What Should I Do With Dung Eater? Your Ultimate Elden Ring Decision Guide

So, you’ve encountered the Loathsome Dung Eater in Elden Ring. Congratulations (or condolences!), you’ve stumbled upon one of the most morally repugnant and narratively impactful characters in the game. The question of what to do with him is far from straightforward. Here’s the definitive guide:

The Short Answer: It depends entirely on what you want from your Elden Ring experience. There’s no objectively “right” answer.

• To complete his questline and achieve his ending (the Mending Rune of the Fell Curse), you must spare him initially. This path requires feeding him five Seedbed Curses, ultimately leading to a new, albeit horrifying, ending for the Lands Between.
• If you find his actions abhorrent and prioritize a less bleak outcome, killing him at any point after freeing him from his cell is a perfectly valid choice. You’ll obtain his armor set, but you’ll forfeit his ending.
• Consider the implications of each choice on the overall narrative and your Tarnished’s moral alignment. This isn’t just about gameplay; it’s about the story you want to tell.

Understanding the Dung Eater: A Deep Dive

The Dung Eater is more than just a grotesque villain. He’s a symbol of utter despair and the corrupting influence of the Outer Gods on the Lands Between. His goal isn’t merely conquest; it’s the systematic defilement and corruption of the very essence of life. He seeks to curse every living being, ensuring that even death offers no escape. This makes his questline exceptionally dark, even by Elden Ring’s standards.

Key Considerations Before Making Your Choice

Before you decide the Dung Eater’s fate, weigh these factors:

• The Mending Rune of the Fell Curse Ending: This ending, achieved by using the Rune on the fractured Marika, condemns the Lands Between to an eternity of suffering. Children will be born cursed, and hope will be extinguished.
• His Armor Set: Killing him grants you the Omen set, which offers decent protection and fits well within certain character builds (especially those focused on Strength and Endurance).
• Your Roleplaying Preferences: Do you play a heroic Tarnished seeking to restore order, or a more pragmatic one willing to make morally questionable decisions for power?
• Completionism: If you’re aiming for 100% completion, you’ll need to at least start his questline to acquire the Mending Rune, even if you ultimately choose not to use it.
• The Impact on Other Endings: The Dung Eater’s quest does not directly prevent you from achieving other endings. You can obtain his Mending Rune and still pursue the Age of Stars, Order, or Fracture endings.

A Step-by-Step Breakdown of the Dung Eater’s Questline

To fully understand the implications of your decision, here’s a quick overview of the quest:

1. Find him in the Roundtable Hold: He’s initially behind a locked door in a room near the Twin Maiden Husks.
2. Venture to the Subterranean Shunning-Grounds: Locate his physical form imprisoned near the Cathedral of the Forsaken.
3. Defeat him in his invaded form: He will invade your world upon returning to the Roundtable Hold.
4. Unlock his cell and speak to him: He’ll task you with bringing him Seedbed Curses.
5. Collect Seedbed Curses: These are found on defiled corpses in various locations.
6. Feed him the Curses: After five, he’ll grant you the Mending Rune of the Fell Curse.
7. Choose your fate: Use the Rune to achieve his ending, or pursue a different path.

Is There a “Good” Choice?

This is Elden Ring, so the concept of a purely “good” choice is debatable. Killing the Dung Eater prevents his horrific vision from coming to pass, potentially saving countless lives from a cursed existence. However, it also means denying him his agency, even if his goals are reprehensible. Furthermore, many would argue that any tampering with the Elden Ring is inherently problematic.

Consider the potential consequences of all the endings. The Age of Stars, while presented as a “good” ending by some, involves abandoning the Golden Order and embracing a potentially uncaring cosmic entity. The Age of Order could be interpreted as a return to a stagnant and oppressive regime. There is no happy ending in the Lands Between.

Making Your Decision: A Final Thought

Ultimately, the decision of what to do with the Dung Eater rests with you. There’s no easy answer, and each choice has its own set of consequences. Consider your own moral compass, your character’s motivations, and the kind of ending you want to experience. This decision offers a prime opportunity to think about how games can explore the effects of player choices in a virtual world. The GamesLearningSociety.org explores this subject and related subjects more deeply.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About the Dung Eater

Here are 15 frequently asked questions regarding the Dung Eater, addressing various aspects of his questline, motivations, and impact on Elden Ring’s story:

1. What happens if I kill the Dung Eater before starting his quest?

If you kill him in the Subterranean Shunning-Grounds before initiating his quest in the Roundtable Hold, you’ll still get his armor, but you’ll lock yourself out of his questline and ending for that playthrough. You’ll also miss out on a unique enemy encounter in the Roundtable Hold.

2. Can I still get the Mending Rune of the Fell Curse if I kill him after he gives it to me?

Yes. Once he gives you the Mending Rune of the Fell Curse, you can kill him without losing it. This allows you to obtain his armor and still have the Rune available if you change your mind later.

3. Where can I find Seedbed Curses?

Seedbed Curses are located on specific corpses in the following locations:

• Volcano Manor: Two Curses are found within this area.
• Leyndell, Royal Capital (and later, Leyndell, Ashen Capital): Two Curses are found here, one on the main path and one requiring some exploration.
• Elphael, Brace of the Haligtree: One Curse is found here.

4. Is the Dung Eater boss fight difficult?

The Dung Eater’s fight can be challenging, especially at lower levels. He’s aggressive and deals significant damage. He is however weak to fire damage and can be staggered easily.

5. Does the Dung Eater’s ending affect New Game Plus?

No. Endings in Elden Ring are self-contained within each playthrough. Your choices in one playthrough do not carry over to New Game Plus.

6. Can I respec my character after getting the Dung Eater ending?

Yes. Respecing your character through Rennala’s rebirth mechanic is completely independent of your ending choice.

7. Is the Omen set any good?

The Omen set is a decent medium-heavy armor set, offering good physical protection and poise. It’s a solid choice for strength-based builds that need to trade blows.

8. Does the Dung Eater invade me more than once?

No, he only invades you once in the Roundtable Hold. This invasion is necessary to progress his questline.

9. Is there any way to redeem the Dung Eater?

Unfortunately, no. There is no way to change his mind or steer him away from his dark purpose.

10. Does killing the Dung Eater affect any other questlines?

No. His questline is self-contained and does not intersect with other major questlines in the game.

11. What are the lore implications of the Mending Rune of the Fell Curse?

The Mending Rune of the Fell Curse represents the complete and utter corruption of the Elden Ring, condemning the Lands Between to an eternity of suffering and despair. It’s a testament to the devastating power of the Outer Gods and their influence.

12. Why is he called the Dung Eater?

The name “Dung Eater” is likely a metaphorical reference to his defilement and corruption of life and corpses, rather than literal consumption of dung. The text above states: “It is from this punishment that the Dung-Eater earned his title, since being covered – literally – in dung is definitely likely to leave a lasting impression on any and all who see it.”

13. Is the Dung Eater related to the Omen?

Yes. The Dung Eater is an Omen, which explains his physical appearance (horns and grotesque features) and his connection to the Subterranean Shunning-Grounds, where many Omen are imprisoned.

14. Are all the Elden Ring endings bad?

That’s a matter of perspective. While some endings are clearly more bleak than others, none of them offer a truly utopian outcome. Each represents a different path forward for the Lands Between, with its own set of compromises and potential downsides.

15. Where can I learn more about the lore and narrative design in games like Elden Ring?

You can learn more about the lore and narrative design in games like Elden Ring by visiting Games Learning Society. This website offers valuable insights into the educational aspects of gaming and the underlying narrative structures that make games so engaging.