Is Starscourge Radahn Mandatory in Elden Ring? A Tarnished’s Guide
No, Starscourge Radahn is not a mandatory boss in Elden Ring to reach any of the game’s endings. While defeating him unlocks a crucial area and progresses specific questlines, you only need to defeat two Shardbearers to gain access to Leyndell, Royal Capital, and progress the main story. This offers players flexibility in choosing their path and tailoring their experience based on playstyle and preference.
The Starscourge: Optional But Impactful
Radahn stands as one of Elden Ring’s most iconic and challenging encounters. His arena, the Starscourge Radahn boss fight, presents a visually stunning spectacle of gravity-defying combat. Despite his notoriety, he is classified as an optional boss, meaning that the game can be completed without ever facing him. However, bypassing Radahn comes at a cost, impacting your overall gameplay experience.
The Lure of Nokron, Eternal City
The primary reason most players choose to face Radahn lies in what his defeat unlocks: access to Nokron, Eternal City. After you vanquish the Starscourge, a meteor falls upon the Lands Between, creating a massive crater in the Mistwood. This crater serves as the entrance to Nokron.
Nokron isn’t just a visually arresting area; it’s integral to Ranni the Witch’s questline, one of the most intricate and rewarding side quests in the game. Completing Ranni’s quest is required for her special ending.
The Great Rune of Radahn: A Powerful Boon
Beyond Nokron, defeating Radahn rewards you with his Great Rune. When activated with a Rune Arc, Radahn’s Great Rune significantly boosts your HP, FP, and Stamina, providing a substantial advantage in combat and exploration. This rune alone is a good incentive to fight him.
The Shardbearer Dilemma
Radahn is one of the four major Shardbearers in Elden Ring, each possessing a fragment of the Elden Ring. While facing Radahn is optional, remember that defeating at least two Shardbearers is mandatory to gain access to Leyndell, Royal Capital, and advance the main storyline. If you choose to skip Radahn, you will need to challenge at least two of Godrick, Rennala, or Rykard. Each of these provide a shard and also have implications for questlines.
FAQs: Demystifying Radahn’s Role
1. What happens if I skip Radahn entirely?
Skipping Radahn means you won’t have access to Nokron, Eternal City, preventing you from progressing Ranni the Witch’s questline and obtaining the Dark Moon Greatsword, and obtaining the Frenzied Flame Seal. You’ll also miss out on Radahn’s Great Rune. However, you can still complete the game by defeating two other Shardbearers.
2. What level should I be to fight Radahn?
The recommended level for tackling Radahn is around level 70, with well-upgraded weapons (ideally +15 or higher) and a build suited to your preferred playstyle. Some players have managed to defeat him at lower levels, but that requires a high degree of skill and optimized equipment. You should also have decent weapons with several upgrades and good protective armor.
3. Is there an easy way to beat Radahn?
While there’s no guaranteed “easy” method, utilizing summoning is key. The festival allows you to summon a host of NPC allies to aid you in the battle. Consistently re-summoning these allies allows them to serve as diversions while you attack or re-position. Additionally, exploiting Radahn’s weaknesses with appropriate weapons or spells can significantly ease the fight. Using a bleed build can also prove very effective.
4. Does the Radahn armor set have any special benefits?
The Radahn’s Lion Armor set offers the highest Poise value in the game and excellent physical damage mitigation, making it a strong defensive choice. Its high weight, however, requires significant Endurance to avoid encumbrance. If you’re able to wear the full set while maintaining medium roll, it’s a great option defensively. Statistically, this is the best armor set in Elden Ring. It also has the best lightning resistance out of all armor.
5. Can I beat Radahn with just summons?
Yes, it is possible to defeat Radahn by focusing solely on summoning NPC allies and allowing them to do most of the fighting. While it might take longer and feel less “honorable”, it’s a viable strategy, especially for players struggling with his attack patterns. In fact, you don’t need to engage with Radahn at all. You can simply ride around the dunes on your horse, continuously re-summoning Blaidd, Okina, and the rest while letting them fight for you. It’s not fast or honorable, but it definitely works.
6. What happens after I defeat Radahn?
Defeating Radahn triggers a cutscene showing a meteor falling somewhere in the Lands Between. This meteor creates a crater in the Mistwood, opening the path to Nokron, Eternal City. The arena will also now be clear, and you can collect the Remembrance of the Starscourge and Radahn’s Great Rune.
7. What is the best weapon to use against Radahn?
Radahn is particularly vulnerable to Bleed and Frostbite effects. Weapons that inflict these status ailments, or those that deal physical damage or fire damage, are highly effective. Some popular choices include weapons that can be paired with blood grease, frost grease, or weapons like the Blasphemous Blade.
8. Is Radahn harder now that he’s been “un-nerfed”?
Radahn was inadvertently weakened in a previous patch, but has since been restored to his intended difficulty. Therefore, he presents a significant challenge, especially for those unprepared for his aggressive attacks and vast AoE abilities.
9. How do I trigger the Radahn Festival?
The Radahn Festival begins when you reach Altus Plateau or make significant progress in Ranni the Witch’s questline. The festival itself allows you to challenge the Radahn boss. You can either progress the story to Altus Plateau or progress Ranni’s questline to access the festival. Summon Torrent and sprint past the two Giants and head for the nearest Site of Lost Grace on the nearby hill. Activate the Site and pass the time to Nightfall. This triggers the Radahn Festival, allowing players to travel to the Impassable Greatbridge bonfire and face Radahn.
10. What does Radahn drop when defeated?
Radahn drops the Remembrance of the Starscourge (which can be traded for powerful items) and Radahn’s Great Rune, which, when activated with a Rune Arc, significantly boosts your HP, FP, and Stamina.
11. How does Radahn’s Great Rune work?
Radahn’s Great Rune, when activated with a Rune Arc, significantly increases your maximum HP, FP, and Stamina. This provides a substantial boost to your character’s survivability and resource pool.
12. Is Radahn considered one of the hardest bosses in Elden Ring?
Many players consider Radahn to be one of the most challenging bosses in Elden Ring due to his aggressive AI, long-range attacks, and area-of-effect abilities. His fight often requires a different approach than other bosses, focusing on mobility, summoning, and exploiting his weaknesses.
13. What mandatory Legacy Dungeons are required to complete the game?
Elden Ring includes numerous Legacy Dungeons, but only a select few are crucial for the storyline completion. These are: Stormveil Castle, Raya Lucaria Academy, Leyndell: Royal Capital, and Crumbling Farum Azula.
14. Is Radahn required for any specific ending?
Radahn is not directly required for any specific ending in the sense that you absolutely must defeat him to achieve it. However, defeating him opens up Nokron, which is integral to Ranni’s questline. Completing Ranni’s quest is required for Ranni’s special ending, the Age of Stars ending.
15. Where can I learn more about game design and educational game usage?
There are resources available to help you understand the importance of game design and educational game usage. To learn more about the theoretical basis and potential impact of educational games, visit the Games Learning Society at GamesLearningSociety.org.
In conclusion, while Starscourge Radahn is optional, his defeat unlocks crucial areas, items, and questlines that significantly enhance the Elden Ring experience. Whether you choose to face him head-on or explore other paths, the Lands Between offer endless possibilities for Tarnished adventurers.