elden ring endings guide today

Introduction to the Lands Between: Navigating the Elden Ring Endings Guide Today

Welcome, Tarnished, to the ultimate Elden Ring endings guide today. FromSoftware’s magnum opus remains a monumental achievement in modern gaming, captivating millions of players worldwide. With its vast, interconnected open world, breathtaking lore penned by George R.R. Martin, and notoriously punishing combat, reaching the conclusion of your journey is no small feat. However, simply defeating the final boss is only half the battle. Depending on the choices you make, the items you collect, and the questlines you complete across the Lands Between, you can unlock a variety of vastly different conclusions.

Understanding how to navigate these divergent paths requires careful planning. Unlike linear RPGs, Elden Ring hides its most profound lore and alternate endings behind obscure, multi-layered side quests. Missing a single conversation with an NPC in Roundtable Hold or progressing too far into the main story can permanently lock you out of your desired path. Whether you are aiming for the standard Age of Fracture, seeking to plunge the world into eternal darkness, or hoping to usher in an era of absolute order, this comprehensive Elden Ring endings guide today will walk you through every single requirement. Grab your torrent whistle, hone your weapons, and let us dive deep into the secrets of the Erdtree.

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Understanding the Core Mechanics of Elden Ring Endings

Before diving into the specifics of each conclusion, it is vital to understand how the game handles its final moments. Once you defeat the final mandatory bosses of the game, you will find yourself standing before a specific interactive site of grace. This is the point of no return. Crucially, Elden Ring allows players to back up their save files on PC, PlayStation, or Xbox, meaning you can technically view multiple endings in a single playthrough. However, experiencing them organically through multiple New Game Plus cycles offers the most rewarding narrative journey.

To trigger an alternate ending, you generally need to acquire a specific key item known as a Mending Rune or complete a specific deity's overarching questline. When you interact with the broken statue at the end of the game, you will be presented with the option to use your Mending Rune (if you have one) or simply mend the Elden Ring normally. Let us break down every single ending available in the game, categorized by their complexity and narrative weight.

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The Standard and Mending Rune Endings

These endings represent the baseline alterations to the status quo of the Lands Between. They share the same cinematic foundation but feature unique voiceovers and text screens that reflect the philosophical shift you have introduced to the world.

Age of Fracture: The Default Ending

The Age of Fracture is the default ending of Elden Ring. If you do not interact with any hidden NPCs, complete major side quests, or seek out chaotic forces, this is the path you will walk.

To achieve this ending, simply defeat the final boss and interact with the Marika statue without inserting any special Mending Runes into her broken form. In this conclusion, you repair the Elden Ring as it was, maintaining the current order of the Greater Will, albeit with you sitting upon the Elden Throne as the new Elden Lord. While it lacks the dramatic world-altering consequences of other paths, it is a stable and straightforward conclusion for your first playthrough.

Age of the Duskborn: Fia’s Questline

If you prefer a world where death is no longer viewed as a curse, you will want to pursue the Age of the Duskborn. This ending is tied to Fia, the Deathbed Companion, whom you first meet early on in Roundtable Hold when she offers to hold you.

To unlock this ending, you must progress Fia's questline by giving her the Dexterous Weathered Dagger (obtained from D, Hunter of the Dead) and eventually tracking her down in Deeproot Depths. Along the way, you will need to defeat the Valiant Gargoyles and navigate the roots of the Erd-tree. After defeating Lichdragon Fortissax within Fia's dreamscape, you will receive the Mending Rune of the Death-Prince. Upon defeating the final boss, use this rune at the statue to bring about an era where those who live in death are integrated into the natural cycle.

Age of Order: Goldmask’s Questline

For players who believe the Golden Order's failures stem from the imperfect, fickle nature of the gods themselves, the Age of Order is the ideal choice. This path is orchestrated by the enigmatic scholar Corhyn and the noble prophet Goldmask.

Finding Goldmask requires exploring the Altus Plateau and the Leyndell, Royal Capital. You will need to use the Law of Regression incantation (which requires high Intelligence) in front of a specific statue inside the capital to reveal a profound truth about Radagon and Marika. After discovering this secret, you must locate Goldmask at the Mountaintops of the Giants. Once you complete the game, you will earn the Mending Rune of Perfect Order, allowing you to establish a world governed by absolute, unshakeable divine rules.

The Blessing of Despair: The Dung Eater’s Ending

Often considered the darkest and most horrifying conclusion in the game, the Blessing of Despair results in the Age of Desolation. This ending is driven by the vile Dung Eater, a prisoner in Roundtable Hold who seeks to curse every single soul in the Lands Between for eternity.

