Elden Ring Boss Order Guide: Which Main Bosses to Fight First (2026)
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TL;DR
- Follow one boss order list end to end. Bouncing between regions is how under-leveled runs die — finish one legacy dungeon before opening the next.
- Only a short chain of bosses gates the ending; the rest are detours. Learn the required chain (Margit → Godrick → Radahn → Leyndell → Fire Giant → Farum Azula → Erdtree) and treat everything else as optional loot.
- Copy one video route unchanged for your first playthrough instead of mixing three walkthroughs. A stable route teaches you where the walls are; improvisation comes on run two.
Which source fits you
| Source | Format | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| ConCon boss-order video | 30-min video | The full main-boss route in one watch before you start |
| Bosses wiki | Reference wiki | Boss locations and which fights are required vs optional |
| Steam Community Guides | Player guides | Patch-current routes ranked by helpfulness |
| Bandai Namco official page | Official facts | Game edition and release facts when lists disagree |
Curated picks
1. What Order to BEAT Bosses to become Elden Lord — ConCon (video)
30 minutes, 2.4M views, snapshot 2026-09-16: the standard main-boss route from Margit to the Elden Beast in one watch — follow it in order before your first run, not after. Watch on YouTube.
2. Bosses Wiki — Fextralife (wiki)
The full boss catalogue with locations: check whether a boss gates progress or guards optional loot before spending an evening on it. Names below verified against this wiki on 2026-09-16. Open the wiki.
3. Steam Community Guides (player guides)
Player-written boss routes versioned against patches — the fastest way to see which order still works right now. Confirm the guide's stated patch matches yours before trusting it. Browse Steam guides.
4. Bandai Namco official Elden Ring page (official)
The publisher's game page: use it to settle edition and release facts when walkthroughs disagree about versions. Open the official page.
The required chain (Reported: standard community route, not an official order)
Most walkthroughs agree on this spine — boss names verified against the Bosses wiki; strict requirements vary by patch, so treat Rennala's step as the common route rather than a hard gate (any two Great Runes open the capital): Margit, the Fell Omen → Godrick the Grafted → Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon → Starscourge Radahn → Draconic Tree Sentinel → Godfrey, First Elden Lord (Golden Shade) → Morgott, the Omen King → Fire Giant → Godskin Duo → Maliketh, the Black Blade → Sir Gideon Ofnir → Godfrey, First Elden Lord (Hoarah Loux) → Radagon of the Golden Order → Elden Beast.
Playnesta Verdict
Memorize the required chain, follow one route end to end without region-hopping, and copy ConCon's order unchanged for your first playthrough — boss skill is one route repeated, not three routes sampled.
🎬 Watch first
The videos we recommend in this guide, playing right here — ELDEN RING community picks.
Video
The Beginner's Guide to Elden Ring (VaatiVidya)
18-minute spoiler-free starter guide, 6.6M views. Best first watch before character creation.
Video
Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree Beginner Guide – MUST KNOW TIPS Before You Play
Fextralife's Shadow of the Erdtree tips video. Best quick watch before entering the Realm of Shadow.
Video
What to do first in Elden Ring - a beginner's guide for 2026
Eight-minute first-steps walkthrough covering class pick, early route and key items. Best quick orientation before the first boss.
Video
A Beginner's Guide To Elden Ring (PATCH 1.17)
104 min · 251.8K views · snapshot 2026-11-06. Patch 1.17 route from class pick to first legacy dungeon. Best current-version starter walkthrough.
Video
Elden Ring Nightreign Gameplay Tips - Beginner Guide to help you win!
16 min · 601.1K views · snapshot 2026-11-06. Fextralife run tips for Nightreign: hero picks, relic choices, boss pacing. Best before a co-op session.
📚 Read deeper
Wikis, player guides, and community threads behind this guide — open the one that fits you.
Wiki
ELDEN RING Wiki (Fextralife)
Most complete community wiki: bosses, builds, maps. Best for deep lookups.
External Guide
Steam Community Guides
Player-written guides with builds and checklists. Best for step-by-step help.
Community
Steam Discussions
Active troubleshooting and patch reactions. Best for fresh issues.
Review
Steam player reviews
Helpful player reviews snapshot. Best for a quick buy or skip gut check.
Community
The Comprehensive Beginner's Guide (r/Eldenring)
Community-curated beginner compendium. Best for comparing conflicting advice in one place.
External Tool
Elden Ring Interactive Map (MapGenie)
Filterable map for items, bosses, graces. Best for completionist tracking alongside play.
