They’re supposed to be resting places for the dead, but inElden Ring, Catacombs might as well be bazaars for how busy and bountiful they are in their current state. They’re full of enemies which are very much alive and kicking and also contain treasures that can be game-changing. At the same time, the Catacombs inElden Ringalso demand more brainpower from players.
These vertical labyrinths of stone and suffering are some of the most challenging side activities in the game. As with many minor dungeons inthe Lands Between, some of them are not memorable or are simply worth less than the others. Be it through rewards or a sense of achievement, players will do well to dig some graves in these Catacombs.
Updated Jun 04, 2025 by Erik Petrovich: In Elden Ring, Catacombs can be found in just about every zone – including hidden areas like the Consecrated Snowfield. Catacombs may seem a bit one-note, as you can only get excited for gloomy interiors, skeletal enemies, and Erdtree Burial Watchdogs so many times. But it’s worth hunting down all of these best Elden Ring catacombs locations because of the items you can get inside. This guide has been updated to provide a full list of the major items you can receive from each of these best catacombs Elden Ring players can explore, from weapons to spirit ashes to useful crafting materials and everything in between.
This list is only comprised of catacombs that can be found in the base version of Elden Ring. For information regarding Shadow of the Erdtree, stay tuned as Game Rant covers the Elden Ring DLC on launch.
13Cliffbottom Catacombs
Liurnia of the Lakes
Around the southeastern edge of the Liurnia of the Lakes region, there’s a catacomb that doesn’t offer anything remarkably overpowered. Rather, it offers chunks of good items in good quantities, and there’s bound to be something useful for any kind of player among these items.
Cliffbottom Catacombs is that place. It’s primarily a good spot for farminglow-level Grave and Ghost Gloveworts,but it also has acouple of spirit ashes and some weapons.Rune Arcsare also available, for when players want to hoard them for the future or the late game. This quick catacomb trip shouldn’t cost players too much in terms of sanity.
The final boss of the Cliffbottom Catacombs is an Erdtree Burial Watchdog. Unlike some fights against these boss types, there’s only one. Avoid its well-telegraphed attacks (and its not-well-telegraphed, extremely fast standing slice attack) while dodging away from its plunging AoE moves.
12Wyndham Catacombs
Altus Plateau
Near the area leading up to Mt. Gelmir is a solid catacomb that’s ripe for rewards. This mid-game area offers players the chance to finally complete their lighting builds since it houses theLighting Scorpion Charm. Apart from that, the Wyndham Catacombs is also a great place forGlovewortsandSmithing Stones.
If players look thoroughly, they might also stumble upon anAncient Dragon Apostle’s Cookbookwhich is always welcome for thosewho love or need to craft. Even just the Gloveworts alone make this area worth visiting. Every single level for that spirit ash or summon helps a lot.
The final boss of the Wyndham Catacombs is another Erdtree Burial Watchdog, but this one is different from the others you will encounter as it appears to use Lightning sorcery and damage types. It can fire Lightning at the player, and perform its other typical Burial Watchdog moves. It’s not a bad idea to get some aid via jolly cooperation, or via a Spirit Ash.
11Auriza Side Tomb
The Auriza Side Tomb is a prominent spot in the easternmost spot of the Altus Plateau. Players can find it just outside the city walls, near the moat. It’s not as jam-packed with rewards as the Auriza Hero’s Grave, but the Auriza Side Tomb is a good place for farming mid-game Gloveworts.
Players won’t find armor and weapons here, but they will be rewarded with the game’s attempt at cheeky wordplay with theSoldjars of Fortune Ashes. They let players summon a legion of adorable little jars to do the fighting for them. They’re not that good compared to the Mimic Tear or Tiche, but they haveMinionvibes, and that’s enough.
Thefinal boss of the Auriza Side Tombis a Grave Warden Duelist, a fast and brutal gladiator that wields two hammers chained to its hands. Its close-range AoEs can be deadly, but for the most part the boss itself is relatively easy to avoid and anticipate – especially if you’re a ranged spellcaster. The difficulty comes with dealing with a horde of Living Jars at the same time, so focus on getting rid of the adds first before putting full attention on the boss.
10Minor Erdtree Catacombs
Caelid
Under the first Minor Erdtree in Caelid, there’s a semi-hidden spot that players might want to check. It’s the Minor Erdtree Catacombs and it’s a great place for farming someGloveworts, naturally. What’s even more impressive about this place is that it contains level five Grave Gloveworts which can usually be found on the Altus Plateau. Think of it as anearly game headstart.
Apart from the Gloveworts, theImp Head (Wolf)helmet is also present here for some melee builds. But the real selling point is theMad Pumpkin Head Ashes. This spirit or ash summon is one of the most imposing in the game due to its size. Plus, he deals strike damage which is handy against stone enemies, especially if players don’t want to switch weapons.
The final boss of the Minor Erdtree Catacombs is yet another Erdtree Burial Watchdog fight, but this time there are two of them. One wields a Scepter and deals mostly magically-charged attacks, while the other wields a Sword and deals more physical damage. It’s hard to do on one’s own, but there’s a nice trick thatElden Ringdoesn’t make obvious. Before going in, get some Crystal Darts, and throw them at one of the Watchdogs until it is charmed. This specific item, used on this specific enemy, will make them fight for you. If all else fails, try using Spirit Ashes to split their attention.
9Caelid Catacombs
Situated in the southern part of Caelid, the Caelid Catacombs is a lovely death trap that players ought to visit if they want to test their mettle against Scarlet Rot. This whole catacomb is flooded with Scarlet Rot pus and the best way to get through that is by gritting it out.
