Research Hall

Welcome, good hunter, to the Research Hall, a labyrinthine testament to the horrors of Byrgenwerth's forbidden experiments. This area is notorious for its verticality, numerous enemies, and the maddening cries of its unfortunate inhabitants. Patience and careful exploration are key to navigating its twisted corridors.

Initial Ascent and First Lantern

Upon entering the Research Hall from the Grand Cathedral, you'll find yourself on the ground floor. The first objective is to activate the Research Hall Lantern. Be wary of the many Patients here; they are weak individually but can overwhelm you in groups. Many are strapped to tables or wheelchairs, but some will rise and attack.

From the entrance, proceed straight ahead. You'll encounter several Patients.
Look for a staircase on your left, leading upwards. Ascend it.
At the top, turn right and follow the path to find the Research Hall Lantern. Activate it immediately.

Navigating the Central Stairwell

The Research Hall's central feature is a massive, spiraling stairwell. Many Patients are scattered throughout, and some will drop from above. The key to progressing is to manipulate the central mechanism to raise and lower the stairs, granting access to different levels.

From the first lantern, head back towards the central stairwell.
You'll notice a lever mechanism. Activating this will raise the central staircase, allowing access to higher floors.
First Raise: Pull the lever. This will raise the stairs, revealing a new path.
Ascend the newly raised stairs. You'll encounter more Patients, including some that will drop from above.
On the next level, explore the surrounding rooms. You can find Madman's Knowledge and Blood Vials.
Look for another lever on this level. Activating it will lower the central staircase back down, but also reveal a new path on the lower levels.

Unlocking Shortcuts and Finding Key Items

There are several important items and shortcuts to uncover. Prioritize opening the shortcut back to the first lantern and finding the key to progress.

Elevator Shortcut: From the central stairwell, after raising it the first time, look for a side path that leads to an elevator. This elevator provides a direct shortcut back down to the ground floor near the entrance, making future runs much easier.
Balcony Exploration: On the higher levels of the Research Hall, you'll find balconies and side rooms. These often contain valuable items like Twin Blood Stone Shards and Quicksilver Bullets. Be cautious of Patients ambushing you from around corners.
Brain Fluid: Keep an eye out for Patients with distended heads. These are the source of Brain Fluid, a crucial item for a side quest. You'll need to knock them down from ledges or kill them to collect it. There's one particularly easy one to find on a ledge near the central stairwell after it's been raised once.
Research Hall Key: The key to unlocking the next area is typically found on one of the upper floors, often guarded by a more aggressive Patient or two. Explore thoroughly, checking all side rooms and dead ends. It's usually located on a body.

Encountering the Living Failures

As you ascend to the very top of the Research Hall, you will eventually reach a large, circular arena. This is the boss arena for the Living Failures. Ensure you are well-stocked on Blood Vials and Quicksilver Bullets before entering.

Strategy: The Living Failures are a group of celestial emissaries. They are weak to Arcane damage. Focus on one at a time to reduce their numbers. Be aware of their various attacks, including a powerful AoE arcane blast. When they begin to glow, they are charging this attack; find cover behind the large flower in the center of the arena.
Reward: Defeating the Living Failures grants you the Astral Clocktower Key, allowing you to proceed to the next area.

Post-Boss Exploration

After defeating the Living Failures, don't immediately rush to the next area. There are still some secrets to uncover in the Research Hall.

Adeline's Quest: If you've been following Adeline's questline, you can now give her the Brain Fluid you've collected. She is located in a cell on one of the lower floors, accessible after manipulating the central staircase.
Upper Floor Items: Some of the highest accessible areas of the Research Hall, particularly after the central stairwell has been fully raised, contain powerful Blood Gems and other rare consumables.