Do You HAVE to Beat Loretta to Get to Ranni in Elden Ring?

The short answer is yes, mostly. To legitimately access Ranni’s Rise and initiate her crucial questline, you must defeat Royal Knight Loretta guarding the entrance to the Three Sisters area in Elden Ring. While there is a known skip (detailed below), tackling Loretta is the intended path and provides essential rewards. So, while technically possible to skip, it’s highly recommended to defeat her.

Why Defeating Loretta is Important

Loretta isn’t just a roadblock; she’s a gatekeeper to one of Elden Ring’s most intricate and rewarding storylines. Bypassing her means missing out on valuable resources and a challenging, yet fair, boss fight that tests your skills.

• Access to Ranni’s Questline: This questline unlocks a unique ending, often considered one of the “best” by many players. This path unlocks a new ending for the player, allowing them to marry Ranni and usher in the Age of Stars.

• Three Sisters Access: The Three Sisters area, guarded by Loretta, is home to Ranni’s Rise and also contains the other towers, some of which will be important to completing the game.

• Loretta’s Rewards: Defeating her grants you Loretta’s Greatbow spell, the Ash of War: Loretta’s Slash, and a substantial amount of runes (10,000 runes) that will allow you to level up.. She also drops a Rune Arc x1 and a Furlcalling Finger Remedy x1.

• Character Progression: Facing Loretta provides a significant challenge that encourages players to hone their combat skills and explore different strategies. She is a tough boss, but her move set is learnable and the fight is a fair test of your skills.

The Loretta Skip: Is it Worth It?

While not the intended gameplay, a skip does exist for players who want to circumvent the fight.

How to Skip Loretta (Briefly)

1. Locate the summon pool statue on the right-hand side of the fog gate leading to Loretta.

2. Perform a sprint jump onto the surrounding architecture. Using an item that adds a bumscratch animation can help with the sprint jump.

3. Jump onto the left piece of the architecture.

4. Jump over the fence and into the arena, effectively bypassing the boss fight.

Why You Probably Shouldn’t Skip

The Loretta skip, while available, is generally not recommended for most players. Here’s why:

• It’s Exploitive: Skips often feel less rewarding than overcoming the intended challenge.

• You Miss Out on Rewards: As mentioned, Loretta drops valuable items and runes.

• Potential for Issues: Bypassing content can sometimes lead to unforeseen glitches or quest progression problems (though unlikely in this case).

• It Diminishes the Experience: Elden Ring is about overcoming challenges. Skipping a boss detracts from the overall experience.

Preparing for the Fight: Level and Strategy

If you choose to take on Loretta, preparation is key.

Recommended Level

It is recommended to approach the fight with a character around level 50. This assumes you’ve tackled other major bosses like Godrick the Grafted, Red Wolf of Radagon, and potentially Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon.

Strategies for Defeating Loretta

• Utilize Summons: Spirit Ashes can be invaluable in distracting Loretta, allowing you to deal damage safely.

• Learn Her Moveset: Pay attention to her attacks and learn the telegraphs to effectively dodge or block.

• Exploit Status Effects: While she isn’t easily affected, Scarlet Rot and Poison can slowly whittle down her health. Sleep can stagger her, which can be exploited for a critical attack

• Ranged Attacks: If you are a ranged class, consider using ranged attacks such as sorceries and incantations to attack her from a safe distance.

Character Builds

Loretta is a well-rounded boss, so builds of all types can win in this encounter. However, the fight can be made easier by using a build that exploits her weaknesses:

• Sorcery Builds: Sorceries are a great way to fight from afar. High-damage spells such as Loretta’s Greatbow can deal massive damage while keeping a safe distance from the boss.

• Bleed Builds: Dual wielding weapons that inflict bleed, or weapons that inflict bleed by themselves, are a great way to deal significant damage and stagger the boss.

• Strength Builds: High strength builds can inflict high damage attacks and use high-defense armor to absorb a majority of Loretta’s damage.

Conclusion

While a skip exists, defeating Royal Knight Loretta is essential for accessing Ranni’s Rise and embarking on her questline. The rewards and experience gained from this fight far outweigh the perceived benefit of skipping it. So, prepare your Tarnished, hone your skills, and face Loretta head-on. This will give you access to the Three Sister area where you can find Ranni and continue on her quest! Learn more about the educational impact of games at the Games Learning Society website: https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Is Royal Knight Loretta optional?

While technically there’s a skip, Royal Knight Loretta is essentially mandatory if you want to access the Three Sisters area and pursue Ranni’s questline, which unlocks a specific ending. So, to get to the areas that you need to get to, you need to defeat Loretta. However, you can skip the boss fight, but that is not recommended due to the rewards and experience you gain.

2. What level should I be to fight Loretta?

A character level of around 50 is recommended before challenging Royal Knight Loretta. However, if you are especially good at souls-like games, you may be able to defeat her at a lower level, but a higher level is recommended for those new to the genre.

3. Can Loretta get scarlet rot?

Yes, unlike the spirit version of Loretta that you encounter earlier, Royal Knight Loretta is made of flesh and blood and is susceptible to status effects like Scarlet Rot, Poison, and Sleep.

4. Is it possible to miss Ranni entirely?

No, you cannot permanently miss Ranni. If you somehow skip the initial encounter, you can still find her at the top of Ranni’s Rise after defeating Royal Knight Loretta.

5. What do I do after killing Loretta?

After defeating Royal Knight Loretta, proceed to the northwestern corner of the arena to enter the Three Sisters area. Head to Ranni’s Rise, the westernmost tower, to find Ranni and initiate her quest.

6. What do you get for killing Loretta?

Defeating Royal Knight Loretta rewards you with Loretta’s Greatbow spell, the Ash of War: Loretta’s Slash, a Rune Arc x1 and a Furlcalling Finger Remedy x1, and a significant amount of runes (10,000 runes).

7. Is Loretta a hard boss?

Loretta is considered a challenging boss, but not excessively difficult. Her attacks can be punishing, but with practice and strategy, she can be overcome. Many find her tougher than Godrick, but easier than Rennala.

8. Why did Loretta leave the Carians?

Loretta left the Carians to find a safe haven for the Albinaurics at the Haligtree under the service of Miquella. She now resides there.

9. Is Loretta an optional boss?

While technically a skip exists, Loretta is not truly optional if your goal is to pursue Ranni’s questline and access a specific ending.

10. What happens if you reject Ranni?

Ranni will not become hostile if you refuse to serve her. You can return to Ranni’s Rise later and accept her offer.

11. Does Ranni like the Tarnished?

In the Age of the Stars ending, Ranni refers to the Tarnished as her “lord” and “dear consort,” suggesting a deep connection and affection.

12. Is there romance in Elden Ring?

Elden Ring offers more potential for romantic relationships than previous Souls games, though it’s more implied than explicitly stated.

13. What are some good strategies for fighting Loretta?

Good strategies include using Spirit Ashes to distract her, learning her attack patterns, and exploiting status effects like Scarlet Rot or Poison.

14. How do I get to Ranni’s Rise after beating Loretta?

After defeating Loretta, simply proceed through the newly opened path in the northwestern corner of the arena. This will lead you to the Three Sisters area. Then just head to Ranni’s Rise, which is the tower on the west.

15. Is the Ranni ending the best ending?

The “best” ending is subjective. However, many players consider the Age of Stars ending, achieved through Ranni’s questline, to be the most satisfying and positive outcome.