From Limgrave to Liurnia of the Lakes: mapping your next move
Once you have defeated Godrick the Grafted in Stormveil Castle, the world of Elden Ring opens up and the question becomes what to do after Godrick and which region to tackle next. The most natural progression is to head into Liurnia of the Lakes as your next major area, treating it as the follow-up chapter to Limgrave and Stormveil. After resting at the Stormveil Main Gate or Rampart Tower sites of grace, follow the castle path north, defeat or bypass the Grafted Scion on the bridge, and exit through the broken ramparts to reach the Liurnia Lake Shore site of grace overlooking the flooded basin.
Think of Stormveil Castle as your first legacy dungeon and Godrick as the gatekeeper boss that confirms you are ready for the wider Lands Between. After this fight, deciding where to go after Godrick Elden Ring style usually comes down to two options: follow the main route north into Liurnia of the Lakes, or detour south from Limgrave toward the Castle Morne Rampart and Castle Morne sites of grace in the Weeping Peninsula for extra levels and loot. Use each site of grace you unlock as a planning hub: level up, adjust your flasks, and decide whether your next step will be Liurnia, Caelid, or a side region such as Siofra River.
From a route-planning perspective, Elden Ring rewards players who treat sites of grace as checkpoints that shape their progression. When you rest at the Liurnia Lake Shore site of grace just after the Stormveil exit, you effectively stand at a crossroads between Liurnia to the north, Caelid to the east via the Smoldering Church, and the southern Weeping Peninsula via the Bridge of Sacrifice. Understanding where to go after Godrick means reading this layout clearly: Liurnia offers a smoother difficulty curve and access to Raya Lucaria Academy, while Caelid and underground areas like Siofra River provide tougher but rewarding detours.
Liurnia of the Lakes as a slow travel region
Liurnia of the Lakes is the most balanced answer when you ask where to go after Godrick, because it offers a gentler yet still demanding progression compared with the harsh red wastes of Caelid. The flooded basin around the Liurnia Lake Shore, Lake-Facing Cliffs, and Scenic Isle sites of grace feels open and forgiving, with enemies that hit harder than Limgrave foes but remain manageable for characters around level 30–40. Treat this area as a loop: ride Torrent along the lake, unlock nearby sites of grace, and clear small dungeons such as Stillwater Cave and Lakeside Crystal Cave for upgrade materials and spells.
As you ride north from Stormveil Castle, your first Liurnia sites of grace—typically Lake-Facing Cliffs followed by Liurnia Lake Shore—mark a clear shift in tempo. Here, the game invites you to slow down, upgrade your weapons to +4–+6, and refine your build before the next major boss fight in Raya Lucaria Academy, which dominates the central island. Many players favor Liurnia exploration post Godrick because the enemies scale more gently than those in Caelid, allowing you to gather runes from foes around the Academy Gate Town and experiment with magic and spirit ashes while preparing for the Ranni questline that begins near Caria Manor in the northwest.
From a planning angle, Liurnia offers several distinct sub regions that function like separate stages in your journey. The southern marshes around Liurnia Lake Shore, Laskyar Ruins, and Academy Gate Town are ideal for early exploration after Godrick, while the cliffs leading toward Caria Manor and the Royal Moongazing Grounds feel like a higher-level zone that benefits from a stronger build and upgraded gear. If you want to apply this sense of staged progression to your own playthrough, think in terms of clearing southern Liurnia first, then tackling Raya Lucaria, and only then pushing into the tougher northern plateau and Ranni’s questline.
Raya Lucaria Academy and Rennala as your next narrative hub
Within Liurnia of the Lakes, Raya Lucaria Academy stands as the next major narrative hub, answering the practical question of where to go after Godrick if you want to follow the main storyline. The academy rises from the lake like a fortified campus, and entering it requires an Academy Glintstone Key. To get this key, ride west from the Temple Quarter site of grace to a small island where the dragon Glintstone Dragon Smarag guards the corpse holding the key. You can defeat the dragon or quickly loot the body and escape, then return to the Main Academy Gate seal to unlock the dungeon and progress toward Rennala.
