Elden Ring features a staggering 238 boss encounters scattered across the sprawling Lands Between. For a new player or someone aiming for a focused "critical path" run, this density can be overwhelming. However, to see the credits roll and claim the mantle of Elden Lord, you only need to defeat a fraction of these foes. While most bosses are optional, a specific sequence acts as gatekeepers to essential areas and story progression.

The path to the Elden Throne is divided into two distinct phases: an early-game phase where you have significant freedom in choosing which Shardbearers to hunt, and a late-game phase that follows a rigid, linear progression. Understanding this distinction is key to navigating the world efficiently.

The Two Great Runes Requirement

Before you can even set foot in the capital city of Leyndell—the gateway to the final act of the game—the Two Fingers demand that you prove your worth. This proof comes in the form of two Great Runes, held by the Shardbearers, the demigod children of Queen Marika.

There are five potential Shardbearers you can target early in the game to fulfill this requirement. You only need to defeat two of them. Most players opt for Godrick the Grafted and Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon, as they are generally considered the most accessible.

1. Margit, the Fell Omen (The First Gatekeeper)

Located at the Stormgate leading into Stormveil Castle, Margit is the first true test for any Tarnished. While technically you can bypass Stormveil Castle entirely to reach later regions like Liurnia of the Lakes, Margit is mandatory if you choose the path of defeating Godrick.

In our practical experience, Margit serves as a mechanical tutorial. He punishes panic-rolling with delayed attacks and maintains pressure with holy daggers. For players struggling here, we recommend exploring Limgrave to reach at least Level 25 and upgrading your weapon to +3. Using the Spirit Jellyfish ashes or summoning Sorcerer Rogier can significantly mitigate his aggression.

2. Godrick the Grafted (The First Shardbearer)

At the heart of Stormveil Castle lies Godrick. Defeating him rewards you with your first Great Rune and unlocks the path to the Divine Tower of Limgrave. Godrick’s fight is spectacular but manageable. His second phase, involving a grafted dragon head, introduces wide-reaching fire attacks. Staying close to his backside remains the safest strategy, as his "ground-slam" attacks have clear telegraphs.

3. Red Wolf of Radagon (The Academy Gatekeeper)

If you choose the Academy of Raya Lucaria as your second destination, the Red Wolf of Radagon is a mandatory encounter. This agile beast guards the path to the Grand Library. The fight emphasizes speed; the wolf uses Glintblade phalanx spells and rapid lunges. We found that using a shield with high magic resistance or focusing on heavy jump attacks to break its poise is the most effective way to end the fight quickly.

4. Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon (The Second Shardbearer)

Rennala is the ruler of the Academy and the holder of the Great Rune of the Unborn. Unlike other demigods, her fight is more of a puzzle in the first phase and a magical duel in the second.

  • Phase 1: Find the glowing students and hit them once to break Rennala's shield.
  • Phase 2: This is where experience counts. Rennala has low poise but high magic resistance. If you are playing a mage, consider using "Rock Sling," which deals physical damage. Melee players should stay aggressive to interrupt her summons (wolves, bloodhound knights, and even dragons).

Alternative Shardbearers

While Godrick and Rennala are standard, you can instead choose to defeat Starscourge Radahn in Caelid or Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy in Mt. Gelmir.

  • Radahn: Requires the festival to be active. This fight is a massive spectacle involving NPC summons. It is significantly harder than Rennala but grants access to the underground cities.
  • Rykard: Located in Volcano Manor. This is a "gimmick" fight using the Serpent-Hunter spear found inside the arena. It is a cinematic encounter that provides a powerful Great Rune for HP recovery.

Entering the Royal Capital: The Draconic Tree Sentinel

Once you have secured two Great Runes and spoken to Enia at the Roundtable Hold, your objective is Leyndell, Royal Capital. The primary entrance is guarded by the Draconic Tree Sentinel.

This boss is a significant step up in difficulty. He wields a giant mace and a shield that can call down lightning. Based on our testing, this is where many "low-level" runs hit a wall. He is highly resistant to lightning but vulnerable to Poison and Scarlet Rot. Using a summon to distract him while you apply "Rotten Breath" or "Poison Mist" is a viable strategy if you find his melee combos too punishing. Defeating him is mandatory to pass through the fog gate into the city proper.

