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Elden Ring walkthrough: How to beat the game

This walkthrough will guide you through each major region and boss in Elden Ring

A close-up of Melina, an NPC character in Elden Ring.
Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/Bandai Namco
Hayden Hefford avatar
Guide by Hayden Hefford Former Guides Writer
Additional contributions by Kiera Mills, and Rebecca Jones
Updated on
3 comments

Need a complete Elden Ring walkthrough with all regions and bosses? With the Shadow Of The Erdtree DLC adding additional bosses, new weapons and more, now is the perfect time to get stuck into the beautifully haunting Lands Between, and find out how to beat the base game for Elden Ring.

As it's a huge open world with plenty of NPCs, side quests and regions, it can be confusing just where to go and which bosses you should tackle first. Luckily, we've crafted an Elden Ring walkthrough that will take you through a rough order of all main bosses and locations to travel to. Follow along and you'll complete your playthrough in no time, completing every map area and collecting some seriously nifty weapons and armor in the process. Be sure to check out our Elden Ring endings guide if you want to get the optimal ending (out of a possible six) for your Tarnished.

Note: spoilers for major areas, bosses, and endings follow. You've been warned.

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How to beat Elden Ring: A complete walkthrough

In this Elden Ring walkthrough, we start right at the beginning when your character awakes in the Chapel of Anticipation and guide you through to the final moments. In each section, we provide a general overview of where to go, what to do, and how to progress to the next key area. For Legacy Dungeons, such as Stormveil Castle and the Academy of Raya Lucaria, we will guide you through step-by-step so that you don't get lost in these sprawling locations.

If you're aiming for 100%, make sure to also use our Elden Ring Golden Seeds, Elden Ring Sacred Tears, and Elden Ring Memory Stones guides to find all of these collectibles.

Here's a full summary of everything you must complete to beat Elden Ring:
Elden Ring Vagabond player facing the Grafted Scion in the Church of Anticipation

Chapel of Anticipation

Before jumping into the Lands Between, you must make your Tarnished. This is your character in Elden Ring. You get to select a class and keepsake, while also customising their appearance. These choices won't largely affect your run, so don't give it too much thought. However, those with a specific playstyle in mind can use the guides below to make optimal choices and get an early advantage in their Elden Ring playthrough:

When you have finished your character, you will awake in the Chapel of Anticipation. Grab the nearby item (a Tarnished's Wizened Finger) and then open the door up ahead to go outside. Follow the path along and proceed down the steps and across the bridge. In the arena ahead, you will encounter your first boss: the Grafted Scion.

If you defeat the Grafted Scion, you will earn the Ornamental Straight Sword and the Gold Beast-Crest Shield. However, this is a very tough boss battle that you are intentionally meant to lose. If you are killed by the Grafted Scion, a short cutscene will occur in which you meet Melina and Torrent. After this, you will wake up in the Stranded Graveyard, Limgrave.

A screenshot from Elden Ring which shows a knight riding their horse in Limgrave.

Elden Ring Limgrave walkthrough

When you wake up in the Stranded Graveyard, you will gain the Sacred Flasks of Crimson and Cerulean tears. These are essentially potions that you can use to restore your health and FP. They will automatically equip to your hotbar assigned to down on the D-Pad, but you can change this if you wish.

When you're ready to move on, you will have two options. You can either drop into the nearby pit, which leads into a tutorial dungeon known as the Cave of Knowledge, or just leave and head outside. The Cave of Knowledge holds few rewards, but it is an excellent primer for the mechanics and skills that you need to know to survive in Elden Ring.

We recommend that all new players run through the Cave of Knowledge at least once, but we also have plenty of other guides below that will prepare you for life in the Lands Between:

When you're ready, use the lift past the Stranded Graveyard Site of Grace to head towards the exit. You can return here at a higher level to enter an optional dungeon called Fringefolk Hero's Grave, but that's far too difficult for now.

Upon exiting the Stranded Graveyard, you will find yourself in Limgrave. Your main quest is to reach the Great Erdtree and become the Elden Lord. To do this, you must find a Maiden. We'll guide you through this below, but first we'll list all of the necessary steps that you must complete in Limgrave:

Approaching Merchant Kalé for the first time in Elden Ring.

