Introduction to Elden Ring Endings
Welcome to the ultimate Elden Ring endings guide. FromSoftware's masterpiece is a massive, sprawling dark fantasy RPG that offers players an unprecedented level of freedom. Set within the treacherous and breathtaking world of the Lands Between, your ultimate journey culminates in becoming the Elden Lord—or plunging the realm into an entirely different fate. Unlike previous titles from the studio, Elden Ring features multiple distinct conclusions, each reflecting the ideological choices you make throughout your epic campaign.
Understanding how to navigate these divergent paths can be overwhelming. The game does not hold your hand, and missing a single obscure questline NPC can permanently lock you out of a specific Elden Ring ending. Whether you are aiming to achieve the standard conclusion or striving to unlock the secret Age of the Stars, this comprehensive walkthrough will detail every requirement, NPC interaction, and choice needed to shape the future of the Tarnished.
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Understanding the Mechanics of Elden Ring Endings
Before diving into the specifics of each conclusion, it is vital to understand how the game handles endgame choices. Unlike games where you select your path via a final dialogue prompt, Elden Ring determines your ending based on the Mending Runes you possess or the specific actions you take immediately after defeating the final boss.
Once you defeat the final boss of the main storyline, you will be presented with a fractured Marika. Interacting with her triggers the end sequence. However, if you have completed certain sprawling questlines, you will have unique dialogue options or key items available to interact with the statue or the surrounding area.
It is entirely possible to complete multiple side quests in a single playthrough, which leads to a crucial strategic tip: save scumming. By backing up your save file to the cloud or a USB drive right before interacting with the final statue, you can witness almost every standard and Mending Rune ending in a single playthrough without needing to replay the entire 100+ hour game. Note, however, that the Frenzied Flame ending locks you out of the others unless you complete a very specific, punishing purification questline.
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The Standard Endings: Age of Fracture
For many players, their first journey through the Lands Between culminates in the most straightforward conclusion available.
Age of Fracture
The Age of Fracture is considered the default or standard ending of Elden Ring. To achieve this, you do not need to complete any intricate side quests involving Mending Runes. Simply progress through the main story, defeat the final boss, and interact with Queen Marika.
In this conclusion, you repair the Elden Ring in its original state, restoring the Golden Order much as it was before the Shattering. While order is restored, the fundamental flaws and systemic oppressions of the previous era remain largely unchanged. It is a bittersweet conclusion that leaves the Lands Between in a state of fragile stability, setting the stage for a new Elden Lord to rule over a scarred world.
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The Mending Rune Endings
Four distinct endings utilize Mending Runes to alter the fundamental laws of the Golden Order. These require you to seek out specific NPCs and complete their elaborate, often tragic questlines throughout the Lands Between.
Age of the Duskborn (Fia's Ending)
The Age of the Duskborn is achieved by following the questline of Fia, the Deathbed Companion. Fia seeks to normalize the existence of Those Who Live in Death—the undead beings that the current Golden Order relentlessly hunts down and persecutes.
To unlock this ending, you must allow Fia to hold you at the Roundtable Hold until she gives you the Weathered Dagger, which you then give to D, Hunter of the Dead. Progress further into the game, explore the Deeproot Depths, and defeat the Fia's Champions boss encounter. Give her the Cursemark of Death (obtained atop the Divine Tower of Liurnia after defeating Starscourge Radahn and progressing Ranni's quest) to receive the Mending Rune of the Death-Prince. Upon defeating the final boss, use this rune to usher in an era where death is integrated naturally into the cycle of life.
Age of Order (Goldmask's Ending)
The Age of Order focuses on purifying the Golden Order of the petty, corrupt, and hypocritical behaviors exhibited by its mortal followers and gods. This path is tied to the scholarly Brother Corhyn and the enigmatic Goldmask.