The Mandatory Late-Game Sequence in Leyndell

Inside Leyndell, the game shifts from open exploration to a more focused boss gauntlet. From this point forward, the boss order is fixed.

5. Godfrey, First Elden Lord (Golden Shade)

Located in the Erdtree Sanctuary, this is a spectral version of the first Elden Lord. He is aggressive and has large AOE (Area of Effect) axe slams. The key here is to realize he is immune to all status effects (Bleed, Poison, Frost). You must rely on raw physical or elemental damage. Rolling into his attacks rather than away from them allows you to stay close for counter-attacks during his recovery animations.

6. Morgott, the Omen King

Immediately following the Golden Shade, you encounter the true form of the boss who blocked your path at Stormveil. Morgott is the king of Leyndell and a master of holy constructs.

  • Pro Tip: You can use "Margit’s Shackle" (purchasable from Patches) to pin him to the ground twice during his first phase. Morgott is extremely fast. Players should focus on his wind-up animations; his blood-flame sword attacks deal massive damage and have a wide arc. Defeating him is essential to receive the Rold Medallion, which unlocks the path to the Mountaintops of the Giants.

Journey to the Forge: The Fire Giant

After traversing the Forbidden Lands and the Mountaintops, you must reach the Forge of the Giants to burn the Erdtree's thorns. Standing in your way is the Fire Giant.

This is a battle of scale.

  • Phase 1: Focus entirely on his left ankle, which is wrapped in braids. Breaking the braids will stun him and increase the damage he takes.
  • Phase 2: He rips off his leg and crawls, using his "Eye of Flame" to launch massive fireballs. Stay behind him or near his truncated leg. While it is tempting to use Torrent (your horse), staying on foot often provides better I-frames (invincibility frames) for dodging his massive rolls and slams.

The Trials of Crumbling Farum Azula

Defeating the Fire Giant and committing the "Cardinal Sin" at the Forge transports you to the floating city of Crumbling Farum Azula. This late-game area contains two mandatory encounters.

7. Godskin Duo

Often cited as one of the most frustrating fights in the game, the Godskin Duo consists of the Godskin Apostle and the Godskin Noble sharing a single health bar.

  • Strategy: Do not fight them both at once. Use "Sleep Pots" or "St. Trina’s Arrows." Both versions are extremely susceptible to sleep. Put one to sleep and focus down the other. Even after one dies, they will eventually respawn until the total health bar is depleted.

8. Maliketh, the Black Blade

Guardians of the Rune of Death, Maliketh is a two-phase encounter.

  • Beast Clergyman: He uses rapid rock-flinging spells and dagger swipes. Stay close and wait for his overhead slams.
  • Maliketh: He becomes a high-flying shadow that fires projectiles which sap your maximum HP and deal damage over time. Experience shows that the "Blasphemous Claw" (an item obtained from the invader Recusant Bernahl) is invaluable here. It allows you to parry his glowing gold sword attacks, creating a massive opening for damage.

Leyndell, Capital of Ash: The Final Gauntlet

With the Rune of Death released, Leyndell is buried in ash. You must return to the base of the Erdtree for the final showdown.

9. Sir Gideon Ofnir, the All-Knowing

Gideon is an NPC-style boss who uses every spell and incantation you’ve encountered throughout the game. The difficulty of this fight depends on how much of the game you've explored; he "learns" spells based on the bosses you've defeated and reported to him.

  • The Window: Gideon will spend the first few seconds of the fight giving a monologue. Do not wait for him to finish. Aggressive players can often deplete 50-70% of his health before he even casts his first spell. Use heavy weapons to stagger him constantly.

10. Godfrey, First Elden Lord / Hoarah Loux

The real Godfrey returns for one final duel.

