Most Difficulty Early-Game Elden Ring Dungeons

Summary

Elden Ring introduces an open-world approach to the Soulsborne genre, giving players unprecedented freedom when facing off against enemies.
Each dungeon in Elden Ring features unique challenges, ranging from tough bosses to environmental hazards.
Dungeons like Earthbore Cave are easy to traverse but have dangerous boss fights.

The most recent addition to Soulsborne gaming, Elden Ring sets itself apart from its predecessors with its expansive open world. Here, players are given unprecedented levels of freedom to fight and avoid enemies in any way they want. There are still plenty of punishing foes, but for players who find them more irritating than exhilarating to fight, simply running away from them is almost always an option.

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By Mati Kent-Nye

It's no secret that the release of Elden Ring: Nightreign is right around the corner. Given that Nightreign is a co-op adventure, there's no better time for fans of the series to introduce their friends to the world of Elden Ring. There are few better places to start than the early-game dungeons. The two earliest legacy dungeons are not considered in this ranking.

7 Coastal Cave

An Easy Dungeon With A Difficult Boss

Region Found In: Limgrave
Boss: Demi-Human Chiefs
Dangerous Non-Boss Enemies?: No

Coastal Cave is home to the Demi-Human Chiefs, a ferocious boss duo. This boss can be a nightmare to fight, as they're fast-moving, quick-hitting, and can traverse the arena in a matter of moments, making for a punishing early-game encounter. Fighting alongside them is a whole host of Demi-Humans that make it their sole purpose to get in the way of and stun the player. This is not a battle that players want to rush into, lest they find themselves overwhelmed.

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By Vlad Mazanko

Thankfully, the Coastal Cave dungeon itself is very short and easy to traverse, minus the boss fight. Taking down the Demi-Human Chiefs may be a real challenge, but it's thankfully the only one this dungeon poses.

6 Earthbore Cave

A Huge Boss In A Small Cave

Player fighting the Runebear boss in Elden Ring.

Region Found In: Limgrave
Boss: Runebear
Dangerous Non-Boss Enemies?: No

This dungeon houses a truly terrifying early-game foe: a Runebear. Runebears are scary enough in the open landscape of the Lands Between, where players have the space to dodge, but in Earthbore Cave, players are forced to fight these giants in close quarters. In the cramped confines of this cave, avoiding the Runebear's attacks is all but impossible without some truly expert dodging, and even then, survival is far from guaranteed.

Runebears are a terror to contend with, but the rest of Earthbore Cave is decidedly easier. Containing only Rats and Giant Rats, even low-level characters shouldn't have too hard of a time traversing through it, so long as they don't try to take on a pack of Rats all at once.

5 Academy Crystal Cave

Dangerous And With A Tricky Boss

Region Found In: Liurnia of the Lakes
Boss: Two Crystalians
Dangerous Non-Boss Enemies?: Yes

The Academy Crystal Cave hosts a number of sorcerers for players to contend with. These foes may be weak at close range, but their long-range spells and group tactics more than make up for it. Alone, they are easy enough to dispatch, but a group of them can overwhelm and kill a player in a matter of seconds.

The dungeon's boss also comes with its fair share of challenges. Being highly resistant to attacks, it can take quite a bit of trial and error to figure out how to break the Crystalian duo's armor. This boss marks a distinct change from the usual frantic fighting to calmer problem-solving, which can take some time for new players to adjust to.

4 Stillwater Cave

A Poison-Filled Nightmare

Region Found In: Liurnia of the Lakes
Boss: Cleanrot Knight
Dangerous Non-Boss Enemies?: Yes

By far the most significant danger Stillwater Cave presents is poison. It's everywhere, and when the floor isn't covered in it, there's sure to be a horde of poison-afflicting enemies on the player's tail. Fungal Sorcerers are plentiful here, and their homing shots pose a particular danger to players already weakened by poison.

Keeping in theme with the rest of the dungeon, the boss arena is also covered in poison. On top of that, the Cleanrot Knight, the boss of the dungeon, can also inflict the player with scarlet rot even if the player is already poisoned. This boss fight is a terrifying test of condition management and skilled fighting.

3 Castle Morne

Sprawling In Size And With A Ferocious Boss

Player entering Castle Morne with location name on screen

Region Found In: Limgrave
Boss: Leonine Misbegotten
Dangerous Non-Boss Enemies?: Yes

One of the largest early-game dungeons, Castle Morne hosts numerous enemies for players to contend with, from wild Demi-Humans to vicious Rotten Strays. Players looking to face off against this castle's inhabitants best come prepared to take on large groups of monsters. Luckily for new players, this castle has few truly terrifying foes, though its boss more than makes up for it.

Despite the oversized sword it wields, the Leonine Misbegotten is an incredibly fast and mobile boss that makes getting hits on it without taking damage a real challenge. Unless they come with a shield in hand, it's all but guaranteed that new players will die a dozen or more times. If not against the castle’s inhabitants, then certainly against its boss.

2 Caria Manor

Crawling With Deadly Beasts And An Even More Deadly Boss

Caria Manor (Liurnia Of The Lakes) in Elden Ring

Region Found In: Liurnia of the Lakes
Boss: Royal Knight Loretta
Dangerous Non-Boss Enemies?: Yes

This sprawling crystal-covered dungeon is home to many challenging enemies, most terrifying of all are the Fingercreepers. Disturbing and spider-like in appearance and movement, larger Fingercreepers can ensnare and crush players with their vicious grab attack. In Caria Manor, players can also find some truly deadly monsters, including the Carian Troll Knight and Abductor Virgin.

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By Sid Natividad

Like the other inhabitants of Caria Manor, the boss, Royal Knight Loretta, is punishingly difficult to defeat. Atop her trusty steed and with plenty of ranged spells at her disposal, getting into melee range can be quite the challenge, especially since she also sports a huge polearm.

1 Fringefolk Hero's Grave

A Chariot Filled Hell

Region Found In: Limgrave
Boss: Ulcerated Tree Spirit
Dangerous Non-Boss Enemies?: Yes

It may be found in the starting area of the game, but rest assured, The Fringefolk Hero's Grave is anything but an easy dungeon. Chief among its dangers is the giant mechanical Chariot that patrols its expansive halls, instantly killing any creature or player foolish enough to touch it. Players running from the terror of the Chariot must also contend with Spectral Soldiers who will try and force the player into the Chariot's path.

The Chariot may be the dungeon's greatest threat, but it's certainly not the only one. Players who manage to survive the Chariot must face off against the fleshy behemoth that is the Ulcerated Tree Spirit boss. This boss is incredibly challenging, especially for low-level characters, as it will frantically attack the player at every opportunity.

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