All Elden Ring bosses and main boss order

Fight!

Guide by Matthew Reynolds Contributor

Updated on 20 Jun 2022

In a game as big as this, Elden Ring bosses are plenty. However, you'd probably be surprised that you only need to encounter a fraction in order to complete Elden

Not that you should stick to the critical path, as many are also key to certain side quests and are subject to Achievements and Trophies, for completionists the list is much longer.

And, for the curious, we've put together a list of the hardest Elden Ring bosses - which though subjective, can give you an idea of the more difficult challenges you'll be against.

Be warned there are spoilers on this page, so continue at your own risk!

On this page:

Elden Ring main bosses list in order
What are other key bosses in Elden Ring?
How many bosses are there in Elden Ring?
What are the hardest bosses in Elden Ring?

Elden Ring main bosses list in order

There are certain bosses you must beat in order to reach any Elden Ring ending.

There is a degree of flexibility to this at the start of the game, but once you reach the capital city of Leyndell, from there the mandatory bosses to the end of the game are set.

In summary, the main bosses in order are:

One Great Rune carrier
A second Great Rune carrier (out of the four that follows *):

Margit The Fell Omen then Godrick the Grafted (Stormveil Castle)
Red Wolf of Radagon then Renalla, Queen of the Full Moon (Raya Lucaria Academy)
Godskin Noble then Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy (Mt Gelmir)
Starscourge Radahn (Redmane Castle, Caelid)

Draconic Tree Sentinel (Capital Outskirts) **
Godfrey, First Elden Lord (Leyndell)
Morgott, The Omen King (Leyndell)
Fire Giant (Mountaintops of the Giants)
Godskin Duo (Crumbling Farum Azula)
Maliketh, the Black Blade (Crumbling Farum Azula)
Sir Gideon Ofnir, The All-Knowing (Leyndell)
Godfrey, First Elden Lord / Hoarah Loux, Warrior (two phase fight, Leyndell)
Radagon of the Golden Order (Leyndell)
Elden Beast (immediately follows Radagon)

* In order to access Leyndell, you need two Great Runes. The easiest two Runes are from defeating Godrick the Grafted (which also requires beating Margit in Castle Stormveil) and Renna, Queen of the Full Moon (which also requires beating Red Wolf of Radagon in Raya Lucaria Academy), though the others from Radahn and Rkyard are there if you prefer.

The challenging Starscourge Radahn is thankfully optional - but is a route to the end of the game if you like.

** To get into Leyndell, Draconic Tree Sentinel is the most 'straightforward' path - but there are seemingly other ways in, such as by progressing the Fia quest, but these are longer winded routes with their own challenges and set of bosses to overcome.

Either way, from Morgott onwards, the bosses you need to defeat in order to get to any Elden Ring ending is fixed.

Fun fact: The order of these bosses are so important to the flow of the game that the open world map was designed around them.

What are other key bosses in Elden Ring?

Don't let the list above fool you - there are many more bosses out there you'll likely encounter, whether out in the open world, in dungeons or assigned to side-quests that lead to various different endings.

A good guide to the most significant bosses beyond the critical path, perhaps, is looking at which bosses have a Trophy or Achievement assigned to them, giving us a sense of importance from the developers, and acts almost as a checklist of others worth getting to - even if it takes several playthroughs.

The bosses with Achievement or Trophy rewards are:

