How many Elden Ring bosses are required to beat the game?

William Davis Published 31/03/2022

There are many boss fights in Elden Ring, but players can beat FromSoftware’s newest game in as few as 11.

Elden Ring is all about boss fights. The open world of the Lands Between is fun to explore, but sprawling dungeons and treacherous quests almost always end with a bombastic battle against a larger-than-life enemy. While certainly fun, it’s also possible to beat the game in under a dozen major fights. Here’s how to beat Elden Ring with the fewest possible boss fights and how many there are in total.

Contrary to popular belief, Elden Ring players don’t need to beat many Shardbearer bosses to reach the end of the game. Only a small handful of Elden Ring bosses are required to reach the end of the story. Out of Godrick, Rennala, Radahn, and Rykard, players can beat any two to access the Altus Plateau and start the final leg of the game. Morgot is necessary since he guards the entrance to the Erdtree and the Mountaintop of the Giants.

So if the goal is to defeat as few Elden Ring bosses as required without using any glitches, progression could look something like this.

Use the Iron Virgin in Liurnia Crystal Cave to teleport to Volcano Manor
Defeat Rykard using the special boss fight weapon
Travel to Redmane Castle and defeat Starscourge Radahn
Access the Altus Plateau with two Great Runes
Travel to Leyndell, avoiding all optional boss fights
Beat the shade of Godfrey, First Elden Lord
Defeat Morgot, the Omen King for three total Great Runes
Travel to the Mountaintops of the Giants and defeat the Fire Giant
Teleport to Crumbling Farum Azula and defeat Godskin Duo
Take out Maliketh the Black Blade and return to Leyndell
Start the final boss rush to end the game, which includes:
- Sir Gideon Ofnir, the All-Knowing
- Godfrey, First Elden Lord and Hoarah Loux
- Radagon of the Golden Order
- Elden Beast

Using the above method, Elden Ring players can beat the game with only 11 boss encounters. This path is very difficult and is not recommended for first-time players. Experienced Tarnished who want a challenge can give this minimalistic run a go. Newer players looking to casually speedrun can swap out the Volcano Manor teleport for Godrick the Grafted or Rennala of the Full Moon, though both require another boss fight along the way.

How many bosses are in Elden Ring?

Elden Ring has a ton of 109 unique boss enemies. With repeat flights included, the total number of Elden Ring boss encounters is somewhere around 150.

That number includes repeating overworld and dungeon bosses including the Deathrite Birds, Black Knife Assassins, and Ulcerated Tree Spirits. There are multiple boss fights where two or more regular enemies team up against the players, such as the Abductor Virgins, Crystallians, and Grafted Scions. The sheer scope of the Lands Between and varying definitions makes it difficult to estimate exactly how many bosses are in Elden Ring.

The vast majority of Elden Ring bosses are not required but offer interesting loot and a massive amount of souls. Optional content makes up the bulk of the Elden Ring experience. With that said, the idea of seeking out every single boss encounter is extremely daunting.

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