In-keeping with FromSoftware tradition, Elden Ring is absolutely full to the brim with challenging, exhilarating boss fights. After just an hour, players will have likely already come into contact with a handful of bosses, each one offering a distinct challenge, along with an incredibly unique visual design. With more bosses than ever, it's truly astounding that FromSoftware has managed to keep each encounter feeling distinctive, but there are some bosses that players might remember a little more than others.
Acting as many players' first real roadblock, Godrick The Grafted can be found at the end of Stormveil Castle. Godrick appears with multiple limbs, each one looking disheveled and out of place on his body. But before players go on to face this wonderfully vile boss, they'll likely hear plenty about him from the game's NPCs, who all seem to share a clear hatred for the would-be ruler of the Lands Between.
Godrick The Grafted- An Inadequate Demigod
Years before the player embark on their journey into Elden Ring's world of the Lands Between, an age of prosperity takes place. Ushered in by the Elden Ring's power, and furthered by the Erdtree's ability to harness that power and deliver blessings of Grace, this age of prosperity gave way to the Golden lineage.
Queen Marika the Eternal and Godfrey, the first Elden Lord, married, and had multiple children together. One of these children, Godrick, harbored strong feelings of inadequacy throughout his life, feeling as though he wasn't as strong as his father, or his siblings.
In an attempt to prove his worth, Godrick sought to take the Elden Ring for himself, in an attempt to become an Elden Lord, just as his father once did. War soon broke out amongst the Golden children, causing great turmoil across the Lands Between. Due to the atrocities being committed across the Lands Between, the Elden Ring was shattered.
Seeking to take all the power they could, the Golden children took large shards of the Elden Ring, known as Great Runes, and retreated to their respective areas of the world. While most of his siblings chose to remain hidden, clinging on to their Great Runes in secret, Godrick decided to use his Great Rune to rule over the Lands Between, commanding an army of foot soldiers and knights to wreak havoc on its citizens.
Despite having a great deal of power in the Great Rune, Godrick still suffered from a constant feeling of inadequacy, and began to research ways to make himself more powerful. With the shattering of the Elden Ring, the Tarnished began returning to the Lands Between, following an inherent need to seek the Great Runes and become an Elden Lord. Godrick soon realized that this meant a consistent stream of Tarnished warriors would be arriving in Stormveil Castle.
As Tarnished began arriving in Stormveil, compelled to find the Great Runes, Godrick would take great pleasure in striking them down. For those warriors that had posed a significant challenge, Godrick would take their limbs, and graft them onto his own body. In an attempt to make new Tarnished stronger, Godrick would send his forces to Limgrave, and would fortify his castle, making sure that any Tarnished that found their way to him would be strong enough to harvest. Those who Godrick didn't consider powerful enough were used to create Grafted Scions, abominations that quickly became a symbol for Godrick's atrocities.
Over time, word of Godrick and his horrific grafting procedures spread across the Lands Between. For those that were once loyal to the Golden lineage, Godrick The Grafted now represents just how far the world has fallen since the shattering of the Elden Ring.
Elden Ring is available now for PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, and Xbox One and Series X|S.