The Guides ◆ Elden Ring ◆ Missables
Missable Content — What Locks Permanently
Every questline that can be permanently missed, NPCs you can accidentally kill, and the points of no return that lock content for the rest of the run.
Patch 1.16 · Base game + Shadow of the Erdtree · June 2026
The Basics of Missable Content
Elden Ring has no quest log and provides almost no guidance on NPC questlines. Content becomes permanently unavailable in two ways: (1) progressing the main story past a point of no return before completing the quest, or (2) killing an NPC before they've given you their quest items or shop inventory.
Points of No Return
These story progression triggers permanently close off content. After crossing each threshold, the listed quests and NPCs are gone for this run.
| Trigger | What it locks |
|---|---|
| Burning the Erdtree (required main quest, Leyndell) | Several NPC locations in the Capital change permanently. NPCs in Leyndell that haven't been progressed lock out. Complete all Leyndell-based questlines before this point. |
| Reaching Crumbling Farum Azula (teleport from Forge of Giants) | Fia's questline requires specific steps before this point. Brother Corhyn / Goldmask questline must reach Leyndell steps. D's questline and Gurranq's quest must be advanced. All these NPCs move or lock after this point. |
| Killing Rennala before talking to Sellen | Sellen (sorcery questline) can be spoken to pre-Rennala; her quest continues regardless. However, if you kill Rennala AND never spoke to Sellen in Waypoint Ruins, her first quest dialogue is available through the entire game. Not a hard lock — just do it before you forget. |
| Killing the Volcano Manor targets before joining | If you kill the Volcano Manor assassination targets without joining the covenant first, Rykard may become unavailable via quest route (though he remains accessible as a direct boss fight). |
Ranni's Questline — Most Important Quest in the Game
Ranni the Witch's questline is the most content-rich NPC quest in Elden Ring — it unlocks the Age of Stars ending, Ranni's Dark Moon sorcery, the Moonlight Greatsword (Dark Moon Greatsword), Black Knife Tiche (Spirit Ash), and hours of some of the game's best lore. Missing it is a significant loss.
Where to start it:
Visit Ranni's Rise in northwest Liurnia (Three Sisters area, northwest of Academy of Raya Lucaria). You can enter Liurnia before defeating Rennala — go around Stormveil Castle via the broken wall path or go through Stormveil and continue west. Ranni will invite you to serve her.
Key steps (condensed):
- Swear to serve Ranni at Ranni's Rise (she asks you after exhausting her initial dialogue)
- Speak to all three spirit summons beneath her tower (Blaidd, Iji, Seluvis)
- Find the Fingerslayer Blade in Nokron, Eternal City (opened by defeating Radahn — his death causes meteors to fall and open the way)
- Give the blade to Ranni; receive the Carian Inverted Statue for Seluvis
- Find the Miniature Ranni doll in Nokstella, Eternal City — rest at the Site of Grace next to it and speak to it repeatedly (patience required)
- Defeat Astel, Naturalborn of the Void in the Lake of Rot tunnel
- Follow the path through the Grand Cloister; find the portal to Moonlight Altar
- Complete Chelona's Rise puzzle, collect Ranni's Dark Moon sorcery
- Defeat Glintstone Dragon Adula at Moonlight Altar; receive Adula's Moonblade sorcery
- Reach the Renna's Rise portal at the end of the Moonlight Altar area to conclude the quest and receive the Dark Moon Ring — give it to Ranni for the quest conclusion and the Dark Moon Greatsword
Sellen's Questline — Stars of Ruin and Sorcery Lore
Sellen is the premier sorcery merchant in the early game. Her questline rewards the Stars of Ruin sorcery, Sellen's Bell Bearing (access to her shop even after the quest ends), and significant backstory about the Glintstone sorcery tradition.
Where to start:
Find Sellen in Waypoint Ruins Cellar, Limgrave (small dungeon in the east, locked door that opens when you kill the Pumpkin Head guard). She's a sorcery merchant who also gives you a quest to find Primeval Sorcerer Azur (also needed for Comet Azur) and Lusat.
The two diverging paths:
Completing Sellen's quest eventually asks you to choose between supporting Sellen or Witch-Hunter Jerren. Supporting Sellen rewards Stars of Ruin. Supporting Jerren rewards Jerren's Bell Bearing and Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone. Most sorcerers choose Sellen for Stars of Ruin. This choice happens near endgame — after entering Leyndell.
Other Quest Summaries — Key Missable Items
| Questline | What's missable | Where to start |
|---|---|---|
| Nepheli Loux | Nepheli becomes a merchant selling Ancient Dragon Smithing Stones (endgame upgrade material) if her quest completes. Her quest also contributes to the best ending of Stormveil questlines. Starts at Stormveil Castle. | Inside Stormveil, after the first elevator |
| Millicent (Gowry) | Millicent's Prosthesis talisman (one of the best Dex/Arcane talismans). Long quest spanning the entire game. Begin by speaking to Gowry in Caelid. | Gowry's Shack, Caelid |
| Alexander the Iron Fist | Shard of Alexander (talisman, +15% skill damage — one of the best offensive talismans). Alexander appears at Radahn's Festival and throughout the game. Kill him in his final location for the reward. | First encounter: stuck in a hole near Stormhill |
| Volcano Manor | Completing assassination contracts gives Magma sorceries and unique weapons. Kills targets before joining locks the assassin covenant permanently. | Invitation from Volcano Manor NPC or Tanith |
| Fia (Deathbed Companion) | Required for the Mending Rune of the Death-Prince (Age of the Duskborn ending) and the Fia's Champions boss encounter with unique rewards including a unique shield. Must advance before Burning the Erdtree. | Roundtable Hold, immediately accessible |
| Brother Corhyn / Goldmask | Mending Rune of Perfect Order (Age of Order ending). Long questline requiring following both NPCs across multiple regions. Must be completed before Burning the Erdtree. | Corhyn: Roundtable Hold, early in game |
Missable Sorceries and Incantations
| Spell | How to miss it | How to get it |
|---|---|---|
| Stars of Ruin | Completing Sellen's quest for Jerren (choosing to oppose her) | Support Sellen in her questline and receive from her |
| Ranni's Dark Moon | Not completing Ranni's questline to the Moonlight Altar section | Chelona's Rise, Moonlight Altar (requires giant turtle puzzle) |
| Comet Azur | Not finding Primeval Sorcerer Azur (extremely hard to find without a guide) | Hermit Village, Altus Plateau — Azur is sitting past the village |
| Flame of the Fell God | Killing Adan (the Flame Monk at Malefactor's Evergaol) before he drops it | Adan always drops it — not technically missable, just an optional kill |
| DLC: Impenetrable Thorns | Missing Needle Knight Leda's questline items in the DLC | Found in a chest in Belurat Tower Settlement (early DLC area) |