Location

Cliffbottom Catacombs is located in Liurnia of the Lakes. You can find it by heading north from the Liurnia Lake Shore Site of Grace - the one in the far south with the Nomadic Merchant - and climbing onto land near the Purified Ruins. Head northeast of the ruins to find a northbound road, as well as the Liurnia Highway North Site of Grace.

Ignore the road and look along the eastern cliffs. You'll find a path leading down the cliffs and to the south. Follow the path - watch out for Vulgar Militia on the way - and keep a close eye on the cliff face to your right. You'll find the entrance to the Cliffbottom Catacombs sort of hidden away behind the foliage. It's easy to miss, but the entrance is there.


Cliffbottom Catacombs

Hop onto the elevator near the entrance. It will take you down to a straight corridor, and an imp is patrolling up and down it. If you pursue the imp you'll be ambushed by another imp on your right, just beyond the point where the corridor widens, so try to draw your original prey over with ranged attacks before you proceed. At the end of the corridor are five Root Resins.

Take a left to find the (closed) boss door and a summoning pool. The corridor continues on your right. Watch out as the corridor veers left ahead, as there's another imp waiting to attack you. Near the imp you'll find a Grave Glovewort [2].

At the end of the corridor the room opens up a bit, and you'll see a multi-floor, arched wall complete with a statue ahead. You can't go up onto the second floor from here, but you can snipe an imp that's standing motionless behind and to the left of the statue. You'll get up there soon, so taking the imp out isn't a bad idea. Otherwise, carry on south, below the statue.

You may see an imp patrolling at the far end of the corridor at the bottom of the stairs. Be careful going after it, as there's a large floor mechanism partway through the corridor that triggers an arrow trap. Going straight down will also prompt another imp to drop down from the ceiling, just beyond the button for the trap. You can use the arrow trap to potentially take out the imps, or just fight them normally.

Take a left ahead and you'll see a set of stairs next to some archways. Slowly sneak your way under the arches and you'll find a Ghost Glovewort [3]. You'll also find your first Omen, sleeping in the dark. Avoiding it is easy if you hunker down and keep a bit of distance. If you do attack it you can lead it back through the dungeon and catch it in the traps you bypassed for an easier kill.

Sneak up the stairs and a second Omen will appear on your left and begin to patrol. Slip under the arches on your right once you're up the stairs, then skulk around in the darkness and wait for the Omen to head towards the stairs. You'll find a Rune Arc near a firelit bookcase under the arches. If you accidentally draw the Omen's attention you can draw it to the arrow trap from earlier to kill it. Don't fight here, at any rate, as there are imps one level above that will hurl Freezing Pots at you.

If you're feeling gutsy - or if you had to destroy the Omen and lived to tell the tale - you can open a fog door here using a Stonesword Key. An imp will drop down just as you go through the door, but it's easy to dispatch at this range. Inside you'll find the Nox Mirrorhelm. This also isn't a bad place to hide from the Omen if it's still alive.

Go up the stairs to the third floor once the Omen is patrolling near the arches again, dispatch or ignore the imps on your right as you see fit, and have a look at the next room from the doorway. There's an imp clinging to the wall above the archway straight ahead, and a second imp stands in the archway to your right. Ambush one of them before the other can intervene, though watch out for the arrow trap button right at your feet as you enter the room. There's a Grave Glovewort [2] to grab in here, in front of the arrow trap holes.

The corridor to the right will take you to a ledge overlooking the statue from earlier. On your left is a small room with three imps, two on the floor and one on the wall, all guarding a Scythe. There's another arrow trap trigger just inside the doorway. Use ranged weapons to lure the imps out and kill them in the hallway one-at-a-time, then head in and claim your prize.

You need to drop back to the lower level again, but first take a look on your left. There's a small, dead-end hallway leading to a Golden Rune [3] and a Grave Glovewort [3]. Hanging at the entrance is an imp, and another one is partway down the hall on your left. Kill both before you enter to grab the items. A third imp will be waiting on your left as you exit the hallway, so watch out for its attack.


That's all for the upper floors, which only leaves down. Drop down to the stairs from earlier, then peer into the pit beneath the stairs. There's a lower level below, and an Omen is standing guard over a Ghost Glovewort [3]. If you have enough ammo you can safely shoot the Omen to death before jumping down; otherwise, aim for a bush and crouch on landing.

A second Omen patrols the darkened hallways surrounding the central pit. You can use the bushes down here to sneak around and grab the items without arousing attention. Down here are three Hefty Beef Bones, two Grave Gloveworts [3], and Prattling Pate "Wonderful". Skulk out the eastern door once you're done.

Ahead is a corridor with a Grave Glovewort [2]. There's also another Omen, and it will wander into view and guard the far door. If you stand by the corner long enough it will wander over and check, then slowly lumber back to its post. You can shadow it for a while, but you'll virtually always have to run past and reveal yourself. Instead, wait for it to come to the corner, then run past and bolt for the ladder at the end of this twisting hall. This will maximize the amount of time you have to get up the ladder before it rushes over and follows. (Yes, Omens can climb ladders.)

You'll wind up in a small shrine, and another Omen is staring at an altar on your left. You're done with stealth at this point, so run over and grab the Page Ashes off of the altar before the Omen can react. Hightail it to the right to find the statue from earlier - watch out for the imp on your right if you didn't kill it before - and three Old Fangs. Pull the lever attached to the statue to open a door nearby, then jump down from the ledge and escape towards the entrance of the dungeon. The Omens on your tail won't follow you down.

Backtrack to the room with the boss door and the summoning pool. The boss door is now open, and your next challenge awaits.


Erdtree Burial Watchdog

If you've delved into Catacombs before in Elden Ring you'll already be familiar with this guy. A three-headed, stony monstrosity, the Erdtree Burial Watchdog moves stiffly around its lair, trying to slam you to death. This one is a variation on the other Watchdogs, and can use its heavy staff to summon Glintstone Pebbles en masse. For the most part, though, this fight is the same as usual. Some tips:
  • Only attack the Watchdog when it's facing away from you. Head on it has enough moves to punish you pretty badly. You'll get plenty of opportunities to smack its side or hindquarters.
  • Avoid the Watchdog when it starts to rise into the air. It's going to slam down on you. Start rolling so you don't get caught anywhere near the shockwave it unleashes upon landing.
  • Use the pillars to your advantage. You can get the Watchdog caught on them for a few seconds while you escape, and the pillars will block the spell shots if you're not quick enough to dodge on your own.
  • Call in help. Why not? Most Spirit Ashes will do fine as distractions for the Watchdog while you fire at it from a distance or attack its behind.
You'll earn 3,000 Runes and the Kaiden Sellsword Ashes for defeating the Erdtree Burial Watchdog. The Kaiden Sellsword is a pretty solid single-character summon, and can go the distance in most boss fights. You'll also be done with the Cliffbottom Catacombs, so congratulations on that.