If you didn’t know, FromSoft games always add an optional playthrough option called NG+. This is starting the game all over again, but with some exceptions. The bosses and enemies are harder, but you can keep everything you found in the previous playthrough.
The most important thing is to collect and explore as much as possible before NG+. We will review the specific things you should do on this list, but you must be prepared for anything once you enter Journey 2. Keep in mind that there are a bunch of things that don’t carry over.
Stuff like Bell Bearings, Great Runes, and story-related items don’t carry over to NG+, so make sure you know. It isn’t a big deal, but if you don’t know, it can annoy you once you start your new Journey. The best part is that your map stays uncovered in subsequent playthroughs, so you don’t need to find maps again.
1. Collect all Ancient Dragon Smithing Stones
Collecting all the Ancient Dragon Smithing Stones and its Somber versions is crucial if you want to try out new builds and get the maximum damage out of each one. You can find the Bell Bearings worldwide and purchase some from the Twin Maiden Husks at the Roundtable Hold.
Once you start your next run, you can level up any weapons you already have or found in your new playthrough. Ensure you have as many as possible, so you aren’t stuck with a +9 or even a +24 weapon later. Look up where to find them so you aren’t missing out on anything later.
2. Collect all Legendary items and weapons
Since you already have most of the map uncovered, you should try and find all these Legendary items. Below we put some information that will show you how many Legendary items there are and how to get each one. Each section also has its achievement, so make sure to find every single one of these if you are going for 100% achievement completion.
All Legendary Ashen Remains – 6 in total
- Lhutel the Headless – Dropped by the Cemetery Shade at the Tombsward Catacombs
- Black Knife Tiche – Dropped by Alecto, Black Knife Ringleader, upon defeat at the Ringleader’s Evergaol
- Redmane Knight Ogha – Dropped by Putrid Tree Spirit in the War Dead Catacombs
- Mimic Tear – Found in a chest locked behind an imp statue door in Night’s Sacred Ground
- Ancient Dragon Knight Kristoff – Can be found in Sainted Hero’s Grave west of Leyndell, the Royal Capital
- Cleanrot Knight Finlay – Found in a chest protected by a knight in Elphael, Brace of the Haligtree
All Legendary Armaments – 9 in total
- Ruins Greatsword – Defeat the Misbegotten Warrior and Crucible Knight in Redmane Castle
- Eclipse Shotel – Chest in Castle Sol
- Grafted Blade Greatsword – Kill Leonine Misbegotten in Castle Morne
- Sword of Night and Flame – Chest in the Carian Manor
- Marais Executioner’s Sword – Kill Elemer of the Briar in The Shaded Castle
- Dark Moon Greatsword – Follow Ranni’s quest until the Moonlight Altar
- Devourer’s Scepter – Kill Invader Bernahl in Farum Azula
- Golden Order Greatsword – Kill Misbegotten Crusader in the Cave of the Forlorn
- Bolt of Gransax – Loot on the Giant spear in Leyndell
All Legendary Talismans – 8 in total
- Radagon Icon – Found inside a treasure chest on the second floor of the Debate Parlor Site of Grace
- Radagon’s Soreseal – Found on a corpse in Fort Faroth
- Godfrey Icon – Drops from Godefroy the Grafted in the Golden Lineage Evergaol
- Moon of Nokstella – Found in a chest underneath a massive throne in Nokstella, Eternal City
- Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman – Found in a chest near the Drainage Channel Site of Grace.
