Defeating powerful bosses is the primary goal of many FromSoftware games, but the open-world format of Elden Ring means players can miss optional bosses in different territories. Caelid can be accessed early in the game but shouldn't be conquered until players are into the game's later stages. Unlike the rest of Elden Ring's world, which resembles a fantasy dystopia, Caelid resembles an active apocalypse. Its many boss fights give players powerful weapons, armor, and items to better equip themselves against future opponents. Thankfully, there are many boss battles in Caelid for players to use to their advantage.
Elden Ring takes place in the Lands Between, a mystical region developed around a massive Erdtree and blessed with a mysterious essence called Grace. Once ruled over by Queen Marika before the Shattering of the Elden Ring, players must defeat approximately twelve essential bosses to complete the story. However, optional bosses increase playtime with dozens of different battles and challenges. Many optional bosses are also required to complete various side quests throughout the open world, unlocking new characters and dialogue for NPCs. Since Elden Ring follows the storytelling methods of Souls games, unlocking new information can be the difference between becoming the hero or destroying the world.
Players looking to skip the optional bosses in Elden Ring's decrepit Caelid territory should be wary of entering essential boss fights under-leveled, as the runes and rewards they offer can mean the difference between life and death. As some players may notice, repeat bosses of similar typing are available in different areas. In addition, creatures like the Erdtree Watchdog, the Night's Cavalry, and the Mad Pumpkinhead reappear as variant boss fights that represent the scaling difficulty of the game. However, these boss fights usually adopt the same tactics as their predecessors.
Elden Ring's Optional Caelid Bosses - Magma Wyrm
The Magma Wyrm is one of many dragon bosses in Elden Ring but behaves much differently from its brethren. While many players won't find an alternate route around the Magma Wyrm, this boss isn't essential to beat the game. Unlike other dragon battles in Elden Ring, the Magma Wyrm wields a curved blade and dwells underground.
Most of its attacks involve fire, with one combo pooling magma across the arena floor and forcing the player to retreat or burn. Fire resistance is crucial to defeating this looming monster, and players should consider Summoning spirits to assist them in battle. This particular Magma Wyrm is located in Gael Tunnel near the Site of Grace titled 'Rear Gael Tunnel Entrance.' After defeating the Magma Wyrm in Elden Ring, players receive 7500 runes and Dragon Heart while opening a door that eases passage through the territory.
Frenzied Duelist Is An Optional Elden Ring Boss In Caelid
The Frenzied Duelist is a humanoid optional boss in Elden Ring that depends on speed and attack combos more than brute force and size. Battling humanoid bosses can be slightly more daunting than fighting monsters, as players' smaller size provides speed and agility usually unmatched by their opponents. Unfortunately, the Frenzied Duelist is more than capable of keeping up with players' attacks, dodge rolls, and speed.
Equipped with a massive ax, the Frenzied Duelist can perform large, sweeping attacks that prevent players from flanking it. It's suggested that players Summon spirits or multiplayer cooperators to give the boss more targets to focus on and provide more openings to inflict damage. Defeating the Frenzied Duelist in Elden Ring grants players 6700 runes and the Putrid Corpse Ashes, a spirit summon that spawns four animated corpses to draw an enemy's attention.
Elden Ring Bosses - An Erdtree Avatar Can Be Found In Caelid
Many Erdtree bosses are located throughout Elden Ring, mainly wherever Minor Erdtrees are growing. These bosses are monstrous creatures that resemble decapitated tree stumps with a large staff. Despite the difficulty of their boss fights, Erdtree Avatars always drop Flask-related objects that create new combinations and buffs with their ingredients. For example, the Erdtree Avatar located in Caelid drops the Greenburst Crystal Tear, which enhances stamina recovery, and the Flame-Shrouding Cracked Tear, which increases the power of flame attacks from the user. Defeating the Erdtree Avatar also rewards the Tarnished with 9600 runes, providing plenty of currency to level up and face the area's next most intimidating boss.
Elder Dragon Greyoll Is One Of Caelid's Toughest Optional Elden Ring Bosses
Elder Dragon Greyoll is another dragon boss in Elden Ring and a unique boss fight in Caelid. She is the mother of all dragons and does not actively fight the player character and instead takes control of the Dragonlings located around her. Unlike many dragons, these beasts only use physical attacks and cannot use elemental breaths. Greyoll can also debuff the Tarnished player character by roaring, making them far weaker than average dragon bosses. However, once defeating the controlled Dragonlings, Greyoll will sit and await death passively. Despite being the largest dragon on the map, her 'battle' is more of an execution than anything and tests a Tarnished's morality and empathy more than their skill.
Elden Ring's Optional Caelid Bosses - Putrid Crystalian Trio
Elden Ring is full of different characters and boss fights, but the Putrid Crystalian Trio is one of the most chaotic boss battles in the game. Most Dark Souls games feature duo boss fights, like the infamous Ornstein and Smough battle in Dark Souls 2. However, the Putrid Crystalian Trio features three unique attackers with different abilities and stats.
Players must destroy their crystal barriers before dealing damage and simultaneously avoid spear attacks and magic while lowering the boss's health. It's recommended that players lead the spear-wielding enemies away from the magic-user in the center of the room and defeat the ranged attacker first. Otherwise, players may burn through their health items faster than they can deal damage. Thankfully, defeating the Putrid Crystalian Trio rewards players with a powerful spell called Crystal Torrent, which is essential for sorcery players as they progress through Elden Ring. Non-sorcery players can also receive 7000 runes after defeating the trio and use them to level up their relevant stats.
Other bosses in Caelid that don’t offer the same lucrative rewards as those listed above include:
- Mad Pumpkin Heads
- Decaying Ekzykes
- Night's Cavalry
- Battlemage Hugues
- Cleanrot Knights
- Commander O'Neil
- Fallingstar Beast
- Death Rite Bird
- Nox Swordstress & Nox Priest
- Crucible Knight & Misbegotten Warrior
- Putrid Avatar
- Black Blade Kindred
- Flying Dragon Greyll
- Night's Cavalry (again)
- Putrid Tree Spirit
While Caelid is a dangerous area in Elden Ring, the experienced and powerful Tarnished can conquer its many challenges with time and patience. Some players may be eager to move past the Scarlet Rot-covered lands of Caelid in Elden Ring and explore other areas, but the optional bosses can provide an accurate gauge of a player's skill and stats. Ensuring that their Tarnished is strong enough to proceed through the game's main questline can prevent stress and unneeded frustration further down the road.