So you want to survive the Nightmare?

A helpful guide to becoming a "Crypt Master"
Along with a few other useful tidbits.

Intro/Foreword

Hello! Welcome to your guide on surviving the Nightmare you're about to embark upon!
First lets get some things out of the way.
This guide assumes you have successfully beaten the game already and will be using more Theoretical and Advanced tactics to speed up attempts.

This guide was written with some assumptions as such these will be labeled in bold and clearly stated.

If You're here for Exit locations Jump straight to the bottom, Other guide makers may wish to link the video paths for the maze exits feel free to just give credit.

Initiating the Nightmare.

This step is simple. You wanna go into your options and check make your options selections look like this. Most specifically we want to enable our ability to actually win and THE GREGGENING at the bare minimum before we begin.
What is THE GREGGENNING? It's simple, instead of just Greg we're sending out an invitation to his family to come join in partying within the Crypt's halls.

Preparations

This part is simple, You're going to go ahead and do exactly what you did before to complete your easy mode run.
Prepare your Code room and Lever Room then start finding those Tomes. You're obviously going to need them if you plan to escape.
Go ahead and grab your first key in the Maze if you so choose Greg and his family won't be active yet with just this one key.

Time Saving Techniques 1

Here I'll discuss methods to save you time and energy searching for those tomes.
ASSUMPTION! As you're searching for your tomes if you've found one in the Lever room, Main hall, Spawn Room, Code Room or Upper Level of the Maze. You're safe to stop searching for tomes in these areas. Your other two will be somewhere in the Middle and Bottom layer. Start with the Bottom layer first so that you when you grab the middle layer's tome you can move on to grab your first key if you haven't already.

The First and most vital tip is that even in the darkness you'll be able to see the tome's outlines similar to the keys. The closer you get the more clearer it becomes obviously. As Shown Below.
It's hard to make out at this distance but you can see it in the distance. This is at the top layer of the maze at the end of the long hall. As you can see as we get closer the outline becomes clearer.
This technique works especially well in the Lever room as all the tomes that are either on the pillars connected by bridges or on the far side with the key will be visible this way including the one in the lower section against the pillar.

Second tip I have for you is that most objects don't require you to be directly looking at them to be interacted with. They all have a form of "Dome" around them that so long as you're in and spamming E you'll interact with the object in question.

The Advanced Strategies you'll need to make it out alive. Part 1

Let's get down to business here. As mentioned before You can safely pick up your first key without reprecussions. Before we pick up our second key we're going to let our Stamina recharge. Once we pick up that second key from the Code room we're going to need to rush either putting it and the first one in the locks at Greg's Clown Coffin or rush to the lever room.
We're going to need to stop here. As once we reach this point Greg and his merry band of brothers are going to start introducing themselves. Be watchful as some will approach closer than others and may take an extra step or two forward towards you. But they will all turn and flee into the lever room's lower section. But we're not out of the woods yet. Carefully move forward once you get far enough they'll start stopping at the feet of the stairs and turning around in the doorway below. Once here find your opening and enter the lever room angling for the right side.
Now that we're in we are safely able to bait out and greet Greg and his brothers each in turn, once again being careful that they don't overstep the social distancing protocols that the Crypt has set for us as at this stage they'll still give us a good lashing. Now slowly start beginning to cross the bridges you prepared earlier
Once again we'll need to be wary some of Greg's brothers like to be cheeky and flee across the pillars. But remember currently they want to avoid us so just backpedal the best you can and hope another hasn't walked up behind you to say hello. Make your way to your third key and wait for your stamina to charge
Now that you've waited and caught your breath grab that key and book it to the fourth. At these stages our Stamina becomes our most vital resource. If we're not running from Greg or his brothers we should be trying to catch our breath at every opportunity. From here make your way back to the keyholes and finish your insertions.

Time Saving Techniques 2

The first technique I will reveal to you is that you needn't go all the way into the Code room unless Greg or his brothers absolutely force you to so that you can kite them.
Because of how the exit room is laid out and works you'll be able to see it from here as shown below at the final turn into the Code Room
If it's there Great! Book it! What are you waiting for?! Greg and his family won't follow you in!
If it isn't then here's a Time saving tip for checking the for the Lever room's Exit room which is to the left of the key on the opposite side of the room across from the levers. You'll be able to save yourself some time and stamina by looking out for this glow on latter end of the path as you're reaching the final platforms. It may take some time before you can reliably spot it quickly but dropping from the bridges after not spotting it may just save your life.

The Advanced Strategies you'll need to make it out alive. Part 2

If you've made it here hopefully you've input all four keys into the false door's locks and have your tomes. This next part is going to be a doozy. There are 6 exits in total for us to look for and check throughout the Crypt while also dodging Greg and his brothers. The first place we're likely able to check will be the Code Room. Avoiding Greg and Company do your best to find the exit. In there, it'll be right behind where you picked up the key. Pictured not Pictured here.If your exit is not here. At this point you're essentially boned and it is in your best interest to accept Greg's lashings. However if you're brave enough start kiting Greg and any of his brothers that are following you around the room and make an attempt to get out. Our next best option from here will be to head to the maze or lever room, so pick your poison The Maze is your best bet here as the twisting corridors of the middle and bottom layers hold four of our alternative exits two on each floor. If you die at any point rinse repeat. This strategy is a quantity over quality one, and MANY, MANY attempts will end in failure. Keep at it and you'll eventually get it.

Closing

This is all I can do to prepare you for the trial ahead. I wish you all whom attempt this the best of luck and random numbers. With time you'll escape this nightmare and be ready for what's to come.
Should any major revisions need to be made I will make them as needed.

Additional Video Material and or Screenshots.

Maze Exits
Middle Layer Exit 1
Middle Layer Exit 2
Bottom Layer Exit 1
Bottom Layer Exit 2
Lever Room Exit, to the Left of Key on other side.


Stone room Exit, just behind where the key is.

[Selever]

Good guide, though personally for me, leaving the code room key last instead of the lever room ended up working out way better

[Soren]

@Frostbite Aye, the tome names are randomized and I've said similar to what you've said in my Time Saving Techniques 1 section. as an assumption. Over countless runs trying to achieve Crypt Master it was pretty much always had a tome in the bottom of the maze and middle

[Frosty the Snowman]

Adding to my previous comment, this may not seem to be the case because the tome names are randomized, but to my knowledge, my previous statement is 100% accurate.

[Frosty the Snowman]

Hey, just some info that you might find interesting that would be nice in the guide,
There is always 1 tome on the bottom floor of the maze, always one tome on the middle floor of the maze, and the final tome alternates between the top floor of the maze, pots, and lever room. This is not 100% confirmed but through my 40+ runs this has always been the case.

[Soren]

@Veldstadt Thanks! I appreciate the kind words.

[Veldstadt]

Good work! Much better than my guide.