the best order for areas and bosses

Elden Ring is a huge game, one that will have you exploring, fighting and dying for countless hours. Its vast vistas, interconnected regions, cryptic information, and open world nature will make you often wonder where you should go after completing a section or beating a boss.

Here is our Elden Ring progression guide, to help you with the best order in which to face new areas and bosses in the campaign. Since we’re going to be talking about your journey from start to finish, of course, don’t read on past where you’ve come to avoid spoilers.

How to get on in Elden Ring –

Although Elden Ring has an open structure, the general progression is done by beating the main bosses and activating their Major Runes. There are seven, but you only need to activate two before one NPC at the Rocca della Tavola Rotonda, Eniatell you to go to the Capital to become the Ancestral Lord.

At this point, you can visit Leyndell, the Royal Capital, where you will fight with other bosses to reach the throne room and the Mother Tree. However, it is recommended that you complete as many optional bosses and secret areas as possible, so that you can arm yourself to the fullest and fully enjoy the Interregnum.

Sepulchrid –

Tombstone is where you will begin your Elden Ring adventure. This region includes some of the easiest encounters in the entire campaign, along with a tutorial area if you fall down a ditch where the ghost of a man is in the cave where you spawn. Ideally, you will want to head to a place of grace called In front of the gate, where you will find an important NPC, Melina, which will provide you with the Torrent horse and will allow you to level up. Once you have the horse, you will need to make the quick trip to Elleh Church, as there another character, Reindeer, will give you the Summoning Spirit Bell, which will allow you to summon ghosts to fight with you in battle.

Either way, the two bosses in this region, Margit the Dark Omen and Godrick the Grafted (who has a Major Rune) present challenges you will want to overcome. If you’re in trouble, you can always explore the rest of Sepulcris, even going further south at Morne Castle in the Wailing Peninsula. Similarly, a mini-dungeon called the Cavern of Waterblush has a boss that is very familiar to Souls fans. This boss, Patches, can receive your forgiveness and in that case he will allow you to buy an item that will comfort Margit. Finally, if that doesn’t work too, you can always follow the path that runs along the cliff and starts from the north of the Stormhill Shack Site to get to Liurnia.

Liurnia –

Liurnia is the second major region of Elden Ring, a destination that is filled with towering hills and fetid swamps. The goal here is to acquire the Stonebreaker Key to enter theRaya Lucaria Academy.

Inside, you will fight with zombies, wizards, and have a few more setbacks. You will fight with Radagon’s Red Wolf and Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon, the main boss of the dungeon. Rennala will surrender and, with a Major Rune already activated automatically, you can respec your character’s stats by spending a Larva Tear.

Should you go to Leyndell, the Royal Capital? –

If you have beaten Godrick and Rennala, and you have two Major Runes that are activated, Enia at the Rocca della Tavola Rotonda will tell you that you have permission to enter Leyndell, the Royal Capital. The destination itself is mandatory to get on in the Elden Ring.

Either way, the journey to the capital is fraught with endless dangers and the hostiles here will annihilate you in the blink of an eye if you’re not properly prepared. Therefore, it is best to venture to other areas.

Altus Plateau –

The Altus Plateau serves as transition area. This area offers a setting with different dungeons, fields, enemies and opportunities to continue leveling up. There are no major bosses that have Major Runes, but this area connects several regions, including Leyndell, Royal Capital.

To get there, you can follow the river north of Liurnia which cuts through the ruins. Alternatively, you can collect the two halves of a medallion to use Dectus’ Great Hoist.

The Well on the Siofra and Caelid River –

Similarly, you can return to the Lesser Mother Tree in the Mistwood sub-area of ​​Sepulcris. There, you can take the Siofra River Well lift to reach an area called the Siofra River Well. There you will find a puzzle that you can complete to access an optional boss.

Also awaits you, east of Sepolcride, the Caelid region. This area is plagued by Scarlet Rots, a disease that is a more extreme form of poison that you will want to protect your character from. The objective here is to travel to Redmane Castle in the southeast to defeat Radahn and activate his Greater Rune in Caelid’s Divine Tower. The fall of this enemy is, singularly, one of the most important moments in the Elden Ring campaign, although it is not connected to the narrative progression.

