Does Elden Ring Reset After Final Boss?
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The short and direct answer is: No, Elden Ring does not reset after defeating the final boss. Instead of forcing you into a new game plus or wiping your progress, the game returns you to the moment before the final encounter, allowing you to freely explore the world, complete any unfinished tasks, and experience alternative endings. This design choice is intentional, enabling players to savor every corner of the massive open world without feeling pressured to rush or lose their hard-earned progress. Think of it as the game saving your state right before the very end, providing a safe checkpoint to return to.
Post-Elden Beast Freedom
After you’ve overcome the challenge of the Elden Beast and witnessed one of the game’s endings, you won’t be thrown back to the character creation screen. The game will instead place you back in Leyndell, Ashen Capital or the Roundtable Hold, depending on your choices before the final boss fight. You will maintain all your levels, acquired items, completed quests, and unlocked areas. Essentially, nothing is lost, and you’re free to roam the Lands Between as if the final boss encounter never happened. This opens up a plethora of options for what you can do, letting you continue your journey without the need to restart.
Exploring Optional Content
Many players use this post-game state to tackle optional areas they may have skipped, such as difficult legacy dungeons, or hidden caves. It is an opportunity to collect missed items or complete any outstanding character questlines. This is particularly beneficial given the scale of Elden Ring, where even diligent players may miss a large amount of content in their initial playthrough.
Pursuing Multiple Endings
Elden Ring boasts multiple different endings, each influenced by your actions and decisions throughout the game. After achieving your first ending, you can use this post-game state to unlock and witness the other potential conclusions to the story, without needing to restart your entire game. To see each of these requires making different choices, thus giving you additional playability.
Preparing for New Game Plus
While you are free to continue playing in your current state, you will eventually be prompted to start New Game Plus from the menu. New Game Plus does not begin until you manually select the option. This gives players the freedom to choose when to embark on a fresh adventure with increased difficulty and carry over much of their previous playthrough’s character progression.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some frequently asked questions to help you fully understand the post-game state of Elden Ring:
Can I still summon allies after beating the final boss?
Yes, you can still summon friends to assist you in coop. As long as you have not entered into New Game Plus, you are free to continue exploring and playing with other players. This applies to both cooperative and competitive play.
Can I respec my character after beating the Elden Beast?
Absolutely. You can respec your character using Larval Tears after defeating Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon. This option is available at any point after beating Rennala, including the post game. So, if you decide to experiment with different builds after your final encounter, it is absolutely possible.
What happens if I missed a key item before the final boss?
If you’ve missed an important key item, don’t worry. You can still obtain it post-game. The game world remains open and explorable, allowing you to backtrack to any location you’ve previously visited to pick up any items you may have overlooked.
Can I go back and fight optional bosses I skipped?
Yes, you can freely revisit any boss arenas you have previously unlocked. This allows you to test your skills against bosses like Malenia, Blade of Miquella or other optional encounters you may have not challenged the first time around.
Does defeating the final boss affect any of the NPCs?
No, your victory over the Elden Beast does not change the states of NPCs. Their questlines and interactions remain the same as they were before your final boss fight. This is true for both alive NPCs and NPCs that have died in your playthough.
Does difficulty increase after beating the final boss if I don’t choose New Game Plus?
No, the game’s difficulty will remain the same in the current playthrough. Difficulty increases only when you initiate New Game Plus. This allows you to fully enjoy the post-game activities without a sudden difficulty spike.
Can I see all endings in one playthrough?
Not in the strictest sense. To achieve different endings, you will need to reload to before the final encounter, and make different choices. The game allows to you go back, so you can see multiple endings, but not within one continuous instance.
Can I unlock all achievements in one playthrough?
Yes, you can, given that you can reload to before the final encounter and make different choices. If you achieve all endings, complete all the side quests, defeat all bosses, and find all the items, the achievements are achievable in one game file.
Can I still do NPC questlines after beating the Elden Beast?
Yes, most NPC questlines can be continued in the post-game, however, certain quests may be locked after some progress. Be sure to fully explore the world, and continue quests before progressing too far in the main story.
Is there any new content that appears after beating the final boss?
The actual game content remains largely the same after defeating the final boss. The only difference is access to the ending cutscene, and the freedom to return to complete any areas or content.
What is the best way to farm runes after beating the final boss?
Popular methods, such as farming areas like the Palace Approach Ledge-Road, continue to be viable rune farming locations after you’ve defeated the final boss. Farming runes is a viable way to level before entering New Game Plus.
Can I still find spirit ashes in the post game?
Yes, any spirit ashes that you may have missed during the initial playthrough can be obtained in the post game, allowing you to fully complete your collection.
Does beating the final boss lock me out of anything?
No, beating the final boss doesn’t lock you out of any content. All the areas, dungeons, and NPCs will remain accessible, allowing you to finish any unfinished tasks or quests. The exception to this would be certain quests that cannot be continued after certain points.
How do I access the other endings after I have already seen one?
To access other endings, you will have to reload to before the Elden Beast fight. Once done, you can make different choices and progress to a new ending.
What happens if I touch Marika’s head after beating the Elden Beast?
Touching Marika’s head will trigger the default ending of Elden Ring. You will then be given the option to continue exploring your current save or to start New Game Plus.
In conclusion, Elden Ring provides a robust post-game experience that allows players to continue their adventure. You won’t be thrown into an immediate New Game Plus cycle; instead, you are given the freedom to explore, complete side quests, and uncover all the secrets of the Lands Between before making that decision. This thoughtful design ensures that players have ample time to enjoy everything the game has to offer at their own pace.