Speak to Varré at the First Steps Site of Grace, who will inform you that you are maidenless. He will also explain the Guidance of Grace, which are gold streaks between Sites of Grace on your map. After speaking to Varré, we suggest following the Guidance of Grace towards the Church of Elleh, where you will meet Merchant Kalé.

Kalé has many useful items that you can purchase, including various notes and crafting recipes. To buy items, you must spend runes that you acquire from defeated enemies. On your first visit, we recommend purchasing a torch, as you will need it to light various caves and dungeons that you will explore on your journey. Torches don't run out, so you can buy one and use it throughout your Elden Ring playthrough.

It's also worth noting that the Church of Elleh has a blacksmith table that you can use to upgrade weapons. While this table will only upgrade your weapons by a few levels (you'll need to reach the Roundtable Hold to make them even stronger), we suggest noting its location so that you remember to return and upgrade your weapons regularly during the opening hours.

Margit, an early boss in Elden Ring, looks down at the player character.
Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/Bandai Namco

After speaking with Kalé and upgrading your weapons, you should check your map once again. You should now see another Guidance of Grace pointing North through Limgrave. Follow it to find Stormgate, where you will meet Melina once again. Melina offers to become your maiden and sets you on the main quest.

After this encounter, you must proceed through Stormgate to the top of Stormhill. Follow the path up the hill and past Stormhill Shack, where it should bend and lead further up. Clear the enemy encampment at the top and proceed through the gated passage to find the first main boss: Margit, the Fell Omen.

After attempting this battle, or after you beat Margit if you win on your first try, use a Site of Grace to speak to Melina again and travel to the Roundtable Hold. The Roundtable Hold is a hub area where you will meet many NPCs on your journey, so make sure to frequently travel back to see what's changed. For now, we suggest speaking with Smithing Master Hewg, who will upgrade your weapons even further.

After defeating Margit, continue up the short path towards Stormveil Castle.

Elden Ring Stormveil Castle walkthrough

Stormveil Castle is the first Legacy Dungeon in Elden Ring. Your goal here is to kill Godrick the Grafted, the first shardbearer in Elden Ring. There are two routes into the castle: a side path and the main gate. Regardless of which path you choose, both will eventually lead to Godrick. Below, we'll walk you through Stormveil Castle step-by-step. If you'd rather explore alone, skip ahead to our walkthrough for the next region, Liurnia of the Lakes, after slaying Godrick.

Elden Ring player standing on steps as a large castle looms in the background

When you arrive, you'll see that the main gate is closed. Head into the side passage on the left, where a man will beckon you over. Speak to the gatekeeper and then choose whether to continue along this side path or to wait by the gate until it opens. The main gate is much harder, but it certainly is a fast route through Castle Stormveil if you manage to survive. However, we recommend taking the side path past the gatekeeper so that you can grab extra items and runes to prepare for the upcoming boss fight.

Head up the steps and kill the nearby enemies before heading into the tower. This leads into a series of stairways that take you up the side of Stormveil Castle. About halfway up, you'll find a locked door, but you can't proceed through without a key.

To find the key, continue up the steps and open the door at the top to enter a dark room. After a brief cut to black, you will find yourself battling a powerful Banished Knight. After killing the knight, you can grab the key from a nearby chest and open the locked door below. Climb the ladders and proceed along the rafters until you head back outside.

Elden Ring player stands on a stone walkway next to a small figure, overlooking the inner courtyards of a castle

Follow the path up the steps and into the nearby tower, where you'll find another knight. This is a hard fight, so you can run up the stairs to escape if needed. After the first flight of stairs, turn right and go through the nearby door to find the Rampart Tower Site of Grace.

After resting, continue outside and kill the nearby hawks. These have explosive barrels that they throw when you approach, so use ranged weapons to make them drop these before getting close. On the right of this walkway, follow the steps down to the nearby rooftops. On the far end, you will see a ladder that leads down to the path below, where you will find two soldiers on patrol.

After killing them, continue South down the steps and into the dining hall. Pass over the bridge and then look over the railing ahead to find a Grafted Scion roaming in the hall below. You can just jump down here, but there are more items to find on the path to the right. Eventually, it will lead down to the Grafted Scion regardless. This is a tough fight, made even harder by the tight environment, but you should be able to win if you upgrade your weapon and fight patiently.

