Most of what you can miss in Elden Ring comes down to NPC questlines that lock when you beat a certain boss or reach a new area, plus a handful of rewards that depend on which side you take. The biggest single point of no return is defeating Maliketh, which changes the world for the rest of that playthrough.
The big world changes last until NG+, so if you want to see it all in one run, the notes below are worth a look before each big step. For the full order of the main story, see our game progress route.
Points of no return
- Defeating Maliketh in Crumbling Farum Azula. This is the big one. Once he falls, you are sent back to Leyndell, which is now the Ashen Capital, and the change cannot be undone until NG+. Wrap up any open NPC questlines and pick up what you want in Leyndell, Royal Capital before you fight him. The Roundtable Hold changes too.
- Burning the Erdtree at the Forge of the Giants. Taking Melina to the Forge of the Giants sets the Erdtree on fire and carries you to Crumbling Farum Azula. Melina is gone after that, along with any of her talks you never heard.
- Defeating Rykard. Beating Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy locks every unfinished step at Volcano Manor, including Tanith’s hunts and Rya’s story, until NG+.
- Travelling to the Mountaintops of the Giants. The moment you arrive in the Mountaintops of the Giants, Yura’s questline locks, however far you got.
- Opening the Three Fingers’ door. Taking the Flame of Frenzy from the Three Fingers beneath Leyndell makes Melina leave you for good and locks you onto the Lord of Frenzied Flame ending. Only Miquella’s Needle, used in the arena of Dragonlord Placidusax, removes the flame again, and Melina still does not come back.
- Beating Godrick or resting in Liurnia early. Either one moves Roderika out of Stormhill Shack before you can talk to her there. Resting at any grace in Liurnia after taking Irina’s Letter also kills Irina.
Missable NPC questline steps
| NPC questline | What you can miss | How to avoid it |
|---|---|---|
| Roderika | The shack conversation, the Sitting Sideways gesture and having the Golden Seed handed to you | Talk to her at Stormhill Shack before beating Godrick or resting in Liurnia |
| Nepheli Loux | The Arsenal Charm and her whole ending | Speak to her in Stormveil Castle before Godrick, and give her The Stormhawk King rather than Seluvis’s Potion |
| Rogier | His chapel talk, his shop and his letter | See his bloodstain only after Godrick, buy his Ashes of War and listen to his talk about D before telling him you serve Ranni |
| Irina and Edgar | Edgar’s summon, Irina’s story and Hyetta appearing at all | Show Edgar the letter, beat the boss at Castle Morne before resting in Liurnia, and never kill Irina yourself |
| Yura | Every step you have not reached yet | Finish his Liurnia and Altus Plateau steps before going to the Mountaintops. The Nagakiba is still left on the ground if it locks |
| Volcano Manor and Rya | Remaining hunts, the Rileigh letter, the Red Letter and Rya’s ending | Do all the manor quests before Rykard. Give Rya the Serpent’s Amnion before you kill Juno Hoslow |
| Boc | Boc’s life and your free alteration service | Bring Prattling Pate “You’re Beautiful” from the Hermit Village and use it in front of him at the East Capital Rampart |
| Corhyn and Goldmask | The Mending Rune of Perfect Order | Give Corhyn the Golden Order Principia and cast Law of Regression in front of the Radagon statue |
| Gideon | All of his earlier steps | Finish them before Maliketh. His four rewards can still be bought from the Twin Maiden Husks |
| Enia | Her talks after Morgott and after reaching Farum Azula | Hear them before you beat Maliketh |
| Melina | Early grace talks, the Altus Plateau talk and Melina herself | Rest and talk often, hear the Altus talk before entering Leyndell, and stay away from the Three Fingers unless you want that ending |
| Seluvis | Pidia’s part of the story and his shop | Visit Pidia and buy what you want before giving Ranni the Fingerslayer Blade. Never give Ranni the Amber Draught |
| Sellen and Jerren | One of the two endings, and Jerren at the Witchbane Ruins | Talk to Jerren at Redmane Castle after Radahn. At the Grand Library, the gold and red signs exclude each other |
| Blaidd | His projection at Ranni’s Rise and his talk on the Siofra River | Do those steps before you defeat Radahn |
| Alexander | His story and the Shard of Alexander | Do not kill him early, and do not skip the Mt. Gelmir meeting |
| Boggart and Dung Eater | Boggart’s life and his prawns in the Bell Bearing shop | Buy at least one Boiled Prawn and one Boiled Crab before freeing the Dung Eater |
| Bernahl | His summon sign against the Godskin Duo | Join his hunt in Leyndell |
| Gostoc | His place in Nepheli’s ending and a smithing stone in his shop | Do not kill him |
Quests with no real lock-outs, apart from killing the NPC, include Albus, Latenna, Gurranq and Hewg.
