Introduction to Elden Ring Endings
Welcome to the ultimate Elden Ring endings guide list. FromSoftware’s magnum opus is a game of staggering scale, offering players unprecedented freedom in how they explore the Lands Between. However, your journey does not simply end when you defeat the final boss. Depending on the choices you make throughout your playthrough, the fate of the entire world hangs in the balance, culminating in one of several distinct Elden Ring conclusions.
Navigating the web of quests, item pickups, and moral dilemmas required to unlock every ending can be immensely confusing. Some conclusions require minor adjustments to your final steps, while others demand massive, game-spanning questlines that span dozens of hours. Whether you are aiming for the standard Elden Ring achievements, seeking the true nature of the Golden Order, or simply want to burn everything to cinders, this comprehensive guide will walk you through every single path available to the Tarnished.
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Understanding the Elden Ring Endings System
Before diving into the specifics of each path, it is vital to understand how the Elden Ring endings function mechanically. Unlike previous titles from the developer, Elden Ring allows players to experience multiple endings on a single character save file through a clever use of backup saves, though purists often prefer to complete separate playthroughs.
To trigger an ending, you must reach the final area of the game, defeat the mandatory endgame bosses, and interact with a specific object or NPC. While the base game features three main narrative buckets—the standard path, the mending rune paths, and the unique overarching alternate paths—there are six primary achievements tied to the endings. Let us break down every single option available in your quest to become the Elden Ring.
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1. The Age of Fracture (Standard Ending)
The Age of Fracture is the default conclusion of the game. If you complete the main story bosses without getting involved in any secret NPC questlines or acquiring special items, this is the path the game will naturally push you toward. It is often considered the baseline or "neutral" ending of the game.
To achieve this ending, simply defeat the final bosses, approach the fractured Marika, and choose the option to Repair the Elden Ring. In this cinematic, your Tarnished sits upon the Elden Throne, becoming the new Elden Lord. However, the fundamental state of the world remains largely unchanged. The Erdtree is damaged, the Greater Will's influence persists, and the cycle of the Golden Order continues much as it did before your arrival.
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2. The Age of the Duskborn
If you want an ending that alters the fundamental metaphysical nature of death in the Lands Between, you must seek out Fia, the Deathbed Companion. The Age of the Duskborn ending integrates death back into the Golden Order, removing the stigma and fear associated with those who live in death.
To unlock this path, you must follow Fia's complex questline involving Rogier, the Cursemark of Death, and the lichdragon Fortissax.
- Speak to Fia at the Roundtable Hold regularly and allow her to hold you.
- Give the Cursemark of Death (found at the top of the Divine Tower of Liurnia) to Fia in the Deeproot Depths.
- Defeat Lichdragon Fortissax to acquire the Mending Rune of the Death-Prince.
- After defeating the final boss, use the Mending Rune of the Death-Prince on Marika to trigger the cutscene.
The resulting cinematic shows the Erdtree taking on a somber, greyish hue as a gentle fog rolls over the landscape, signifying that death is no longer an aberration, but a natural part of existence once more.
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3. The Age of Order
The Age of Order is crafted alongside Brother Corhyn and the Goldmask. This ending attempts to fix the perceived flaws and corruptions within the Golden Order by removing the fickleness of the gods, placing absolute faith in immutable, perfect laws rather than divine whims.
This questline requires high intelligence and a keen eye for exploration across Altus Plateau and Leyndell, Royal Capital.
- Find Brother Corhyn at the Roundtable Hold and direct him to the Altus Plateau.
- Locate Goldmask and use the Law of Regression incantation in front of a specific statue in Leyndell to reveal the secret truth about Radagon and Marika.
- Progress their quest by finding them near the Stargazers' Ruins in the Mountaintops of the Giants.
- Finally, find Goldmask's body in Leyndell, Ash Capital, to loot the Mending Rune of Perfect Order.
