You’re wandering through the Stormhill ridges, minding your own business, when you hear a muffled, boisterous voice shouting for help from a hole in the dirt. It’s absurd. It’s a giant living jar with arms and legs stuck like a cork in a wine bottle. This is your introduction to Iron Fist Alexander, arguably the most beloved NPC in FromSoftware's massive 2022 hit. The Alexander quests in Elden Ring aren't just a series of "go here, kill that" objectives; they represent a tragic, glorious character arc that spans almost the entire map, from the starting zones of Limgrave to the crumbling ruins of the endgame.
Getting the Alexander quests in Elden Ring right is tricky because he moves around a lot. If you miss a step, you might think you’ve broken the questline. You haven't, usually. FromSoftware designed him to be a bit more forgiving than, say, Millicent or Sellen, but the emotional payoff only hits if you follow him through every trial. He isn't just comic relief. He’s a warrior seeking "chivalry," but in the brutal world of the Lands Between, that path usually leads to a messy end.
Smacking the Jar: The Beginning of the Alexander Quests in Elden Ring
The first time you meet him, he’s just "Warrior Jar Alexander." He’s stuck in the ground near Saintsbridge in Northern Limgrave. You have to hit him from behind with a heavy attack. It feels wrong, honestly. You’re basically whaling on a sentient piece of pottery with a club or a Greatsword. But he loves it. He pops out with a literal "Huzzah!" and rewards you with some Exalted Flesh.
Most players think this step is mandatory. Technically? It’s not. If you skip Limgrave and head straight to Caelid, Alexander will still show up at the Gael Tunnel. That’s the beauty of his design. He’s a traveler. He has his own agency. He’s heading to the Radahn Festival, and he’s going to get there whether you help him out of that hole or not. But you should help him. It sets the tone for a friendship that feels genuinely earned by the time you reach the final encounter.
In Gael Tunnel, you find him behind a locked door. He’s peering through the bars, looking for a way into Caelid. Once you open the shortcut, he thanks you and mentions the festival. This is where the lore starts to get heavy. Alexander doesn't just want to be strong; he wants to contain the remains of great warriors. Inside that ceramic body are the "innards" of fallen heroes. It’s macabre, sure, but he views it as a sacred duty. He’s a walking mausoleum with a heart of gold.
The Festival of Redmane Castle
The Radahn Festival is where the Alexander quests in Elden Ring take a massive turn. This isn't just a boss fight; it's a narrative event. You see him standing in the courtyard with Blaidd the Half-Wolf and other champions. Talk to him here. He’s nervous but excited. When the fight with Starscourge Radahn begins, you can summon him. Watch him. He charges in with zero hesitation, spinning his massive arms like a whirlwind.
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But then the fight ends.
If you look for him on the battlefield after Radahn falls, you’ll find him in a much darker state. He’s literally scooping up the remains of the dead—including Radahn’s "scraps"—and stuffing them into his jar. He’s cracked. He’s leaking. He feels like a failure because a single blow from the Demi-god nearly shattered him. This is the first time we see the cracks in his bravado. He realizes that to become a "Great Jar," he needs to temper himself in fire.
From Caelid to the Fires of Mt. Gelmir
After the desert of Caelid, you’ll likely find him stuck again. This time it’s in Liurnia, south of the Carian Study Hall. He’s in a hole. Again. But this time, hitting him won't work. He’s too dry; he’ll break. You need Oil Pots. You have to craft them using a recipe found in the Nomadic Warrior's Cookbook [17], which you buy from the merchant in Siofra River. You douse him in oil, give him a good smack, and he slides right out.
He heads to Mt. Gelmir next.
This is a specific spot. You’ll find him standing in the lava behind the Magma Wyrm boss near Seethwater Terminus. Why? Because he’s trying to bake himself. He thinks if he stands in the magma, his ceramic body will harden and stop cracking. It’s a desperate move. He gives you the Jar helm here, which is basically a smaller version of his own head. It’s a ridiculous piece of armor, but the damage buff to "pot" items is actually quite good for certain builds.
