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Only 12 bosses are needed to finish the base game, while its world contains more than 200 bosses, according to PCGamesN’s guide updated March 10, 2026. This spoiler-aware list picks 15 optional fights worth seeking out for their distinct encounters, rewards, quest relevance, or easy-to-miss locations—not because the game requires them. The selection is editorial, not an official ranking.
This guide covers the base game only; it does not include Shadow of the Erdtree. Boss order varies with exploration, and “optional” here means skippable on the route to the base-game ending. Names and locations below can spoil discoveries.
How to use this list
The 15 picks balance encounter variety, reward or quest value, missability, and the effort of reaching the fight. Your build, level, and preparation affect how difficult any encounter feels, so treat preparation notes as options rather than requirements. The locations and reward details below are drawn from PCGamesN’s base-game boss guide; the recommendations are editorial.
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Mohg, Lord of Blood — Mohgwyn Palace
Access: Reach the palace through the teleporter in the Consecrated Snowfield or by progressing White Mask Varre’s quest. Why fight him: His distinctive blood-and-fire attacks and arena make this a memorable optional challenge. Reward: Remembrance of the Blood Lord and a Great Rune. Preparation: Bring tools to manage fire and bleed pressure, and watch for the transition that drains your health.
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Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy — Volcano Manor
Access: Complete Volcano Manor’s contracts or reach the boss through the manor’s hidden route. Why fight him: The encounter is built around the Serpent-Hunter weapon found in the arena, giving it a distinct rhythm from ordinary boss fights. Reward: Rykard’s Great Rune and Remembrance of the Blasphemous. Preparation: Equip the Serpent-Hunter and use its reach to challenge the boss from a safer distance.
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Starscourge Radahn — Redmane Castle, Caelid
Access: The festival becomes available as the world advances; enter Redmane Castle when the event is active. Why fight him: The large battlefield and summon signs create a battle unlike a standard enclosed duel. Reward: Remembrance of the Starscourge and a Great Rune; his defeat also opens access to areas tied to Ranni’s quest. Preparation: Use the battlefield’s summon signs and keep moving as you close the distance.
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Dragonlord Placidusax — Crumbling Farum Azula
Access: From the Beside the Great Bridge Site of Grace, find the ledge and lie down at the prompt. Why fight him: Reaching his hidden arena is a worthwhile detour for a multi-phase dragon encounter. Reward: Remembrance of the Dragonlord. Preparation: Be ready to reposition quickly when he vanishes and reappears.
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Lichdragon Fortissax — Deeproot Depths
Access: Progress Fia’s quest and enter her dream after reaching the relevant point in the questline. Why fight him: The secret dragon encounter is closely tied to Fia’s story and is easy to miss if you do not pursue it. Reward: Remembrance of the Lichdragon. Preparation: Keep room to move around his wide-area attacks, and follow Fia’s quest rather than expecting to find the boss through ordinary exploration.
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Astel, Naturalborn of the Void — Grand Cloister
Access: Follow Ranni’s quest through the Lake of Rot and the Grand Cloister. Why fight him: His unusual cosmic design and varied attacks make this a standout quest-gated encounter. Reward: Remembrance of the Naturalborn; defeating Astel also advances Ranni’s route. Preparation: Watch for sudden repositioning and attacks that cover a broad area.
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Ancestor Spirit — Siofra River
Access: Light the braziers around the river and interact with the remains in the Hallowhorn Grounds. Why fight it: The spectral stag encounter is a quieter, visually distinctive change of pace. Reward: Ancestral Follower Ashes. Preparation: Learn the timing of its leaps and keep sight of it as it moves around the arena.
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Regal Ancestor Spirit — Nokron, Eternal City
Access: Light the required braziers in Nokron and interact with the remains at the Hallowhorn Grounds. Why fight it: This second spirit encounter expands on the first with its own setting and presentation. Reward: Remembrance of the Regal Ancestor. Preparation: The same broad approach applies as in Siofra: track its movement and avoid committing to long attacks while it is airborne.