Ancestor Spirit (Hallowhorn Grounds)
Astel, Naturalborn of the Void (Grand Cloister, Lake of Rot)
Commander Niall (Castle Sol, Mountaintops of the Giants)
Dragonkin Soldier of Nokstella (Ainsel River)
Dragonlord Placidusax (Crumbling Farum Azula)
Elemer of the Briar (The Shaded Castle, Atlus Plateau)
Fire Giant (Mountaintops of the Giants)
Godfrey the First Lord (Leyndell, Royal Capital)
Godskin Duo (Crumbling Farum Azula)
Godskin Noble (Volcano Manor)
Hoarah Loux the Warrior (Leyndell, Ashen Capital)
Leonine Misbegotten (Castle Morne)
Lichdragon Fortissax (Deeproot Depths)
Loretta, Knight of the Haligtree (Miquella's Haligtree)
Magma Wyrm Makar (Ruin-Strewn Precipice, Liurnia)
Maliketh the Black Blade (Crumbling Farum Azula)
Margit, the Fell Omen (Castle Stormveil)
Mimic Tear (Nokron, Eternal City)
Mohg, the Omen (Subterranean Shunning-Grounds)
Red Wolf of Radagon (Raya Lucaria Academy)
Regal Ancestor Spirit (Nokron, Eternal City)
Renalla, Queen of the Full Moon (Raya Lucaria Academy)
Royal Knight Loretta (Caria Manor, Liurnia)
Shardbearer Godrick (Castle Stormveil)
Shardbearer Malenia (Elphael, Brace of the Haligtree)
Shardbearer Mohg (Mohgwyn Palace, Siofra River)
Shardbearer Morgott (Leyndell, Royal Capital)
Shardbearer Radahn (Redmane Castle, Caelid)
Shardbearer Rykard (Mt. Gelmir)
Valiant Gargoyle (Siofra Aqueduct, Nokron)

How many bosses are there in Elden Ring?

Working out how many bosses are in Elden Ring isn't straightforward for a number of reasons.

If we are counting any enemy with a boss bar - whether through a fog gate or discovered when roaming the world which you can flee - our best estimate is there are 157 boss encounters in Elden Ring. This includes repeats - for example, the Crystalians appear multiple times with different weapons, while a Erdtree Avatar encounter can be located around most Minor Erdtrees.

With this in mind, we believe 103 are 'unique' bosses - but even then, some of those are variants of another - such as the Tree Sentinel and Draconic Tree Sentinel, or Margit and Morgott - while some bosses can appear in late game areas later as regular enemies.

Check-out our full list of Elden Ring bosses:

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Grafted Scion (Chapel Of Anticipation)
Soldier Of Godrick (Tutorial Boss)
Beastman of Farum Azula (Groveside Cave)
Stonedigger Troll
Grave Warden Duelist (Murkwater Catacombs)
Patches (Murkwater Cave)
Guardian Golem (Highroad Cave)
Black Knife Assassin (Deathtouched Catacombs)
Mad Pumpkin Head (Waypoint Ruins)
Night's Cavalry (Highway Bridge)
Tree Sentinel (Church Of Elleh Road)
Flying Dragon Agheel (Agheel Lake)
Tibia Mariner (Summonwater Village)
Bloodhound Knight Darriwil (Forlorn Hound Evergaol)
Crucible Knight (Stormhill Evergaol)
Bell Bearing Hunter (Warmaster's Shack)
Deathbird (Warmaster's Shack East)
Ulcerated Tree Spirit (Fringefolk Hero's Grave)
Ulcerated Tree Spirit (Stormveil Castle)
Crucible Knight (Stormveil Castle)
Grafted Scion (Stormveil Castle)
Margit, The Fell Omen (Stormveil Castle)
Godrick The Grafted (Stormveil Castle)
Night's Cavalry (Castle Morne Rampart)
Erdtree Burial Watchdog (Stormfoot Catacombs)
Two Grafted Scions (Fringefolk Hero's Grave)

Weeping Peninsula

Deathbird (Castle Morne Outskirts)
Demi-Human Chiefs (Coastal Cave)
Bloody Finger Nerijus (Agheel River)
Recusant Henricus (Colosseum Road)
Anastasia, Tarnished-Eater (Smoldering Church)
Erdtree Burial Watchdog (Impaler's Catacombs)
Runebear (Earthbore Cave)
Cemetery Shade (Tombsward Catacombs)
Erdtree Avatar (Minor Erdtree)
Scaly Misbegotten (Morne Tunnel)
Miranda The Blighted Bloom (Tombsward Cave)
Ancient Hero Of Zamor (Weeping Evergaol)
Leonine Misbegotten (Castle Morne)