Many people lose track of him here. The path to the Magma Wyrm isn't exactly on the main road. You have to loop around the Volcano Manor outskirts. It’s easy to miss, but it’s crucial because it triggers his appearance at the Mountaintops of the Giants.
The Fire Giant and the Final Walk
If you’ve followed the Alexander quests in Elden Ring up to this point, you get the ultimate reward: a summon sign for the Fire Giant. This is one of the hardest boss fights in the game for newcomers. Having a giant, spinning, lava-tempered jar to distract the giant is a godsend. Alexander tanks hits like a champion. He doesn't care about the frostbite or the massive shield slams. He’s there to prove he’s a warrior.
Once the Fire Giant is dead and you’ve committed the "Cardinal Sin" at the Forge of the Giants, the world changes. You head to Crumbling Farum Azula. This is the end of the line.
You’ll find Alexander standing on a floating platform near the Dragon Temple Lift. He’s just standing there, looking out at the storm. He’s reached his peak. He’s full of the greatest warriors the Lands Between ever produced. And he knows there is only one thing left to do. He challenges you to a duel.
It’s not out of malice. It’s out of respect. He knows you are the strongest thing he’s ever met, and for a warrior jar to truly be "complete," he has to fight the best.
The Duel and the Shard of Alexander
The fight is short. Alexander is strong, but he’s still just a jar. When you defeat him, he shatters. His final words are some of the most moving in the game. He’s proud. He died a warrior’s death.
You get two main items from his remains:
- Alexander's Innards: A key item you need if you want to finish the quest for Jar-Bairn in Jarburg.
- Shard of Alexander: This is the Holy Grail of Talismans. It increases the attack power of Skills by a massive 15%.
The Shard of Alexander is why almost every "Meta" build includes this quest. Whether you’re using Rivers of Blood, the Blasphemous Blade, or Moonveil, that 15% boost to your Ash of War is indispensable. It’s the difference between a boss having a sliver of health left and a boss being dead.
Common Misconceptions and Pitfalls
A lot of players think if they don't find him in Limgrave, they can't get the Shard of Alexander. Not true. You can actually ignore him until the Radahn Festival. However, if you kill him early—say, for fun when he’s stuck in the hole—you only get the Warrior Jar Shard. That version only gives a 10% boost. You’re effectively locking yourself out of the best version of the talisman for that entire playthrough. Don't kill the jar early. It’s not worth it.
Another weird glitch? Sometimes he won't show up in Farum Azula if you haven't talked to him in the lava at Mt. Gelmir. If you’re at the Dragon Temple and he’s nowhere to be found, warp back to the Magma Wyrm site. He’s probably still just sitting in the fire, waiting for a chat.
Actionable Steps for Your Playthrough
If you're currently running through the Lands Between, here is exactly how to ensure you don't mess this up.
First, go to the Siofra River merchant. Buy the cookbook. You need those Oil Pots for the Liurnia step. Even if you haven't reached Liurnia yet, just have the pots ready in your inventory. It saves a headache later.
Second, don't forget to visit Jarburg. It’s a hidden village in Liurnia, located just below the Carian Study Hall. You have to carefully platform down some tombstones jutting out of the cliff. There, you’ll meet Jar-Bairn. Completing Alexander’s quest allows you to give his innards to the little guy, which finishes the "cycle" of the warrior jars and gives you the Companion Jar talisman.
Third, use the Shard of Alexander immediately. Don't let it sit in your inventory. If your weapon has a special move (L2/LT), this talisman makes it hit significantly harder. It’s a direct upgrade to your character's power ceiling.
Finally, remember that Alexander's story is a mirror of the player's journey. You’re both trying to become something greater by consuming the strength of others. He just happens to be a bit more literal about it. When you land that final blow in Farum Azula, take a second. He was a good friend. He helped you with Radahn. He helped you with the Fire Giant. He died happy. That's more than most characters in Elden Ring can say.