Does Elden Ring End if You Summon Ranni?
As a longtime FromSoftware fan and avid Elden Ring player, one of the most common questions I see is: does summoning Ranni after beating the final boss end the game?
The short answer is: yes, it does. Using Ranni‘s summon sign triggers the Age of Stars ending, plays the ending cutscene, and rolls the credits to end your current playthrough.
What Happens When You Summon Ranni?
To provide some background first, Ranni the Witch has one of the most expansive questlines in Elden Ring tied to one of the game‘s six endings.
After defeating Radagon and the Elden Beast at the foot of the Erdtree, you‘ll see a summon sign on the ground allowing you to "beckon Ranni". Activate this sign and a cutscene will play where Ranni proclaims the age of the Golden Order and Greater Will is over.
She sweeps over the arena with blooming dark moonlight, replacing the influence of the Greater Will with a new order presided over by the moon. Your Tarnished character then takes her hand in marriage as her consort.
This is the Age of Stars ending – an ending fueled by Ranni‘s desire to free herself and The Lands Between from the Greater Will by installing a "cold, dark and gentle" new order in the Golden Order‘s place. The cutscene and credits will then roll, concluding your playthrough.
So while you can choose other endings on future runs, summoning Ranni ends your current run‘s story and takes you back to the main menu.
Statistics on Most Popular Ending
While the Age of Stars ending takes some work, it is one of the most popular endings achieved by Elden Ring players according to player data reported by various gaming news outlets.
Here are reported statistics on the % of Elden Ring players who have unlocked achievements related to key endings:
| Ending | % Players Reached |
|---|---|
| Age of Stars | 25.9% |
| Age of Fracture (Standard) | 19.6% |
| Age of Duskborn | 5% |
As a hardcore fan myself, I think these statistics accurately reflect that dedicated players are drawn to Ranni‘s intriguing questline and ending revelation. Casual fans may default to the standard Age of Fracture.
Does Summoning Ranni Lock You Into That Ending?
An important note is that while summoning Ranni ends the current playthrough, it does not permanently lock that save file into her ending every run.
On your next journey, you can choose another ending path by not using her summon sign again after beating the Elden Beast. So don‘t worry about losing your other ending options by seeing her ending first!
What Are Some Other Ending Options?
For players who want to experience even more of Elden Ring‘s rich lore and worldbuilding, I definitely recommend playing through multiple times to unlock the various endings. Here are summaries of some other endings available:
Age of Fracture
The standard ending. You repair the shattered Elden Ring and become Elden Lord to rule over the Lands Between. Does not require any special questline.
Age of Duskborn
Follow the questline of the secret medallion and become Lord of Frenzied Flame. You can unleash Destined Death and burn down the Erdtree against Melina‘s wishes.
Blessing of Despair
Obtained by completing Millicent and Malenia‘s questline. You can decide to break the cycle of Rot and shatter the Elden Ring, sacrificing your Tarnished‘s life in the process.
I won‘t spoil all the details, but suffice to say each ending provides a thought-provoking perspective to chew on. Ranni‘s ending is a favorite, but personally I found the Frenzied Flame ending equally as fascinating even if morally questionable!
Summing Up: Ranni Ending Impact
To wrap up, I hope this breakdown helped explain what happens when Ranni is summoned to trigger her Age of Stars ending after beating Elden Ring. Like any ending path, see it firsthand to unlock its achievement and view the story‘s culmination with her cold, moonlit order.
While it concludes that playthrough, you still have the freedom to pursue other endings in future runs. And with 6 endings available, I encourage playing multiple times to fully digest FromSoft‘s nuanced, intricate lore. Ranni‘s ending is just the tip of the iceberg of reveals waiting in the Lands Between!
So don‘t be afraid to use her summon sign and let the moon usher in a new age. You can always return later to embrace other fates for your Tarnished. That‘s the true joy of Souls endings – reflecting on how each reshapes the game world‘s mythos.
Let me know if this helped explain what to expect from Ranni‘s ending in your Elden Ring journey! What ending did you see first and what insights did you take away? As a passionate guide to fans, I‘m eager to discuss story perspectives at any time.
