Since the latest patch, Sker Ritual is much more stable and ready for players to grind to high rounds. With its incredible atmosphere and claustrophobic corridors, the Ashes of Sker Hotel is a great map to do just that in Sker Ritual, so here is the strategy we recommend.
The Setup
As is the case with every map in Sker Ritual, the Ashes of Sker Hotel requires players to do some setup before they can truly grind. Here, there is a Teleporter that needs to be activated before players can access all the essentials. After all, this map’s special weapon, The Howler, is only available for purchase in an area you need to teleport to reach.
When loading into the map, the first objective guides players toward a canister. This must be acquired, filled, and entered in one of the empty canister slots in the starting room. The other three canisters that players need to find are scattered across the map. They spawn in one of several random locations in each match. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for these canisters and get any perks you may find along the way. Note you can only carry one canister at a time. When you find one, fill it, and place it in one of the free slots in the starting room. Eventually, you’ll be able to turn on the Teleporter and be taken to a Library.
The Library
In the Library, players will find the two most important items in the entire map. These are the Howler weapon (pictured above), and the Elixir of Life perk. The Howler does an absurd amount of damage. It’s essentially a super-powered blunderbuss, shooting a massive ball of energy that can hit enemies directly or bounce around a room to potentially impact several enemies. This weapon is perfect for knocking over anything that stands in your way as you navigate the Ashes of Sker Hotel’s tight hallways. It is also highly effective on the map’s bosses, like Isaac and Abominations. The Elixir of Life is the best perk in the game, as it gives players a massive boost to their total health.
Though most players will want to grab the Library’s best items and go, it may be worth considering for a moment. For solo players who are skilled on the move, this is a great place to train Quiet Ones. In the Library, we recommend staying on the move, letting a mass of enemies gather on your tail, and blowing them all away with the Howler. Whether you get overwhelmed by hordes, or just need to fetch some ammo and upgrades, the Teleporter gets you out fast.
Lobby/Spawn
Even after you’re all set up, the starting room in the Ashes of Sker Hotel is still worth visiting. As stated previously, it houses a Teleporter that can be used for a quick getaway. Aside from that, this room serves as the hub for the map. It is the largest, most open area of this map, which makes it relatively easy to survive in. It also contains an Ammo Blamo, so you can replenish spent rounds easily and often.
The Lobby has a main door out of it to the left and right. One door takes you to The Laughing Policeman’s Super Charger. This machine provides vital weapon upgrades. I always recommend players stick close to a Super Charger, so they’re ready to purchase weapon tiers at a massive discount if a half-price bonus spawns. The other door has a place to buy precious Life Points just around the corner. These items can be used to revive yourself or teammates. Without turning and heading straight down the hall, players will find The Chapel.
The Chapel
The Chapel is, by far, one of the best places for teams to hole out in together in Sker Ritual. The Chapel is a mid-size square room. It often houses Lucky’s doghouse, which gives players a chance to gamble £900 for a better weapon. This area also contains the Elite Maker. The Elite Maker is often the source of events. When the event is active, players have a limited time to ensure the Elite Maker doesn’t spawn an Abomination. These massive enemies are already a problem, but they are especially tricky on this close-quarters map. Sticking close to the Elite Maker ensures this brutish enemy won’t spawn in and ruin your day.
Aside from what it contains, the layout and positioning of The Chapel is what truly makes it special. It’s just down the hall from the Lobby, which means ammo refills aren’t too far away. Enemies can only get into The Chapel from two places. The first is a thin, straight, long hallway which funnels enemies directly toward you into a perfect kill zone. The other entry point has enemies come from a much shorter distance from a gap in the wall. If you have one or two players watching that area well, the rest can focus on the Quiet Ones coming down the long corridor. With only two points of entry, this is one of the best defensible positions in the entire game.
And that’s everything you need to know to organize an effective strategy when heading into the Ashes of Sker Hotel in Sker Ritual.
Sker Ritual is available now on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.
