There is no single mandatory boss order in Elden Ring. The Guidance of Grace points toward important destinations, but the game expects you to explore, leave a fight that feels premature, improve your character, and return later. The route below is a practical recommended order for a first playthrough: it keeps the main story readable while identifying optional encounters and detours. It is not a rulebook, and defeating every named boss is neither required nor possible in one fixed sequence for every build or ending.
Use the list as a pacing aid. If a boss is overwhelming, take the nearest unexplored road, cave, tunnel, legacy dungeon or map fragment, then come back when your weapon upgrades, flask allocation and familiarity have improved.
Spoiler warning: The sections below name major bosses, regions, legacy dungeons and story checkpoints. Stop here if you want to discover the route without seeing those names.
Is there an official Elden Ring boss order?
No. Guidance of Grace indicates important locations and often points toward a legacy dungeon or a major encounter, but it does not impose a complete sequence for every boss. Bandai Namco’s overview presents exploration, retreat and returning to a difficult fight as valid ways to play. Any detailed list you see—including this one—is an editorial recommendation designed to make navigation and pacing easier, not a hidden requirement.
The distinction matters because the open world lets you reach regions early, bypass encounters, complete side areas first and pursue different quest outcomes. Some bosses in the route below are placed on the normal path toward the game’s central ending sequence; others are included because they provide useful rewards, context or a sensible difficulty step. A character can finish the game without defeating every boss, and different endings or quest choices can change which optional fights are relevant.
How should you use Guidance of Grace when choosing the next boss?
Follow the golden trails as a suggestion, then use your own difficulty read to decide whether to continue. Grace is most useful for direction, not for telling you that your character is ready.
- Check the direction. At a Site of Grace, rotate the map and look at the gold rays. They generally indicate a significant destination or the broad route toward a legacy dungeon.
- Test the approach. Walk toward the objective and fight ordinary enemies. If they die at a reasonable pace and their attacks are readable, continue scouting. If every encounter consumes most of your flasks or kills you in a few hits, treat that as a detour signal.
- Search nearby systems. Mark caves, catacombs, tunnels, evergaols, churches and map-pillars. These areas provide runes, smithing materials, spells, summons and flask improvements without forcing a main-boss attempt.
- Return deliberately. Rest, spend your runes, upgrade a weapon and adjust your talismans or damage type before trying the boss again. A retreat is progression, not failure.
Grace can point toward a difficult encounter even when the surrounding region contains several easier activities. Treat the route as a compass: your build, equipment and curiosity determine the pace.
What is a sensible recommended order for the base game?
The table is a first-playthrough route, not a universal checklist. “Main-path checkpoint” means the fight is placed here because it naturally advances the recommended story route; it does not mean every player must defeat it at exactly this point. “Optional” means you can postpone it without breaking the route.
| Suggested stage | Recommended encounters | How to treat them | Why they fit here |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Limgrave and the Weeping Peninsula | Margit, the Fell Omen; Godrick the Grafted | Margit is an early route check; Godrick is the first major legacy-dungeon conclusion in this plan. | Stormveil Castle provides a clear introduction to legacy-dungeon navigation, shortcuts and a major shardbearer-style encounter. |
| 2. Liurnia of the Lakes | Red Wolf of Radagon; Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon | Recommended main-route sequence, with broad freedom to explore Liurnia first. | The region offers access to learning, equipment and side content before its academy finale. |
| 3. Southern and eastern detours | Starscourge Radahn; regional field and underground bosses | Radahn is a major optional-to-route choice in this guide; side bosses can be postponed. | Caelid and its underground connections open substantial story, quest and exploration branches, but their difficulty varies sharply. |
| 4. Altus Plateau and Volcano Manor | Draconic Tree Sentinel; Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy | The Tree Sentinel is the recommended approach to the capital. Rykard remains optional for a standard completion. | Altus marks the transition to the capital route, while Volcano Manor is a separate faction and legacy-dungeon branch. |
| 5. Leyndell, Royal Capital | Morgott, the Omen King | Main-path checkpoint in this recommended route. | The capital’s conclusion establishes the next major region and changes access to later areas. |
| 6. Mountaintops of the Giants | Fire Giant | Main-path checkpoint for the route toward the late game. | This region is a substantial difficulty and damage-survival step; explore its side areas before committing to the finale of the zone. |
| 7. Crumbling Farum Azula | Godskin Duo; Maliketh, the Black Blade | Late-game main-path checkpoints in this plan. | The area concentrates several late-game encounters and leads to the capital’s final state. |
| 8. Leyndell, Ashen Capital | Sir Gideon Ofnir, the All-Knowing; Godfrey, First Elden Lord (Hoarah Loux); Radagon of the Golden Order and the Elden Beast | Final sequence of the recommended base-game route. | These fights form the closing run of the main story. Prepare consumables and equipment before entering the final stretch. |
This ordering intentionally leaves room for side quests and optional regions. You can reach several listed areas in a different order, and a build that excels against a particular damage type may find an alternate route easier. Do not read the table as proof that every encounter is an absolute gate for every ending.
