Elden Ring Phase 1 (Gathering Two Great Runes)
April 1, 2022 | Posted in Elden Ring | By Anonymous
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This post shares 100+ hours playing Astrologer Mage in Phase 1 of Elden Ring where players are required to slay two of four legacy bosses and acquire their great rune to gain access to Leyndell, Royal Capital and begin Phase 2 of the game. Godrick’s Great Rune must be activated in the Divine Tower of Limgrave and Rennala’s Great Rune is activated automatically upon defeat allowing players to respec their stats and reallocate their points as players see fit.
Adventures in Limgrave and Weeping Peninsula
Players will find the Dragon Burnt Ruins and Gate Front Ruins early in their exploration of Limgrave. Players will find optional dungeons like Groveside Cave and Tombsward Catacombs and while the dungeons are not required to advance in the game, there is probably gear players desire making the progress towards phase two. The recommended level for Leyndell Royal Capital is level 90-110 with weapons upgraded +15 to +20. However, if players are utilizing a weapon requiring somber smithing stones, the maximum upgrade is +10.
Players will be running “optional dungeons” like Limgrave Tunnels and Morne Tunnel to acquire smithing stones to upgrade weapons. Progressing through Limgrave and Weeping Peninsula should have players at level 30-40 to begin their assault on Stormveil Castle and attempt to acquire Godrick’s Great Rune.
Liurnia of the Lakes
Players can bypass Stormveil Castle and proceed into Liurnia of the Lakes via a secret path. The legacy dungeon Academy of Raya Lucaria is the centerpiece of the zone, however, Caria Manor requires clearing to access Ranni and her quest line. There are more dungeons to run, like the Raya Lucaria Crystal Tunnel for smithing stones to upgrade weapons and Road’s End Catacombs to run for glovewort to upgrade Spirit Ashes. Players also have access to Ainsel River in Eastern Liurnia Lakes as one of two access points for the “underground” dungeons. Players will progress through Lake of Rot, Sofria River, and Ainsel River for Ranni’s quest.
Four Bosses Drop Great Runes
Godrick the Grafted is the boss of the legacy dungeon Stormveil Castle located in Limgrave. Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon is the boss Academy of Raya Lucaria in Liurnia of the Lakes. Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy is the boss of Volcano Manor located in Mt. Gelmir, a sub zone of Altus Plateau. Starscourge Radahn is the boss of Redmane Castle located in Caelid.
Players are definitely choosing Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon as one of the two bosses to slay for great runes because the boss fight is considered “easy”. Godrick the Grafted is somewhat mandatory because his Great Rune is required to be activated in the Divine Tower of Limgrave for access to the royal capital.
Starscourge Radahn is considered one of the most difficult fights in the game but, if players want the Snow Witch Armor Set, Radahn must be slain as part of Ranni’s quest line. Personally, I didn’t find the fight overly difficult.
Academy of Raya Lucaria
The encounter against the dungeon’s boss Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon, is one of the best boss fights I’ve seen with the creepy children on the ground singing the lullaby. Rennala’s quip when she kills you “Thy faith lieth under my moon” is solid. Rennala will slay you as player learn the “mechanics” of the two phase fight. As Astrologer Mage, I had to learn to melee the boss opposed to casting spells in the first phase when she became vulnerable after shattering three shields on her children. There were also mechanics in the second phase involving boss spirit summons and times she reflects damage causing a failed attempt. However, Rennala is the clear choice for the second great rune because players require Godrick’s because, in the end, the encounter is fairly easy when compared to Radahn or Rykard in Volcano Manor.
The academy also harbors clutch Astrologer Mage gear including the Comet Sorcery (Glintstone Pebble on Steroids) and the Graven-School Talisman increasing spell damage. Players specializing in a caster build, most likely based on the Astrologer class because of the starting Intellect (16).
Volcano Manor
I find the boss of the dungeon, Rykard Lord of Blasphemy extremely difficult. Like Rennala, this is a two phase fight where players must first defeat a God-Devouring Serpent and advance to face Rykard in phase two. I have a solid hour and a half of video dying during the first phase but, as I’m learning, this is Elden Ring and dying is commonplace. I’ve acquired three great runes and, in my opinion, we’re going to start learning about the Elden Ring “multiverse”. For Example, what happens if I “win the game” with three great runes opposed to two? What happens, for example, if I defeat Starscourge Radahn as part of Ranni’s Quest prior to using The Grand Lift of Dectus?
One of the most difficult parts for me playing Elden Ring is learning the layout of the dungeons and making it to the progression save points (sites of grace). Volcano Manor is full of secret passages and there’s something about killing tarnished I don’t full understand. There was a mini boss plus a Magma Wyrm and stingy mobs. I want to learn the most direct route to the boss, defeat the dungeon, then go back for any loot I missed and do some rune gathering in a dungeon I’ve defeated and have understanding of where the mobs are located.
The Starscourge Radahn Multiverse
As players “finish” the game, we are learning there is more than one ending depending on what transpired during the game. Apparently, finishing Ranni’s quest gives an alternate ending. And, other “secrets” are being uncovered impacting just exactly How the game “ends”. How many possibilities are there for a multiverse in Elden Ring? An example of a potential multiverse lies with Radahn.
Apparently, Radahn becomes “available” in Redmane Castle after players use the Grand Lift of Dectus. But, Radahn also becomes available during Ranni’s quest line by completing a series of actions. In the multiverse of Elden Ring, what happens if I slay Radahn as part of Ranni’s quest prior to utilizing the Grand Lift of Dectus? what happens if I use the Grand Lift of Dectus, then clear Caria Manor, start Ranni’s Quest, then beat Radahn? what happens if I clear Caria Manor, use the Grand Lift of Dectus, then start Ranni’s quest? Is there any difference? Elden Ring will have players starting over to do some things differently to, in theory, get a different ending.
I returned to Redmane Castle where I low key abused Radahn playing Astrologer Mage looking for a NPC as part of another quest line and was greeted by a boss fight. There were some mobs but Redmane Castle was definitely very “strange” compared to what I remembered when I defeated Radahn for his Great Rune. Where else does this multiverse lie in Elden Ring? Only time will tell as players progress through different routes to “winning the game”. This multiverse has already shown itself with Ranni’s quest and an alternate ending but how many twists and branches into other multiverses could be contained in this one example of Ranni’s quest and how Redmane Castle was “different” because I slayed Radahn prior to using the Grand Lift of Dectus.
Stormveil Castle
Players must defeat Margit the Fell to begin the legacy dungeon making their way to Godrick the Grafted. Once again, players navigating the dungeon and reaching the various save points along the way combined with exploring nooks and crannies for gear and loot will have players frustrated as they almost reach the next site of grace in the dungeon only to die, again, and have to start over
Godrick the Grafted
Players will find the fight with Godrick easier than the encounter with Margit the Fell. I personally downed Godrick on the first try.