  • Phase 1: He uses his axe and massive shockwaves. You must jump over the shockwaves rather than rolling, as the lingering hitboxes can catch you at the end of a roll.
  • Phase 2 (Hoarah Loux): He discards his axe and lion companion to fight with his bare hands. This phase is entirely about grappling. If he catches you, it’s often a one-shot kill. Watch for his "earthquake" move where he rips the ground up; this indicates the end of his combo and your best chance to strike.

11. Radagon of the Golden Order and the Elden Beast

The final boss of Elden Ring is a two-part endurance test with no checkpoint in between.

  • Radagon: He is a master of holy AOE attacks. Most of his slams have a secondary "aftershock" of light. Equip the "Haligdrake Talisman +2" to significantly boost your holy damage negation.
  • Elden Beast: Immediately following Radagon, the Elden Beast appears. This is a fight about stamina management. The beast will constantly swim away, forcing you to chase it across a massive arena. It uses a mix of sword beams, homing stars (Elden Stars), and a "ring" attack that forces you to jump over concentric circles.

Key Preparation for Mandatory Boss Encounters

To successfully navigate this path, physical and mental preparation is required. Based on thousands of hours of community data and personal testing, here is a checklist:

  1. Vigor is King: By the time you reach the Fire Giant, you should have at least 40-50 Vigor. Most mandatory late-game bosses can one-shot a player with 30 Vigor.
  2. Weapon Upgrades:
    • By Leyndell: +12 to +15 (Standard) or +5 to +6 (Somber).
    • By Farum Azula: +24 to +25 (Standard) or +9 to +10 (Somber).
  3. Spirit Ashes: If you are not playing a "solo-only" challenge, the Mimic Tear (found in Nokron) or Black Knife Tiche (found in Liurnia's Ringleader's Evergaol) are the gold standards for distracting mandatory bosses.
  4. Damage Negation: Always check the boss's damage type. Using the correct "Drake Talisman" can often turn a "near-death" hit into a manageable one.

Summary of the Elden Ring Main Boss Order

To summarize, the streamlined mandatory path is:

  1. Margit (Gatekeeper)
  2. Godrick (Shardbearer 1)
  3. Red Wolf of Radagon (Gatekeeper)
  4. Rennala (Shardbearer 2)
  5. Draconic Tree Sentinel (City Gatekeeper)
  6. Godfrey (Golden Shade)
  7. Morgott, the Omen King
  8. Fire Giant
  9. Godskin Duo
  10. Maliketh, the Black Blade
  11. Sir Gideon Ofnir
  12. Godfrey / Hoarah Loux
  13. Radagon / Elden Beast

FAQ Regarding Elden Ring Mandatory Bosses

Is Malenia a mandatory boss?

No. While she is one of the most famous bosses in the game, Malenia, Blade of Miquella, is entirely optional. She is located in the Elphael, Brace of the Haligtree, a hidden area that requires the Haligtree Secret Medallion to access. You do not need to defeat her to finish the main story.

Can I skip the Draconic Tree Sentinel?

There is an alternative way into Leyndell through the Deeproot Depths using a teleporter near Fia's Champions. However, this path involves defeating several other bosses (like the Valiant Gargoyles and Fia's Champions), making the Draconic Tree Sentinel the faster and more "straightforward" mandatory route for most players.

What is the minimum level to finish Elden Ring?

While skilled players can finish the game at Level 1 (RL1), a standard first playthrough usually concludes between Level 120 and 150. If you find yourself struggling with Maliketh or Radagon, ensure your character is within this level range.

Do I need to beat the bosses in the DLC to finish the base game?

No. Shadow of the Erdtree is a separate expansion. To access it, you must defeat Starscourge Radahn and Mohg, Lord of Blood. While Mohg is optional for the base game ending, he is "mandatory" for anyone wanting to play the DLC content.

Is there a specific ending tied to mandatory bosses?

The mandatory bosses stay the same regardless of which ending you choose (Age of Fracture, Age of Stars, Lord of Frenzied Flame, etc.). The variations in endings are determined by side quests you complete alongside the mandatory path.

In conclusion, while Elden Ring offers hundreds of hours of optional content, the path to the Elden Throne is a well-defined sequence of legendary encounters. Master these bosses, and the Lands Between will be yours to rule.