Liurnia of the Lakes

Cleanrot Knight
Adan, Thief Of Fire
Tibia Mariner
Deathbird
Bloodhound Knight
Glintstone Dragon Smarag
Death Rite Bird
Bell Bearing Hunter
Royal Revenant
Bols, Carian Knight
Spirit-Caller Snail
Omenkiller
Alecto, Black Knife Ringleader
Royal Knight Loretta
Glintstone Dragon Adula
Alabaster Lord
Black Knife Assassin
Cemetery Shade
Crystalians
Two Erdtree Avatars
Night's Cavalry (Gate Town Bridge)
Night's Cavalry (Bellum Highway Forest)
Red Wolf of Radagon

Caelid

Magma Wyrm Makar (Ruin-Strewn Precipice)
Great Horned Tragoth (Ruin-Strewn Precipice)
Ravenmount Assassin (Academy)
Red Wolf Of Radagon (Academy)
Moongrum, Carian Knight (Academy)
Rennala, Queen Of The Full Moon (Academy)
Sorceress Sellen OR Witch-Hunter Jerren (Academy)
Ancient Dragon Lansseax (Altus Plateau)
Misbegotten Warrior & Perfumer Tricia (Unsightly Catacombs)
Godefroy The Grafted (Golden Lineage Evergaol)
Demi-Human Queen Gilika (Lux Ruins)
Tibia Mariner (Wyndham Ruins)
Necromancer Garris & Black Knife Assassin (Sage's Cave)
Erdtree Burial Watchdog (Wyndham Catacombs)
Eleonora, Violet Bloody Finger (Second Church Of Marika)
Stonedigger Troll (Old Altus Tunnel)
Maleigh Marais, Shaded Castle Castellan (The Shaded Castle)
Elemer Of The Briar (The Shaded Castle)
Rileigh The Idle (Bridge Of Iniquity)
Sanguine Noble (Writheblood Ruins)
Magnus The Beast Claw (Writheblood Ruins)
Wormface (Minor Erdtree)
Godskin Apostle (Dominula Windmill Village)
Two Crystalians (Altus Tunnel)
Black Knife Assassin (Sainted Hero's Grave Entrance)
Ancient Hero Of Zamor (Sainted Hero's Grave)
Omenkiller & Miranda The Blighted Bloom (Perfumer's Grotto)
Fallingstar Beast (South Altus Plateau Crater)
Tree Sentinel Duo (Leyndell Entrance)
Magma Wyrm (Gael Tunnel)
Erdtree Avatar (West Minor Erdtree)
Two Ertree Burial Watchdogs (Minor Erdtree Catacombs)
Two Mad Pumpkin Heads (Caelem Ruins Underground)
Three Knights Of The Great Jars (Caelid Colosseum)
Frenzied Duelist (Gaol Cave)
Decaying Ekzykes (Caelid Highway South)
Cemetery Shade (Caelid Catacombs)
Night's Cavalry (Caelid Highway South)
Death Rite Bird (Southern Aeonia Swamp Bank)
Commander O'Neil (Aeonia Swamp)
Millicent (Aeonia Swamp)
Nox Swordstress & Nox Priest (Chair-Crypt Of Sellia)
Fallingstar Beast (Sellia Crystal Tunnel)
Two Cleanrot Knights (Abandoned Cave)
Battlemage Hugues (Sellia Evergaol)
Elder Dragon Greyoll (Outside Fort Faroth)
Three Crystalians (Sellia Hideaway)
Godskin Apostle (Divine Tower of Caelid)
Bell Bearing Hunter (Isolated Merchant's Shack)
Putrid Avatar (East Minor Erdtree)
Two Beastman Of Farum Azulas (Dragonbarrow Cave)
Night's Cavalry (Lenne's Rise Bridge)
Flying Dragon Greyll (Farum Greatbridge)
Black Blade Kindred (Bestial Sanctum)
Gurranq (Bestial Sanctum)
Misbegotten Warrior & Crucible Knight (Redmane Castle)
Starscourge Radahn (Redmane Castle)

