Conquering the Lands Between in Elden Ring requires more than raw reflexes. Because FromSoftware's open-world masterpiece drops you into Limgrave with almost zero direction, it's easy to miss entire questlines, legendary armaments, and crucial upgrade materials. If you want a 100% playthrough or just want to make sure you don't lock yourself out of vital gear, you need a structured game plan.
This definitive progression checklist cuts through the confusion. Instead of hallucinated mechanics or generic advice, you'll get a step-by-step roadmap covering early-game essentials, mid-game milestones, hidden boss prerequisites, and endgame preparations.
Phase One: Limgrave and the Weeping Peninsula
Your priority in Limgrave isn't just beating Margit and Godrick; it's establishing a strong foundation of flasks, spirits, and stats so the mid-game doesn't stonewall you.
- Secure Torrent and the Spirit Calling Bell: Visit the Church of Elleh at night after meeting Melina at the Gatefront Ruins to get the Spirit Calling Bell from Renna. Summoning lone wolves or the Mimic Tear later will save your run.
- Upgrade Your Flasks Early: Grab Golden Seeds from minor erdtrees and Sacred Tears from churches across Limgrave and the Weeping Peninsula. You want at least 6 to 8 flask uses before tackling Stormveil Castle.
- Clear Morne Castle: Head south across the Bridge of Sacrifice. Clearing Castle Morne completes Irina and Edgar's questline and nets you the Sacred Blade Ash of War alongside a vital upgrade stone.
- Unlock the Roundtable Hold: Rest at a site of grace outside Limgrave or defeat Margit to let Melina whisk you away to the hub. Talk to everyone here to start key narrative threads.
Phase Two: Liurnia of the Lakes and Caelid
Once you exit Stormveil Castle, Liurnia opens up wide. Don't rush straight to Raya Lucaria Academy; regional exploration is where your character build actually comes together.
- Raya Lucaria Preparation: Grab the Academy Glintstone Key from behind Smarag the dragon, but explore the surrounding swamps first to collect memory stones for extra spell slots.
- Meet Ranni the Witch: Visit Ranni's Rise in Three Sisters behind Caria Manor. Starting her questline is mandatory if you want access to the Moonlight Altar and one of the game's core alternate endings.
- Trek Into Caelid for Smithing Stones: Caelid is terrifying at low levels, but you can sneak into the Sellia Crystal Tunnel or run past enemies to grab Bell Bearings and high-tier smithing stones without fighting major bosses.
- Activate the Dectus Lift: Collect the two halves of the Dectus Medallion—one from Fort Haight in Limgrave and the other from Fort Faroth in Caelid—to ride the grand lift straight up to the Altus Plateau.
Phase Three: Altus Plateau, Volcano Manor, and Leyndell
The middle stretch of Elden Ring spikes in difficulty. Keeping your weapon upgrade level matching your zone is the single most important rule here.
- Reach Altus and Upgrade Weapons: By this point, your primary weapon should be hovering around +15 (standard) or +6 (somber). Explore the Altus Tunnel for upgraded mining materials.
- Join Volcano Manor: Talk to Tanith at Volcano Manor. Complete her assassination contracts before killing Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy, or you'll permanently lock out specific armor sets and spells.
- Explore the Shaded Castle: Located north of Liurnia, this swamp fortress holds the Valkyrie's Prosthesis, which you need to progress Millicent's sprawling questline through Caelid and the snowfields.
- Conquer Leyndell, Royal Capital: Defeat the Draconic Tree Sentinel to enter the capital. Make sure to collect the Bolt of Gransax legendary armament from the giant spear sculpture before you burn the Erdtree, as it becomes permanently missable afterward.
Phase Four: Mountaintops, Crumbling Farum Azula, and Endgame
The final stretch demands optimized damage scaling and mastery of boss attack windows.
- Mountaintops of the Giants: Head east past Leyndell. Grab the Rold Medallion, defeat Commander Niall at Castle Sol to secure the Haligtree Secret Medallion, and unlock the hidden optional area of Miquella's Haligtree.
- Conquer Malenia: Deep within Elphael, Brace of the Haligtree lies Malenia, Blade of Miquella. Bring heavy stagger weapons or frost builds to manage her hyper-aggressive healing mechanic.
- Crumbling Farum Azula: After defeating the Fire Giant, Melina (or the Frenzied Flame) triggers the transition to Farum Azula. Defeat Maliketh, the Black Blade, to permanently alter Leyndell into the Ashen Capital.
- Prepare for the Elden Beast: Ensure your Vigor is at least 50 to 60, and pack holy damage mitigation talismans, because the final boss fight tests your endurance over multiple phases.
Common Progression Mistakes to Avoid
Even seasoned players make avoidable errors that ruin completionist runs. Keep these pitfalls in mind:
- Rushing Main Bosses: If you skip optional dungeons, your level and flask count will lag behind the zone scaling. Take time to clear catacombs and minor caves.
- Ignoring Status Effects: Bleed and Frostbite deal percentage-based health damage that scales independently of your physical stats, making them lifesavers against high-health bosses.
- Locking Out Quests: Giving items to the wrong NPCs or progressing major story beats too fast can abruptly end side stories. Check NPC dialog prompts until they repeat.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the level cap in Elden Ring?
The maximum character level is 713, which requires maxing out all eight attributes to 99. However, most players finish a standard playthrough around level 120 to 150.
Can I fast travel out of dungeons?
Yes. Open your full map screen at any time—even while exploring a catacomb or cave—and select any active site of grace to teleport away instantly, provided you aren't actively in combat.
Where do I find Larval Tears for respecs?
Larval Tears are rare consumable items used with Rennala at Raya Lucaria to reallocate your stat points. Most of them are hidden inside unassuming zombie-like enemies in Liurnia and Nokron, Eternal City.
Do weapon upgrades carry over to New Game Plus?
Yes. All upgraded standard and somber weapons, bell bearings, flask improvements, and map discoveries carry over into New Game Plus, while key quest items reset.