Stage 1: When should you tackle Limgrave and Stormveil?
Begin by mapping Limgrave and the Weeping Peninsula rather than riding straight to the castle. Limgrave’s caves, churches and small forts teach the game’s basic combat rhythms and supply early flask, weapon and spell improvements. The Weeping Peninsula is a useful low-pressure detour if the first legacy dungeon feels severe.
Margit is a practical first route check because the fight tests delayed attacks, jumping, guard discipline and summon timing. If you cannot make consistent progress, leave Stormhill, upgrade elsewhere and return. Once inside Stormveil Castle, explore side rooms and vertical paths before rushing to Godrick. Godrick closes this first major chapter in the recommended route, but the game does not require you to clear every Limgrave boss before moving on.
Stage 2: What should you do first in Liurnia?
Liurnia is broad enough that the academy need not be your first destination. Collect map information, visit accessible churches and caves, and follow quest leads that interest you. The suggested dungeon sequence places the Red Wolf of Radagon before Rennala because it acts as a direct academy progression step. Rennala’s encounter also introduces a distinctive respec-related reward, which can be valuable when you decide that your early build no longer suits your weapons.
Do not confuse the presence of Guidance of Grace with a demand to cross the entire lake immediately. The region rewards careful shoreline travel and checking elevated paths; many useful items and encounters sit away from the obvious golden direction.
Stage 3: Where does Radahn fit?
Place Starscourge Radahn after you have made progress in Liurnia and explored enough of Limgrave and Caelid to understand your build. In this guide he is a major route option, not a claim that every character must defeat him before visiting every later region. His encounter connects several quest and underground branches, so players who enjoy story exploration may choose him earlier or much later.
Caelid’s visual jump in danger is intentional. If ordinary enemies are inflicting extreme damage, leave the red regions for later and spend time in Liurnia, the peninsula or underground areas you have not completed. A route that postpones Radahn is still a valid route.
Stage 4: How do Altus Plateau and Volcano Manor fit together?
Once you can handle the approach to Altus Plateau, the recommended path uses the Draconic Tree Sentinel as the capital’s entrance check. Explore the plateau before committing to the capital: the region contains separate quest and dungeon branches and does not need to be emptied first.
Volcano Manor is a parallel legacy-dungeon and faction route. Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy, is an optional target for a normal main-story completion, although his area and associated quests can be important to players pursuing their own role-playing or quest goals. Entering the manor does not force you to abandon the capital route; treat both as separate branches and return to whichever objective you prefer.
Stage 5: When is Leyndell ready?
Leyndell is the point at which the game expects you to understand exploration, status effects, vertical routes and enemy spacing. Follow the capital’s main streets and side passages at your own pace, then use Morgott as the route’s conclusion for this region. If you are dying before reaching the arena, revisit Altus, upgrade your weapon and check whether your vigor and defensive talismans match the damage you are taking.
After this checkpoint, the game’s geography and story tone shift. Spend your runes before moving into the next region and make sure you have a reliable answer for enemies that resist your primary damage type.
Stage 6: Why is the Mountaintops section a turning point?
The Mountaintops of the Giants raises enemy damage and stretches the distance between safe encounters. Fire Giant is the recommended late-game checkpoint here. It is wise to complete nearby exploration, improve your flask and carry a ranged or mounted option if your build supports one, but do not assume that every side boss in the mountains must fall first.
