The Lost Domain - Cavern with Statues - Shortcut Bypassing Blades
The usual path through this room is covered here. But if you enjoy a challenge, you can complete this area without using the lever to disable the blade trap on the stairs. Instead of climbing the ladders, walk down the steps to the first freestanding pillar. Take a short hop down to the next pillar. Back up and take a running jump to the smaller of the two pillars set close together. Then take a short hop onto the larger of these two.
Wait for the billowing flames to subside. Then take a standing jump to the pillar ahead on the left.
Adjust your potion and take another standing jump over the next pillar to land on the one beyond. Step back and take a short hop onto the oblong pillar nearest the stairs.
- OR -
Alternatively, if you missed the jump from the wooden slope to the ledge with the lever and decide to go on from there, take a short hop down to the nearest pillar in the lava pool. Then turn right and take another short hop onto the oblong pillar nearest the stairs.
Now comes the tricky part. Turn so the stairs are on Lara's left. Hold Walk and position her roughly at the spot shown in the screenshot above, as close to the right and back edges of the pillar as possible. Quick-save, since this will probably take several attempts. Then side flip to the left...
...to land on the stairs.
When you do, the blade trap activates and moves down toward you. Hold Walk and step back toward the edge as far as possible.
Lara should be standing on or behind the crack in which the blade mechanism moves. Don't back up any farther or she'll fall off the stairs. The positioning is tricky, and it may take several tries to get it right. Continue to hold Walk as the blade passes. It will probably knock Lara off the edge, and you'll need to try again, but if you find the sweet spot, it will pass in front of her...
...sink into the stairs, then start again at the top.
When the blades re-emerge at the top of the stairs wait for them to move about halfway down. Then side flip over them...
...to land at the top of the stairs.
Quickly run to the left to get out of the way and trigger the door-opening cutscene. Proceed into Eckhardt's Lab.
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