Upon defeating the final boss, you will choose to use this rune. The cinematic depicts the Erdtree glowing with a stable, brilliant golden light, establishing an era of absolute clarity and mathematical perfection.
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4. The Blessing of Despair
Also known colloquially as the "Dung Eater ending," The Blessing of Despair is by far the darkest and most horrifying conclusion you can achieve in the game. By choosing this path, you curse every single living being in the Lands Between, ensuring that their descendants are also cursed for all eternity, preventing their souls from returning to the Erdtree.
To unlock this grim path, you must interact with the foul Dung Eater found in the Roundtable Hold.
- Find Seedbed Curses scattered across the world (in Volcano Manor, Leyndell, and Elphael, Brace of the Haligtree) and feed them to the Dung Eater in his cell.
- Eventually, he will move to the outer moat of Leyndell, where you must invade him and return his physical body.
- Defeat him in his final corrupted state to acquire the Mending Rune of the Fell Curse.
When you finish the game, using this rune results in a chilling cutscene where the sky turns a sickly, oppressive purple-black, and the Erdtree drips with cursed energy. It is an ending chosen only by those who wish to see the world completely broken.
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5. Age of the Stars
Widely regarded by the community as the "true" or most satisfying conclusion, the Age of the Stars is tied to the beloved witch Ranni. Choosing this path rejects the Greater Will entirely, ushering in an age of the cold, dark night, free from the machinations of outer gods. It is also required for one of the most involved and rewarding side stories in modern gaming history.
To achieve this ending, you must complete Ranni’s questline in its entirety.
- Meet Ranni at Ranni's Rise in Liurnia of the Lakes.
- Travel down into the Siofra River and Nokron, Eternal City, to retrieve the Fingerslayer Blade.
- Navigate through Lake of Rot and defeat Astel, Naturalborn of the Void, to reach the Moonlight Altar.
- Obtain the Dark Moon Greatsword and the Dark Moon Ring, which allows you to place the ring on Ranni's doll body.
- At the very end of the game, instead of touching Marika, summon Ranni using the blue summoning sign on the ground.
The cinematic features Ranni standing atop the ruins, claiming the title of Elden Lord alongside you, and plunging the Lands Between into a starry, independent night, far away from the oppressive golden glow of the Erdtree.
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6. Lord of Frenzied Flame
If you want to watch the world burn quite literally, the Lord of Frenzied Flame is the ending for you. This path rejects all divisions, suffering, and individuality, seeking to melt everything back into one single, unified mass of chaotic fire under the guidance of the Three Fingers.
This ending can lock you out of other endings unless you take extreme measures later on, making it a dramatic narrative choice.
- Locate the subterranean shunning grounds deep beneath Leyndell, Royal Capital.
- Navigate the punishing platforming puzzle to find the Three Fingers behind a hidden door.
- Strip off all your armor and interact with the door to receive the Frenzied Flame. Your character's body will be permanently scarred, and Melina will abandon you in disgust.
- To undo this ending later, you must complete Millicent's questline, defeat Malenia, and use the Miquella's Needle inside Dragonlord Placidusax’s arena before fighting the final bosses.
If you proceed with the ending, Melina returns in a post-credits scene with her eye blazing, vowing to deliver destined death to your burnt and smoking husk. The final cinematic is a haunting visualization of total annihilation.
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Tips for Managing Multiple Endings
Because seeing all the Elden Ring endings normally requires multiple playthroughs or meticulous save-scumming, here are a few expert tips to streamline your journey through the Lands Between:
- Backup Your Save: If you are playing on PC or PlayStation, you can upload your save file to cloud storage right before making the final choice. This allows you to reload and pick a different ending without replaying the entire game.
- Do Quests Early: Many NPC questlines (like those for Goldmask, Fia, and Dung Eater) can be locked out if you progress too far into the main story, specifically when Leyndell transforms into the Ashen Capital.
- Check Your Inventory: Always double-check your key items before heading to the endgame areas to ensure you haven't missed a crucial Mending Rune.
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