Risk of Rain Returns: How to Use Keycards

When you reach the final level for the first time, you’ll come across strange keycards and wonder what to do with them. Let’s talk about what are keycards in Risk of Rain Returns, because you’re going to need them.

They are special items exclusively found on Contact Light that unlock secret doors containing helpful items for the final boss. The final level is difficult and confusing enough when you first reach it, so let’s at least explain where to find them and how to use keycards.

Risk of Rain Returns: What Are Keycards

Essentially, keycards are special items either found behind blast doors in the final level or randomly dropped from enemies. There are four of them in total and they allow you to access four of the secret rooms before the final boss fight. These rooms contain both helpful items and boons that will aid you against Providence.

You’ve probably noticed numerous blast doors as you explore the final level whilst enemies are spawning left and right. You’ll usually find golden containers behind these that drop keycards. There’s also usually at least one golden container throughout the ship not behind a blast door. In addition, keycards can drop from regular enemies and elites randomly as you explore. I’d just recommend that you keep moving as you fight these hordes off so you don’t get overwhelmed while looking for keycards.

As we mentioned, you can get up to four keycards throughout the final level. Then, navigate to the far-right side of the ship towards the Bridge, you’ll encounter a four-way intersection with ladders leading up and down. Continuing to the right leads you to the Bridge’s blast door, a.k.a., the final boss room. However, I recommend going up or down to find the four special keycard-locked rooms containing useful items against the boss.

How to Use Keycards in Risk of Rain Returns

The four rooms you can unlock with keycards are the following:

• Storage: Going up the ladders will lead you to the Storage area which you can open with a keycard. Inside you’ll find plenty of chests and containers to stock up on some finishing items while you prepare for the final battle.
• Armory: While you’re here, you can also find the Armory. Unlocking it with a keycard allows you to access more chests but it also contains the Gauss Cannon. Interacting with the cannon will teleport it to the final boss room. You can then interact with it and fire it when Providence is in front of the cannon to deal heavy damage during any stage of the fight.
• Medical Bay: If you go down the ladders you’ll find the Med Bay to the left. Besides containing numerous healing containers and support item chests, it also houses the Surgical Bed. Interacting with it will teleport it to the final boss room where you can use it to heal during the fight.
• Cabin: Last but not least, going down the ladders and to the right allows you to unlock the Cabin where the Nano-Chest resides along with random drones or other chests. Same as before, interacting with the Nano-Chest will teleport it to the final boss room where it can give you a random free item.

Note that Providence can be beaten without keycards and these special rooms. That said, I certainly recommend finding at least one and opening the Med Bay for the healing bed which helps greatly. If you manage to find and pick up all four, you’ll unlock the Wicked Ring item for future runs that reduces cooldowns on critical strikes. We hope this guide on what are keycards in Risk of Rain Returns has been helpful. For more tips and useful information, check out our RoRR guide hub.