This is also a good moment to finish time-sensitive quests you care about. The game’s world state changes as you advance through the late route, so consult your own quest notes rather than postponing every optional objective indefinitely.
Stage 7: What is the late-game order in Crumbling Farum Azula?
In the recommended sequence, Godskin Duo comes before Maliketh, the Black Blade. The area is deliberately maze-like: open shortcuts, activate Sites of Grace and use vertical routes instead of treating every visible enemy as a required fight. If the duo is overwhelming, explore remaining earlier regions or reassess your damage and summon choices; repeatedly entering the arena without changing your approach is rarely productive.
Maliketh is the late-game checkpoint that leads to the final capital sequence. Spend runes and organize your equipment before the encounter because the remaining route is more concentrated than the open-world chapters.
Stage 8: How should you prepare for the final sequence?
The Ashen Capital route places Sir Gideon Ofnir, the All-Knowing, before Godfrey, First Elden Lord (Hoarah Loux), followed by Radagon of the Golden Order and the Elden Beast. These fights are presented as the closing sequence of this guide, so reserve consumables, review your damage options and ensure your equipment load and flask distribution support a series of demanding encounters.
The final pair is a single completion hurdle in practical terms: plan for both fights rather than spending every resource on the first one. If you want to pursue side quests or optional bosses, finish them before committing to the ending sequence.
Which Elden Ring bosses are optional?
Many memorable encounters are optional in the sense that they are not needed for the recommended ending route. Optional does not mean unimportant: these fights can award weapons, spells, talismans, remembrance items, quest progress or access to entire subregions.
- Limgrave and the peninsula: Tree Sentinel, Flying Dragon Agheel, Crucible Knight encounters, Deathbird encounters and evergaol bosses.
- Liurnia: field dragons, the Ancient Hero of Zamor, evergaol encounters, dungeon bosses and the Moonlight Altar branch reached through quest progression.
- Caelid and underground regions: Decaying Ekzykes, Commander O’Neil, the Ancestor Spirit encounters, Regal Ancestor Spirit and many cave or catacomb bosses.
- Altus and Mt. Gelmir: Fallingstar Beast, Elemer of the Briar, the Godskin Apostle in Windmill Village and additional manor or dungeon encounters.
- Late regions: Lichdragon Fortissax, Mohg, Lord of Blood, Malenia, Blade of Miquella, Placidusax and other quest- or area-specific bosses.
The list is illustrative rather than a completionist checklist. If you want every remembrance, quest reward and hidden area, use the map and your quest log to build a personal checklist; no single canonical boss order is imposed by the game.
Should you follow a story-focused or completionist route?
Choose a story-focused route when you want a readable first ending with fewer detours. Choose a completionist route when exploration, quest rewards and optional remembrances matter more than finishing quickly.
| Route style | Optional-boss coverage | Spoiler exposure | Time and detours | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Story-focused | Low to moderate; prioritizes the recommended checkpoints. | Lower, because fewer quest branches and hidden regions are revealed early. | Shorter and easier to plan, though you may backtrack for upgrades. | First-time players who want the central narrative and a manageable map. |
| Completionist | High; adds field bosses, quest areas, underground zones and late optional fights. | Higher, because names, locations and quest outcomes reveal more of the world. | Much longer, with deliberate backtracking and route changes. | Players collecting rewards, studying lore or pursuing multiple endings. |
The game supports both styles because exploration and retreat are built into its structure. You can begin story-focused, then switch to completionist play before the final sequence; you do not have to choose permanently at the opening area.
How do I decide what to do when the next boss feels too hard?
Use the following decision tree instead of assuming that a wall means you chose the wrong class or missed a mandatory item.
- Are you losing to one move or to everything? One problematic move suggests learning the telegraph, changing range or equipping a relevant defense. Universal damage suggests that the region is ahead of your current upgrades.
- Can you improve your weapon now? Check smithing materials, your blacksmith access and whether a different weapon’s moveset suits the fight. A weapon upgrade often matters more than a small increase to an offensive attribute.
