10 Best Characters In Elden Ring, Ranked | ScreenRant
Warning: This article contains spoilers for the plot of Elden Ring.
FromSoftware's collection of notoriously challenging action RPG titles is known for its tremendously detailed worlds and beyond-epic boss battles. Yet, from Dark Souls' Solaire of Astora to Bloodborne's Eileen the Crow, NPCs and their associated questlines have driven a not-insignificant amount of interest in the so-called Soulsborne saga.
Elden Ring features perhaps the most complex questlines yet crafted, but, due to the game's open-ended nature, most of them are easy to miss. Offering unique missions, awesome items, and hidden bosses, there are some fan-favorite Elden Ring characters for whom first-time players should look out.
10 Roderika
Roderika can be encountered very early on in Elden Ring, as she's found hiding out in an abandoned shack near the entrance to Stormveil Castle. While she implies that she once commanded some sort of army, her forces have since been grafted by Godrick the Grafted, leaving her totally bereft.
Speaking with her will grant the player the Spirit Jellyfish Ashes, easily one of the best spirit ashes in the game. Plus, should the player find the Chrysalids' Memento in Stormveil Castle and deliver it to her, she will appear in the Roundtable Hold. At that point, selecting certain dialogue options when meeting with Roderika and Smithing Master Hewg results in her unlocking a latent spirit tuning ability. At that point, she'll be able to upgrade the player's spirit ashes.
9 D, Hunter Of The Dead
Though he can be encountered in Limgrave, most players are likely to come across D, Hunter of the Dead for the first time on their inaugural journey to Elden Ring's beautiful Roundtable Hold. There, he will warn of the danger posed by the Tibia Mariner. However, should the player defeat a Tibia Mariner and give D the Deathroot earned afterward, he'll clue the player into a secret portal that connects with a far-off section of Caelid.
Ultimately, while a springboard for further, more interesting events, D's role in Elden Ring isn't particularly meaningful. However, his fate, intertwined with that of Deathbed Companion Fia, should stick in the minds of diligent players.
8 Melina
A maiden stand-in for Elden Ring's hapless protagonist, Melina is meant to introduce players to some of the game's mechanics and get them started in the proper direction. Appearing after the player visits three above-ground sites of grace, she grants access to the spectral steed Torrent and channels runes into power.
While Melina was a major part of some of Elden Ring's pre-release trailers, she ultimately doesn't play that large of a role in the game. After initially encountering her, the player may not see her again until defeating Morgott in Leyndell, something some players won't manage until dozens of hours of exploration.
7 Smithing Master Hewg
When first introduced to Smithing Master Hewg at the Roundtable Hold, he seems to be a grumpy sort made to work for the Tarnished against his will. However, he later reveals that he has a passion for smithing and doesn't particularly mind his captivity.
In the end, it is revealed that Hewg remained in Roundtable Hold out of obligation rather than due to imprisonment. He was somehow bound by Queen Marika to craft a weapon that would be used to slay a god. Eager to complete that task, he earnestly smiths weapons for the Tarnished until the very end.
6 Millicent
A young woman afflicted by Scarlet Rot, Millicent can first be encountered in the Church of the Plague in Caelid. After reviving her by finding the Unalloyed Gold Needle and speaking with Gowry, she will embark on a journey that requires the use of Valkyrie's Prosthesis, an item that can be found in the Shaded Castle.
A one-armed warrior, she may remind some FromSoftware fans of the One-Armed Wolf protagonist of 2019's Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. Ultimately, players can either defend or challenge her at the end of her questline, and each option yields unique end-game items.
5 Blaidd
A noble wolf-headed warrior, Blaidd is a loyal servant of Ranni the Witch who seeks to aid the player as they do her bidding. While he can be found in Limgrave's Mistwood, most will likely encounter him in an ethereal form in Ranni's Rise after they agree to help the witch.
Though he doesn't play a major role in the events of Elden Ring, depending on when he is met, he can be summoned during the battle against Starscourge Radhan. NPC summons are an integral aspect of that fight, and his presence is a welcoming comfort that could turn the tide in one of Elden Ring's hardest boss battles.
4 Fia
Of the many odd characters found in the Roundtable Hold, Fia the Deathbed Companion is perhaps the most perplexing—save for the sentient set of fingers, of course. Offering to hug the player and grant a poise-boosting item in exchange for five percent of their total HP, she seems innocuous enough, but progressing further down her questline reveals that she is not as innocent as she proclaims to be.
Though it results in D's demise, her questline intertwine's with Ranni's, and it grants access to the boss fight against Lichdragon Fortissax and an alternate ending.
3 Miriel, Pastor Of Vows
Known by some players as the "Turtle Pope," Miriel is easily one of the most unique NPCs in the Soulsborne series. A giant tortoise, he resides in the Church of Vows in Liurnia and will kindly sell the player all manner of sorceries and incantations. He can also grant the player absolution, which causes hostile NPCs to become neutral once again.
Eager to impart to the player his deep knowledge of the history of Liurnia and The Lands Between, Miriel can provide attentive players with valuable insight concerning some of the story's major players.
2 Iron Fist Alexander
Dark Souls introduced players to the likable NPCs the Knights of Catarina and the ever-jovial Siegmeyer. A wayward warrior on an inexplicable quest, Siegmeyer frequently finds himself at impasses that can only be broached by the player. Undeterred, however, he continues on with a boundless optimism that has inspired countless fans.
While Siegmeyer does not appear in Elden Ring, Iron Fist Alexander, a massive sentient jar warrior, fills the role nicely. Often found half-sunk in a hole, he's on a slightly-hilarious quest to become a great hero. Unfortunately, much like Siegmeyer before him, he meets a cruel fate.
1 Ranni The Witch
The daughter of Rennala and Radagon, Ranni is an Empyrean being who disregarded the role the Greater Will designed for her. In order to escape it, she concocted a plan to steal death and bring about a new age of starlight. Responsible for the murder of Godwyn, Ranni played a major part in the events that led to the shattering.
Now inhabiting the body of a doll, Ranni is as mysterious as she is mystical. Though she's initially standoffish, she eventually trusts the player with a side quest that's vital to her goals, and completing it will unlock a special ending in Elden Ring.