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working elden ring endings guide reddit

Introduction to Elden Ring Endings and the Reddit Community

Navigating the vast and intricate world of FromSoftware's masterpiece can be an overwhelming experience, especially when you are aiming for a specific conclusion to your journey. If you have ever searched for a working elden ring endings guide reddit, you already know that the community on Reddit is one of the most dedicated and resourceful places for finding up-to-date, community-tested information.

Elden Ring features multiple distinct conclusions, ranging from the standard ruling of the Lands Between to catastrophic events that plunge the entire world into chaos or eternal sleep. Because the game's questlines are notoriously cryptic, players often find themselves locked out of certain paths if they progress too far into the main story without realizing it.

This comprehensive guide pulls together the collective wisdom of the Reddit community, breaking down every major achievement-tied conclusion, the precise steps required to unlock them, and crucial warnings to ensure you do not ruin your playthrough hours before the final boss. Whether you are playing on a fresh character or preparing for New Game Plus, understanding how these questlines intertwine is essential for 100% completion.

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Understanding Elden Ring's Ending Mechanics

Before diving into the specific questlines, it is vital to understand how the game handles your final choice. Unlike some role-playing games where you must lock into a path early on, Elden Ring generally allows you to complete multiple prerequisites simultaneously.

According to numerous heavily upvoted threads in the working elden ring endings guide reddit discussions, the most important mechanic to understand is the save backup method. On PC, PlayStation, and Xbox, players often back up their save files to the cloud or a USB drive right before interacting with the final summoning sign or statue. This allows them to witness multiple conclusions in a single playthrough without having to replay the entire fifty-hour campaign multiple times.

There are broadly three categories of conclusions in the game:


  • The Standard/Mending Arcane Endings (which use different Mending Runes on the Marika's shattered body).

  • The Age of the Stars (Ranni's secret questline path).

  • The Lord of Frenzied Flame (The chaotic flame path that locks out all other options unless cleansed).


Let us break down each path meticulously so you can achieve the specific outcome you desire.

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The Standard and Mending Rune Endings

These paths all stem from the base structure of the Elden Ring, but your specific item inventory determines the exact flavor of the new era. Reddit threads frequently emphasize checking your inventory for these runes, as missing a single NPC dialogue can permanently stall your progress.

Age of Fracture (The Standard Ending)

This is the default path if you do not use any special items upon defeating the final boss. You simply touch the fractured statue of Queen Marika. While it requires no special questline completion, many players consider it the most anti-climactic. It is often the fallback option if you accidentally fail every side quest in the game.

Age of the Duskborn (Fia's Questline)

If you want an ending that brings the "Living in Death" phenomenon into the formal order of the world, you need to follow Fia, the Deathbed Companion's questline.


  1. Let Fia hold you at the Roundtable Hold to receive the Dexterity-boosting Baldachin's Blessing.

  2. Eventually, Fia leaves her bed and moves to the deep roots of the world.

  3. You must progress through Nokron, Eternal City, and deep into the Deeproot Depths.

  4. Defeat Fia's champions and give her the Curse-Mark of Death (obtained from the top of the Divine Tower of Liurnia after progressing Ranni's quest).

  5. Reload the area, interact with Fia's dream to defeat Lichdragon Fortissax, and obtain the Mending Rune of the Death-Prince.

Upon defeating the final boss, select this rune to unlock the Duskborn achievement.

Age of Order (Goldmask and Corhyn's Questline)

For those who want to fix the systemic flaws of the Golden Order by removing the fickleness of the gods, the Goldmask ending is the premier choice. Reddit users often praise this quest for its philosophical depth, though it requires precise placement and high intelligence.


  1. Meet Brother Corhyn at the Roundtable Hold, then find him in Altus Plateau.

  2. Find Goldmask on the broken bridge in Altus Plateau and report back to Corhyn.

  3. Meet them both near the Colosseum in Leyndell, Royal Capital.

  4. Cast the incantation Law of Regression (requires 37 Intelligence) in front of the giant statue of Radagon while standing on the message that reads "Regression alone reveals secrets."

  5. Talk to Goldmask again, then find him at the Mountaintops of the Giants near the eastern bridge.

  6. Finally, locate him in Ashen Capital Leyndell after burning the Erdtree to loot the Mending Rune of Perfect Order.


Blessing of Despair (The Dung Eater's Questline)

Often referred to as the "evil" or cursed path, this ending plunges the world into a nightmare where everyone is cursed with the seed-bed curse for eternity.


  1. Find the Dung Eater in the Roundtable Hold (appears as a phantom until you reach Altus Plateau).

  2. Give him a Seedbed Curse to receive the Sewer-Gaol Key.

  3. Free his physical body in the Subterranean Shunning-Grounds beneath Leyndell.

  4. Invade him when prompted in the outer moat area, then return to the Hold.

  5. Feed him a total of five Seedbed Curses to acquire the Mending Rune of the Fell Curse.


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The Secret Paths: Age of the Stars and Frenzied Flame

These two options completely alter the game's final cinematic and bypass the standard Mending Rune system entirely.

