Introduction to the Expanded Lands Between: Understanding the New Elden Ring Endings
The release of the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion breathed new life into FromSoftware’s magnum opus, leaving millions of Tarnished rushing back to the Lands Between. With massive additions to lore, hidden bosses, and cryptic questlines, players naturally began to wonder about the new elden ring endings guide 2024. While the base game already featured six distinct conclusions to your epic journey, the community has relentlessly searched the base game and expansion files to uncover whether Miquella’s realm introduces brand-new cinematic resolutions to the overarching story.
Navigating the complex web of FromSoftware quests is no easy feat. Missing a single dialogue prompt or prematurely killing an NPC can lock you out of crucial achievements. In this comprehensive new elden ring endings guide 2024, we will break down everything you need to know about achieving the various conclusions, how the expansion alters your perspective on the lore, and the precise steps required to unlock every single path available to your Tarnished character.
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Base Game Endings Recap vs. Expansion Realities
Before diving into the specifics of modern theories and updates, it is crucial to establish what constitutes an ending in Elden Ring. Historically, the game provides players with a choice at the very end of the journey, dictated largely by which Mending Runes you have collected or which specialized questlines you have completed.
Here is a quick recap of the standard classifications:
- Standard Path: The Age of Fracture (Default ending)
- Erdtree-Adjacent Paths: The Age of Order and Age of Duskborn
- Subversive Paths: Blessing of Despair (Dung Eater) and Lord of Frenzied Flame
- Alternative Lore Paths: Age of the Stars (Ranni the Witch)
Many players entering the game fresh off the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion search for a special "Miquella Ending." However, the developers designed the expansion to deeply enrich the existing lore rather than append a brand-new 7th or 8th achievement-based ending sequence to the base game's final boss arena. Instead, defeating the final boss of the expansion yields unique remembrances, powerful gear, and a poignant cinematic that recontextualizes the entire narrative of Queen Marika and her empyrean child.
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How to Prepare Your Save File for Different Endings
If you are aiming to experience multiple conclusions without playing through the entire 100+ hour campaign multiple times, you need to understand the save-scumming technique or plan multiple playthroughs effectively. The new elden ring endings guide 2024 strongly recommends creating a master backup save right before interacting with the final site of grace in the Erdtree.
To set up your game for maximum flexibility, follow these essential preparation steps:
- Complete all major NPC questlines (Ranni, Fia, Goldmask, and Dung Eater) before triggering the point of no return in Crumbling Farum Azula or burning the Erdtree.
- Secure all necessary Mending Runes in your inventory.
- Explore the DLC area thoroughly to unlock secret dialogue options with characters like Leda, Ansbach, and Thiollier, as these enrich the emotional weight of your final decisions.
- Back up your local save files manually to cloud storage or a USB drive if you are playing on PC or PlayStation, allowing you to reload and witness different final cutscenes.
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Step-by-Step Breakdown of the Major Endings
Understanding the requirements for each path ensures you never miss out on your desired cinematic. Let's explore the primary routes you can take in your playthrough.
The Age of Fracture and Standard Paths
The Age of Fracture is the baseline ending. If you simply defeat the final boss of the base game without having any Mending Runes in your possession and without summoning Ranni, you will repair the Elden Ring in its fractured state. Marika remains the vessel, and the Golden Order limps forward into an uncertain future. It is straightforward, but it lacks the transformative societal changes brought by alternative paths.The Age of the Stars (Ranni's Ending)
Widely regarded as the most popular and expansive alternative ending, Ranni's questline takes you from the Three Sisters in Liurnia all the way to the depths of the Nokron and the Lake of Rot. To achieve this, you must swear fealty to the Carian Princess, retrieve the Fingerslayer Blade, navigate the Astel encounter, and use the Miniature Ranni doll at sites of grace. Upon defeating the final boss, summon Ranni using the blue summoning sign on the floor instead of interacting with Marika. This initiates the Age of the Stars, plunging the Lands Between into a thousand-year voyage of the night, free from the direct meddling of the Greater Will.Lord of Frenzied Flame
If you prefer utter chaos and wish to burn it all away, the Lord of Frenzied Flame ending is your destination. Deep beneath the Royal Capital of Leyndell lies the Subterranean Shunning-Grounds. Navigating the brutal jumping puzzle leads you to the Three Fingers, who grant you the flame of chaos. Embracing this path locks you out of all other endings unless you complete Millicent’s grueling questline, acquire the Miquella's Needle item, and use it inside Dragonlord Placidusax’s arena in Crumbling Farum Azula.---
The Role of Shadow of the Erdtree in the Narrative
A major point of discussion in any new elden ring endings guide 2024 revolves around how the DLC impacts the protagonist's mindset. While finishing the expansion does not alter the actual prompt you receive when repairing the Elden Ring, it sheds profound light on Miquella the Kind.
Throughout the DLC, players learn about Miquella’s ultimate sacrifice: casting away his physical body, his love, his fate, and his very eye in order to ascend to godhood alongside Radahn as his promised consort. Confronting Miquella at the pinnacle of Enir-Ilim provides closure to one of gaming's greatest unsolved mysteries. When you emerge victorious, you carry the weight of this tragic tale back into the base game, making choices like Ranni’s Age of the Stars or the standard Age of Fracture carry a completely different emotional resonance.
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Tips for Choosing the Best Ending for Your Character
Choosing which path to follow depends largely on your roleplay preferences and the thematic build of your character. Here are some final expert tips to help you decide:
- Choose Age of the Stars if you are running an intelligence/dexterity build focused on Carian sorceries and want a lore-heavy, mystical conclusion.
- Choose Lord of Frenzied Flame if you are playing an aggressive pyromancer or mad-doctor build and embrace the dark, apocalyptic aesthetic.
- Choose Age of Order if you prefer a holy, knightly aesthetic where you fix the fundamental flaws of the Golden Order using Goldmask’s Mending Rune.
- Stick to your chosen path, back up your saves wisely, and enjoy every hidden corner of FromSoftware's masterclass in world design.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Does the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC add a brand-new ending to Elden Ring?
A:No, the expansion does not add a new achievement-based ending cutscene to the very end of the base game when repairing the Elden Ring. Instead, it offers a massive, self-contained narrative conclusion with its own unique final boss fight, remembrances, and cinematic lore reveals that recontextualize the entire story.
Q: Can I lock myself out of Ranni's ending if I progress too far in the game?
A:Yes, certain actions can disrupt Ranni's questline, though FromSoftware has made it much more forgiving in recent patches. Attacking Ranni at her rise or progressing too far with Seluvis without following proper steps can temporarily stall your progress. Always exhaust NPC dialogue to stay safe.
Q: How do I remove the Frenzied Flame if I accidentally touched the Three Fingers?
A:To rid yourself of the Frenzied Flame and unlock the ability to choose other endings, you must complete Millicent's lengthy questline in Caelid and the Altus Plateau, defeat Malenia, acquire Miquella's Needle, and use it within the boss arena of Dragonlord Placidusax in Crumbling Farum Azula.
Q: What is the most popular ending according to the community?
A:The Age of the Stars, triggered by completing Ranni the Witch's questline, is widely considered the most popular and satisfying ending by the Elden Ring community due to its extensive quest requirements, unique area unlocks, and hopeful thematic resolution.
Q: Do I need to beat the DLC final boss to finish the base game?
A:No, the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion is entirely optional. You can complete the base game and achieve any of its standard endings without ever entering the Realm of Shadow, though playing the DLC is highly recommended for lore completionists.