Elden Ring player stands holding a torch on a balcony overlooking the great hall of Stormveil Castle

When the Scion is dead, head over to the large painting on the wall and then turn left and go through the door. Continue through the next hallway and go outside to find a large soldier encampment. This is another tough encounter since it's easy to get overwhelmed by the large group of soldiers, but you can summon spirit ashes to help even the odds. The goal here is to reach the North side, where you will find the Liftside Chamber Site of Grace up some steps.

After resting, head back outside and follow the steps up further to the East. Kill the nearby hawks and soldiers and then follow the path as it bends around to the left. Defeat the troll and soldiers up ahead and then go into the small passageway and rest at the Secluded Cell Site of Grace.

When you're ready, you can now pass through the nearby wall of fog and fight the main boss of Stormveil Castle (and your first Shardbearer): Godrick the Grafted.

The misshapen, many-armed form of Godrick the Grafted, a major boss in Elden Ring.

While you can now proceed into the next area, there are plenty of bosses and dungeons to complete in Limgrave. Below, you can find a list of optional bosses and areas that you can find in Limgrave:

When you're ready, proceed into Liurnia of the Lakes to continue along the main Elden Ring path.

Elden Ring player in Ronin Armor looking over Liurnia of the Lakes

Elden Ring Liurnia of the Lakes walkthrough

Liurnia of the Lakes contains the Academy of Raya Lucaria, which is your next goal. When you arrive in Liurnia after defeating Godrick, head left and down the path until you reach the Liurnia Lake Shore. Proceed through the lake northwest into the Laskyar Ruins and use the teleporter to warp to the South Raya Lucaria Gate Site of Grace.

When you arrive, you'll find that the locked gate that leads into the Academy of Raya Lucaria. Below, you can find a full list of guides for the main path through Liurnia of the Lakes, which will get you into the academy and help you defeat any bosses you encounter:

You can use the guides above to get through Liurnia of the Lakes, but those who want extra help in Liurnia's Legacy Dungeon can use our Academy of Raya Lucaria walkthrough below. If you'd rather explore the Academy yourself, skip ahead to our Caelid walkthrough when you're done.

Elden Ring Academy of Raya Lucaria walkthrough

Your goal in the Academy of Raya Lucaria is to find the second shardbearer, Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon. We'll explain how to get through the Academy of Raya Lucaria below.

After finding the Glintstone Key, you can head into the Academy. Use the South Raya Lucaria Gate to warp over to the academy and take the elevator to get inside. At the top, head up the stairs and kill the two sorcerers before heading into the Church of the Cuckoo. There's another sorcerer in here, along with some marionnette soldiers that drop from the ceiling.

After clearing these enemies, take the door on the left to find a Site of Grace in the corridor. Rest here and then follow the path out into the graveyard. Follow the low ridge down and take the bridge over the gap, following the path through the other side of the cemetary. When you come to a narrow passage, head through and jump onto the spinning waterwheel. At the top, you'll find the Schoolhouse Classroom Site of Grace.

Rest again and then follow the corridors through the Academy of Raya Lucaria, avoiding or killing sorcerers as you go. It's a fairly linear path which leads to the Debate Parlor, where you fight the Red Wolf of Radagon.

The Red Wolf of Radagon, a boss in Elden Ring, rears up on its hind legs before the player.

After fighting the Red Wolf of Radagon, head outside into the courtyard and run to the right side. Use the beams to cross over to the large set of stairs and run to the top, where you will find Carian Knight Moongrum.

Defeat Moongrum and then use the lift to head up and fight Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon. Rennala will drop another Great Rune, but this is already activated, allowing you to respec your stats.

A close-up of Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon, a boss in Elden Ring.

That covers the main steps in Liurnia, but there's plenty more to explore. Below, you'll find a list of guides that cover optional content in Liurnia:

After defeating Rennala, you can proceed to the Altus Plateau, North of Liurnia, by either using the Grand Lift of Dectus or passing through the nearby Ravine. However, you can also head to Caelid, the rotten lands to the East of Limgrave, to gain another Great Rune.

Elden Ring player in Ronin Armor looking over the Caelid Wilds

Elden Ring Caelid walkthrough

Caelid is a land of rot and disease to the East of Limgrave. You can head straight into this region by following the path East of Stormhill Shack, but we recommend waiting until after you've completed Liurnia of the Lakes.

When you're ready, head to Stormhill Shack and take the path that cuts through East Limgrave and into Caelid. When you reach the Rotview Balcony, rest at the Site of Grace and then continue along the main path that bends South.

