When to visit the Fortress in Valor Mortis

The Fortress in Valor Mortis is a perilous area, packed with tough enemies and crumbling castle walls. To even begin gaining entry to this area, you'll first need to take down a high-level Grenadier who guards its gates and this is difficult to do even when you are at an appropriate level… With that in mind, here's exactly when to visit the Fortress in Valor Mortis and what lies there.

Do note that this guide contains some light spoilers regarding where the Fortress leads and when you can access it, but I have taken care not to reveal any major story beats or bosses.

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Looking for more help with William's journey? Take a look at my Valor Mortis walkthrough, guides, and tips.

When to visit the Fortress in Valor Mortis

The Fortress can be accessed via the Abandoned Church at any point after unlocking the hub area, but you won't be able to make it all that far in the early hours of your playthrough. First, a high-level Grenadier guards the entrance to the Fortress, and behind him is a small poison swamp that – if you let the poison status effect build up – will instantly kill you as you walk through it.

Now, while you can try take on the challenge and defeat the Grenadier here early on in your playthrough, you won't be able to make it past the poison swamp here.

To fully explore this area, you need to finish off most of the game, which is unsurprising. More specifically, you will need to clear the University (and unlock the Shield Transmutation there), at which point you're returned to the Abandoned Church and can speak with Louis, who tasks you with visiting the 'castle ruins'.

You can now go to the Fortress, using the Shield Transmutation to protect yourself from poison, allowing you to finally enter the Fortress itself. Up ahead, you've a crumbling, ruined castle littered with enemies to explore. Good luck with that!

For more on Valor Mortis, take a look at where to find all Firearm Parts, where to find all Blade Materials, and my list of all Amber locations.