Inside Raya Lucaria Academy, the corridors and lecture halls form another legacy dungeon, dense and layered with shortcuts and ambushes. From the Church of the Cuckoo site of grace, you will climb narrow staircases, ride hidden lifts, and cross rooftop paths toward the Schoolhouse Classroom and Debate Parlor sites of grace, fighting sorcerers, marionette soldiers, and the Red Wolf of Radagon mini-boss. Defeating Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon, in the Raya Lucaria Grand Library not only grants a great rune but also unlocks the ability to respec your character using Larval Tears, letting you pivot from a melee-focused build to a magic-oriented approach as your route expands.
For players who enjoy structuring their runs around key story beats, the sequence from Godrick the Grafted in Stormveil Castle to Rennala in Raya Lucaria offers a clear backbone for your early and mid-game route. Once you have completed this arc and answered the immediate question of what to do after Godrick by clearing Liurnia and the academy, you can start planning your next steps toward areas like Altus Plateau, Mt. Gelmir, and the royal capital. In this way, the decision of where after Godrick becomes part of a broader progression path that carries you from Limgrave to Liurnia and beyond, always anchored by great runes, legacy dungeons, and your evolving build.
Caelid, Siofra River, and the art of detouring wisely
While Liurnia is the recommended answer to where to go after Godrick, many players feel the pull of Caelid, the eerie red region east of Limgrave that looks like a diseased wasteland under a dark sky. Caelid is technically accessible early via the Smoldering Church and Rotview Balcony sites of grace, or by using the trapped chest in Dragon-Burnt Ruins, but treating it as your primary destination after Stormveil Castle is like jumping several difficulty tiers at once. Enemies around Caelem Ruins, Sellia, Town of Sorcery, and the Caelid Highway South hit extremely hard, so if you do venture here, plan short runs from each site of grace and avoid deep pushes into the Swamp of Aeonia until you are comfortable with tougher foes.
In parallel, the underground Siofra River offers a very different kind of detour, one that feels like entering a hidden zone beneath the surface of the world. Accessed from the Siofra River Well in eastern Limgrave, this region opens into the Siofra River Bank and Worshippers’ Woods sites of grace, with ghostly enemies and optional bosses such as the Ancestor Spirit. The area rewards players who enjoy exploration and rune farming, with relatively tough but fair encounters that suit characters around level 40–50. Here, the absence of a traditional great rune boss lets you focus on atmosphere, side quests, and collecting upgrade materials.
Balancing Caelid and Siofra River in your itinerary after Godrick is an exercise in risk management and curiosity. You might choose to skim Caelid’s edges, collecting map fragments near the Caelid Highway North site of grace and testing your build against stronger enemies, then retreat to Liurnia for steadier progression and preparation for the Ranni questline. This rhythm of pushing into challenging areas, then returning to more manageable regions, mirrors how experienced players alternate between demanding legacy dungeons and more relaxed farming zones to maintain momentum across a long Elden Ring playthrough.
From Caria Manor to Volcano Manor and the road toward the capital
As your route extends beyond the immediate question of where to go after Godrick, the northern reaches of Liurnia lead you toward Caria Manor, a haunted estate perched above the lake. Reaching it from the Royal Moongazing Grounds side of Liurnia requires following the road past the Royal Moongazing Grounds marker and climbing toward the manor gates, then clearing hand enemies and spectral knights inside. Sites of grace such as Manor Lower Level and Manor Upper Level help you stage your progress, and defeating the trio of Royal Knight Loretta and other bosses opens access to the plateau where the Ranni questline unfolds, turning the region into a narrative-rich detour.