Age of the Stars (Ranni the Witch's Questline)

Widely regarded by the Reddit community as the "true" or most satisfying narrative path in Elden Ring, Ranni's questline is massive, taking you through hidden underground cities, cosmic horrors, and culminating in a unique blue-tinted cinematic.


  1. Meet Ranni at Ranni's Rise in Caria Manor, Liurnia of the Lakes.

  2. Join her service and travel to Siofra River to speak with Blaidd.

  3. Defeat Starscourge Radahn to open the path to Nokron, Eternal City, where you retrieve the Fingerslayer Blade.

  4. Give the blade to Ranni to receive the Carian Inverted Statue, allowing you to access the Divine Tower of Liurnia and the Curse-Mark of Death.

  5. Travel to Ainsel River Main, pick up the miniature Ranni doll, and talk to it at a site of grace.

  6. Defeat the Baleful Shadow in Lake of Rot, take the Dark Moon Ring from the chest in Rennala's boss room, and head down the deep abyss beneath the Grand Cloister.

  7. Navigate the Moonlight Altar, enter the Cathedral of Manus Celes, and place the ring on Ranni's finger.

At the very end of the game, summon Ranni using the blue summoning sign on the floor instead of interacting with Marika's statue.

Lord of Frenzied Flame (The Chaos Path)

If you want to watch the world burn and reject the Greater Will entirely, seek the Three Fingers deep beneath the capital.


  1. Navigate the treacherous jumping puzzle in the Subterranean Shunning-Grounds beneath Leyndell, Royal Capital.

  2. Strip off all your armor and interact with the sealed door to meet the Three Fingers, which brands your character with the Frenzied Flame.

  3. Crucial Warning: This locks you into the Frenzied Flame ending and temporarily breaks Melina's questline, causing her to abandon you.

  4. If you want to undo this and return to a normal path, you must complete Millicent's questline, defeat Malenia, use Miquella's Needle inside Dragonlord Placidusax's arena in Crumbling Farum Azula, and then choose a different ending.


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Pro Tips from Reddit for Managing Your Playthrough

When browsing any reputable working elden ring endings guide reddit thread, veteran players consistently share a few golden rules that save hours of frustration:


  • Do Not Kill NPCs Prematurely: Accidentally hitting an NPC can ruin a massive questline. Always use Church of Vows to absolve your sins if you aggro someone important.

  • Save Backups Are a Lifesaver: On PC, save files are located in `C:\Users\\AppData\Roaming\EldenRing`. Copying this folder allows you to experiment with all endings without starting a New Game Plus.

  • Pay Attention to Missable Triggers: Burning the Erdtree changes the state of Leyndell drastically, making certain items (like the Bolt of Gransax or specific Seedbed Curses) permanently unobtainable if you forget to grab them beforehand.


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Conclusion

Mastering the complex narratives of Elden Ring requires patience, exploration, and a keen eye for detail. By leveraging the collective knowledge encapsulated in every working elden ring endings guide reddit discussion, you can orchestrate your playthrough to experience whichever fate you desire for the Lands Between. Whether you choose the chilling embrace of the dark moon with Ranni, the absolute order of Goldmask, or the fiery destruction of the Frenzied Flame, your journey through the Lands Between will be an unforgettable epic.

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FAQ

Q: Can I get multiple endings in a single Elden Ring playthrough?

A:

Yes, you can achieve multiple achievements in a single playthrough by backing up your save file immediately before interacting with the final game-ending trigger. Once you trigger one ending and unlock the achievement, you can restore your save file from your cloud or local backup to experience a different path.

Q: Does the Frenzied Flame ending permanently lock me out of everything else?

A:

It locks you out of other endings unless you cleanse yourself. To do this, you must complete Millicent's questline, defeat Malenia to get Miquella's Needle, and use the needle in Dragonlord Placidusax's boss arena in Crumbling Farum Azula prior to facing the final boss.

Q: Which ending is considered the canonical or best one by the Reddit community?

A:

While there is no official canonical ending stated by FromSoftware, the "Age of the Stars" (Ranni's questline) is overwhelmingly favored by the Reddit community due to its extensive depth, unique areas, and emotionally resonant conclusion.

Q: Why did Melina leave me after I visited the Three Fingers?

A:

Melina abandons you because taking the Frenzied Flame means you intend to burn the world and everything in it, which directly opposes her purpose. She warns you not to seek the Three Fingers, and if you disobey, she leaves permanently and refuses to help you.

Q: How do I know which Mending Runes I currently have in my inventory?

A:

You can check your inventory under the "Tools" or "Key Items" tab. Any rune you have successfully collected—such as the Mending Rune of the Death-Prince, Perfect Order, or the Fell Curse—will be displayed there before you reach the final cinematic choice.

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