Can You Still Play After Choosing an Ending in Elden Ring?
The Lands Between in Elden Ring are vast and captivating, and the prospect of reaching its conclusion raises a crucial question for many players: can you continue to explore and play after choosing an ending? The answer is a resounding yes, with a significant caveat. Unlike some games that immediately whisk you into New Game Plus, Elden Ring provides a window to continue your journey in the same world before committing to a new playthrough. This freedom allows you to tie up loose ends, explore areas you might have missed, or experiment with different builds before your next adventure.
Exploring Post-Ending Lands Between
After defeating the final boss, the Elden Beast, you are not immediately thrust into a new game cycle. Instead, you are returned to the Lands Between where you can freely roam. This period provides a crucial opportunity to accomplish several things:
Continue Exploring and Completing Objectives
This post-ending freedom allows you to pursue tasks such as:
- Defeating optional bosses: Numerous formidable foes are hidden throughout the world.
- Collecting remaining weapons, spells, and armor: Discover any items you may have missed during your playthrough.
- Completing side quests: Finish any lingering storylines you’ve yet to wrap up.
- Solving puzzles and exploring secret areas: Dig deeper into the world’s mysteries.
Preparation for New Game Plus
This period of free roam is also ideal for preparation if you plan to enter New Game Plus (NG+). This preparation might involve:
- Farming runes to level up further.
- Upgrading weapons using smithing stones.
- Trying out new builds: Respec your character and experiment with different combinations of gear and stats.
Choosing Your Moment
Importantly, the choice to start NG+ is entirely yours. You’ll receive a prompt to begin the new cycle after the final boss, but you can decline and revisit the Roundtable Hold later to trigger it from there. The game does not force the new playthrough on you until you’re ready. This gives you control over when to move on to a new experience while carrying over character progression.
Understanding New Game Plus
When you initiate NG+, your progress is reset, the story begins anew but you retain your character’s:
- Level and stats
- Weapons, armor, talismans, and spells
- Most key items
- Upgrade materials
This is why you may want to collect all of the items you need before starting it. You can also choose different ending in NG+ since Elden Ring has multiple endings based on your actions.
Why Explore Before Starting New Game Plus?
Before committing to NG+, take time to explore and experience all that the world has to offer. This allows you to go into the next cycle stronger and better prepared, making the early stages of the game much more manageable. This preparation will also help you get any of the other endings.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are 15 frequently asked questions designed to provide additional information and clarity about playing after choosing an ending in Elden Ring:
1. How many endings are there in Elden Ring?
There are six distinct endings in Elden Ring, each depending on the choices and actions you undertake during your playthrough. Four of those are variations of the “default” ending while the other two are “special”.
2. Do the endings affect the world of Elden Ring?
Yes, each ending results in different outcomes for the Lands Between. Each one alters who will be in charge of the world and the overall state of the world you inhabit.
3. Is the Ranni ending a “good” ending?
Many players consider Ranni’s Age of Stars ending to be the most positive of the six. It results in a new order that could improve the state of the Lands Between. However, what counts as “good” is subjective for the player.
4. What is the hardest ending to achieve in Elden Ring?
The Frenzied Flame ending is widely considered the most challenging to trigger. It requires you to go far off the beaten path and make decisions that will even make your maiden Melina abandon you.
5. What is the “standard” ending in Elden Ring?
The standard ending is the one in which the Tarnished mends the Elden Ring and becomes Elden Lord, guided by Melina throughout the game.
6. What happens in New Game Plus?
In New Game Plus, you start a new journey from the beginning, but retain your character’s stats, gear, and most items from your previous playthrough. This allows you to experience the game with increased power, making earlier challenges easier to handle.
7. Is it worth playing New Game Plus?
For many, NG+ is absolutely worth it. It allows you to experience the game from a new perspective, experiment with different builds, and achieve endings that may have been missed the first time. It will also give you access to higher level smithing stones needed for maxing out weapons.
8. What is the max level in Elden Ring?
The maximum achievable level in Elden Ring is 713, requiring the accumulation of over a billion runes. This is rarely done because of the time and effort it takes.
9. How does the level affect PvP in Elden Ring?
The community has generally agreed on a “meta level” for PvP duels. It is typically around 125-150.
10. Can you free roam after defeating the final boss?
Yes, you can continue to explore the Lands Between after defeating the final boss. This allows you to complete side quests, collect remaining items, and fight optional bosses.
11. When do you get the prompt to start NG+?
You are prompted to start NG+ after defeating the Elden Beast. However, you can choose to decline and initiate it later at the Roundtable Hold.
12. What does Melina want for the ending?
Melina’s desired ending involves the Tarnished becoming the Elden Lord, which is the standard ending of the game.
13. Does Ranni love the Tarnished?
In the Age of the Stars ending, Ranni refers to the Tarnished as her consort, implying a romantic relationship. However, her feelings before this ending are ambiguous.
14. Is there a canonical ending for Elden Ring?
Many players believe the Age of the Duskborn is the canon ending, based on clues from the art for Shadow of the Erdtree. This ending leaves the Erdtree intact but changes the surrounding area.
15. Can you get 100% in Elden Ring?
Technically, achieving a full 100% is impossible due to the multiple ending paths, but you can get very close to completing almost everything in the game before going into NG+.
Final Thoughts
Elden Ring’s post-game experience is designed to be player-friendly, offering the freedom to explore and prepare before committing to NG+. The vastness of the Lands Between, coupled with the different possible endings, gives players ample reason to continue engaging with the game even after the credits roll. This system ensures that the journey through the Lands Between can be tailored to each player’s unique preferences and desired outcomes. Whether you are seeking to collect every item, conquer every boss, or explore every possible story path, Elden Ring provides the freedom and options to do so.