Far to the west, Volcano Manor on Mt. Gelmir offers a very different flavor of progression, one that resembles joining a secret order with its own rules. You can reach Volcano Manor by following the Altus Plateau routes toward Road of Iniquity and First Mt. Gelmir Campsite, or by accepting an invitation from Rya and using the teleport to arrive directly at the Volcano Manor site of grace. Once inside, the questline reframes boss fights as assassination contracts, sending you to invade other Tarnished from red summoning signs and rewarding you with gear and access to the inner lava-filled dungeon as you complete each assignment.
Both Caria Manor and Volcano Manor serve as stepping stones toward the royal capital, a sprawling urban center that stands as one of the game’s most impressive legacy dungeons. Planning when to tackle the capital—approached via the Grand Lift of Dectus or the Ruin-Strewn Precipice—is similar to deciding when to enter a major city on a long trip, because the density of enemies, quests, and bosses like Godfrey, First Elden Lord (Golden Shade) and Morgott, the Omen King can overwhelm an underleveled character. Thinking ahead about your route through Liurnia, Caelid, Mt. Gelmir, and Altus Plateau helps ensure that by the time you reach Leyndell, your build, flasks, and weapons are ready for the challenge.
Great runes, the Shadow of the Erdtree, and planning for the final stretch
Every time you defeat a major boss such as Godrick the Grafted or Rennala, you earn a great rune, and these artifacts function like key milestones in your Elden Ring journey. Collecting great runes from different regions, including the royal capital and later areas linked to the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion, is comparable to ticking off major objectives that define your run. The question of where to go after Godrick therefore becomes part of a larger strategy for assembling these runes in an order that suits your preferred pace, whether you prioritize Liurnia and Raya Lucaria first or push early into Caelid and Radahn.
As you move closer to the final boss and the ultimate confrontation near the Elden Throne, your route tightens, and each decision about where after Godrick, where after Rennala, or where after Radahn has a direct impact on your readiness. Some players choose to clear every legacy dungeon—from Stormveil Castle and Raya Lucaria to Leyndell and beyond—before engaging with late-game areas tied to Shadow of the Erdtree, while others weave expansion content into the main route to keep the experience varied. In both cases, careful use of sites of grace as planning hubs, regular upgrades to weapons and armor, and thoughtful engagement with NPC questlines ensure that your character arrives at the final boss fights fully prepared.
Official and community resources note that Elden Ring features a large open world with numerous main bosses spread across a map that covers a substantial landmass, which means your journey through the Lands Between is comparable in scale to traversing a small country. To manage this effectively, treat each region as a leg of a multi-stage run, with clear objectives such as securing a specific great rune, completing the Ranni questline, or unlocking access to a new area like Volcano Manor. As one widely shared piece of guidance explains, “Is Caelid recommended after Godrick? Caelid is challenging; it's advisable to explore Liurnia first,” reinforcing Liurnia as the default answer when you wonder what to do after Godrick.
Key figures for structuring your Elden Ring travel style itinerary
- Many guides highlight a core set of major bosses—Godrick, Rennala, Radahn, Morgott, and others—that can anchor your route, allowing you to structure a multi-stage itinerary where each major boss fight represents the culmination of a distinct regional journey.
- With a world map that spans several large regions, the Lands Between feel similar in scope to crossing a small country, making route planning between Limgrave, Liurnia, Caelid, Altus Plateau, and the royal capital as important as in real-world overland travel.
- Players who focus on Liurnia of the Lakes after defeating Godrick benefit from a smoother difficulty curve, which in practice reduces the time spent farming runes and increases the proportion of time invested in meaningful exploration, dungeon clearing, and narrative quests.
- Accessing Raya Lucaria Academy requires obtaining a single Academy Glintstone Key from a dragon-guarded island west of the complex, a design choice that concentrates logistical effort into one focused objective before opening an entire legacy dungeon with multiple sites of grace.