Mt. Gelmir

Anastasia, Tarnished-Eater (Corpse-Stench Shack)
Grafted Scion (North Mt. Gelmir)
Demi-Human Queen Margot (Volcano Cave)
Ulcerated Tree Spirit (Minor Erdtree)
Two Kindred Of Rots (Seethewater Cave)
Red Wolf Of The Champion (Gelmir Hero's Grave)
Full-Grown Fallingstar Beast (Ninth Mt. Gelmir Campsite)
Wormface (Road Of Iniquity)
Fire Prelate (Fort Laiedd)
Magma Wyrm (South Of Fort Laiedd)
Demi-Human Queen Maggie (Hermit Village)
Two Abductor Virgins (Volcano Manor)
Inquisitor Ghiza (Volcano Manor Upper Floor)
Magma Wyrm (Volcano Manor)
Godskin Noble (Volcano Manor)
Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy (Volcano Manor)
Tanith's Knight (Volcano Manor)

Leyndell, The Capital

Ulcerated Tree Spirit (Leyndell West)
Twinblade Gargoyle (Leyndell Entrance Steps)
Margit, The Fell Omen (Leyndell West)
Bell Bearing Hunter (Hermit Merchant's Shack)
Deathbird (Leyndell North)
Onyx Lord (Sealed Tunnel)
The Loathsome Dung Eater (Leyndell North)
Draconic Tree Sentinel (Inner Leyndell Entrance)
Grave Warden Duelist (Auriza Side Tomb)
Crucible Knight Ordovis & Crucible Knight (Auriza Hero's Grave)
Erdtree Avatar (Leyndell Main Road)
Ulcerated Tree Spirit (Lower Capital Church)
Gargoyle (West Capital Rampart)
Vargram & Wilhelm (Fortified Manor)
Esgar, Priest Of Blood (Leyndell Catacombs)
Godfrey, First Elden Lord (Erdtree Sanctuary)
Black Knife Assassin (Queen's Bedchamber)
Morgott, The Omen King (The Elden Throne)
Two Fell Twins (Divine Tower Of East Altus Bridge)
Mohg, The Omen (Cathedral Of The Forsaken)

Underground Layer

Dragonkin Soldier Of Nokstella (Nokstella)
Baleful Shadow (Nokstella)
Dragonkin Soldier (Lake Of Rot)
Putrid Tree Spirit (Grand Cloister)
Astel, Naturalborn Of The Void (Beyond Lake Of Rot)
Minor Erdtree (Deeproot Depths)
Crucible Knight Siluria (Deeproot Depths)
Fia's Champions (Deeproot Depths)
Lichdragon Fortissax (Deathbed Dream)
Mimic Tear (Siofra River)
Ancestor Spirit (Siofra River)
Regal Ancestor Spirit (Siofra River)
Dragonkin Soldier (Siofra River)
Valiant Gargoyles (Siofra Aqueduct)
Nameless White Mask (Mohgwyn Palace)
White-Faced Varre (Mohgwyn Palace)
Mohg, Lord Of Blood (Mohgwyn Palace)

Mountaintops Of The Giants

Night's Cavalry (Forbidden Lands)
Black Blade Kindred (Grand Lift Of Rold)
Ancient Hero Of Zamor (Giant-Conquering Hero's Grave)
Ulcerated Tree Spirit (Giants' Mountaintop Catacombs)
Erdtree Avatar (East Minor Erdtree)
Juno Hoslow (Shack Of The Lofty)
Death Rite Bird (North Mountaintops)
Tibia Mariner (North Mountaintops)
Commander Niall (Castle Sol)
Vyke, Knight Of The Roundtable (Lord Contender's Evergaol)
Chief Guardian Arghanthy (Guardians' Garrison)
Borealis The Freezing Fog (Frozen Lake)
Spirit-Caller Snail & Godskin Apostle / Noble (Spiritcaller's Cave)
Bloody Finger Okina (Church Of Repose)
Fire Giant (Forge Of The Giants)
Stray Mimic Tear (Hidden Path to The Haligtree)
Putrid Grave Warden Duelist (Consecrated Snowfield Catacombs)
Two Night's Cavalrys (Snowfields Wagon)
Astel, Stars Of Darkness (Yelough Anix Tunnel)
Sanguine Noble (Consecrated Snowfield)
Anastasia, Tarnished-Eater (Consecrated Snowfield)
Great Wyrm Theodorix (Consecrated Snowfield)
Misbegotten Crusader (Cave Of The Forlorn)
Putrid Avatar (West Minor Erdtree)
Death Rite Bird (Consecrated Snowfield)
Black Knife Assassin (Ordina)
Loretta, Knight Of The Haligtree (Haligtree)
Putrid Avatar (Elphael)
Putrid Tree Spirit (Haligtree)
Millicent's Sisters (Haligtree)
Putrid Avatar (Elphael)
Malenia, Blade Of Miquella (Haligtree)

