Do you have to fight Starscourge Radahn in Elden Ring?

Arguably the most frustrating boss to go up against in Elden Ring is Starscourge Radahn. This demigod is located in the difficult region of Caelid, lording over Redmane Castle. In order to challenge him, you need to make it through the castle and enter the Radahn Festival. It’s here that you will meet numerous NPCs you can team up with to take Radahn down and claim his Remembrance and Great Rune, among other things. This is still no easy task, though, which has led some players to wonder if the boss battle with Radahn is even mandatory in Elden ring.

Up to this point, all demigods have seemed like foes players can’t skip. Although, like with Godrick the Grafted, you are actually able to skip the boss fight with Starscourge Radahn.

Skipping Radahn in Elden Ring

Unlike with Margit and Godrick, you simply don’t have to go near Radahn in order to progress the main story. The region of Caelid is technically optional with this revelation, though you shouldn’t skip it altogether.

The reason why Radahn is considered optional is because players only have to defeat two Demigods to progress to Leyndell, the Royal Capital. This means that you can take on other Demigods, such as Rennala, Rykard and Godrick, before reaching the Capital.

Leyndell is one part of the game that isn’t optional, as it’s where the main boss of Elden Ring is located. In order to get in and eventually face the final boss, you only need to have two Great Rune fragments in your possession. There are four Demigods prior to the Capital, so you technically only need to defeat two of them.

However, there are some endings in Elden Ring that require the defeat of all or certain bosses. So if you want to experience everything Elden Ring has to offer, it’s in your best interest to defeat Radahn and the other Demigods.

For more helpful content, check out Upcomer’s comprehensive Elden Ring guide hub.