- Respeccing your character after defeating Rennala in Raya Lucaria Academy effectively allows you to redesign your build mid campaign, which can significantly improve your efficiency and enjoyment during the long approach toward the royal capital and the final boss encounters.
FAQ: planning your route after Godrick in Elden Ring
Where should I go immediately after defeating Godrick the Grafted ?
The most balanced destination after defeating Godrick the Grafted in Stormveil Castle is Liurnia of the Lakes, accessed by exiting the castle toward the north and resting at the Lake-Facing Cliffs and Liurnia Lake Shore sites of grace. This region offers manageable enemy difficulty for characters around level 30–40, abundant sites of grace, and a clear path toward Raya Lucaria Academy and the boss fight with Rennala. Treat Liurnia as your next major region before committing to harsher areas such as Caelid.
How do I access Raya Lucaria Academy in Liurnia of the Lakes ?
To enter Raya Lucaria Academy, you must obtain the Academy Glintstone Key from a small island west of the academy, where it is guarded by Glintstone Dragon Smarag. Ride from the Temple Quarter site of grace to the island, loot the key from the corpse near the dragon, then return to the Main Academy Gate seal and use the key to enter. Once inside, you can progress through sites of grace such as Church of the Cuckoo and Schoolhouse Classroom as you work toward Rennala.
Is Caelid a good region to explore right after Godrick ?
Caelid is technically open after Godrick, but its enemies and bosses are tuned for more advanced characters, making it a challenging choice for immediate exploration. The widely shared guidance is clear on this point, stating, “Is Caelid recommended after Godrick? Caelid is challenging; it's advisable to explore Liurnia first.” You can still visit the edges of Caelid for map fragments, materials, and early encounters with dragons, but a full itinerary there is better saved for when your weapons and flasks are more developed.
Can I respec my character soon after leaving Stormveil Castle ?
You gain the ability to respec your character after defeating Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon, in Raya Lucaria Academy, which lies in the centre of Liurnia of the Lakes. This means that a focused route from Limgrave through Stormveil Castle and into Liurnia will bring you to respec options relatively early in your overall journey, provided you collect Larval Tears. Planning your build with this milestone in mind allows you to experiment more freely before committing to a long-term playstyle for the later regions.
How does the Shadow of the Erdtree content fit into a post Godrick itinerary ?
The Shadow of the Erdtree expansion is designed for characters who have progressed well beyond Godrick, typically after securing several great runes and advancing the main storyline toward the royal capital and beyond. For most players, it makes sense to treat the expansion areas as later-stage destinations, similar to adding a demanding side expedition after completing the core legs of a long trip. By first consolidating your strength in Liurnia, Caelid, Altus Plateau, and the capital, you ensure that the expansion’s bosses and regions feel challenging but fair.
Quick Route Checklist: what to do after Godrick
- Step 1 – Exit Stormveil to Liurnia: From the Stormveil Castle throne room, follow the path north, rest at Lake-Facing Cliffs. Recommended level: ~30. Weapon: at least +3–+4.
- Step 2 – Clear southern Liurnia: Unlock Liurnia Lake Shore, Scenic Isle, and Academy Gate Town. Farm runes, upgrade to +5–+6, and collect smithing stones from nearby caves.
- Step 3 – Enter Raya Lucaria: Grab the Academy Glintstone Key from the dragon island west of the academy, open the Main Academy Gate, and push to Rennala. Ideal level: 35–45.
- Step 4 – Optional detours: Sample Caelid from Smoldering Church or explore Siofra River Well for runes and materials. Aim for level 50+ before deep Caelid or Radahn.
- Step 5 – Northern Liurnia and Caria Manor: After Rennala, head to Caria Manor and unlock Ranni’s questline. Recommended for players with upgraded weapons and a settled build.
- Step 6 – Toward Volcano Manor and the capital: Reach Volcano Manor via Mt. Gelmir or Rya’s invitation, then progress to Altus Plateau and Leyndell once you are comfortable with late mid-game difficulty.