Blood Dregs are a rare and essential resource in the dark fantasy world of Code Vein. If you want to unlock special gifts, upgrade unique Blood Codes, or fully complete companion quests, you’ll eventually need to collect Blood Dregs. These powerful remnants of lost Revenants are deeply tied to the story and offer key progression paths for players looking to maximize their build potential. Acquiring them requires exploration, strategy, and attention to detail, especially since the game does not always directly point out their locations. This guide will walk you through how to get Blood Dregs efficiently, where to farm them, and what they’re used for.
Understanding Blood Dregs
What Are Blood Dregs?
Blood Dregs are unique collectible items in Code Vein. They are mostly used for progressing certain character-specific questlines, most notably Davis and the Successor quests. You’ll also need them to unlock specific rewards tied to companion stories or to complete requirements for special endings in the game.
Unlike regular crafting materials or upgrade resources, Blood Dregs are tied to specific NPC interactions and exploration milestones. You cannot purchase them from merchants or farm them from regular enemies.
Why You Need Blood Dregs
The main reasons players seek Blood Dregs include:
- Advancing key NPC quests
- Unlocking bonus cutscenes and lore
- Accessing the True Ending of the game
- Obtaining rare gifts tied to partner storylines
Without collecting enough Blood Dregs, you may miss out on some of the most satisfying moments and powerful abilities in Code Vein.
Where to Find Blood Dregs
Specific Story Locations
Blood Dregs are mostly tied to the story progression and key boss fights. After defeating certain bosses, especially Successor bosses, you’ll be given a chance to restore their memories by using Blood Dregs found nearby. Here’s how the process usually works:
- Defeat a Successor boss (e.g., Successor of the Ribcage)
- Interact with their Vestige remnants immediately after the fight
- Explore the surrounding zone to collect their corresponding Blood Dregs
- Use the Dregs to unlock the complete Vestige, restore memories, and progress the True Ending
Missable Events
Some Blood Dregs can be missed if you proceed too far in the game without collecting them. It’s crucial to explore every corner of zones after key boss encounters, especially before leaving the area. Once certain story events occur, like the merging of regions or the collapse of a base, the opportunity to find these Dregs may be lost.
Best Practices for Collecting Blood Dregs
Fully Explore Every Area
Blood Dregs are often found in hidden corners, behind breakable walls, or along alternate paths that may not appear on the map at first. Use your companion’s detection gifts to uncover hidden paths and ensure you thoroughly comb through each zone. Especially in places like:
- Cathedral of the Sacred Blood
- Ridge of Frozen Souls
- City of Falling Flame
- Provisional Government Outskirts
These areas are known for hiding Vestige parts and Blood Dregs in tight or out-of-the-way spots.
Talk to NPCs Often
After key missions, return to Home Base and talk to all NPCs. Some characters like Davis and Io will offer hints or update their quests, which may lead to opportunities to collect more Blood Dregs. If you’ve progressed the story but haven’t checked back in with these characters, you could be missing crucial dialog that leads to new items or locations.
Use Davis’ Depth Maps
Davis plays a crucial role in Blood Dreg collection. As you explore, Davis can unlock Depths maps, which give access to optional dungeons filled with powerful enemies and hidden lore. While the Depths aren’t the primary source for Blood Dregs, completing them can trigger dialog or lead to new items that are part of Dreg-related quests.
Tracking Blood Dreg Progress
Check Vestige Completion
You can monitor which Vestiges are fully restored by checking the companion menu or interacting with Io at Home Base. If a companion’s memory is incomplete, chances are you missed a Blood Dreg or part of their Vestige. Return to the appropriate area and use maps or guides to backtrack and locate the missing part.
Keep Multiple Save Files
Because Blood Dregs are easy to miss and tied to the game’s ending, it’s a smart idea to keep multiple save slots. That way, if you realize you skipped a Dreg or can’t access a location anymore, you can reload an earlier save and avoid losing your chance to unlock the True Ending.
How to Use Blood Dregs
Restoring Vestiges
After collecting a Blood Dreg, bring it to Io at the Home Base. She will help you access a memory echo related to the companion or Successor it belongs to. Watch the full sequence and choose to restore the Vestige if you wish to save the companion and unlock their full story arc.
Unlocking True Ending
The only way to get the best possible ending in Code Vein is to restore every Successor’s memory using Blood Dregs. If you miss even one, you will be locked out of the Dweller in the Dark ending. Keep track of how many Successor Vestiges you’ve restored and make sure you’ve explored every dungeon where those events occur.
Tips for Efficient Blood Dreg Collection
Use a Guide Late-Game
While playing blind on your first run is part of the fun, most players will benefit from using a checklist or map guide during the final zones to ensure they haven’t missed anything. Especially in convoluted places like the Cathedral or Depths, it’s easy to overlook a crucial Dreg hidden on a ledge or guarded by a tough enemy.
Play on New Game Plus
If you missed some Blood Dregs on your first playthrough, don’t worry you can get them in New Game Plus. All your previous gear and gifts carry over, making it easier to rush through content and focus on exploration and collection the second time around.
Getting Blood Dregs in Code Vein is a critical part of fully experiencing the game’s narrative, unlocking the most powerful abilities, and securing the True Ending. By thoroughly exploring each zone, talking to NPCs, using Davis’ Depth Maps, and restoring every Vestige with Io, you ensure that no piece of lore is left behind. While these items aren’t plentiful or easy to spot, the effort pays off with deeper storylines and the most fulfilling conclusion the game has to offer. Don’t rush take your time, pay attention to details, and you’ll collect every Blood Dreg needed to see everything Code Vein has to offer.