When you reach the Caelid Highway South Site of Grace, continue slightly to the East and then proceed South at the crossroads. This will set you on another path that leads to Redmane Castle, the home of the Shardbearer known as Starscourge Radahn.

Elden Ring Redmane Castle walkthrough

Redmane Castle is another Legacy Dungeon in Elden Ring. Within, you will find the infamous Starscourge Radahn. Below, we'll explain how to get into Redmane Castle and how to get to Radahn's boss fight.

Just before the greatbridge that leads to Redmane Castle, you may see a large battle unfolding. You can join the fray for some extra runes, and then proceed across the bridge. Avoid the mortar fire from the tribuchets up ahead and follow the path up the hill towards the castle. Along the way, you will find various soldier encampments.

As you approach the main entrance to Redmane Castle, a troll wielding a large fire sword will attack. Defeat this troll and then approach the gate. Since it is locked, you'll need to find another way around. To find the hidden entrance, take the path that leads southwest along this ridge.

Elden Ring player standing at the main gate of Redmane Castle, at the top of a hill

Eventually, you will reach a small graveyard with a ladder that you can use to scale the Redmane Castle walls. Kill the soldiers up here and then continue along until you find a ladder on the opposite side that leads down into the central path through Redmane Castle.

Once you're inside Redmane Castle, you can find the boss room by simply following the path North. When you reach the soldier encampment filled with flamethrowers, you will see the wall of fog up ahead. Kill these soldiers and look in the room to the right of the wall of fog to find the Chamber Outside the Plaza Site of Grace. Rest here and then proceed through the fog to battle the Misbegotten Warrior and Crucible Knight duo.

Elden Ring player standing in the centre of Redmane Castle plaza, with various bits of furniture scattered around.

After killing these bosses, you'll need to head back to Liurnia and use either the Grand Lift of Dectus or ravine to enter the Altus Plateau. That will trigger the start of Radahn's festival in Redmane Castle, at which point you can return and choose to join the festivities.

When you're ready, speak to the guard overlooking the plaza and head down into the Caelid wilds and fight Starscourge Radahn. This will grant you another Great Rune, which you can activate at the Divine Tower of Caelid.

A screenshot from a cinematic trailer for Elden Ring, depicting General Radahn standing in a battlefield brandishing his dual greatswords.
Image credit: Bandai Namco

Of course, there are plenty of other activities to complete in Caelid. You can find a powerful staff here, along with a range of optional dungeons and bosses. When you're ready, head back to the Altus Plateau to continue your quest.

Elden Ring: the player stands on a hill overlooking a soldier's encampment in the Altus Plateau.

Elden Ring Altus Plateau walkthrough

Regardless of whether you take the ravine path or Grand Lift of Dectus, you will enter the Altus Plateau in a similar location. This sprawling expanse of lush fields and autumnal forests is a picturesque landscape that might be the most beautiful region in Elden Ring. It's also a passage to other regions that are key to the main quest. Mt. Gelmir lies to the northwest, while Leyndell, Royal Capital, is found to the East.

While you won't find a shardbearer in the Altus Plateau itself, there are plenty of optional areas to explore. These include the Minor Erdtree in the centre of the plateau, the Windmill Village in the northeast, and the decrepit Shaded Castle on the northern shoreline.

Elden Ring player in Ronin Armor standing by Tanith in Mt Gelmir

Elden Ring Mt Gelmir walkthrough

Mt Gelmir is significantly smaller than the other regions mentioned so far. To reach Mt Gelmir, follow the path leading northwest out of the Altus Plateau. This will take you to the first Mt Gelmir campsite, where you will find a message about rainbow stones.

If you follow the stones, it will trigger a cutscene in which an NPC pushes you down into the river below, so we recommend continuing along the bridge to the Ninth Mt Gelmir Campsite Site of Grace.

From here, use the spiritspring to leap up and fight the Full-Grown Fallingstar Beast on the cliff above. Defeat this boss and then use the nearby stones jutting out of the cliff as a makeshift bridge to get closer to Volcano Manor.

In Volcano Manor, you will find the fourth shardbearer: Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy. If you need help exploring this Legacy Dungeon, use our Volcano Manor walkthrough below. Otherwise, skip ahead to our Leyndell, Royal Capital, walkthrough when you're ready.

