Elden Ring has grown quite infamous, in part thanks to its open-world take on Dark Souls games. Far less linear than its predecessors, Elden Ring players often receive very little guidance about where they should be going, what quests they should be completing, and even what bosses need killing.
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This is often part of the enjoyment in Elden Ring, forcing players to explore the furthest reaches of the eerily beautiful environments. The downside is that players can end up missing out on some brilliant questlines, items, and boss fights. These Elden Ring hidden bosses shouldn’t be missed.
Updated February 8, 2025, by Hamza Haq: One of the reasons why Elden Ring is considered one of the greatest games of all time is because its open world is filled with weapons, armor, valuables, and even entire dungeons that are so off the beaten path that the average player may never find them unless they’re incredibly thorough explorers or read about it in a guide somewhere. Secret bosses are a staple of the FromSoftware Soulsborne experience, and with an open-world format, Elden Ring has left its predecessors miles behind in this category.
20
Red Bear
Hidden Atop A Tall Plateau
Red Bear is a new optional boss introduced in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree. He can be encountered inside the Northern Nameless Mausoleum, one of the four Nameless Mausoleums hidden across the Land of Shadow in the DLC.
To reach the Red Bear, players will first have to find the Ancient Ruins of Rauh (Lower) area in the northern section of the map. There are a couple of different ways to reach this location, but the fastest way is by taking the hidden tunnel at the northern edge of one of the lakes in Scadu Altus. Here, continue west along the narrow path guarded by the large Stone Golems until reaching the Rauh Ruins Map Fragment. Just to the south of this, players will find a sealed spiritspring that can be unlocked by breaking the ghostly cairn nearby. Using the spiritspring will lead to the top of a flat plateau where the Northern Nameless Mausoleum is located and where Red Bear is waiting for someone to come defeat him.
19
Misbegotten Crusader
A Heavy Hitting Melee Warrior Hiding Inside A Cave
In the western section of the Consecrated Snowfields, there is a locked cave called the Cave of the Forlorn a little ways from the Inner Consecrated Snowfields Site of Grace. Players can open this cave using a Stonesword Key.
The cave is filled with stalagmites and is fairly straightforward to navigate. Hug the left wall until coming to a snowy outcrop that can be jumped on. Climb on top and circle around to find a hidden path leading downward. Follow this path to reach the Misbegotten Crusader boss fight.
18
Alecto, Black Knife Ringleader
Evergaol Can Only Be Accessed Late In Ranni’s Quest
Many different types of Black Knife Assassins can be found throughout The Lands Between, and their order is pivotal to the story’s lore. They were instrumental in the plot of Lunar Princess Ranni to cast out her Empyrean flesh and to slay Godwyn the Golden. Alecto, as her full title suggests, was the leader of the Black Knives.
Alecto is now trapped in an Evergaol known as the Ringleader’s Evergaol, but this one can be hard to find as the part of Liurnia that it resides in can only be accessed late into Ranni’s quest after slaying Astel, Naturalborn of the Void. Fighting Alecto is well worth doing, as players will be rewarded with the Black Knife Tiche Ashes. Tiche is the daughter of Alecto who perished protecting her mother on their flight from Leyndell, and she may be one of the most powerful spirit ashes in the game.
17
Demi-Human Swordmaster Onze
In An Out Of The Way Dungeon
Demi-Human Swordmaster Onze is a boss at the end of the Belurat Gaol in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree. An optional dungeon in the DLC, Belurat Gaol is very easy to overlook as its entrance is a small door by the side of a lake that’s off the beaten path.
To reach Onze, players will need to look for Belurat Gaol east of the Belurat, Tower Settlement. The entrance is hidden between some metal cages next to the lake. Defeating Onze is the only way to obtain the Demi-Human Swordsman Yosh Spirit Ash.
16
Mohg, The Omen
Hidden Away In Labyrinthine Sewers
- Location: Cathedral of the Forsaken
- Runes: 100,000
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Drops:
Bloodflame Talons - HP: 14,000
Mohg, The Omen, may only be a fraction of the strength of his true form, Mohg, Lord of Blood, but that doesn’t prevent him from being a formidable adversary. The reason that Mohg, The Omen, can be challenging to find is that he is located deep within the Subterranean Shunning-Grounds, found in the sewers of Leyndell. The sewers are labyrinthine and hard to navigate, and players will likely want to make use of Rainbow Stones to mark their way if it’s their first time down there (or if they just have a poor sense of direction).
Once players reach the Forsaken Depths Site of Grace, Mohg will be just down the hall. While he’s not a required boss, players will need to defeat either Mohg or the terrifying Valiant Gargoyle duo to get to the Deeproot Depths and achieve the Age of the Duskborn ending, and players going for the Frenzied Flame ending will also need to get past Mohg first. If players have released the Dung Eater, he can be summoned for this boss.
