Dark Souls II's HundoDex

Black Gulch

A poisonous canyon of tar pools, statues and worms, where The Rotten waits.

  • Suggested level: 45–60

Bosses

  • The Rotten: Attack from behind and cut off his arms to weaken his cleaver combos.

Bonfires

  • Black Gulch Mouth
  • Hidden Chamber

Items found here

  • Shotel: Iron chest in a cave of Black Gulch; Kobolds at Aldia's Keep drop it too.
  • Ring of Giants+1: Chest behind the two giant warriors in the hidden cave of Black Gulch.
  • Great Magic Weapon: Chest in a side cave left of the first oil pools in Black Gulch; also from Navlaan (6,000) or Company of Champions rank 1.
  • Scraps of Life: In a pot down the path from the Black Gulch Mouth bonfire; Cromwell the Pardoner sells it for 2,200.
  • Climax: Reward from Darkdiver Grandahl for Pilgrims of Dark rank 3 (all three Dark Chasm of Old trials).
  • Profound Still: Sold by Darkdiver Grandahl for 13,000 souls.
  • Forgotten Key: Black Gulch: kill the two giants in the hidden cave below the worm path.
  • Soul of a Giant: Black Gulch: dropped by the two giants in the hidden cave (with the Forgotten Key).
  • Soul of the Rotten: Defeat The Rotten in Black Gulch.
  • Old Dead One Soul: Defeat The Rotten in NG+ or after burning a Bonfire Ascetic at the Hidden Chamber bonfire.

Walkthrough: Black Gulch

  • Bring poison cures and a spare weapon; worms burst out of the left wall on the way down
  • Just past the rock jutting from the left wall, drop right to a ledge and follow it to Lucatiel of Mirrah; exhaust her dialogue
  • Drop out of the tunnel, go right into the cave and open the chest for the Shotel and Great Magic Weapon
  • By the first worm, a corpse has a Large Soul of a Nameless Soldier, Scraps of Life and a Torch
  • Woodland Child Gully invades as you descend
  • Break the pot for a Radiant Lifegem; the chest in the left cave is real and holds a Divine Blessing
  • Follow the cliff to a cave with a petrified statue; free it, light the Hidden Chamber bonfire and take the Pharros' Lockstone from the jar
  • Back up the hill, drop beside the worm to a ledge with a locked door, then drop twice more into the large cave
  • Hug the right wall into the second cave: chest with the Ring of Giants+1 and a Petrified Dragon Bone
  • Kill the two giants for the Forgotten Key and a Soul of a Giant
  • In the first side cave circle right for Silver Talismans, then ride the cage lift up
  • Open the locked ledge door and speak to Darkdiver Grandahl (first of three meetings for the Pilgrims of Dark)
  • Killing Darkdiver Grandahl drops the Dragon Chime but locks you out of his covenant
  • Return via the cage lift; Woodland Child Victor invades near the fog gate
  • Defeat The Rotten; summon Lucatiel of Mirrah (2nd fight), Lone Hunter Schmidt or Bashful Ray. Cutting his left arm drops a Pharros' Lockstone later. Reward: Soul of the Rotten and 47,000 souls
  • If you can stand the heat, cross the fire for a Fire Seed
  • In the cave to the right of the exit tunnel, a chest holds Petrified Something, Simpleton's Spice and Skeptic's Spice; light the primal bonfire (Gulch Bonfire)
  • In Majula, use Laddersmith Gilligan's longest ladder down the pit, climb the opposite ladder and open the door with the Forgotten Key for the Dragon Talon, Soul Vortex, Witchtree Branch, Witchtree Bellvine and Great Lightning Spear
  • Warp to Upper Gutter and use the Forgotten Key on the ladder door for Havel's set and Havel's Greatshield
  • NG+: The Rotten also drops the Old Dead One Soul, which Straid of Olaphis trades for Numbness