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, twisted, and seemingly folding in on itself with the sheer number of hidden shortcuts and walkways between different areas. It gives players a lot of opportunities for that nice feeling of unexpectedly returning to a place you recognise from earlier on.

But a fair few areas are barred behind breakable walls and gates that are cannot be broken through without the correct equipment, and are apparently immune to the usual "explore every nook and cranny until you reach the other side" approach. These special sealed entrances obstinately tell you that "You need a tool to break this" when you try to open them, but don't give you any clue as to what that tool is or where to find it.

Below we'll walk you through exactly how to unlock these breakable walls and doors in Steelrising by obtaining The Alchemist's Ram - a powerful tool used both for exploration and combat.

Certain doors in Steelrising require you to simply find a way in from the other side before you can unlock it, but other doors require a specific tool to open. You'll know these entrances because they all have the same strange symbol on the gate, and when you attempt to interact with one, you'll receive a message saying "You need a tool to break this".

To destroy the breakable walls in Steelrising you need to obtain the Alchemist's Ram, which is one of three special tools in the game that grant you new exploration and traversal options. With the Alchemist's Ram in hand, you can approach any of the sealed doors, and use the input LB + Y on an Xbox controller (or C on the keyboard) to break the door down permanently, allowing access from either direction.

You can get The Alchemist's Ram by defeating the Alchemist of Luxembourg, one of the major bosses in Steelrising. The Alchemist of Luxembourg is likely the third major boss you'll encounter in the game, after beating the Selenite Of The Louvre, and the Bishop Of The Cité.

The Alchemist of Luxembourg is based in the region of Luxembourg (what a shocker), and to reach this area you'll first need to complete the main quest "Troubled Waters" located in the earlier region of The Tuileries. Once you find and speak to Monsieur Bailly, the area of Luxembourg will be unlocked for you.

It may take some exploring before you reach the area of Luxembourg where the Alchemist resides, but you can use the Compass you obtained early on in Saint-Cloud to guide your way. Defeat the Alchemist (take care to drink some alchemical resistance potions to help you in this fight), and once the automat is destroyed you'll automatically gain the Alchemist's Ram tool, which you can then use to break down all the sealed doors throughout Paris. As a sidenote, you can also use the tool in combat to knock an enemy backwards and apply a flame alchemical affliction to it.

Hopefully this answers the burning question of when you'll be able to unlock the tantalising shortcut paths and new areas behind the breakable walls and doors of Steelrising. Unlocking these new paths will prove useful when it comes to tracking down the best weapons in Steelrising. While you're here, you should also check out our guide to the different Steelrising starting classes and on how to put together the best Steelrising build possible.

Ollie is known round these parts for having just about the deepest voice in existence. Some say he used to be pretty darn good at Rocket League, but he has since sacrificed that accolade in order to become passably decent at Apex Legends. His favourite pastimes include playing piano covers of his favourite game soundtracks, and burying his face in the warm fur of his two cats.

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