15
Astel, Stars of Darkness
A Stronger Version Of A Legend Boss
Astel, Stars of Darkness can be found in the westernmost section of the Consecrated Snowfields, inside the Yelough Anix Tunnel, an optional area that’s very easy to overlook as it’s quite out of the way, and is easy to miss.
Inside the tunnel, players will need to navigate the snowy maze and keep heading downward along the path until they encounter Astel. Be prepared for a hard fight as Astel, Stars of Darkness is a beefed up version of Astel, Naturalborn of the Void, the boss players might’ve already killed for Ranni the Witch.
14
Ancient Dragon Lansseax
Can Be Missed Without Thorough Exploration
Dragon fights are a staple in fantasy, and Elden Ring is no exception. This dragon fight, however, is quite easy to miss despite appearing in two locations. Players can first be ambushed by Lansseax near the Abandoned Coffin Site of Grace in the Altus Plateau, but she retreats when her health is reduced by 20%.
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Players can fight Lansseax again and in full at the Rampartside Path Site of Grace. She will launch her attack when players double back towards the eastern ridge. While players can circumvent the Abandoned Coffin encounter, reducing her health there lowers it for the Rampartside Path fight.
13
Ralva the Great Red Bear
Hidden In The Woods
- Location: Scadu Altus, Shadow of the Erdtree
- Runes: 180,000
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Drops:
Pelt of Ralva - HP: 29,606
Ralva the Great Red Bear is a mini world boss exclusive to the Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree DLC. Players will find Ralva in a small lake in Scadu Altus, northeast of the Highroad Cross Site of Grace.
Defeating Ralva will allow players to obtain the Pelt of Ralva, a unique headpiece with excellent aesthetic appeal, similar to the Black Wolf Mask but with an open front and red fur instead of black.
12
Dragonkin Soldier
Lake Of Rot Makes Traversal Challenging
From dragon to Dragonkin, there are two Elden Ring bosses with the name “Dragonkin Soldier.” Both can be easy to miss, but the Dragonkin Soldier in The Lake Of Rot particularly stands out. In part, this is down to the fact that The Lake Of Rot itself can be tricky to come across.
On top of this, it takes some grim determination and a lot of Flasks of Crimson Tears to even make the trek through The Lake Of Rot. Should players make it to the Lake Of Rot Shoreside Site of Grace, they can then confront the Lake Of Rot Dragonkin Soldier.
11
Godefroy The Grafted
Requires A Lot Of Backtracking
- Location: Golden Lineage Evergaol
- Runes: 26,000
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Drops:
Godfrey Icon - HP: 12,419
Evergaols tend to be an obvious sign that there is a boss that needs fighting, but Godefroy’s Evergaol is tucked away and quite hard to find. It is located in the Altus Plateau, but players have to go quite far off the beaten path to find it.
Players need to head northeast away from the Evergaol, heading into the valley, before turning back on themselves and following the path through a tunnel under the main road. It is well worth making this lengthy excursion, as Godefroy drops the Godfrey Icon, a very useful talisman.
10
Dragonkin Soldier Of Nokstella
Hidden In An Innocuous Area
Another Dragonkin making the list, the Dragonkin Soldier of Nokstella is particularly hidden away. They can be found in the Ainsel River Well, which seems like any other cave system within the game.
The arena for the fight is tucked out of the way, past a normal-seeming cave of ants, but this boss shouldn’t be neglected. It’s a highly engaging fight, set in a unique-looking arena, filled with charred bodies that crumble as players roll into them.
9
Rakshasa
At The End Of A Convoluted Secret Path
Rakshasa is an optional boss located in the Eastern Nameless Mausoleum in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree. Rakshasa is perhaps the most hidden out of all the Nameless Mausoleum bosses in the DLC. Unless players are very thorough in their exploration or extrapolate her location from the other Nameless Mausoleums, her location can be incredibly easy to miss.
To find Rakshasa, players will have to first find the route underneath the Shadow Keep to reach the Ruins of Unte. From here, continue southward along the river until reaching the Recluse’s River Downstream Site of Grace by hugging the western cliff wall. Jump down towards the river by using the steles as footholds. Take the watery path heading north and follow it as it turns south, east, and then south again. The entrance to the Eastern Nameless Mausoleum will be visible on the left, highlighted by the lantern hanging by the doorway. Take the stairs down to find Rakshasa.
