Steelrising “You need a tool to break this”: How to get The Alchemist’s Ram tool
Do you want to know how to get the tool that unlocks the breakable doors in Steelrising? In true Soulslike fashion, the world of Steelrising is complex, twisting and seemingly folding in on itself with the sheer number of hidden shortcuts and walkways between different areas. There are many opportunities for players to have that nice feeling of unexpectedly returning to a place you know from before.
But some areas are locked behind fragile walls and gates that can’t be breached without the right equipment, and seem immune to the usual “explore every nook and cranny until you reach the other side” policy. These special sealed entrances stubbornly tell you “you need a tool to break this” when you try to open them, but give you no clue as to what that tool is or where to find it.
Below we will tell you exactly how to unlock these fragile walls and doors in Steelrising by getting the alchemist’s ram – a powerful tool used in both exploration and combat.
How to destroy breakable walls in Steelrising
Certain doors in Steelrising require you to simply find a way from the other side before you can unlock them, but other doors require a specific tool to open. You’ll know these entrances because they all have the same weird symbol on the gate, and if you try to interact with one you’ll get a message that says “You need a tool to break this”.
To destroy the fragile walls in Steelrising you need to get the alchemist’s ram, one of three special tools in the game that gives you new exploration and traversal options. With the Alchemist’s Ram in hand, you can approach any of the sealed doors and use the entrance LB+Y on an Xbox controller (or C on the keypad) to permanently force open the door and allow access from both directions.
How to get the alchemist’s ram in Steelrising
You can get the alchemist’s ram by defeating him Alchemist of Luxembourg, one of the main bosses in Steelrising. The Alchemist of Luxembourg is probably the third big boss you’ll encounter in the game after defeating the Selenite Of The Louvre and the Bishop Of The Cité.
The Alchemist of Luxembourg is based in the Luxembourg region (what a shock), and to reach this area you must first complete the Troubled Waters main quest, located in the former Tuileries region. Once you find and speak to Monsieur Bailly, the Luxembourg area will be unlocked for you.
It may take some exploration before you reach the area of Luxembourg where the alchemist lives, but you can use the compass you received early in Saint-Cloud to guide your way. Defeat the alchemist (make sure to drink some alchemical resistance potions to help you in this fight) and once the automaton is destroyed you will automatically receive the alchemist’s ram tool, which you can then use to pry open all sealed doors across Paris. As a side note, you can also use the tool in combat to knock back an enemy and inflict a flaming alchemical affliction on them.
Hopefully this answers the burning question of when will you be able to unlock the enticing shortcut paths and new areas behind Steelrising’s fragile walls and doors. Unlocking these new paths will come in handy when it comes to tracking down the best weapons in Steelrising. While you’re here, be sure to also check out our guide to the different Steelrising starting classes and how to put together the best Steelrising build possible.