What Is the Quickest Elden Ring Ending?
The quickest Elden Ring ending to achieve is undoubtedly the Age of Fracture ending. This ending is often considered the “default” path and requires the least deviation from the main storyline. By simply following a comprehensive walkthrough that guides you through the essential regions and boss fights, you will naturally progress towards this conclusion. Unlike other endings that demand specific quests, hidden items, or complex character interactions, the Age of Fracture is the most straightforward and easily accessible. Therefore, if your primary goal is to reach an ending as swiftly as possible, the Age of Fracture is your best bet.
Understanding the Age of Fracture Ending
The Age of Fracture ending sees the player character, the Tarnished, becoming the Elden Lord by mending the Elden Ring after defeating the final boss, the Elden Beast. This is the path the game essentially encourages, and it doesn’t involve many prerequisites besides completing the mandatory story progression. You don’t need to complete any side quests, or delve too deeply into the lore or NPC storylines to unlock this ending. This ease of access is why it’s usually the first ending players experience.
Key Advantages for Speedrunners
For speedrunners and players looking to minimize their playtime, the Age of Fracture offers significant advantages:
- Direct Path: It requires no detours into complicated questlines or challenging optional areas.
- Minimal Interaction: There is no need to complete specific NPC side quests, reducing the time spent on extra exploration.
- No Special Items: The required items and encounters are part of the standard progression of the main storyline.
- Predictable Progression: The locations of mandatory bosses and dungeons are well-known, allowing for efficient planning.
While other endings might offer a more fulfilling or unique conclusion to the game’s narrative, they all require additional work and time investment. If you just want to experience an ending fast, the Age of Fracture ending is your fastest ticket to the end credits.
Related Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are 15 frequently asked questions about Elden Ring endings, providing further details and useful information:
1. Which Elden Ring ending is considered the “best”?
Many consider the Age of Stars ending, associated with Ranni the Witch, as the “best” ending. It is often regarded as the most positive conclusion, where Ranni becomes the new goddess and the Tarnished becomes her consort. This ending is seen as the one that leaves the Lands Between in a significantly better state.
2. What is the hardest ending to achieve in Elden Ring?
The Lord of the Frenzied Flame ending is generally considered the hardest to achieve. This ending requires players to deviate significantly from the typical path, and it involves a challenging questline. Also, choosing this ending can lead to Melina abandoning the player, highlighting how far you go off the main narrative path.
3. Is Ranni’s ending a good or bad ending?
Ranni’s Age of Stars ending is widely considered a “good” ending. It results in Ranni taking charge and attempting to restore the Lands Between in a different, potentially better way, than it was under the Golden Order.
4. How long does it take to complete Elden Ring’s main story?
Completing Elden Ring’s main story usually takes around 44 hours on average, focusing solely on the essential progression. This, however, does not include time spent exploring the open world or tackling the many side quests.
5. What is the longest game to complete?
The game Melvor Idle holds the record for the longest playtime to complete, estimated at a whopping 3,126 hours.
6. How long does it take to finish Only Up?
On average, it takes players 4 to 5 hours to complete Only Up, though some can do it quicker or much slower, depending on their skill and number of falls.
7. Is the Tarnished Ranni’s spouse in her ending?
In the Age of Stars ending, the Tarnished does become Ranni’s consort. He is her Elden Lord and becomes part of her new cosmic order.
8. What does the Dung Eater’s ending entail?
The Dung Eater’s ending, called the Blessing of Despair, curses the Lands Between. To achieve this, you must complete his quest by giving him Seedbed Curses and using his rune at the end, leading to an eternity of suffering throughout the world.
9. What ending does Melina want the player to choose?
Melina intends for the Tarnished to become the Elden Lord and mend the Elden Ring, which leads to the Age of Fracture ending. This is the default path she guides you through.
10. Which endings are required to get 100% completion in Elden Ring?
To obtain all of the achievements, you only need to experience one Elden Lord ending (Age of Fracture), the Age of Stars ending, and the Lord of the Frenzied Flame ending. You do not need to get them all.
11. What is considered the most challenging starting class in Elden Ring?
The Wretch class is considered the most challenging, as it starts the game at level one with very basic equipment and stats.
12. What are some of the hardest things to achieve in Elden Ring?
Some difficult achievements in Elden Ring include collecting all Legendary Sorceries and Incantations, defeating Dragonlord Placidusax, finding all Legendary Talismans, and defeating certain bosses such as Mohg.
13. Is Ranni considered a good or evil character?
Ranni is considered a morally grey character. Her actions are often for the greater good, but she uses unconventional and even questionable methods. However, her ending is often seen as the “best” possible outcome.
14. What happens if you refuse to work with Melina?
If you refuse to work with Melina early in the game, she will eventually become essential to progression. Without her, you cannot get past Morgott. You need Melina to grant you the key item to access the Great Lift.
15. Which Elden Ring ending is considered canon?
Both the Age of Fracture and the Age of the Duskborn are generally considered canon, highlighting the cyclical nature of the Elden Ring universe. One prolongs the cycle, while the other potentially brings about a new era. There’s a debate about which is ‘more’ canon, but both have arguments supporting them.
Conclusion
In summary, the Age of Fracture ending is the quickest to reach in Elden Ring due to its straightforward nature and minimal requirements. While other endings offer more in-depth story and world implications, for those seeking the fastest conclusion, this is the most direct path to take. The game’s rich variety of endings means there are many ways to experience the Lands Between, but for speed, nothing beats the simple path to the Age of Fracture.