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Dragonkin Soldier of Nokstella — Ainsel River
Access: Explore the Ainsel River area beneath Liurnia. Why fight it: This optional boss offers a compact challenge and a useful reward without requiring a major quest detour. Reward: Frozen Lightning Spear incantation. Preparation: Pay attention to its reach and avoid lingering in front of its sweeping attacks.
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Bandai Namco Entertainment Elden Ring (PS4)- A New Fantasy World – Journey through the Lands Between, a new fantasy world created by Hidetaka Miyazaki, creator of the influential Dark Souls video game series, and George R. R. Martin, author of The New York Times best-selling fantasy series, A Song of Ice and Fire. Unravel the mysteries of the Elden Ring’s power. Encounter adversaries with profound backgrounds, characters with their own unique motivations for helping or hindering your progress, and fearsome creatures
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Elemer of the Briar — The Shaded Castle
Access: Reach the boss room at the top of the Shaded Castle in Altus Plateau. Why fight him: His remotely controlled sword gives the duel a distinctive range and timing challenge. Reward: Marais Executioner’s Sword and Briar Greatshield. Preparation: Leave space to react to the sword’s extended attacks rather than assuming distance makes you safe.
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Gurranq, Beast Clergyman — Bestial Sanctum, Dragonbarrow
Access: Find Gurranq at the Bestial Sanctum and bring him Deathroot. Why fight him: This encounter is connected to the Deathroot hand-in sequence and can surprise players who assume the NPC remains harmless. Reward: The fight’s outcome depends on how far you have progressed the encounter; it is not a conventional boss reward exchange. Preparation: If you are still delivering Deathroot, be ready for the interaction to change and do not approach expecting a normal conversation.
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Black Blade Kindred — Bestial Sanctum, Dragonbarrow
Access: The gargoyle waits outside the Bestial Sanctum. Why fight it: It is an optional field boss guarding the approach, making it a natural challenge for players exploring Dragonbarrow. Reward: Gargoyle’s Blackblade and Gargoyle’s Black Halberd. Preparation: Its large weapon swings cover substantial space; learn the timing before attempting to punish each attack.
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Death Rite Bird — Consecrated Snowfield
Access: Search the Consecrated Snowfield at night. Why fight it: The nocturnal field encounter is easy to miss if you explore only during the day. Reward: Explosive Ghostflame. Preparation: Set the time to night before searching and be ready for the bird’s sweeping attacks.
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Full-Grown Fallingstar Beast — Mt. Gelmir
Access: Reach the crater at the top of Mt. Gelmir. Why fight it: The arena and the beast’s charge-heavy moves make this a memorable field-boss detour. Reward: Fallingstar Beast Jaw. Preparation: Avoid getting trapped against the arena’s edges, where its charging attacks leave less room to respond.
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Magma Wyrm Makar — Ruin-Strewn Precipice
Access: Climb the Ruin-Strewn Precipice in northern Liurnia; the route offers an alternative to the Grand Lift of Dectus. Why fight him: This optional boss is a meaningful encounter on a route that can help you reach Altus Plateau without collecting both lift medallion halves. Reward: Magma Wyrm’s Scalesword and a Dragon Heart. Preparation: Give his lunging magma attacks room to pass, and avoid standing in the trail he leaves behind.
What about Shadow of the Erdtree?
The 15 encounters above are from the base game, not Shadow of the Erdtree. Bandai Namco states that the expansion requires the base game; it is not standalone. Its bosses follow a separate progression through the Realm of Shadow, and freely exploring can change the order in which you encounter them. PCGamesN’s guide updated March 10, 2026, counts well over 25 DLC bosses, with six required to complete the expansion’s story. Those numbers describe the guide’s roster and progression accounting, not an official ranking. See the PowerPyx Shadow of the Erdtree boss guide for area-based locations and ordering.
For DLC preparation, PowerPyx recommends level 150 or higher and collecting Scadutree Fragments and Revered Spirit Ash Blessings. That is the guide’s advice, not an entry requirement or universal threshold: character level, build, and available quest summons also affect how an encounter feels. Bandai Namco’s official ELDEN RING page explains the expansion requirement and edition information.
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