FromSoftware games are infamous for their well-hidden secrets, rewarding players for exploring thoroughly and collaborating with the community. Most games have entire secret areas that are often hidden behind innocuous scenery or complex puzzles, with as much attention lavished upon them as ones the player has to encounter.

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Elden Ring is no different and applies this philosophy to a vast open world. Players can easily finish the game without discovering most of its secrets, experiencing only a fraction of what the game offers. The community has slowly worked at unpicking Elden Ring's world and uncovering the most obscure and hidden details.

10 The Ringleader's Evergaol Is A Well-Hidden Boss Arena

Liurnia Of The Lakes – At The Hidden Moonlight Alter

Alecto Black Knife Ringleader in the Ringleader's Evergaol Elden Ring

Throughout Elden Ring's world, there are objects called Evergaols. They're used to imprison powerful beings, and thus they contain optional boss fights for players to challenge. Players can easily find most in the open world, with the primary challenge coming from besting the being within. However, that's not always the case.

The Ringleader's Evergaol remains one of the hardest in the game. Located in the hidden Moonlight Altar in Liurnia of the Lakes, the player must make significant progress in Ranni's complex sidequest to reach it. The rewards are well worth it, as the boss drops Black Knife Tiche's Ashes, one of the best Ash Summons in the game.

9 The Iron Virgin That Takes The Player To Volcano Manor

Raya Lucaria – At The Bottom Of The Water Wheel

The Iron Virgin in Raya Lucaria that teleports a player to Volcano Manor Elden Ring

Reaching the Altus Plateau is one of the Tarnished's goals throughout the game's first act, as well as defeating two Shardbearers to access Leyndell, the Royal Capital. There are two main ways to accomplish this. Players can acquire both halves of the Dectus Medallion and ride the Grand Lift of Dectus, or they can climb the Ruin-Strewn Precipice and defeat its Magma Wyrm guardian.

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There also exists a third method. In Raya Lucaria, at the bottom of the water wheel, there waits a unique Iron Virgin enemy. If the player lets it kill them with a swallowing attack, they won't respawn at a Site of Grace. Instead, players will awaken in Volcano Manor. Once the player escapes, they have access to the Altus Plateau regardless of how far they've progressed in the game.

8 Recusant Bernahl & The Blasphemous Claw

Crumbling Farum Azula – The Great Bridge Site Of Grace

Recusant Bernahl invading in Crumbling Farum Azula Elden Ring

Maliketh, the Black Blade, remains one of the game's best and hardest boss fights. He's a lightning-fast and highly aggressive fighter whose strikes are hard to dodge and inflict damage over time. Consequently, there exists an item in the game designed to make the fight easier by letting the player parry Maliketh's attacks.

To get the Blasphemous Claw, the player must be invaded by Resucant Bernahl in Crumbling Farum Azula. He'll do this past the Great Bridge Site of Grace on a narrow walkway. He drops the Blasphemous Claw when defeated, potentially making the player's life much easier.

7 The Hidden Abilities Of Nomadic Merchants

Various Locations – Attack A Nomadic Merchant

A Nomadic Merchant using Frenzied Flame incantations in combat Elden Ring

The Nomadic Merchants are a group of humans scattered around the map who sell the player goods, often in unusual locations. They're mostly friendly and peaceful, and so few players are likely to discover their dark secret. If a player attacks one and engages in a fight, however, they show their true abilities.

Nearly all the Nomadic Merchants make use of Frenzied Flame incantations in combat, making them significantly more dangerous than they look. This connects to their lore with the Outer God and all that remains of a not-implemented questline about the Merchant Kale, who finds his Great Caravan has fallen to the Frenzied Flame.

6 The Four Belfries Allow For A Return To The Opening Area

The Four Belfries – The Second Belfry

The Chapel of Anticipation starting area accessed by the Four Belfries Elden Ring

Elden Ring has a short playable area before its tutorial: the Chapel of Anticipation. The player's time there is brief, as they're typically killed by a Grafted Scion or fall to their death in a cutscene shortly after. Although geographically detached from the rest of the Lands Between, there is a way to return to the Chapel in Liurnia.

