Complete the University route
To complete In Ruins, work through the University, collect the Library Key and Lift Shaft Key, explore the poison routes with Shield Transmutation, and defeat the area's boss.
Use Main Hall, Lift Shaft, Laboratories and Sewage Drain as your checkpoints through the University. Take the poison detours after obtaining Shield so you can collect their healing upgrades and weapon materials.
Enter with the Laboratory Key
The Shrike gives you the Laboratory Key in the City of Orphans, allowing you to enter the University. Shield Transmutation is acquired inside the University and lets you cross poison areas as well as block enemy damage.
Apply collected Ferrofluid Flask upgrades at a Lantern before pushing farther into the area. Lanterns also let you equip Ambers and spend Catalysts on levels.
Main Hall: move the statue and unlock Shield
- Shoot the weak point behind the stairs to the right of the central statue in Main Hall. This reveals the switch used to move the statue.
- Pull the revealed switch to move the statue and expose the chest behind it.
- Open the chest behind the statue to collect an Empty Ferrofluid Flask.
- Defeat the cannon miniboss beneath the circular room where the rooftop route begins. Reach it using the downward ladder; it drops the Payback Amber.
- Collect the Library Key before riding the elevator. Follow the hallway left of the elevator, turn right into the movable-wall area, and keep left to find the key on the ground behind a wall.
- Cross the chandelier while progressing through the library. This leads into the large open room containing Shield Transmutation.
- Take Shield Transmutation at the top of the stairs. Its protection opens the poison routes you can now revisit.
Return through the Main Hall poison corridors
- Ride the elevator beyond the poison hallway opposite the chandelier route. It takes you down to the lower library, where the statue room is to the right.
- Pick up the item in front of the lower-library statue to remove the vines blocking the chest behind it.
- Open the chest behind the statue for a Ferrofluid Flask Power Upgrade.
- Loot the chest beneath the rear balcony in the lecture hall with hanging bodies. The room is beyond the back of the library, and the chest contains Masterwork Firearm Parts.
- Ride the elevator reached through the poison hallway near the earlier elevator down to unlock a shortcut back to the Main Hall Lantern.
- Ride that elevator back up to reach the new area with the balcony.
- Open the balcony chest to collect a Quintessential Transmutation Material.
Lift Shaft: collect the key and healing upgrades
- Defeat the dog miniboss in the underground room filled with square cages to receive Warrior's Fury.
- Pick up the Lift Shaft Key beside a cage at the back of that room. It unlocks the lift gate in the preceding room.
- Unlock the lift gate in the preceding room with the Lift Shaft Key to continue along the route.
- Open the explosive chest in front of the button in the hallway after the elevator. Turn left toward the ceiling gas, then right at the gas to find this Ferrofluid Flask Power Upgrade.
- Reach the lower area at the end of the long hallway with platforms above poison. The explosive chests there contain an Amber and another healing upgrade.
- Open the left explosive chest to collect Lunatic's Grasp.
- Open the right explosive chest to collect the Ferrofluid Flask Power Upgrade.
University pickup checklist
| Pickup | Location |
|---|---|
| Empty Ferrofluid Flask | Chest behind the movable Main Hall statue. |
| Payback | Cannon miniboss below the circular rooftop-access room. |
| Library Key | On the ground in the movable-wall area beside the elevator route. |
| Shield Transmutation | At the top of the stairs beyond the chandelier crossing. |
| Ferrofluid Flask Power Upgrade | Chest behind the lower-library statue. |
| Masterwork Firearm Parts | Chest beneath the rear lecture-hall balcony. |
| Quintessential Transmutation Material | Balcony chest reached using the elevator beyond the poison hallway. |
| Warrior's Fury | Dog miniboss in the square-cage room. |
| Lift Shaft Key | Beside a cage at the back of the miniboss room. |
| Ferrofluid Flask Power Upgrade | Explosive chest in front of the hallway button near ceiling gas. |
| Lunatic's Grasp | Left explosive chest below the long poison-platform hallway. |
| Ferrofluid Flask Power Upgrade | Right explosive chest below the long poison-platform hallway. |
Boss spoiler warning
The next section names the University boss and explains its attacks.
Defeat The Orphan
- Ignite The Orphan during the pauses between its sword attacks or after its jumps. Fire Transmutation provides a reliable way to keep damaging it during these openings.
- Keep your footing clear of the poison vents in the opening arena while responding to its sword attacks.
- Dodge just before the travelling sword reaches you when the arena turns red and the boss disappears.
- Parry the arm and punching combos after the fight moves into the lower arena. Watch for the unblockable attack within a combo rather than trying to parry every swing.
- Ignite the boss before its pipe attack sequence begins to stop it from using the pipe.
- Dodge sideways repeatedly when it charges a green poison ball in its chest and fires a beam. Continue until the beam stops.
- Use the stagger openings created by parries to land damaging attacks, while continuing to apply Fire during the lower-arena fight.
Defeating The Orphan is mandatory and awards Coup de Grâce.
Side quests and return trips
The University has no side quests of its own. Shield Transmutation opens return trips for earlier quests, including The Emissary in Valley of Ashes and The King of Smugglers across Vale of Wrath and The Outskirts.
The Main Hall poison detours become accessible once you obtain Shield, so revisit them during this University visit. Missed University collectibles can also be collected after the story.