External Tool
Build Calculator (Elden Ring Wiki)
Stat planner that previews attack rating, defenses and resistances for any class or level. Best for testing a build before spending larval tears.
Wiki
Shadow of the Erdtree (Elden Ring Wiki)
Expansion hub: new bosses, weapons, spirit ashes and map fragments. Best entry point for DLC-only lookups.
Wiki
Eldenpedia (wiki.gg)
Ad-free community wiki that tracks Tarnished Edition and Nightreign DLC news beside the core reference pages. Best for reading without ads.
Wiki
Game Progress Route (Elden Ring Wiki)
Area-by-area route with suggested levels and the bosses that gate progress. Best when you are stuck on where to head next.
Wiki
Elden Ring Nightreign Wiki (Fextralife)
Dedicated wiki for the co-op spinoff: heroes, bosses, relics and DLC patch notes. Best for Nightreign runs.
Wiki
Patch Notes (Elden Ring Wiki)
Version-by-version changelog for every ELDEN RING patch, with balance tweaks and new features. Best for checking what changed in the latest update.
Wiki
ELDEN RING Bosses (Fextralife)
Boss index with locations, weaknesses and remembrance rewards. Best when deciding which fight to tackle next.
Wiki
ELDEN RING Weapons (wiki.gg)
Ad-free weapon tables with scaling, requirements and upgrade paths. Best for comparing two candidates side by side.
Wiki
Elden Ring Beginner's Guide (Maxroll)
Class picks, early route and first-10-hours checklist from an ARPG build-guide studio. Best as a structured alternative to video walkthroughs.
Wiki
Elden Ring Complete Beginner's Guide 2026 (EldenWiki)
2026-dated beginner guide with quick answers plus a full wiki database behind it. Best when Fextralife pages feel bloated.
External Guide
All Elden Ring bosses in order (100% boss locations map)
Ordered boss index with a 100% locations map. Best when checking which bosses you have missed.
External Guide
Elden Ring Boss Guide - All Bosses
Boss-by-boss tactics and weaknesses for every mandatory and optional fight. Best for preparing before a tough encounter.
External Guide
Elden Ring guide: Everything you need to survive the Lands Between (PC Gamer)
Comprehensive starter guide covering combat, builds and exploration. Best as a single reference before your first run.
External Guide
The ultimate guide to Elden Ring (GamesRadar+)
Full walkthrough hub with bosses, endings and build advice. Best when you want one page for the whole journey.
External Guide
Elden Ring tips and tricks for new players (GamesRadar+)
Practical early-game tips on leveling, weapons and exploration. Best quick read before leaving the starting area.
Wiki
ELDEN RING Wiki (IGN)
Spoiler-light wiki hub with bosses, items and endings. Best second reference beside Fextralife.
External Guide
Shadow of the Erdtree Beginner Guide (Fextralife)
Fextralife Shadow of the Erdtree starter guide covering early route, key items, and boss prep. Best pre-DLC checklist.
Wiki
Beginner Builds (Elden Ring Wiki)
Starter build templates with stat spreads and weapon picks. Best when you want a concrete first character.
External Guide
ELDEN RING Tarnished Edition - Starter Guide
Official starter guide for the Tarnished Edition. Best authoritative reference for new and returning players.
Wiki
Waterfowl Dance (Elden Ring Wiki)
Fextralife's Waterfowl Dance page: attack phases, dodge options and the patch history that changed light-roll spacing. Best before Malenia.
External Guide
How To Dodge Waterfowl Dance, the Fancy Way (Steam Guide)
Steam walkthrough by MutantVampire: sprint to out-range the first flurry, or strafe behind her as she lifts. Best when the opener keeps landing.
External Guide
Guide to All NPCs and Questlines (Steam Guide)
One page per NPC with every step and the trigger that ends a questline early. Best before you move to a new region, not after.
External Guide
Elden Ring 100% Achievement Guide (Steam Guide)
Achievement checklist refreshed in 2025: every trophy, its unlock route and a suggested order. Best when you want one page instead of five tabs.
External Guide
ELDEN RING: Tarnished Edition all new Item Locations (Steam Guide)
Walks the item pickups added with the Tarnished Edition, area by area, with screenshots. Best right after the new edition lands in your library.
More ELDEN RING guides
- Elden Ring Armor Guide: Poise Breakpoints, Equip Load Tiers & How to Build a Set (2026)
- Elden Ring Talismans Guide: Best Talismans, Pouch Slots, and Loadout Rules (2026)
- Elden Ring Builds Guide: 5 Starter Archetypes That Survive to Endgame (2026)
- Elden Ring Weapons Guide: Best Early Weapons and Where to Find Them (2026)
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