottom, kill the charging Infested Wretch, and back away from its death explosion. Further along, defeat an Armed Knave, then carefully cut the tripwire up the stairs. Destroy the Bone Statue for Gloom. Beware of a bear trap inside the next doorway and a group of Infested Wretches that will jump at you; try to lure the first one's explosion to take out the others. Drop down the hole into the final room, kill the lone Armed Knave, and loot the corpse by the large stone coffin to obtain the Veteran's Battle Axe. This weapon has a unique cadence to its Light Attack combos, useful for interrupting enemy patterns.
Unlocking the Proxima Shell
Exit the King's Crypt and ride the air current opposite you to the top. Defeat the Infested Stalker, which can be stunlocked with repeated Light Attacks. Loot a Galvanic Shard from the wooden platform and destroy nearby crates for a Common Moonshine.
Head beyond the new Beacon-like structure, a Shattered Beacon that cannot be rested at but can be entered. Inside, descend the steps to find the Proxima Shell. Inhabit the Shell to enter its first memory, "The Exchange," where Proxima converses with Merrick. Complete the memory by following the prompts to unlock Proxima's Shell for use. Proxima is noted for being tankier than other Shells, with a powerful Biosampler ability.
Navigating the Crumbling Tunnel and Final Areas
Exit the Shattered Beacon and look to the east side for the entrance to another dungeon behind a tree. Head through the fog and down into the Crumbling Tunnel. This short dungeon requires a quick retreat upon completion due to a tunnel collapse.
Descend the elevator and defeat the Shield Brigand and Wretch in the corridor, minding pressure plate traps and an exploding barrel. Loot a Ventrium from the statue. Kill the next Wretch and be aware of a falling boulder. Destroy the Bone Statue by the boulder for a Laterite. Continue down the slope to explosive barrels at the bottom; shoot one to clear the rock. Interact with the map inscribed on the white stone to obtain a map showing the location of the Triarch Repeater. Immediately after exiting the map, run back the way you came out of the dungeon to avoid the collapsing ceiling.
Opening the Path to Stones Of Remembrance
Upon exiting the dungeon, turn right and hug the wall until you reach the slope opposite the wooden platform. Head down the slope into the corrupted area, where you will be attacked by two Infested Stalkers, followed by Tarred Corpses. In the center of this area, find a Galvanic Shard on the floor and another in a patch of corruption to your left. To the right, a statue contains another Ventrium. This route also leads to the Stones Of Remembrance later on.
Head to the left side of the corrupted area and follow the river. You will be attacked by three final Tarred Corpses. After defeating them, drop off the edge to arrive back at the entrance to the King's Crypt. From here, you can ride the air current across to the other side and return to the Blackridge Pass Beacon.