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In the area known as the Four Belfries, there are three towers that can teleport players to hidden areas. The second of these belfries sends the player back to the opening area. By this point, they're likely experienced and equipped enough to win their rematch with the Grafted Scion. The area also offers loot and a way to progress Nepheli Loux's questline.

5 An Illusory Wall In Volcano Manor Leads To A Hidden Dungeon

Vocano Manor – Behind An Illusory Wall

The Prison Town in Volcano Manor Elden Ring

Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy, is one of the Shardbearers — powerful demigods holding a piece of the titular Elden Ring. Between that and his obvious villainy, players may want to challenge him in one of the game's best boss fights. The most straightforward way to do this is to complete the Volcano Manor questline.

For players who don't like the morally dark nature of these quests, however, they can fight their way to Rykard through a more natural method. Doing so requires going through the entire Prison Town dungeon, which is hidden behind an illusory wall. Players can find it near a crooked painting in the room next to Zoraya's.

4 Pidia's Death At The Hands Of His Puppets

Caria Manor

Pidia, Carian Servant NPC in Caria Manor Elden Ring

Most of Elden Ring's secrets can be found at any point, but a rare few are time-limited. One of these is Pidia's death, a very minor NPC and merchant the player encounters in Caria Manor. After the player progresses far enough through either Ranni or Seluvis' questline by giving her the Amber Draught or the Fingerslayer Blade, they can return to Caria Manor and hear an odd scene.

Pidia's puppets — much like those Seluvis uses — attack and kill him, leaving his loot for the player to collect. As well as being an unusual way for a minor NPC to die, it also serves to further the likelihood that Seluvis spends the entire game under Pidia's thrall as just another of his puppets.

3 The War-Dead Catacombs In Radahn's Boss Arena

Starscourge Radahn – In The Far North Area

The entrance to the War Dead Catacombs in Starscourge Radahn's boss arena Elden Ring

Catacombs are one of the most common types of dungeons in Elden Ring, especially in the Lands Between. One place they aren't commonly found, however, is boss arenas. Despite this, the gargantuan arena of Starscourge Radahn houses one in its far north.

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The War-Dead Catacombs remain one of the most difficult dungeons in the game, likely far beyond a player's level after they beat Radahn. They're full of Cleanrot and Redmane Knights who battle each other but can also pose a serious threat to the player. Despite the challenges, the dungeon also boasts a fair amount of loot, making it worth the risk.

2 Godefroy The Grafted & The Golden Lineage Evergaol

The Grand Lift Of Dectus – An Obscure Narrow Path

Godefroy the Grafted boss in the Golden Lineage Evergaol Elden Ring

Evergaols give the player extra content, and only the rarest are a challenge to find. Despite being located in the easily accessible Altus Plateau, Golden Lineage Evergaol proves difficult to discover. To find it, the player must head to the east of the cliff near the Grand Lift of Dectus and jump down to a specific, narrow path, before following it and paying a Stonesword Key.

Paying the Key unlocks the Golden Lineage Evergaol. Inside, the player fights the hidden boss Godefroy the Grafted, who uses the appearance and moveset of the boss Godrick the Grafted. Although Godefroy is a reskinned boss that can disappoint some, the fight gives useful loot in the Godfrey Icon, which enhances charged spells and skills.

1 The Inverted Carian Study Hall

Liurnia Of The Lakes – Obtain The Carian Inverted Statue

A Tarnished looking at the chandeliers in the Inverted Carian Study Hall Elden Ring

The Carian Study Hall is a minor dungeon in Liurnia of the Lakes, made notable by the monstrously powerful Preceptor Miriam NPC guarding it. Once the player defeats her, they're likely to realize they don't have access to the full building and its highest reaches are off-limits.

The only way to reach it is to acquire the Carian Inverted Statue by giving Ranni the Fingerslayer Blade. Using this in the Study Hall lets the player turn it upside-down, making it possible to drop to the highest levels. Doing so unlocks the Divine Tower of Liurnia. Necessary for some questlines, the Divine Tower requires a rematch against the Preceptor.

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