To achieve this, you must collect Seedbed Augurs and feed them to the Dung Eater's physical body located in the Subterranean Shunning-Grounds beneath Leyndell. Upon completing his twisted requests, he will reward you with the Mending Rune of the Fell Curse. Using this item upon the game's completion plunges the entire world into an inescapable curse, ensuring that all future generations are born defiled.

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The Unique and Secret Endings

Beyond the Mending Runes lie two monumental endings that completely bypass the standard throne-sitting cinematic and alter the very fabric of reality—or plunge the world into total annihilation.

Age of the Stars: Ranni’s Secret Ending

Widely considered the "true" or most satisfying ending by a massive portion of the community, the Age of the Stars is tied to Witch Ranni's sprawling, epic questline. This ending replaces the influence of the Greater Will with the Dark Moon, ushering in a cold, lonely, but ultimately free age of the cosmos.

To unlock Ranni's ending, you must visit Ranni's Rise in Liurnia of the Lakes, traverse the terrifying depths of Nokron, Eternal City, brave the Lake of Rot, and defeat Astel, Naturalborn of the Void. At the very end of the game, instead of interacting with Marika's statue, you must summon Ranni via a blue summon sign on the ground. This triggers a breathtaking cutscene and sets up one of the most memorable conclusions in gaming history.

Lord of Frenzied Flame: The Chaos Ending

If you are disillusioned with the gods, the Erdtree, and the very concept of existence, you can choose to become the Lord of Frenzied Flame. This ending requires you to descend into the deepest, darkest bowels of the map and embrace the Three Fingers.

To trigger this path, you must venture deep into the Subterranean Shunning-Grounds beneath Leyndell and defeat Mohg, the Omen (the real one). Behind his boss arena lies a hidden path leading down a punishing platforming puzzle. Stripping off all your armor and opening the heavy door at the very bottom will brand your character with the Frenzied Flame. Doing this locks you into this ending unless you complete a grueling side quest involving Miquella's Needle in Crumbling Farum Azula. Choosing this path results in Melina abandoning you and culminates in a fiery, apocalyptic cinematic where the entire world is burned to ash.

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Summary and Best Practices for Your Playthrough

As you traverse the Lands Between, keeping track of NPC questlines can be challenging. To ensure you do not accidentally lock yourself out of your preferred ending, always exhaust NPC dialogue options in Roundtable Hold and the open world before moving on to major story milestones like defeating regional shardbearers. Additionally, making manual backup saves before entering the final boss area is a popular strategy for achievement hunters looking to experience multiple conclusions without committing to entirely new playthroughs.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I get multiple endings in a single Elden Ring playthrough?

A: Yes, you can technically view multiple endings in one playthrough by utilizing cloud saves or manual save backups on PC, PlayStation, or Xbox. Right before interacting with the final area's statue, back up your save data. After viewing one ending, reload your save and use a different Mending Rune or summon Ranni to view another. However, note that the Frenzied Flame brand must be cleansed with Miquella's Needle if you wish to undo it.

Q: Which Elden Ring ending is considered the best or true ending?

A: While Elden Ring does not have an officially designated "true" ending, the Age of the Stars (Ranni's ending) is widely considered by the community to be the most fleshed-out, satisfying, and narratively significant conclusion. It features a unique cinematic, grants a massive questline, and fundamentally changes the cosmic order of the world rather than just patching the existing broken system.

Q: How do I remove the Lord of Frenzied Flame mark if I change my mind?

A: To remove the Frenzied Flame branding and unlock the ability to choose other endings, you must complete Millicent's questline and defeat Malenia, Blade of Miquella. This grants you Miquella's Needle. You must then take this needle to Dragonlord Placidusax's boss arena in Crumbling Farum Azula and use it within the storm-wracked arena to cure your character.

Q: Do Elden Ring endings affect New Game Plus?

A: No, your chosen ending does not negatively or positively impact the difficulty, items, or progression of your New Game Plus (NG+) cycle. Once the credits roll, you will be given the option to start a new journey immediately or continue exploring the current world. Choosing to continue exploring allows you to clean up missed bosses, collect missed gear, and prepare for NG+ at your own pace.

Q: What happens to Melina if I choose the Frenzied Flame ending?

A: If you inherit the Frenzied Flame before sacrificing Melina at the Forge of the Giants, she will angrily abandon you, vowing to hunt you down and deliver Death-kindling. Furthermore, if you embrace the flame after she has already sacrificed herself, a secret post-credits scene plays showing a scarred Melina opening her sealed eye, promising to deliver destined death to you as the new Lord of Frenzied Flame.