Tanith in Elden Ring's Volcano Manor

Elden Ring Volcano Manor walkthrough

When you arrive at the Manor, head over to Tanith and accept her invitation to join her group. Then, head into the nearby corridor and enter the first room on the right using Tanith's key. In the far-right corner of this room, run into the wall to open a secret passage and enter a new area of the manor.

This is much more expansive, akin to Castle Stormveil or the Academy of Raya Lucaria, with lots to explore and discover. Venture through the tunnels here until you get back outside, and then turn right and follow the path down. Hop across to the rooftops and continue southwest, making your way onto the bridge up ahead.

At the end of the bridge, turn right and follow the path around to a ladder. Drop back down onto the ledges to the left and head inside. Make your way downstairs and continue through until you come to the lava river running through Volcano Manor. Follow this river East and go up the slope until you find an elevator cage.

A screenshot from a cutscene in Elden Ring depicting the God-Devouring Serpent, Rykard, rearing up before the player.

Head into the chapel at the top and use the nearby lever to activate a lift. Use this to get to the rocky area behind the chapel. Hop along the crags and follow the path around until you eventually come to a chapel, behind which you will find a teleporter that takes you to Rykard. Fight Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy, to gain another Great Rune.

If you want a quicker, albeit more murderous, route to Rykard, you can also choose to complete Tanith's contracts instead of traversing the inner sanctums of Volcano Manor. Tanith will ask you to complete 3 contract killings throughout the Lands Between, pitting you against various challenging NPCs. These are easy to find, as she will mark them on your map - just make sure to grab the letters from the gathering hall. Kill all 3 and then speak to Tanith to teleport instantly to Rykard's boss room.

Elden Ring player approaches a large throne, which is sat opposite 6 spectral chairs. A shadowy figure stands on the steps ahead.

Elden Ring Leyndell, Royal Capital, walkthrough

Leyndell is the capital city at the foot of the Great Erdtree. To enter, you must travel to the northeastern side of the outer wall and fight a Draconic Tree Sentinel. After winning, you can head into the capital if you currently hold two restored Great Runes. This means that you must have defeated at least two of the following bosses:

  • Godrick (Limgrave)
  • Rennala (Liurnia)
  • Radahn (Caelid)
  • Rykard (Mt Gelmir)

Within Leyndell, you must travel through the streets and make your way towards the Erdtree by scaling the stone dragon structure. Along this path, you will find two necessary bosses that you must defeat:

We will explain how to get through Leyndell, Royal Capital, below. If you'd rather explore alone, use the summary above to guide you and then skip ahead to the next part of our walkthrough to see what comes after Morgott.

Elden Ring player in Ronin Armor looking over Leyndell, Capital City

After killing the Draconic Tree Sentinel, head through the door nearby and rest at the Capital Rampart Site of Grace. When you're ready to continue, cross the bridge and head into the building up ahead. Follow the path along and take the lift up. At the top, continue through the chapel and follow the main route outside to find a really lovely view.

When you've finished admiring the pretty scenery, turn right and pass through the nearby door to find the East Capital Rampart Site of Grace. Rest here to speak with Melina, who will express her gratitude for accompanying her to the Erdtree. After this chat, proceed down the slope ahead for another gorgeous view of the Royal Capital. To start traversing the capital, turn left and follow this walkway along, killing any enemies in your path.

Elden Ring player stands on a walkway overlooking a ruined city. They aim at an enemy that looks like a snowman playing a trumpet.

When you reach the end, head through the door and follow the path down to find an elevator that takes you down closer to the main Leyndell streets. At the bottom, head straight forward through the next hall. There are some ladders and stairs leading along side paths here, but follow the main route ahead for now. This will lead you around the corner and down a flight of stairs, at the bottom of which are two doorways. Turn left and go through the open doorway to encounter a few enemies. Clear this room and then continue through the tight alleyway.

This passage branches off to the right, but follow the path ahead first. This leads through to a large carriage on the main street that cuts through the centre of Leyndell. Head southwest to find an Erdtree Avatar miniboss and, just beyond on the right side of the street, a door that leads to the Avenue Balcony Site of Grace.

Elden Ring player sits next to a Site of Grace golden wisp while Melina sits nearby.