- Marika’s Soreseal – Found on an altar in a room requiring a Stonesword Key in Elphael, Brace of the Haligtree
- Old Lord’s Talisman – Found in a chest in Crumbling Farum Azula
- Erdtree’s Favor +2 – Found on a dead tree in Leyndell, Ashen Capital
All Legendary Sorceries and Incantations – 7 in total
- Flame of the Fell God – Dropped by Adan, Thief of Fire upon defeat
- Greyoll’s Roar – Can be purchased at the Cathedral of Dragon Communion for three Dragon Hearts after defeating Greyoll
- Elden Stars – Can be found near the Great Waterfall Crest Site of Grace
- Founding Rain of Stars – Inside a chest within Heretical Rise, in Mountaintops of the Giants
- Ranni’s Dark Moon – Found in a chest at the top of the tower at Chelona’s Rise
- Comet Azur – Acquired from Primeval Sorcerer Azur sitting near the cliffs in the northeast of Hermit Village in Mt. Gelmir
- Stars of Ruin – Given by Master Lusat when interacted inside the Sellia Hideaway in Caelid
3. Do all Walking Mausoleums
If you haven’t seen a Walking Mausoleum, then you haven’t explored too much of the world. They are giant four-legged rock creatures with buildings on top of them. If you don’t know what they do, they allow you to duplicate Remembrances from already defeated bosses. If you want both, it lets you get the other item from a boss.
You could only choose 1 of the 2 items, but with these, you can duplicate it and get both. Or if you don’t want it, you get free Runes from them. Even if you don’t want the items, who doesn’t want some free Runes to give yourself a few upgrades? Try to get all the Walking Mausoleums, so you don’t miss out on some free items or Runes.
4. Finish NPC questlines
NPC questlines are by far one of the best parts of this game. There are soo many, and it can be extremely hard to keep track of each one. Remember that almost everyone you meet in the game has a quest line. At the end of each questline, you usually get something really good, especially if the questline is very long.
One massive questline is the Ranni questline, which gives you the Dark Moon Greatsword and a different ending to the game if you do complete it. Try and complete all the questlines before you start a new playthrough because you most likely have a bunch you forgot about. Also, questlines give Legendary items, so don’t miss out on anything.
5. Find the Maps for every area
This is extremely important because all the Maps you have collected get pushed into NG+. Yes, every Map you collect, you get to keep. Once you start your new playthrough, you can see every place you have been if you have all the Maps. Your Site of Graces has been deactivated, but you can see everything you have explored already.
This is great because you won’t go into a cave you have already been in. All your markers also stay so you can keep track of anything in the world without worrying about not knowing where something is. Before starting a new playthrough, find all the Maps and mark all important locations, so you don’t forget anything.
6. Buy as many upgrade materials as you can
You should stock up on any materials you need in your next playthrough. You should also stock up on materials you don’t need because you might need them later. Try to upgrade everything you can in your base NG playthrough, but if you don’t know what to upgrade, just buy out all the stock at every shop.
Find all the Bell Bearings for Smithing Stones and buy as many as possible. Bell Bearings are one item that doesn’t get transferred into Journey 2. Just stock up on everything you can so you are prepared for anything in subsequent playthroughs.
7. Collect all Golden Seeds, Sacred Tears, Larval Tears, and Crystal Tears
Your Flasks are the most useful tool because they allow you to heal and regain your FP. You need 30 Golden Seeds to upgrade your regular Flasks to +14 fully. If you don’t get them all, you can see them in later playthroughs, but plenty in the world can reach max Flasks within one playthrough.
Sacred Tears allow you to increase how much each Flask gives you there are only 12 Sacred Tears in the world, and they are all found in churches. You also want to stock up on Larval Tears, which allows you to reallocate your attributes once you defeat Renalla in the Academy of Ray Lucaria.
One last thing you need to stock up on is the Crystal Tears. These can be placed inside your Physick Flask and customized to your build. There are many of them, so try to find as many as you possibly can. Everyone helps, so try to find all of them before starting a new playthrough.
- Golden Seeds – Allows the user to upgrade the number of Crimson and Cerulean Flask Uses to +14
- Sacred Tears – Allows the user to upgrade the Crimson and Cerulean Flask Potency to +12
- Larval Tears – Material needed by Rennala to grant rebirth (reallocate attributes)
- Flask of Wonderous Physick – This special flask can be customized using Crystal Tears to produce significant effects but is only usable once per rest.