Missable items and rewards
- Miquella’s Needle. Malenia only leaves it if you take the gold sign and help Millicent in Elphael. It is the only way to remove the Frenzied Flame, so pick that side if you might need it (Millicent’s questline).
- Talisman Pouch. Enia stops offering it if you beat Morgott before speaking with her after your second shardbearer. The Twin Maiden Husks still sell it.
- Remembrance rewards. Each remembrance is used up when you trade it, so you only get one of its two rewards unless you duplicate it at a Wandering Mausoleum.
- Tonic of Forgetfulness. Gone if Juno Hoslow dies before Rya has her Serpent’s Amnion.
- Seluvis’s Potion. You get one. Giving it to Nepheli or the Dung Eater gives you the Nepheli Loux Puppet or Dung Eater Puppet and ends their stories. Giving it to Gideon spares everyone.
- The Mending Runes. The Fell Curse rune needs the Dung Eater’s full questline, the Perfect Order rune needs Law of Regression, and holding the Frenzied Flame blocks both of their endings until you use the needle. See endings.
- Jerren or Sellen rewards. Helping Sellen gets you the Eccentric’s Set but costs the Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone from Jerren’s route.
Shadow of the Erdtree missables
- Messmer’s arena. The moment you first step into Messmer‘s arena from the Dark Chamber Entrance grace, the Hornsent and Leda signs in Shadow Keep vanish. There is no fog wall the first time, so answer those signs first.
- Hornsent or Leda. Siding with Leda gets you the Lacerating Crossed-Tree but costs Swift Slash. Saving the Hornsent costs both Crossed-Tree talismans and Ansbach’s Longbow (Hornsent, Leda).
- Leda’s ambush on Ansbach. Helping Leda kills Ansbach and costs Obsidian Lamina, Furious Blade of Ansbach and Leda’s Rune. Defending him costs the Retaliatory Crossed-Tree.
- Freyja’s letter. Tell Ansbach about Freyja before giving him the Secret Rite Scroll, or he leaves without the Letter for Freyja (Freyja).
- Thiollier’s Concoction. Get it before Thiollier leaves the Pillar Path Cross, and before burning the Sealing Tree in Rauh. Without it the Dragon Communion Priestess route gives the Priestess Heart and Flowerstone Gavel instead of Dragonbolt of Florissax and the Florissax ashes (Thiollier).
- Jolán’s iris. The Iris of Grace gives her spirit ashes, the Iris of Occultation gives the Sword of Night. You cannot have both in one run. Her summon signs also disappear once you beat Metyr (Jolán, Count Ymir).
- Ymir’s shop. Buy his spells before returning to the throne after Metyr.
Dane and Igon have nothing you can really miss.
Checklist before Maliketh
- Finish every Volcano Manor hunt and Rya’s story before Rykard.
- Do Yura’s steps before you set foot in the Mountaintops.
- Get Boc’s Prattling Pate before Leyndell and use it at the East Capital Rampart.
- Join Bernahl’s hunt in Leyndell.
- Have Corhyn teach you Law of Regression and cast it at the Radagon statue.
- Collect what you want in Leyndell, Royal Capital.
- Take the gold sign for Millicent if you want Miquella’s Needle.
- Skip the Three Fingers’ door unless you are set on the Frenzied Flame.
- Hear all of Melina’s talks before the Forge of the Giants.
- Finish Gideon’s steps and Enia’s talks before you beat Maliketh.