You don’t have to beat every boss to finish Elden Ring. Only a chain of main fights from Margit, the Fell Omen to the Elden Beast is mandatory, plus two Great Runes that open the way to Leyndell. Below you’ll find the mandatory bosses in order, which Great Runes are the easiest to get and who else you need to defeat to enter the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC. The list is based on what GamesRadar+ and PCGamesN agree on and is valid as of 20 October 2026. There are no boss strategies or ending spoilers here.
Why you don’t need to beat every boss
The Lands Between is an open world, and most of its bosses are optional. The game lets you move towards the finale once you hold two Great Runes. You get them from Shardbearers, the bosses who carry the Great Runes. With two of them you can enter Leyndell, Royal Capital, and from there a fixed path leads to the last fight.
You also have more freedom over the order than it first seems. In its official beginner tips, Bandai Namco says you don’t have to kill strong enemies right away. If someone is too much for you, it’s fine to leave them and come back stronger.
Which Great Runes to go for
Both outlets agree that the most common and easiest route goes through these two Shardbearers:
- Godrick the Grafted – the way to him is guarded by Margit, the Fell Omen.
- Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon – in the Academy of Raya Lucaria in Liurnia.
You can swap one of them for another Shardbearer. Both outlets list Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy and Starscourge Radahn as the other options.
Choosing Godrick and Rennala adds two mandatory gatekeepers. Margit, the Fell Omen blocks the way to Godrick, and you can’t reach Rennala without beating the Red Wolf of Radagon.
Elden Ring mandatory bosses in order
This is the main boss chain that GamesRadar+ and PCGamesN both list. It assumes the route through Godrick and Rennala:
- Margit, the Fell Omen
- Godrick the Grafted
- Red Wolf of Radagon
- Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon
- Godfrey, First Elden Lord (Golden Shade)
- Morgott, the Omen King
- Fire Giant
- Godskin Duo
- Maliketh, the Black Blade
- Sir Gideon Ofnir, the All-Knowing
- Godfrey, First Elden Lord / Hoarah Loux
- Radagon of the Golden Order and the Elden Beast
Godfrey, First Elden Lord appears twice on the list, first as a Golden Shade and later as Hoarah Loux. That’s not a mistake, both outlets list him in both places.
Margit and the Tree Sentinel: the first hurdles
Early on in Limgrave you’ll run into the Tree Sentinel. It isn’t mandatory, and Bandai Namco describes it as very tough for a new character. Feel free to skip it and come back once you’re stronger.
Margit, the Fell Omen is the first mandatory boss, waiting in front of the gate to Stormveil Castle. An item called Margit’s Shackle helps: you buy it from an NPC in Murkwater Cave and it pins Margit down for a short while. Against him and other bosses you can also summon Spirit Ashes, NPCs or other players. How to get your first spirits and where to begin is covered in our beginner’s guide.
If you’d rather take on bosses with a friend, check our co-op guide. Keep in mind that you can’t summon Spirit Ashes during multiplayer.
Optional bosses are worth it
The other bosses are optional, but that doesn’t mean you should skip them. They drop runes, weapons and items that make the mandatory fights easier. GamesRadar+ and PCGamesN both recommend not rushing straight down the mandatory chain.
Bosses you need for Shadow of the Erdtree
To enter the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC you need to defeat two more bosses that aren’t part of the base game’s mandatory chain:
- Starscourge Radahn – the fight opens during the Radahn Festival at Redmane Castle in Caelid.
- Mohg, Lord of Blood – in Mohgwyn Palace.
Watch out, there are two Mohgs. For the DLC you need Mohg, Lord of Blood in Mohgwyn Palace, not Mohg, the Omen beneath Leyndell. Once both bosses are down, you reach the Realm of Shadow by touching the arm reaching out of the cocoon in Mohg’s arena. The full process is in our expansion guide and in Bandai Namco’s official guide.
Join our Discord to ask which bosses other players got stuck on, or to arrange some help. Here’s the invite: GamersTogether Discord.
FAQ
No. Only the main boss chain and two Great Runes from Shardbearers are mandatory. The other bosses are optional, but they give runes and gear that come in handy.
According to GamesRadar+ and PCGamesN, Godrick the Grafted and Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon. Both outlets list Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy and Starscourge Radahn as the other options.
No. The Tree Sentinel in Limgrave is optional and very tough for a new character. Bandai Namco suggests passing it by and coming back later.
Starscourge Radahn and Mohg, Lord of Blood in Mohgwyn Palace. Then you touch the arm reaching out of the cocoon in Mohg’s arena and travel to the Realm of Shadow.
Information verified on 20 October 2026. More guides are waiting in our Elden Ring guides.