To secure the Mending Rune of Perfect Order, you must locate Goldmask in Altus Plateau, relay theological secrets to him (such as revealing that Radagon is Marika using the Law of Regression incantation at the Erdtree Capital), and eventually find him near the mountains of the Mountaintops of the Giants. After completing his sequence, his body will appear in Leyndell, Royal Capital (Ashen Capital), holding the necessary rune. Using it creates an unshakeable, flawless divine order governed by reason rather than emotional whims.
Blessing of Despair (The Dung Eater's Ending)
Perhaps the most visceral and deeply disturbing path in the game, the Blessing of Despair is unlocked by aiding the infamous Dung Eater. His goal is to curse every single soul in the Lands Between so thoroughly that no one can ever return to the Erdtree in death, condemning all future generations to eternal torment and defilement.
To achieve this, you must find Seedbed Barrows hidden throughout Leyndell, Volcano Manor, and Elphael, Brace of the Haligtree, and feed them to the Dung Eater in the Roundtable Hold. Once you obtain the Mending Rune of the Fell Curse, you can use it upon the final interactive prompt. This ending shrouds the entire world in a miasma of eternal suffering, breaking the cycle of rebirth in the most horrifying way imaginable.
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The Secret and Alternative Endings
Beyond the standard and Mending Rune paths, two monumental endings completely change the landscape and lore of the Lands Between, requiring massive investments in complex questlines.
Age of the Stars (Ranni's Ending)
The Age of the Stars is widely considered the "true good" or most satisfying ending by a vast portion of the Elden Ring community. Tied to Witch Ranni, this path removes the Greater Will and the Golden Order entirely from the Lands Between, ushering in an age of the cold, dark moon, freedom, and uncertainty.
To unlock Ranni's ending, you must visit Ranni's Rise in Caria Manor, traverse the depths of Nokron and Nokstella, defeat Astel, Naturalborn of the Void, and navigate the Moonlight Altar. Upon defeating the final boss of the game, do not interact with Marika; instead, summon Ranni using the blue summon sign on the floor. This triggers a cinematic where Ranni takes her place as the ruling deity, departing into the cosmos with the Tarnished as her consort.
Lord of Frenzied Flame (The Chaos Ending)
If you prefer utter annihilation, the Lord of Frenzied Flame ending is for you. Championed by Hyetta and the Three Fingers hidden deep beneath the subterranean shunning grounds of Leyndell, this path rejects existence itself.
To trigger this, you must strip naked and open the sealed door beneath the Subterranean Shunning-Grounds, allowing the Three Fingers to brand your Tarnished flesh. From this moment on, you are locked into this ending unless you complete Millicent's questline, defeat Malenia, use Miquella's Needle inside Placidusax's arena, and cleanse the Frenzied Flame. If you proceed without cleansing, your Tarnished burns the Erdtree directly and sets the entire world ablaze in a fiery apocalypse, incinerating all divides and distinctions into utter chaos.
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Tips for Choosing Your Ending
Deciding which path to take depends heavily on your roleplay preferences and how much you care about the deep, environmental storytelling of the Lands Between.
- First Playthrough Recommendation: Many players suggest aiming for either the Age of Fracture or Age of the Stars on their first run, as they offer the most coherent narrative resolutions.
- Achievement Hunters: If you want to unlock every achievement or trophy, you will eventually need to experience three distinct endings: Age of Fracture (or any Mending Rune variant), Age of the Stars, and Lord of Frenzied Flame.
- Read Item Descriptions: The lore of Elden Ring is deeply embedded in weapon descriptions, talisman entries, and spell scrolls. Pay close attention to what characters like Corhyn, Fia, and Ranni truly represent before pledging your allegiance to their causes.
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Conclusion
Mastering the complexities of the Elden Ring endings guide opens up massive replayability and deepens your appreciation for FromSoftware's intricate world-building. Whether you choose to mend the fractured world, plunge it into eternal chaos, or banish the gods under the light of the dark moon, your journey as the Tarnished will forever alter the fate of the Lands Between. Plan your questlines carefully, explore every hidden corner of the map, and claim your rightful place in history.
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