Introduction to Elden Ring Endings and How to See Them All
Navigating the sprawling, desolate, and unforgiving landscape of FromSoftware's masterpiece can be an overwhelming endeavor. For players searching for a free elden ring endings guide working, understanding how to unlock the various conclusions of the Lands Between is essential. With multiple paths leading to vastly different outcomes, Elden Ring offers incredible replayability. However, because a single playthrough can easily take over one hundred hours, knowing how to manipulate your game saves or follow specific questlines is crucial for completionists and casual players alike.
The game features six distinct main endings, ranging from plunging the world into eternal darkness and despair to restoring the Golden Order or ushering in the Age of the Stars. Whether you are aiming for the standard Elden Lord path or chasing the secret achievements tied to specific Demigods, this comprehensive walkthrough will guide you through the requirements for each conclusion.
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Understanding the Elden Ring Save Scumming Method
Before diving into the specific questlines, it is vital to address how players can experience every ending in a single playthrough without spending hundreds of hours starting fresh characters. This technique, commonly known as save scumming, is entirely free and works across PC, PlayStation, and Xbox platforms.
The core concept revolves around making a manual backup of your save file before interacting with the final game statue or making the irrevocable choice at the end of the game. Once you trigger and achieve one ending, you can simply restore your backup save file, fulfill the requirements for another path, and view that cinematic as well.
How to Back Up Your Save on PC
For PC players using Steam, accessing and backing up your local game files is remarkably straightforward. Follow these steps carefully to ensure you do not corrupt your data.
- Press the Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog box.
- Type `%appdata%` and press Enter. This will open the AppData Roaming folder.
- Locate and open the folder named Elden Ring.
- Inside, you will see a folder containing a string of numbers, which is your Steam ID save folder. Copy this entire folder and paste it onto your desktop or a dedicated backup folder.
- After achieving an ending, close the game, replace the folder in the AppData directory with your backup, and launch the game again.
How to Back Up Your Save on PlayStation and Xbox
Console players have slightly different methods depending on whether they use cloud storage or physical USB drives.
- On PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5, navigate to Settings, then Saved Data and Game/App Settings.
- Select Saved Data (PS5) or Console Storage (PS4), choose Elden Ring, and upload your save data to the PlayStation Plus Cloud. Make sure to turn off auto-sync for Elden Ring so the console does not automatically overwrite your backup.
- On Xbox consoles, the system automatically backs up saves to the cloud, making manual save-scumming more complex, though turning off the console while connected to the offline mode can sometimes allow save manipulation.
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The Standard Path: Age of Fracture
The Age of Fracture is considered the default or standard ending of Elden Ring. If you simply defeat the final bosses without completing any intricate optional side quests involving the major NPCs, this is the path the game will force upon you.
To achieve this ending, you must defeat Maliketh, Gideon Ofnir, and finally Godfrey, First Elden Lord / Hoarah Loux. Once the final boss is beaten, interact with the fractured Marika statue in the Erdtree sanctuary. Because no Mending Mending Rune has been acquired or used, your character simply mends the Elden Ring in its current, broken state, becoming the Elden Lord of a fractured world.
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The Complex Paths: Mending Rune Endings
There are three distinct endings that require you to acquire specific Mending Runes through convoluted and deeply engaging NPC questlines. These endings still result in you becoming the Elden Lord, but the state of the world changes dramatically depending on the rune you choose to use alongside Marika's body.
Age of the Duskborn (Fia's Ending)
If you want to introduce Death into the Order of the world, you must follow the questline of Fia, the Deathbed Companion. Found early on at the Roundtable Hold, Fia eventually relocates to the Deeproot Depths.
To complete her quest, you must acquire the Cursemark of Death by visiting the top of the Divine Tower of Liurnia (which requires defeating Starscourge Radahn and progressing Ranni's questline). Give the Cursemark to Fia, defeat Lichdragon Fortissax in her dream, and she will reward you with the Mending Rune of the Death-Prince. Upon defeating the final boss, select the option to use this rune to unlock the Age of the Duskborn.
Age of Order (Goldmask's Ending)
For players who believe the Golden Order is flawed due to the inconstancy of the gods and desire a more rigid, perfect doctrine, the questline of Brother Corhyn and Goldmask is mandatory.
You will encounter Corhyn at the Roundtable Hold before he sets out in search of the legendary scholar Goldmask. You must locate Goldmask in Altus Plateau and later in Leyndell, Royal Capital. Using the incantations Law of Regression in front of a specific statue while having high intelligence reveals Marika's true identity. Complete their dialogue prompts, find them near the Mountaintops of the Giants, and eventually secure the Mending Rune of Perfect Order in Ashen Leyndell.