- Have you spent your runes? Recovering a large rune pile is not a progression strategy. Level up, buy materials or improve your flask before making another serious attempt.
- Would a different damage plan help? Try a compatible ash of war, consumable, shield, ranged spell or summon. Do not abandon a build solely because one boss resists its favorite damage type.
- Is the approach costing more than the arena? Open a shortcut, activate a closer Site of Grace or ride past nonessential enemies. Repeating a long run can hide the real lesson of the boss fight.
- Still stuck? Leave. Mark the arena on your map, explore another region and return after normal play has improved your equipment and confidence.
What should you prepare before moving into a new region?
- Map information: Find the local map fragment so roads, elevation and unexplored branches are visible.
- Weapon plan: Keep at least one upgraded primary option and test whether a backup weapon covers a resistance problem.
- Flask setup: Revisit Golden Seeds and Sacred Tears you have passed, then set a flask split that matches your build.
- Defense: Adjust armor and talismans for the damage you are actually taking, while staying within a roll tier you can use comfortably.
- Runes: Spend enough that a death will not erase a level or a needed purchase.
- Quest notes: Record NPC requests and locations before major late-game transitions if you care about their outcomes.
These checks are not a level chart. The available evidence does not establish an official recommended level for each boss, and fan-made level ranges are best treated as rough community guidance rather than requirements.
Does Shadow of the Erdtree have its own boss order?
Yes, the expansion should be treated as a separate progression track rather than appended to the base-game table. Shadow of the Erdtree requires the base game and adds its own bosses and other content. Enter the expansion only after confirming that your base-game edition and platform meet its requirements.
There is no single official sequence established here for the expansion’s bosses, and the precise access conditions are not stated in the available official material. Do not assume that a fan guide’s access-boss list or recommended level is a universal requirement. Once inside, use the expansion’s map, explore side paths and apply the same Grace rule: a difficult encounter is a reason to investigate another branch, not proof that you have broken the intended order.
Keep a separate DLC checklist if you want full coverage. Mixing base-game and expansion names into one chronological list makes it harder to see which rewards, quests and map routes belong to which product.
Is a physical strategy guide useful for boss preparation?
A physical reference can be useful if you prefer maps and indexed explanations to a constantly open browser. Future Press’ Elden Ring Books of Knowledge Volume I is described as a 512-page hardcover with more than 100 detailed area maps, gameplay explanations and streamlined paths toward multiple endings. It is a reference companion, not a guarantee of a current or comprehensive Shadow of the Erdtree boss-order guide, and its availability or edition details can change.
Use a book for mechanics, map orientation and preparation ideas, then verify expansion-specific information against current official material. A guide should support your route decisions, not replace the game’s flexibility.
What is the practical answer to “which order should I kill bosses in?”
Start in Limgrave, work through Stormveil and Liurnia, use Caelid and Altus as flexible branches, then follow the capital, Mountaintops, Farum Azula and Ashen Capital sequence when your character is ready. Treat Radahn, Rykard and the many regional encounters as choices rather than compulsory errands, and leave any boss that is clearly outpacing your equipment.
The best order is the one that preserves your ability to explore. Follow Grace for direction, use the recommended route for pacing, and change course whenever your build, quest goals or curiosity point somewhere else.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I skip Margit and go somewhere else first?
Yes. The open world lets you leave the Stormhill approach and explore other parts of Limgrave, the Weeping Peninsula and accessible side areas before returning. Skipping an early route check changes your pacing, not the validity of your playthrough.
Do I need every Great Rune to finish Elden Ring?
No single list of optional bosses or Great Rune holders is required for every ending route. The number and identity of progression checkpoints can vary with the route you choose, so treat this guide’s sequence as a practical path rather than a universal completion condition.
When should I fight Malenia?
Malenia is an optional late-game encounter and is best saved for a dedicated completionist or challenge-focused session. Enter with a build and equipment plan suited to her rapid healing and aggressive attacks rather than inserting her into the main route as a required checkpoint.
Can I start Shadow of the Erdtree before finishing the base game?
The expansion requires the base game, but completion of every base-game boss is not the same thing as meeting the expansion’s access conditions. Check the current official requirements for your edition and platform, then keep the expansion’s route separate from your base-game checklist.