It’s all worth it for the variety ofGlovewortsavailable. There are no armor pieces or weapons in this dungeon but there is a couple of ash summons. One is theKindred of Rot Asheswhich is formidable as an enemy and the other is theMiranda Sprout Asheswhich inflicts poison and can body block enemies. Both are decent summon options for poison or rot builds.
The final boss of the Caelid Catacombs is a Cemetery Shade, a terrifying-looking enemy that’s really not all too tough. Thanks to its low HP, getting a few hits in with a heavy weapon is usually enough to kill it, but it can be surprisingly quick as it phases around and moves from place to place. It shouldn’t take too long to beat, though it will be harder than the previous two Cemetery Shades players can find earlier in the game.
8Deathtouched Catacombs
Limgrave
This one is a low-level dungeon that sets player expectations on what to expect in these kinds of places. Deathtouched Catacombs is an accessible place just along the big road on Stormhill and it’s also somewhat important as it’s the only place in the game where players can obtain anUchigatana(or a second one).
That weapon alone offers many opportunities for players regardless of the build. Meanwhile, the enemies areSkeletonsand they teach the newbie players early on that they’re the most annoying enemy type in the game. The catacomb’s hidden lever mechanic also explains well how things work in these kinds of places.
The final boss of the Deathtouched Catacombs is a Black Knife Assassin. This enemy is incredibly difficult for low-level players as it rapidly will dash around the arena, come up behind you for a grab attack, and otherwise pull off maneuvers that are hard to anticipate or counter. Be careful with your dodges, get hits in when you’re able to, and be glad that this isn’t the invisible one you may encounter later at the Sage’s Cave.
7Fringefolk Hero’s Grave
Fringefolk Hero’s Grave is one of the first catacombs the players will encounter, but it’s locked and requires two Stonesword Keys. It’s situated near the first Site of Grace just after the tutorial cave. Even so, it’s not meant to be visited early on as it’s a brutal place with a killer chariot and an Ulcerated Tree Spiritfor a boss.
The rewards are worth it, however, as the place contains some solid weapons and aGolden Seed. This whole place is also a test for players to see how well they react under pressure or the fear of certain death because those chariots are not messing around and will one-shot any low to mid-level character.
The final boss of theFringefolk Hero’s Grave is an Ulcerated Tree Spirit– as if the rest of this dungeon wasn’t hard enough. The tree spirit’s moves can be difficult to anticipate due to its sheer size, but as long as you take care to dodgeintoits attacks (except its self-centered explosion or diving move), you should stay relatively safe. Be sure to equip some decent armor to reduce its enormous damage output to something more reasonable.
6Black Knife Catacombs
Liurnia Of The Lakes
Off to Liurnia of the Lakes, one catacomb stands out there from the rest as it’s part of two side quests and also a way to unlock certain endings. The Black Knife Catacombs is a deceptive place with two bosses and a clever but clunky puzzle designed tochallenge playersinto thinking outside the box.
Who would have thought thathuge guillotine trapscan also function as elevators? In any case, the enemies are also interesting here and there’s a rich history tied to this catacomb since it’s home to some assassins responsible for ruining everything in the Lands Between.
There are actually two final bosses of the Black Knife Catacombs: a Black Knife Assassin, and a Cemetery Shade. You can summon D to help with the Black Knife Assassin, who will drop the Black Knifeprint quest item on defeat. But head a little further past the Black Knife Assassin’s boss room to discover the entrance to the cemetery Shade’s room. This one has an army of skeletons that help it, so be sure to take them out before dealing with the boss.
Black Knife Catacombs Rewards & Materials
War-Dead Catacombs is a special one in Caelid since it’s only unlocked once players have defeated Starscourge Radahn. The developers probably thought that a sprawling beach battlefield would have gone to waste if there was nothing else in the area besides Radahn. Hence, the War-Dead Catacombs are situated north.
It also tells a story of an ongoing war between Malenia’s Cleanrot Knights and Radahn’s Redmane warriors. So the players will stumble upon a battle in this catacomb. Many have taken advantage of this and turned the spot into aRune farming area. Transforming into an object via the Mimic Veil and watching the two armies kill each other is quite profitable.
The final boss of the War-Dead Catacombs is a Putrid Tree Spirit, and this one (being at such a high level) is one of thehardest versions of the boss inElden Ring. Luckily, it’s a straight shot to the boss room from the Site of Grace at the entrance, so trying over and over again doesn’t feel quite so bad as it could. Bring in some Scarlet Rot-cleansing items (or Flame, Cleanse Me incantation) to have a slightly easier time, but be prepared to try multiple attempts.
4Gelmir Hero’s Grave
Gelmir Hero’s Grave looks important for Rykard and his faction since they even bothered to place another of those lethal chariots patrolling the catacombs. It’s quite notorious since players are also vaguely incentivized here to think oddly asriding the death chariotsseem to be the intended way of traversing this dungeon.
Not many could have thought of that but it’s that kind of torturous obscurity that makesSoulsbornegamesone of a kind. Thankfully, there are some good rewards in this place as players can acquire two stylish armor sets in Gelmir Hero’s grave.
The final boss of the Gelmir Hero’s Grave is a Red Wolf of the Champion, an empowered Red Wolf of Radagon. A few good hits with a heavy weapon can break this boss' stance, but because of how fast it moves around the battlefield (and the rate at which it casts spells), it can be easier to go with a fast or ranged spellcaster build.
