Introduction to Elden Ring Endings in 2025
Even years after its initial launch, FromSoftware's masterpiece continues to captivate gamers worldwide. With the massive success of the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion, the community's focus has returned to the base game's lore, secrets, and ultimate conclusions. If you are looking for a working Elden Ring endings guide 2025, you have come to the right place. Navigating the intricate questlines required to unlock every single achievement can be overwhelming, but this comprehensive breakdown will ensure you do not miss a single step.
Achieving all the different conclusions in the Lands Between requires careful planning, specific item collections, and strict adherence to NPC questlines. Whether you are aiming for the standard paths or the hidden secret Elden Ring achievements, understanding how the save-scumming method works or how to achieve them legitimately across multiple playthroughs is essential for completionists. Let us dive deep into the requirements for every single path available to the Tarnished.
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Understanding the Elden Ring Ending System
Before diving into the specific paths, it helps to understand how the game handles its ultimate choices. Once you defeat the final boss, you are presented with a choice of interaction with the fractured Marika statue. Depending on the key items in your inventory and the quests you have completed, you will have multiple options to choose from.
Crucially, Elden Ring allows players to achieve multiple outcomes in a single playthrough through cloud saves or local save file backups, often referred to as save-scumming. However, if you prefer a natural journey, you will need to complete multiple NG+ cycles. It is also important to note that locking yourself into certain frenzied paths can prevent you from accessing other options unless you take specific counter-measures, such as utilizing Miquella's Needle.
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The Standard Paths: Age of Fracture
The most straightforward path in the game does not require any complex sub-quests. If you simply defeat the final bosses without completing any major NPC loyalty paths, you will be directed toward the default conclusion.
Age of Fracture Requirements
To unlock the Age of Fracture, you simply need to repair the Elden Ring using the standard Mending Rune. This is considered the baseline scenario of the game.- Defeat Maliketh in Crumbling Farum Azula.
- Defeat Godfrey, First Elden Lord / Hoarah Loux in the Leyndell, Ashen Capital.
- Defeat the final bosses of the game.
- Interact with Queen Marika and select the prompt to "Repair the Elden Ring."
The Mending Rune Endings
There are three distinct variations of the mending rune paths that alter the fundamental laws of the Lands Between. Each requires you to complete a specific, deeply engaging side questline to acquire a unique item.
Age of the Duskborn (Fia's Questline)
This path introduces the Prince of Death and brings an era of the Living in Death. To achieve this, you must assist Fia, the Deathbed Companion.- Meet Fia at the Roundtable Hold and accept her hug regularly.
- Receive the Weathered Dagger and give it to D, Hunter of the Dead.
- Progress Fia’s quest by finding her in the Deeproot Depths.
- Defeat Lichdragon Fortissax to obtain the Mending Rune of the Death-Prince.
- Use this rune at the final choice to trigger the Duskborn conclusion.
Age of Order (Goldmask and Corhyn Questline)
If you believe the Golden Order is flawed due to the fickleness of the gods, this path corrects those divine errors.- Meet Brother Corhyn and Goldmask at the Altus Plateau.
- Solve the Radagon statue puzzle using the Law of Regression incantation in Leyndell, Royal Capital.
- Find them at the Mountaintops of the Giants, and finally beneath the Ashen Capital.
- Acquire the Mending Rune of Perfect Order from Goldmask's body after defeating the final bosses.
Blessing of Despair (Dung Eater Questline)
For those who want to curse every single descendant in the Lands Between, the Dung Eater provides a truly dark path.- Find the Dung Eater in the Roundtable Hold projection and get the Sewer-Gaol Key.
- Release him from his cell in the Subterranean Shunning-Grounds.
- Collect Seedbed Curses across various late-game areas like Leyndell and Elphael.
- Feed him five Seedbed Curses to receive the Mending Rune of the Fell Curse.
The Secret and Exalted Paths
Beyond the mending runes lie two massive, game-altering narrative conclusions that feature entirely distinct cutscenes and massive lore implications.