8
Night’s Cavalry
Can Only Be Encountered At Night
- Location: Various
- Runes: 2400-84,000
- Drops: Various
- HP: 1665-7246×2
There are nine locations throughout Elden Ring where players can encounter the Night’s Cavalry, seemingly a reference to the Nazgul in Lord of the Rings. They provide a unique scavenger hunt experience as each boss can only be encountered at night.
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They can be found in Limgrave, the Weeping Peninsula, Liurnia North and South, Caelid, the Altus Plateau, the Forbidden Lands, Dragonbarrow, and the Consecrated Snowfield. The Consecrated Snowfield fight is a notable encounter, as it features two Night’s Cavalry, and they drop the Night’s Cavalry Armor Set. While it’s likely players will encounter at least one of these bosses by chance alone, finding all nine is a challenge.
7
Dancer of Ranah
Underground Tunnel Path Is Hard To Spot
Dancer of Ranah can be found inside the Southern Nameless Mausoleum in the Elden Ring DLC: Shadow of the Erdtree. The Mausoleum where players find Ranah is located on a small island off the southern shore of the Cerulean Coast, with seemingly no way to reach it by land.
The only way to reach her is to enter the underground tunnel below the Cerulean Coast through the small hole in the ground behind the white tree on the beach. This entrance is well hidden and easy to miss.
6
Malenia
Requires Solving A Puzzle To Reach Her
Malenia may be the most well-known boss in Elden Ring, as she has garnered a reputation for being the most challenging fight in the game. Despite this infamy, her fight is entirely optional and surprisingly easy to miss, as is the rest of the Haligtree, for that matter.
To even reach the Haligtree, players need to collect two halves of a medallion and solve a puzzle deep in the Consecrated Snowfield. Already difficult to find, the Haligtree is then a treacherous area to navigate, although that’s not a bad thing. Players will need all the preparation they can get before their battle with Malenia.
5
Putrid Tree Spirit
Found At The Edge Of A Barren Beach
There are three Putrid Tree Spirits that can be found throughout Elden Ring, but one is particularly well hidden. The most challenging of the Putrid Tree Spirits can be found in the War-Dead Catacombs.
These catacombs can only be reached after defeating Starscourge Radahn. Players can then make an arduous trek to the edge of the Wailing Dunes, where they can eventually find the entrance to these out-of-the-way catacombs.
4
Lichdragon Fortissax
Part Of A Convoluted Questline
Even more well hidden than his draconic sister, Lansseax, Fortissax can only be fought as part of a convoluted questline, namely Fia’s questline. Fia is the deathbed companion at the Roundtable Hold. Players will need to defeat Fia’s Champions, give her the Cursemark of Death, talk to her three times, and reload the area.
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Then players can interact with her corpse and choose to enter the Deathbed Dream and confront Fortissax. While it is an optional boss, it is required to complete Fia’s questline and to achieve the Age of the Duskborn ending.
3
Mohg, Lord Of Blood
Only Accessed Through Very Specific Requirements
Mohg, Lord of Blood, is a particularly challenging demigod boss to find. He is the end boss of Mohgwyn Palace, which proves quite troublesome to reach. Although it can be seen in the distance from the Siofra River Well, there are only a couple of very specific ways to actually get there.
Players can find a Waygate Teleporter to the palace in the Consecrated Snowfield. Alternatively, players can complete Varre’s questline, which involves invading other players’ worlds three times. While this does allow players to access Mohg earlier in the game, he can prove to be a challenging fight at this level.
2
Stray Mimic Tear
Path To the Boss Is Completely Invisible
To encounter the Stray Mimic Tear, players will first have to find the two halves of the Haligtree Secret Medallion, one in the Village of the Albinaurics inside a pot and the other at the top of Castle Sol found at the northernmost edge of the Mountaintop of the Giants. Use the Haligtree Secret Medallion at the Grand Lift of Rold.
This will unlock the Hidden Path to the Haligtree. In this area, just past the Site of Grace and to the left, there will be a broken section of the stone railing on the stairs that lead up to the next section. Jumping off into the void from this railing will drop players down to an invisible platform that leads to the Stray Mimic Tear boss fight.
1
Dragonlord Placidusax
Arena Is Hidden At The Bottom Of A Seemingly Fatal Drop
This list starts with a dragon, and it will end with a dragon. Placidusax is an optional legend boss fight that is challenging to find, let alone to face! Near the Beside the Great Bridge Site of Grace, there is an edge with a very small and inconspicuous platform that players can drop onto and another ledge below that…
Lying down in a particular cubby at the bottom of this drop then teleports players to Placidusax’s arena, where players can confront the Dragonlord. As challenging as this arena is to find, it is well worth it for the chance to face this imposing foe.
- Released
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February 25, 2022
- OpenCritic Rating
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Mighty