While Leyndell is a sprawling labyrinth of passages, buildings, and streets that intertwine, the main path is rather simple. From Avenue Balcony, proceed down the steps and run towards the lightning knight enemy up ahead. Kill the knight and then look ahead to find a large stone dragon.

At the base of this dragon, you should find a path that you can follow to scale up the side. Keep climbing until you find a sloped part of the structure that leads up to a broken portion of the Capital walls. Head up and climb the nearby ladder to find a walkway leading to the West Capital Rampart Site of Grace.

After resting at this Site of Grace, continue out onto the walkways and look for roots of the Erdtree. You can climb these roots up to the next area, where you will fight a spectral version of Godfrey, First Elden Lord. After defeating Godfrey, go outside and climb the roots further to reach the upper levels of his boss arena. The open doorway here leads to another walkway, which you can follow to find the Queen's Bedchamber Site of Grace. Up ahead, you'll face another shardbearer: Morgott, the Omen King.

The Elden Ring player stands before Morgott, the Omen King, near the Elden Throne.
Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/Bandai Namco

After defeating Morgott, you discover that the entrance to the Great Erdtree is blocked by thorns. Melina asks you to go to the Mountaintops of the Giants to get some special kindling that you can use to burn down the Great Erdtree. She gives you the Rold Medallion that you can use to reach this area.

Follow the main path East through Leyndell to find a new area, the Forbidden Lands. This leads to the Grand Lift of Rold, which has two functions. The Rold Medallion allows you to proceed to the Mountaintops of the Giants for the main quest, but you can also use the Haligtree Medallion to reach an optional area with some key bosses. Below, we'll list some key guides for these bosses:

However, the main path continues in the Mountaintops, where you must find the Forge of Giants for Melina.

Elden Ring player in Ronin Armor looking over the Mountaintops of the Giants

Elden Ring Mountaintops of the Giants walkthrough

Upon arrival, you will see Bloody Finger Hunter Yura, who you may have met before while fighting Bloody Finger Nerijus or other NPC invaders. However, this Yura is a little different and warns you of the dangers of helping Melina. He says that Melina will burn herself as kindling in a sacrifice to make you Elden Lord, which wouldn't be righteous.

He tells you to head under Leyndell into the sewers below to find the Flame of Frenzy, which will set you on the righteous path. This is where we enter into ending territory, and where the path splits considerably. To continue with the main ending and serve the two fingers, you must now proceed through the Mountaintops of the Giants until you reach the Forge of the Giants.

Those hoping for another ending, such as those associated with Ranni, Fia, or the Dung Eater, will need to complete some other quest lines before proceeding to the Forge of the Giants.

Elden Ring player rides a horse through a snowy field in the Mountaintops of the Giants.

While the Mountaintops of the Giants seem like a large area, you can follow a fairly linear path using the long bridge over the cavern, past the giants, and into the Freezing Lake. As you pass over the lake to the southeast, you will notice a considerable fog cloud whips up around you.

Here, you can choose to fight a dragon named Borealis, the Freezing Fog, but if you try to maintain your sense of direction (your compass disappears in the fog) and head southeast, you will eventually escape and find the First Church of Marika.

A screenshot from a cutscene in Elden Ring: the Fire Giant raises its own flaming severed leg with a roar.

Continue weaving through the mountains towards the Forge of Giants, where you will fight the Fire Giant boss. If you're suffering from crashes in this fight, check out our Fire Giant crash solution.

It's worth noting that you can also head to the North of the Mountaintops to find Castle Sol, where you can fight Commander Niall. He is one of Elden Ring's hardest bosses, and is required if you want to find Malenia, Blade of Miquella.

Elden Ring player summons wolf spirits to fight Commander Niall in a snowy castle

After defeating the Fire Giant, you can head into the Forge of Giants, where you will find a point of no return. Here, your character will collapse as Melina sacrfices herself as kindling to burn the Great Erdtree, turning Leyndell into the City of Ash and opening the path into the finale. When you awake, you will find yourself in Crumbling Farum Azula, an island to the southeast of the Mountaintops of the Giants.

Malekith, the Black Blade, one of the last required bosses in Elden Ring.
Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/FromSoftware

Elden Ring Crumbling Farum Azula walkthrough

Crumbling Farum Azula is another Legacy Dungeon in Elden Ring. Your goal here is to reach the Dragon Temple on the North side, where you will fight the Godskin Duo boss. Then, take the path that bends southeast into the large colosseum building to fight the Beast Clergyman boss. Halfway through the fight, the boss will transform into Malekith, the Black Blade.