Age of the Stars (Ranni's Questline)
Widely considered the true "good" or secret path by the community, Ranni's questline takes you across almost every region of the map, culminating in a battle against Astel and the Dark Moon.- Meet Ranni at Ranni's Rise in Liurnia of the Lakes.
- Travel to Nokron, Eternal City, to retrieve the Fingerslayer Blade.
- Give the blade to Ranni to receive the Carian Inverted Statue.
- Navigate the Divine Tower of Liurnia to get the Cursemark of Death.
- Travel through the Ainsel River Main, defeat the Baleful Shadow, and use the Dark Moon Ring in the Grand Library chest.
- Summon Ranni at the very end of the game after defeating the final boss by interacting with her blue summon sign on the floor.
Lord of Frenzied Flame (The Three Fingers)
If you wish to burn it all away and watch the world melt, you must surrender to the Frenzied Flame deep beneath the capital.- Locate the Subterranean Shunning-Grounds beneath Leyndell.
- Navigate the notorious platforming puzzle down to the Frenzied Flame Proscription site of grace.
- Strip off all your armor and weapons, then open the massive sealed door to be branded by the Three Fingers.
- This locks you into this specific path, preventing you from choosing any other unless you use Miquella's Needle inside Dragonlord Placidusax's arena using Malenia's unalloyed gold.
Tips for Managing Multiple Playthroughs in 2025
Managing your saves correctly can save you dozens of hours of grinding if you want all achievements on a single character. Here are the best practices for modern players:
- Manual Backups: On PC, regularly back up your save file located in the AppData folder. On consoles, use cloud storage sync management to upload your save right before the final boss room.
- Quest Intersections: Be careful not to progress Ranni's quest too far if you are aiming for certain achievements, though Ranni's path is generally compatible with most other base game requirements up until the final choice.
- Checklist Tracking: Use an interactive map or a physical checklist to ensure you do not accidentally kill key NPCs like Corhyn, Dung Eater, or Fia prematurely.
By following this updated, working guide for 2025, you will effortlessly unlock every secret achievement and experience every single narrative layer that FromSoftware has crafted into this timeless masterpiece.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I get all Elden Ring achievements in a single playthrough?
A: Yes, you can platinum or achieve 100% completion on a single character by utilizing the save-backup (save-scumming) method right before interacting with the final choice after defeating the final boss. However, you must ensure you have completed the prerequisite questlines for Ranni, Fia, Goldmask, and Dung Eater beforehand.
Q: How do I remove the Frenzied Flame if I accidentally inherited it?
A: To rid yourself of the Frenzied Flame and unlock other pathways, you must complete Millicent's questline to acquire Miquella's Needle. Then, you must defeat the secret boss Dragonlord Placidusax in Crumbling Farum Azula and use the needle within his arena.
Q: Does the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC add any new endings to the base game?
A: No, the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion does not add a new ending to the base game. It features its own self-contained narrative arc and conclusion regarding Miquella and Radahn, but the core base game endings remain unchanged.
Q: Which ending is considered the canonical one by the developers?
A: FromSoftware has never officially named a single canonical ending for Elden Ring, leaving the interpretation entirely up to the player. However, the Age of the Stars (Ranni's questline) is widely regarded by the community as the most fleshed-out and satisfying alternative path.
Q: Can I still complete NPC questlines after burning the Erdtree?
A: Burning the Erdtree and transitioning Leyndell into the Ashen Capital will permanently lock out certain NPC questlines and items, such as Brother Corhyn and Goldmask's progression or certain items in the capital. It is always recommended to finish all side quests before defeating Maliketh.
Q: Do I need to start a New Game Plus to unlock the Age of Fracture?
A: No, the Age of Fracture is the default path. If you have not triggered any mending rune or secret ending prompts, interacting with Marika's statue will automatically lead to this conclusion.
Q: What is the easiest mending rune ending to achieve?
A: The Age of the Duskborn (Fia's ending) or the Age of Order (Goldmask's ending) are both relatively straightforward, though Fia's questline offers more engaging boss fights and rewards along the way.
