Elden Ring Boss Order Guide: Which Main Bosses to Fight First (2026)

TL;DR

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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

SourceFormatBest for ConCon boss-order video30-min videoThe full main-boss route in one watch before you start Bosses wikiReference wikiBoss locations and which fights are required vs optional Steam Community GuidesPlayer guidesPatch-current routes ranked by helpfulness Bandai Namco official pageOfficial factsGame 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.