Below, we'll provide a full Crumbling Farum Azula walkthrough. If you'd rather explore without a full step-by-step guide, skip ahead to the Ashen Capital walkthrough when you're ready.

Elden Ring cutscene shows a large stone landmass hovering in the air, as chunks of stone fall from the side and tornados hover nearby.

After a short cutscene, you will spawn on a broken walkway in Crumbling Farum Azula. Walk inland towards the structure ahead and hop down the destroyed wall on your right. This leads to a door, through which you will find a staircase down into the ruins below. Drop into the ruins and head into the passageway ahead, where you will find the Crumbling Beast Grace Site of Grace.

After resting, continue to the end of the passage and leap onto the curved walkway below. Up ahead, a dragon will swoop down and attack. This dragon isn't technically a boss, but it's certainly difficult. Fortunately, you can run past if you want to avoid this fight, but those who overcome this challenge in battle will earn an Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone.

Elden Ring player stands on a curved walkway as dragons fly overhead and a tornado swirls nearby.

Regardless of whether you kill the dragon, you will find the Crumbling Beast Grace Depths Site of Grace in the passage at the end of this curved walkway. The path ahead weaves through some ruins and down into a large hall, after which you will find the Tempest-Facing Balcony Site of Grace.

From here, you can hop down and run across the stone platforms that descend down into the Dragon Temple. You'll find lots of skeletons here, but they're easy enough to kill as long as you don't get overwhelmed. After reaching the Dragon Temple Site of Grace, make your way inside and jump down into the main hall to fight the Godskin Duo boss.

The Godskin Duo boss fight in Elden Ring

After defeating the Godskin Duo, exit the altar by heading North from the Site of Grace. Take the steps down into the ruins below and hop down to kill the beasts nearby. Continue through the next corridor and vault through the open windows to access the walkways below. Kill the enemies here and then take the path that slopes down into the next ruin.

At the end of this path there is a large staircase, but you'll also find a passage just before. Head through this passageway and use the destroyed stone structure ahead as a makeshift bridge across the large chasm. On the other side, you'll find a short stairwell that leads down to a Crucible Knight miniboss.

Elden Ring player stands by a stone dragon while a tornado rages in the background.
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After the fight, run East and hop down the side of the ruins to activate the Dragon Temple Rooftop Site of Grace. The path ahead is fairly straightforward, as you just need to follow the lightning storm towards the dragon up ahead. The dragon is another miniboss, but fortunately it already has fairly low health.

After slaying this enemy, you can head up the nearby hill and proceed through the small temple on the other side to find an elevator. This takes you up to a large bridge where you will fight another Draconic Tree Sentinel. After this fight, enter the large colosseum building to fight the Beast Clergyman boss. Halfway through the fight, the boss will transform into Malekith, the Black Blade.

Elden Ring player in Ronin Armor stood by the Elden Throne at the foot of the Erdtree

Elden Ring Ashen Capital walkthrough

When you beat Malekith, you will respawn in Leyndell, Ashen Capital, allowing you to proceed to the foot of the burning Erdtree. When you spawn in, head southwest through the ruined buildings and ash dunes until you reach an elevator. From here, the path is fairly straightforward, but there are plenty of bosses that you must defeat along the way. We'll list the bosses that you must defeat below:

Beware that you don't always get to rest between these fights, so you'll need to be careful with your Flasks. Godfrey will change into Hoarah Loux in the second phase, while Radagon and the Elden Beast are two full boss fights that are linked together without a break.

After defeating the Elden Beast, rest at the nearby Site of Grace. Finally, you can interact with the Fractured Marika statue and select your ending.

Alternatively, those who followed Ranni's route can opt to use Ranni's summon sign instead, which will lead to the best ending.

Regardless of what you select, this signals the end of Elden Ring, so you can watch the final cutscene play out and take a deep breath. It's over. Now, time to start again and get those other endings.

That wraps up our Elden Ring walkthrough. We've got plenty more to say about Elden Ring here at RPS though, with Ed especially fond of the terrible platforming. You can also check out the tale of my whirlwind romance with the Mimic Tear spirit ash, and Ed's thoughts on the strange rolling goats in the Lands Between.

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