Crumbling Farum Azula & Leyndell, Capital Of Ash

Mad Tongue Alberich (Roundtable Hold)
Ensha Of The Royal Remains (Roundtable Hold)
Ancient Dragon (Farum Azula)
Wormface (Farum Azula)
Ancient Dragon (Farum Azula)
Ancient Dragon (Farum Azula)
Alexander, Warrior Jar (Farum Azula)
Ancient Dragon (Farum Azula)
Godskin Duo (Dragon Temple Altar)
Recusant Bernahl (Dragon Temple Rooftop)
Ancient Dragon (Dragon Temple)
Draconic Tree Sentinel (Dragon Temple)
Dragonlord Placidusax (Dragon Temple)
Beast Clergyman / Maliketh, The Black Blade (Dragon Temple)
Three Putrid Tree Spirits (Capital Of Ash)
Sir Gideon Ofnir, The All-Knowing (Erdtree Sanctuary)
Godfrey, First Elden Lord / Hoarah Loux, Warrior (Elden Throne)
Radagon Of The Golden Order / Elden Beast (Fractured Marika)

What are the hardest bosses in Elden Ring?

How hard a boss can be is largely subjective - depending on your chosen build, level or weapons, each encounter's difficulty can swing wildly from player to player.

That said, there are some bosses which are clearly more difficult than others, and regardless of build, will give just about every player a tough time.

For those who have reached her, Malenia, Blade of Miquella appears to be the hardest boss in Elden Ring - in part due to that every attack she deals heals her, and that her attacks are relentless - demanding you learn her patterns down to a tee and are prepared for a long battle. She is optional, and is tucked away at the far reaches of the map once you have found the Haligtree Secret Medallion locations and solved the Ordina, Liturgical Town puzzle - so don't worry, you won't stumble into her by accident!

Malenia has become so infamous that we've seen a player who could help players take on Malenia solo reach iconic status in the community. There was also a point where a patch accidently made Malenia even more difficult, which has thankfully been addressed. Phew.

Starscourge Radahn is, to quote our own page, "an exceptionally brutal boss right" - and is situated at a festival in Redmane Castle. Though you'll be able to summon AI partners to aid you, Radahn is tough - in part thanks to attacks that can kill you instantly. Though Starscourge Radahn is one of four bosses with a Great Rune, since you only need two to progress the story, this is thankfully optional. For those looking to complete the Ranni quest however - it's a required encounter.

One that isn't optional is Godskin Duo. This has you face two challenging foes at once - with echoes of iconic Dark Souls bosses Ornstein and Smough - but with an additional catch; they share a single health bar, and either will be resurrected if you don't finish off the other quickly upon their demise.

Speaking of multiple foes, Commander Niall is a boss that comes with two of his own summons, and if they are defeated, will see him launch into a challenging second phase. This is cited as one of the most demanding bosses in Elden Ring - and unfortunately for completionists, there's a Trophy / Achievement attached to his defeat, and is required in order to complete the Haligtree Secret Medallion.

It's also worth a shoutout to Margit, which is undoubtedly a huge obstacle at the start of the game, especially as the 'first' boss, and is seemingly designed to teach players to develop their characters before taking him on.

That hasn't stopped someone managing to beat Magrit with... a harp.

Margit is technically optional - though recommended as Godrick is an easier source as far as Great Runes go - but the arguably more challenging 'rematch' against Morgott, the Omen King is required to beat the game once you reach the Capital.

If you're struggling with any of the above bosses, then hunting down Golden Seeds, Sacred Tears, Crystal Tears, Talismans and some of our best weapon and best armor choices can make a difference.