Nokron Eternal City, Abyss between Roots, Nokstella Eternal City, Putrescent Lake –

Defeating Radahn causes him to fall a meteorite somewhere in the Interregnum. If you visit Fort Haight on the southeastern tip of Sepulcris (quite close to the Lesser Mother Tree and the entrance to the Well on the Siofra River), you will notice the crater left by the accident.

The place below, Nokron Eternal City, it’s a secret area full of black slime enemies who can imitate other fighters. In fact, this is also where you can acquire their War Ash, one of the best in the entire game. This summon will make your life a lot easier, since it creates a clone of your character, complete with scaled damage based on your stats and weapons equipped at the time of summoning.

Nokron Eternal City leads to another secret area called Abyss between the Roots, but it is best not to visit it again if you are not prepared enough. Conversely, you can go back to the northeastern section of Liurnia. There, you can enter the Carian Manor to defeat the Royal Guard Loretta. This will allow you to enter the Three Sisters sub-area to meet Ranni the Witch.

Ranni the Witch’s quest chain will take you to multiple regions and dungeons, including an inverted version of the Sala Studio Cariana, Nokstella Eternal City and the Putrescente Lake. You will also be able to face the challenges of the Abyss between the Roots while you are at it. These locations will allow you to unlock secret endings later on.

Monte Gelmir and Villa Vulcano –

Also, it is possible to head to another region called Mount Gelmir. You can reach it by following the road north of the Altus Plateau, towards the west. Eventually, you will see a battlefield. If you check the cliffs, you will find a ladder with which you can climb them. Follow the path towards Monte Gelmir, and finally you will find a point from which you will see Villa Vulcano.

Villa Vulcano presents many opportunities to invade NPCs via missions. But a tormented spirit will also give you the task of defeating Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy.

Leyndell, Royal Capital –

When you are ready, you can head to Leyndell, the Royal Capital by following the main staircase of the Altus Plateau leading east. Here, formidable enemies and formidable battlefields await you. A good tip, first of all, is to visit the Fortress of the Round Table and talk to the foul Eater (the red NPC in one of the rooms). He will ask you to release his body form in the sewer prison.

Either way, your main goal is to get to the castle and ultimately eliminate Morgott, the Omen King. Beating it might make you think you’ve come to the end of the game, but that’s not the case – the way to the Mother Tree is still blocked.

Peaks of the Giants and the Sacred Tree of Miquella –

At this point, Melina will ask you to go through the east exit of the capital. Keep moving forward until you are at Forbidden Lands and the Great Rold Hoist. Here, you can use a medallion to get to the Giant Peaks.

There is also another secret area you can head to. If you have managed to get the two halves of the Secret Sacred Tree Pendant, you can use this key item to reach the Sacred Field. Completing the flames puzzle a Order Liturgical City, you can advance further into the Holy Tree to fight with Malenia, Blade of Miquella. Now, if you have gone ahead and explored the Giant Peaks, you will eventually take down the Fire Giant. Beyond, you should see a large cauldron where you will have to make an important decision regarding Melina’s fate.

Shattered Farum Azula and Leyndell Cinerea Capital –

After you make your decision, you will wake up to Shattered Farum Azula, a smaller area with a giant tornado wreaking havoc in the center. Here, you will eliminate the Sacrederm Duo, as well as the Draconic Lord Placidusax (another secret boss).

Once you have taken care of Maliketh, the Black Blade, you will return to Leyndell. Now, however, it is known as the Ashen Capital. In moments, you’ll have to fight Godfrey, the First Ancestral Lord. After that, you will fight the final boss of Elden Ring.

One last thing: when you have defeated the final boss, you will find yourself on a stone platform with a place of grace and a statue of Marika. Make sure you have a backup save while you are there. This is where you can choose between the different endings that you have unlocked. After you’ve seen the credits, you can simply reload this save to watch other cutscenes or unlock any remaining achievements without replaying the game or fighting the final boss.

Written by Jason Rodriguez for GLHF