Key Takeaway
You can get to Lost Izalith by clearing the Demon Ruins. There’s a cave at the Demon Ruin’s final boss’ arena that leads to Lost Izalith. Alternatively, you can take the shortcut on the path right of the fog gate that leads to the Demon Firesage. This shortcut is only open to level 2 Chaos Servants.
Lost Izalith is another lava-filled area in Dark Souls found immediately after the Demon Ruins. You’ll receive a Lord Shard when you defeat this location’s boss. As such, passing through this hellscape is mandatory. There are two paths you can take to get to here.
Table Of Contents
The Standard Route
The most straightforward way to get to Lost Izalith is to normally go through the Demon Ruins. Progress through this area until you make it to the final boss: the Centipede Demon.
You’ll receive the Orange Charred Ring for defeating the Centipede Demon. You’ll need this ring to traverse Lost Izalith more efficiently.
There’s a cave on the left wall of the Centipede Demon’s boss room. Pass through it and you’ll arrive at Lost Izalith.
The Chaos Servant Route
You can more easily make it to Lost Izalith if you’ve joined the Chaos Servant covenant. There’s a path to the right of the fog gate leading into the Demon Firesage’s boss room. Take this path and use the branches to get to the ground below. Up ahead is the shortcut to Lost Izalith.
This path skips the lava section of Lost Izalith and is closer to the Bed of Chaos: Lost Izalith’s boss and the keeper of a Lord Shard. To access this shortcut, you’ll need to be a level 2 Chaos Servant.
You can join the Chaos Servant by speaking to the Daughter of Chaos in Quelaag’s Domain. You can then ascend to rank 2 by offering a total of 30 Humanities to her.
Which Path Should You Take?
If you want to experience Dark Souls’ normal progression and defeat every boss possible, it’s best to take the Demon Ruins route. This path also rewards you with a ring that will allow you to traverse lava. This can prove useful if you want to look for items, get the Platinum trophy, achieve 100% completion, or simply for the sake of exploration.
On the other hand, the shortcut the Chaos Servant covenant offers can be more convenient. This is a good route to take if you’re already committed to this covenant and want the unique pryomancies from the Daughter of Chaos. With that said, you’ll need to farm Humanities to do this.
That being said, the path you should take depends on your preference and playstyle. If you’re a completionist, take the Demon Ruins route. If you prefer convenience, use the shortcut offered by the Chaos Servant covenant.
Regardless of the path you take to get here, what truly matters is that you clear this area and retrieve the Lord Shard at the end of it. Besides, you’ll be too busy being frustrated with the Bed of Chaos to worry about the path you took to get to Lost Izalith: a boss widely considered to be the worst in Dark Souls. Good luck!