At the beginning of a playthough ofBlue Prince, the prospect of getting to the mysterious 46th room of Mount Holly can seem incredibly daunting, especially once you really understand the scale of the whole game.
While you’ll grow more comfortable the further you get into the game, there are more tactile methods of progressing with permanent upgrades. Even though the layout of the manor will reset at the start of every in-game day, there are some changes you can make outside the manor to make your run easier, but which are the best?
10Upgrade Disks
Unlocked In Multiple Set Locations
Unlike most of the other permanent upgrades, you won’t just get the Upgrade Disks in one location and then be done with them. Instead, you’ll find them in multiple locations throughout the manor.
Once you find a terminal, you may use these disks and choose how to permanently upgrade a randomized room. While some of these room upgrades canmake your runs significantly more efficient, the lack of being able to choose which room is upgraded means that this upgrade relies heavily on luck.
9Blackbridge Grotto
Unlocked After Completing The Laboratory Puzzle
The further you get into Blue Prince, the more obvious it gets how important (and how challenging) it is to power up certain rooms. Rooms that source power, and rooms that need it, aren’t always easy to connect, and it can lock you out of completing certain puzzles for multiple runs.
That means that you might know how to complete the Laboratory Puzzle hours before you can actually complete it, but once you finally manage to power up the lab, you’ll unlock the Blackbridge Grotto. This area outside the manor splits off into multiple new puzzles, but its main feature is letting you access remote terminals from outside the house.
8Ambition Of The Pawn
Unlocked After Completing The Chess Puzzle
The Chess puzzle that you’ll gain access to after completing the Blue Flame puzzle is one of the more challenging to complete, since it requires drafting certain rooms all on the same day, and keeping track of chess pieces. However, it has some of the best rewards to make the process worth your while.
After completion, there are a couple of powers that you’re able to permanently unlock, but if you want to change your choice, you’ll have to go through the hassle of re-completing the puzzle. That’s why Ambition Of The Pawn is useful, thanks to its versatility. It lets you choose any of the other powers once you reach Rank 8, letting you adapt to what you need in that run.
7Mount Holly Gift Shop
Added To The Draft Pool After Reaching Room 46
While most permanent upgrades are technically available as soon as you start playing the game, as long as you know where to look, there are some that are specifically saved until you’ve made significant progress.
A great example of this are the multiple upgrades and customization options you can purchase from the Mount Holly Gift Shop. This shop is added to your draft pool after you first reach credits, and (for a hefty sum), lets you buy multiple new upgrades and even new modes.
6Gemstone Cavern
Unlocked After Completing The Breaker Box Puzzle
One room that seems simple enough that you may draft even on your very first day is the Utility Room. The breaker box gives you a few simple toggles for power in the manor, but the VAC system puzzle will take finding multiple clues to finally work out.
However, once you finally understand and complete this puzzle, you’ll gain permanent access to the Gemstone Cavern. While there are a few ways you may interact with this location, it’s best to leave it be and just appreciate the two gems you’ll start off every day with afterward.
5Extra Allowance
Similarly to Upgrade Disks, getting extra allowance for each of your runs isn’t just one upgrade, and instead, you’ll keep finding these special coins as you progress through the game.
The further you get into Blue Prince, the more you’ll come across tempting, but overwhelmingly expensive goods that you’re able to purchase on your runs. The best way to get closer to affording these is to improve your allowance, as it’s a great way to get a head start before the run has even begun.
4Basement Shortcut
Unlocked Using The Power Hammer
The Workshop is one of the more imposing rooms you can draft, since working out all the differentcombinations of itemsyou can create takes a lot of trial and error, and sometimes you’ll make something you might not even need and end up wasting useful tools.
However, if you manage to collect a Sledgehammer, Battery Pack, and a Broken Lever, you can make a Power Hammer. This handy item can destroy even more than the Sledgehammer, with one of the best contenders for destruction being the cliffside mine entrance that just so happens to create a permanent shortcut into the basement.
3Mantle Of The Knight
While Ambition Of The Pawn is one of the best options to unlock after completing the Chess Puzzle, thanks to its adaptability, if there is a safe bet to choose if you want something more permanent, it’s Mantle Of The Knight.
Unlocked using the same method as all the other chess powers, Mantle Of The Knight adds the Armory to your shop pool. This ancient shop lets you purchase unique items in the form of weapons. You don’t have easy access to these tools otherwise, making it one of the more unique upgrades available.
2Outer Room
Unlocked After The Garage Puzzle
Even though it’s one of thesimplest puzzles to complete, it can be pretty easy to overlook that the Garage door can open if you’re not paying close attention to the layout of the room. However, if you manage to get out of the manor using this method, you can open the West Gate from the other side and get permanent access to the Outer Room.
Each day, you have the option to draft one Outer Room, and these special rooms are pulled from a unique draft pool and can drastically alter the rest of your run.
1Apple Orchard
Unlocked After The Dark Room Puzzle
The Apple Orchard is one of the easiest upgrades to unlock, and you can do it during your very first day if you know where to look, and it’s definitely worth prioritizing if possible.
By using the hidden code in the Dark Room, you can unlock this orchard behind your campsite and be blessed with an extra 20 steps every day. Going up to 70 steps makes managing this resource significantly easier, and makes completing a run much simpler.
