Ah, nothing like a fort to establish one’s dominance, unless one’s fort is in the world of Elden Ring which means that it’s most likely an abandoned wreck in dire need of repairs and a do-over. That sucks. Aesthetics aside, most of these forts house great items and solid pick-ups that most players will need on their journey to become the next Elden Lord.
As there are many forts located within the Lands Between, it should be noted that these are just some of the forts players should visit on their current and next playthrough. Depending on the player’s build, some forts may be more useful than others. However, these forts mentioned will benefit any adventurer seeking to level and explore the world.
5 Fort Haight
One of the earlier forts found in the eastern regions of Limgrave, players can encounter Kenneth Haight whilst exploring the area. When talking to Kenneth, he explains that he is the rightful ruler of Limgrave but has been chased out of his base of operations.
Upon arrival, head to the Fort Haight Site of Grace located west of the fort. Afterward, players can run towards the fort but be careful, a giant crossbow sits above and can hit unwary adventurers. There will be a clash between knights and demi-humans which can allow players to get into the fort with some ease. Don’t forget to pick up the golden seed just outside the fort grounds.
Upon entry, players can explore and defeat the enemies within the fort. An elite knight will be up on the battlements and after defeating the Godrick knight, players will receive the Bloody Slash ash of war, which is ideal for increasing bleed build. Players can also find the Left part of the Dectus Medallion which provides one part in helping players access the Grand Lift of Dectus.
4 Fort Faroth
Located in the scarlet rot-infested lands of Caelid is Fort Faroth, specifically in Dragonbarrow. This particular location can be accessed by exiting via the Sellia Crystal tunnel and following the main road in the direction of the closest minor Erd Tree. Here players can collect the other half of the Dectus Medallion which is again used to access the Grand Lift of Dectus. Players may also pick up Radagon’s Soreseal, which is a talisman that can greatly raise the attributes of the Tarnished.
Players may also head to nearby Greyoll’s Dragonbarrow to do some rune farming. By finding the Site of Grace behind the old dragon and next to a smoldering wall, players can farm five nearby dragons that have whose HP meter is halved. Killing 5 of the 6 dragons will drop around 3470 runes, which can be repeated to gain XP.
Killing the 6th dragon will summon the mother which can be killed for over 80,000 runes. But be warned, players who have summoned the dragon cannot farm the weaker dragons anymore, and killing the dragon will prevent it from spawning as well.
3 Fort Gael
Also located in Caelid lies Fort Gael, players should easily find it by following the road coming from Limgrave. The fort is heavily guarded by soldiers and knights of Redmane, as well as magical beings so players should take heed and prepare.
The fort has several items that could prove useful to the player. These include the Lion’s Claw ash of war, Katar fist weapon, Starscourge heirloom, and a fire spell incantation that raises physical and fire-affinity attack power.
The Katar fist weapon scales well with strength and dexterity builds and allows piercing to overcome enemy shields. The Starscourge heirloom is particularly useful for strength builds as it raises the strength stat by 5 levels. Knights and soldiers may also drop armaments that the player can equip.
2 Fort Laiedd
Situated in the western part of Mt. Gelmir, the fort is close to the Seeethewater Terminus Site of Grace. Here, players will encounter one of the ghosts that populate the Lands Between as well as Alexander, the living jar (his 4th location). Here players can pick up an armorer’s cookbook, fire scorpion charm, and Stonesword key. The key can be located on a body under a charred tree towards the northern part of the cliffs.
Fire-based enemies will populate the fort, including a Magma Wyrm that acts as the fort’s boss. Players should buff themselves with items that can lessen flame damage to make their time a little easier.
1 Caria Manor
Though technically a large estate, the manor is essentially a large fort in the form of a manor. Located north within Liurnia of the Lakes, players will need to brave the magical projectiles and horrors that guard the area when approaching close the manor.
If thoroughly explored, players will gather several items of note including a golden seed, smithing stones, several weapons including the ones dropped by Royal Knight Loretta, Ashes of War, and a Stonesword Key.
Players will also encounter Pidia, the Carian servant once the manor has been completed and has accessed the Three Sisters region. Pidia will grant Tarnished access to several high-end goods. A challenging dungeon, players will no doubt be able to overcome it with sheer willpower, skill, and determination.
Elden Ring is available on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.