You've spent a hundred hours dying to Malenia, getting sniped by lobsters in Liurnia, and wondering why every NPC speaks in riddles. Now you're at the finish line. You want the crown. But the thing about how to get Elden Lord ending is that it isn't just one path; it’s basically the "default" state of the game that branches into four distinct flavors depending on whose side quests you bothered to finish.
If you just run through the bosses and touch the fractured statue at the end, you’re an Elden Lord. Congrats. But you’re the boring kind.
The Lands Between are messy. From the moment you step out into Limgrave and get called "maidenless" by White Mask Varré, the game is nudging you toward the throne. To actually sit on it, you have to burn the world tree, kill a god, and make a choice that defines the next age of existence. It sounds heavy because it is. Most players stumble into the basic version because they missed a single conversation in a swamp somewhere. We aren't going to let that happen to you.
The Bare Minimum: The Age of Fracture
Let's talk about the "standard" version. This is the Age of Fracture. To get this, you don't actually have to do anything special. No secret covenants. No marrying blue witches. You just play the game.
Kill two Shardbearers (Godrick and Rennala are the easiest, usually). Get to Leyndell. Beat Morgott. Realize the thorns are blocking the way. Head to the Mountaintops of the Giants, kill the Fire Giant, and let Melina (or yourself) burn the Erdtree. After Crumbling Farum Azula and a final boss gauntlet back in the ashen capital, you’ll find the remains of Radagon/Elden Beast.
Choose "Mend the Elden Ring."
That’s it. You sit on the throne, the screen fades, and you’ve technically won. It’s a bit lonely, honestly. You're a Lord of a crumbling, grey world. If you want more flavor, you have to look into the Mending Runes. These are the "sub-endings" that still count as the Elden Lord achievement but change the world's fundamental laws.
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The Age of Order: Goldmask’s Big Idea
Ever see that guy T-posing on a bridge in Altus Plateau? That’s Goldmask. He’s a weirdo, but he holds the key to the "Perfect" Order ending. This is for the players who think the gods—the Outer Will and Marika—are the problem because they’re too human and fickle.
Goldmask’s quest is annoying. You have to track him and Brother Corhyn across the map. The big sticking point for most people is the "Regression" puzzle. You need 37 Intelligence to cast the Law of Regression incantation in front of a specific statue in Leyndell. If you're a strength build, you’ll be chugging Larval Tears to respec just for this one moment.
Once you solve the riddle, Goldmask realizes that the gods are just as flawed as men. He creates the Mending Rune of Perfect Order. Using this at the end of the game supposedly fixes the world by removing the "fickleness of the cosmos." It's the "logical" ending, though some fans think it turns everyone into mindless drones of the Greater Will.
The Age of Duskborn: Making Death Natural Again
Fia is the "Deathbed Companion." She’s the one who hugs you in Roundtable Hold. Most people ignore her after getting the health debuff (Baldachin's Blessing—use it to get rid of it!). But her quest is one of the most lore-heavy paths in the game.
You’re basically helping her bring "Living in Death" back into the natural order. You’ll need to find the Cursemark of Death from the Divine Tower of Liurnia (which requires doing part of Ranni’s quest, ironically) and give it to her in the Deeproot Depths.
You’ll fight Lichdragon Fortissax inside a dream. It’s easily one of the coolest boss fights in the game.
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When you win, she gives you the Mending Rune of the Death-Prince. If you use this, the Lands Between become a place where life and death are intertwined. It’s gloomy. It’s gothic. It’s very "Dark Souls." If you like the idea of a world shrouded in fog where the undead aren't monsters but just a part of life, this is your move.
The Blessing of Despair: The Ending Nobody Wants
Then there’s the Loathsome Dung Eater. The game tells you he’s bad news from the start. His quest involves finding Seedbed Curses scattered across the world and "feeding" them to his physical body in the sewers of Leyndell.
It is a miserable quest for a miserable ending.
By using his Mending Rune, you curse the world. Literally. Everyone born from that point on will be cursed, and their souls won't return to the Erdtree. It’s objectively the "evil" version of how to get Elden Lord ending, but it’s there for the completionists who want to see the world burn in the most disgusting way possible.
The Technical Hurdles: What Stops Most Players?
The biggest roadblock isn't the bosses. It's the "Points of No Return."
Once you kill Maliketh in Crumbling Farum Azula, Leyndell turns to ash. If you haven't finished the steps for Goldmask or Fia by then, you might be locked out. Specifically, Goldmask’s quest requires you to talk to him in the city before it gets trashed.
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Also, watch out for the Frenzied Flame.
If you go down into the Subterranean Shunning-Grounds and get hugged by the Three Fingers, you are "locked" into the Lord of Frenzied Flame ending. This overrides all Elden Lord options. You won't even see the choice to mend the ring. The only way out is to use Miquella’s Needle in the heart of the storm at Dragonlord Placidusax’s arena. It’s a massive headache. Don't touch the three-fingered door unless you want to watch the world melt into yellow fire.
Why the Elden Lord Ending Matters
In the grand scheme of FromSoftware lore, the Elden Lord ending represents the preservation of the status quo—with adjustments. Unlike the Age of Stars (Ranni) or the Frenzied Flame, you aren't destroying the current system. You are becoming the CEO of a very broken company and trying to pivot the business model.
Real talk: Most people prefer Ranni’s ending because she’s a fan favorite and the cutscene is prettier. But there is something deeply satisfying about the Elden Lord variants. They feel like you’ve actually engaged with the politics of the Lands Between. You’ve listened to the scholars, the priests, and even the literal trash-eaters, and you’ve decided how the world should function.
Actionable Next Steps for Your Playthrough
If you're currently standing at the Forge of the Giants and haven't decided yet, here is your checklist:
- Check your inventory for Mending Runes. If you only have the option to "Mend the Elden Ring," you haven't finished the side quests for the variants.
- Visit the Deeproot Depths. If you haven't fought the Lichdragon, you're missing out on the Duskborn ending and a great trophy.
- Look for the Goldmask. If Leyndell isn't ash yet, go to the bridge near the Windmill Village to see if he’s still there.
- Backup your save. If you're on PC or have PS Plus, you can upload your save right after beating the final boss. This lets you see all the different Elden Lord variations in one go without playing the whole game again.
The path to the throne is open. Just make sure you know what kind of Lord you want to be before you touch that statue. Whether you're bringing perfect logic, eternal death, or just a standard reset, the throne is yours for the taking.