Blessing of Despair (Dung Eater's Ending)
The darkest and most gruesome of the Mending Rune endings is tied to the Dung Eater, an incarcerated and depraved individual found in the Roundtable Hold.
To initiate his quest, you must find a Seedbed Curse in Leyndell and show it to him. He will give you the Sewer-Jail Key, allowing you to release his physical body in the Subterranean Shunning-Grounds. You must collect multiple Seedbed Curses across the world and feed them to him. Eventually, he will reward you with the Mending Rune of the Fell Curse, dooming every future generation in the Lands Between to be born in defilement.
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The Secret and Alternative Endings
Beyond the various flavors of Elden Lord, Elden Ring features two massive, game-altering conclusions that completely bypass the standard throne room scenario.
Age of the Stars (Ranni's Ending)
Widely regarded by the community as the true "good" or canon-adjacent ending, the Age of the Stars is tied to Witch Ranni. This massive, sprawling questline takes you from Caria Manor through the underground cities of Siofra and Nokron, and ultimately to a secret plateau above Liurnia.
By completing Ranni's intricate tasks—which include slaying Astel, Naturalborn of the Void, and obtaining the Dark Moon Ring—you earn her eternal loyalty. At the very end of the game, instead of touching Marika's statue, you must summon Ranni using a blue summon sign on the floor. This triggers a breathtaking cinematic where you banish the Golden Order and embark on a thousand-year voyage into the night sky alongside your lunar queen.
Lord of Frenzied Flame (The Flame of Frenzy)
If you prefer utter destruction, chaos, and melting away all distinctions and divisions between living things, the Lord of Frenzied Flame ending is for you. This path is initiated by descending deep beneath the capital into the Subterranean Shunning-Grounds and meeting the Three Fingers.
Accepting the embrace of the Three Fingers brands your character with the Frenzied Flame, locking you into this ending unless you complete a punishing cleansing questline involving Miquella's Needle in Crumbling Farum Azula. Choosing this path alters the final cutscene entirely, wrapping your character in flames as Melina vows to hunt you down to deliver destined death.
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Tips for Maximizing Your Playthrough Experience
To ensure you get the absolute most out of your exploration and narrative choices, keep these professional tips in mind:
- Explore Thoroughly: Many side quests lock out if you progress too far in the main story, particularly by burning the Erdtree at the Giants' Forge. Always exhaust NPC dialogue.
- Utilize Online Resources: Interactive maps can help you track down obscure items like Seedbed Curses or celestial dew if you accidentally aggro an NPC.
- Mind the Missables: Certain items, such as the Magic Scorpion Charm or specific armor sets, vanish if you advance quests in the wrong order. Plan your milestones carefully.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I get all Elden Ring endings in a single playthrough?
A: Yes, you can achieve every single ending in one playthrough by utilizing the save backup (save scumming) method detailed in this guide. By copying your save file to a secure location before interacting with the final game trigger, you can reload your progress and select different paths repeatedly.
Q: Which Elden Ring ending is considered the best?
A: There is no official "best" ending, but the Age of the Stars (Ranni's ending) is widely considered by the community to be the most satisfying and expansive. It features a unique cinematic, extensive lore development, and completely changes the ruling power structure of the Lands Between.
Q: Do I need to defeat hidden bosses to unlock all endings?
A: Yes. Achieving alternative endings like the Age of the Duskborn, Age of the Stars, and the Lord of Frenzied Flame requires defeating major optional bosses such as Lichdragon Fortissax, Astel Naturalborn of the Void, and navigating complex secret areas.
Q: Can I lock myself out of certain endings?
A: Absolutely. Interacting with the Three Fingers to lock in the Lord of Frenzied Flame ending will override all other choices unless you use Miquella's Needle at Dragonlord Placidusax's arena in Crumbling Farum Azula to cure yourself.
Q: What happens if I finish the game without doing any side quests?
A: If you defeat the final bosses without progressing any major NPC questlines, you will automatically be locked into the default Age of Fracture ending, which is the standard baseline conclusion of the game.
Q: Is save scumming allowed or will it get me banned?
A: Save scumming on local files or cloud backups is a common single-player practice and will not result in a ban from FromSoftware, as Elden Ring is primarily a single-player game with optional multiplayer components.
Q: How do I start Ranni's questline?
A: You can begin Ranni's questline by visiting Ranni's Rise at Caria Manor in Liurnia of the Lakes after defeating Royal Knight Loretta. You must also have met her previously at the Church of Elleh or Roundtable Hold.
