Quick Answer: Elden Ring has six possible endings: Age of Fracture (default), Age of the Duskborn (Fia), Age of Order (Goldmask), Age of Stars (Ranni), Lord of Frenzied Flame (Three Fingers), and Blessing of Despair (Dung Eater). Most are triggered by completing specific NPC questlines before defeating the final boss. The Frenzied Flame ending locks out all others.
Elden Ring features multiple endings, each offering a different vision for the future of the Lands Between. Which ending you receive depends on choices you make and questlines you complete before the final boss. This guide explains every ending, how to unlock each one, and which to aim for first — kept as spoiler-light as possible while still being useful.
How Endings Work
After defeating the final boss, you interact with a focal point to trigger an ending. The ending you get is determined by your progress at that moment. Most endings are variations of the same outcome with one key difference, while two endings are dramatically different and require specific questlines.
Importantly, you do not have to commit early. As long as you have done the required steps before the final boss, you can choose your ending at the end. This guide contains mild thematic spoilers but avoids deep story details.
Age of Fracture — The Default Ending
If you complete the game without pursuing any special questline or item, you receive the Age of Fracture ending. It is the baseline outcome — a continuation of the world’s existing order under your rule. There is nothing wrong with this ending; many players experience it naturally on a first playthrough simply by reaching the end.
The Mending Rune Endings
Several endings are unlocked by obtaining a special “Mending Rune” from a specific questline and using it before the final interaction. Each Mending Rune reshapes the ending’s outcome:
Age of Duskborn
This ending is tied to completing a questline involving the theme of death and those who were denied it. It reintroduces death and dignity to a world that lost it. You obtain the relevant Mending Rune by following that questline to its conclusion.
Age of Order
This ending pursues a vision of a perfect, transparent order — a world rebuilt on rigid principles. It is unlocked through a questline associated with a character who seeks to impose absolute order, culminating in a Mending Rune that delivers this outcome.
Blessing of Despair
The darkest of the Mending Rune endings, this outcome is shaped by a questline centered on a curse and profound sorrow. The associated Mending Rune brings about an ending defined by affliction. It is a grim, thematically heavy conclusion.
Lord of Frenzied Flame — The Chaotic Ending
This is one of the two unique, dramatically different endings. It is unlocked by interacting with a hidden, optional area and accepting a fateful path. The Frenzied Flame ending is bleak and apocalyptic, reflecting a force of chaos and destruction.
A crucial warning: pursuing this ending has consequences during your playthrough and can lock you out of certain content. There is a way to reverse the commitment later, but players should research carefully before deliberately heading down this path. It is best treated as a deliberate, informed choice rather than a casual one.
Age of the Stars — The Most Popular Ending
Widely regarded as the most beloved ending, the Age of the Stars is unlocked by completing one of the game’s most famous questlines — a long, multi-step companion quest spanning several regions. This ending steers the Lands Between toward an entirely new cosmic destiny, away from the existing order.
Because the questline is lengthy and easy to interrupt or fail by progressing the main story too quickly, many players follow a guide to complete it. The payoff is a haunting, distinctive conclusion that has become the community’s favorite.
How to Set Up Your Chosen Ending
The general approach for any non-default ending:
- Identify the questline tied to the ending you want;
- Complete it before the final boss — many quests can be permanently failed if you advance the main story too far, so progress side quests deliberately;
- Obtain the required item (a Mending Rune, or completing the special questline);
- Make the final choice at the end screen.
Because timing matters, players aiming for a specific ending often pause main-story progression at key moments to finish questlines first.
Which Ending Should You Get First?
For a first playthrough, there are two solid approaches. The first is to simply play naturally and accept whatever ending you reach — this preserves the sense of discovery. The second is to deliberately pursue the Age of the Stars, since its questline takes you through fantastic optional content and rewards you with the community’s favorite conclusion.
Avoid the Frenzied Flame ending as a blind first choice, since it carries playthrough consequences. Save the darker and more specific endings for later runs.
Endings and New Game Plus
You do not need separate playthroughs to see every ending, but New Game Plus makes collecting them efficient. Because you can choose your ending at the final moment, a single character can experience different endings across NG+ cycles by completing the relevant questlines each time. This lets completionists see all of Elden Ring’s conclusions without starting over from scratch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I see all endings on one character?
Yes. Using New Game Plus, a single character can pursue different endings across cycles, as long as the required questlines are completed before each final boss.
Do I have to decide my ending early?
No. The ending is chosen at the very end. What matters is completing the required questlines and obtaining the right items beforehand.
Which ending is considered the best?
The Age of the Stars is the community favorite, both for its memorable questline and its distinctive conclusion.
Final Thoughts
Elden Ring’s endings reward curiosity and questline dedication. Whether you accept the default Age of Fracture, pursue a thematic Mending Rune ending, or chase the beloved Age of the Stars, each conclusion offers a different lens on the Lands Between. Plan your questlines, mind your timing, and use New Game Plus to experience them all.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How many endings does Elden Ring have?
A: Six endings: Age of Fracture, Age of the Duskborn, Age of Order, Age of Stars, Lord of Frenzied Flame, and Blessing of Despair.
Q: What is the best Elden Ring ending?
A: Age of Stars (Ranni’s ending) is considered the most narratively rich and unique. Lord of Frenzied Flame is the most dramatic but locks out other choices.
Q: Can I get all endings in one playthrough?
A: No. Some endings exclude others. You need at least 2-3 NG+ cycles or careful save backup to see all six.