The main Elden Ring bosses in order are all listed here, laying out every compulsory boss fight to beat the game. While the actual number of bosses you need to defeat to complete Elden Ring varies a little depending on your approach, it's only about a dozen out of hundreds of bosses that you can go up against. Of course, more bosses to fight means more practise and more Runes to levels you up, but if you want to know what the critical path through the Lands Between is, I've explained every main story boss in Elden Ring and where you can find them below.
All the main bosses in Elden Ring in order
If you want to complete Elden Ring, there are at least 12 mandatory boss fights to beat, shown on the map above. The "Start" on the map refers to your starting point where you leave the tutorial and where you begin the game, not the first boss.
Red dots that overlap on the map mean that you'll encounter bosses in the same area at different points in the game (the base of the Erdtree in Leyndell is a total boss magnet as you'll fight nearly half a dozen people here).
- 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, Warrior
- Radagon of the Golden Order
- Elden Beast
There's some variation and hair-splitting that can alter this list. Technically, you just need to defeat any two Shardbearer bosses (from the start of the game, your options are Godrick, Rennala, Radahn, Rykard, and Mohg) to reach Leyndell, Royal Capital, but Godrick and Rennala are by far the easiest and make the most sense for gradual progression.
If you target those two bosses, that also means Margit and the Red Wolf become mandatory bosses since they block paths to Godrick and Rennala respectively - Margit blocks the way into Stormveil Castle and the Red Wolf prevents you from reaching Rennala in the Academy of Raya Lucaria. But if you opt to target other Shardbearers, you won't have to fight them.
To fight the fewest bosses possible, you should hunt down Radahn and Mohg first as you don't have to fight any other bosses before. But they are very difficult fights that aren't meant to be attempted until much later in the game, so you will need to be substantially levelled-up for them (to reach Mohg early, you need to complete the Elden Ring Varre questline).
There's also a chance that you'll fight the Magma Wyrm on the way up to the Altus Plateau, but there is an alternative route where you don't have to fight it, if you can figure out how to use the Grand Lift of Dectus in Elden Ring. I also haven't added the Draconic Tree Sentinel that guards the way into Leyndell because doing Fia's questline in Elden Ring can get you into the city without having to fight him. But once you're in Leyndell, every boss from Golden Shade Godfrey is mandatory and you can't beat the game without defeating them first.
This critical path also just takes you to one of several possible Elden Ring endings, specifically the Age of Fracture ending we've outlined at the linked guide. You'll have to fight other enemies for other endings, such as going up against Astel, Naturalborn of the Void if you want to pursue the Elden Ring Ranni questline and secret ending.
Margit, the Fell Omen
Margit probably won't be the first boss you fight, but he is the first boss you have to fight to progress further. He's a horned horror with a large cane and a hefty supply of divine magic to sling at you. We don't blame you for having trouble with this first big challenge, so check out how to beat Margit in Elden Ring here!
Godrick the Grafted
Waiting at the end of Stormveil Castle, Godrick is a multi-limbed brute who represents a significant step up (and a good chance to go farming/exploring first), but for those who are ready to deal with this living cyclone, we've explained how to beat Godrick in Elden Ring for you.
Red Wolf of Radagon
Assuming you head to Raya Lucaria Academy, the next obvious point, you'll need to know how to beat the Red Wolf of Radagon in Elden Ring, an arcane pooch who defends the Debate Hall against intruders. This glass cannon can prove tough for slower-moving players, but we can help you tame this dog for good.
Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon
Make it through to the end of Raya Lucaria and you'll be confronted with its leader, Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon. This powerful sorceress comes in two distinct phases, but whichever one's proving hard for you, check out how to beat Rennala in Elden Ring here.
Godfrey, First Elden Lord
There are actually two fights where you need to know how to beat Godfrey in Elden Ring, both of which we've outlined at this link. The first is when he appears as a Golden Shade, and the second is an in-person battle, with the latter being real a toughie!
Morgott, the Omen King
Very similar to Margit before him - almost suspiciously so - knowing how to beat Morgott in Elden Ring will help you conquer the capital of Leyndell for the time being and unlock a whole new phase of the game. There's also a fun secret ally you can get for this fight - but you'll need to check out our guide to find out who!
Fire Giant
The manacled monster at the Flame Peak is the final boss of the Mountaintops of the Giants, but you'll struggle without having a guide to explain how to beat the Fire Giant in Elden Ring. This big brute will tax even the hardiest adventurer!
Godskin Duo
The Godskin Duo are a brutal pair of bosses who assault the player in the Dragon Temple of Crumbling Farum Azula. Understanding how to beat the Godskin Duo in Elden Ring will save you a lot of grief, and get you a special Bell Bearing for buying infinite smithing stones!
Maliketh, the Black Blade
Also manifesting as the Beast Clergyman in his first form, many will be wondering how to beat Maliketh in Elden Ring, as his powerful debuff attacks and ridiculous leaping and agility can make dealing with this apex predator a real challenge. Check our guide to find out how you can sort him out once and for all.
Sir Gideon Ofnir, the All-Knowing
Betrayal! Despite seeming like a gruff ally for much of Elden Ring, you'll need to know how to beat Sir Gideon Ofnir in Elden Ring before the game ends, as the academic knight turns on you, using several spells from the bosses you've defeated previously. Check our guide if you want to prove to him he's not as smart as he thinks.
Radagon of the Golden Order
The fractured guardian of the Elden Ring, this red-haired half-god is the penultimate boss, and if you want help on how to beat Radagon in Elden Ring, we empathize. Not only does he use a mix of holy magic attacks and slow but very powerful hammer blows to wear you down, but you'll need to beat him by a wide margin as you'll be straight into what comes next, with no chance to replenish your flasks...
Elden Beast
The literal manifestation of the Elden Ring itself, everyone spends a while wondering how to beat the Elden Beast final boss in Elden Ring. And why wouldn't they? The Elden Beast is a... well, a beast in every sense, with a massive health bar, unrivalled mobility, and a constant supply of divine magic to bring down on the player's head. Still, this is the true final boss - defeat it and you'll have mastered Elden Ring for good.
Do you have to fight all the bosses in Elden Ring?
He's not mandatory, but Starscourge Radahn is one of the most famous and fascinating bosses in Elden Ring. That's why we put together a guide on how to beat Radahn in Elden Ring here!
No, technically you only have to fight the bosses listed above, but on the other hand, you can't really win if you're only fighting them. Other enemies like Agheel, Radahn, and dungeon bosses aren't mandatory to beat, but they provide Runes, weapons, and new powers that'll make the essential boss fights above a lot more achievable.
Simply put, sticking only to the critical path will make it incredibly hard to win when you're underlevelled and underequipped, so it's in your best interest to find other bosses, taking their gear and magic for your own, as well as earning Runes for levels and upgrades. Besides, the best fun in Elden Ring is venturing into the unknown and seeing what you can find! You should definitely do the main story, but take some time to explore the world and train on other bosses along the way. Doing that will make the main bosses listed above suddenly seem a lot easier for you to deal with.
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