Yes, you can fight Fortissax after beating the game.
So, you’ve conquered the Elden Ring, the credits have rolled, but a burning question remains: can you fight Fortissax after beating the game? Many players wonder if they missed their chance to face this imposing dragon. It’s a fair question since some encounters are tied to specific areas or questlines.
Luckily, Fortissax is not a missable boss because his fight is accessible in a particular area even after you defeat the final boss of Elden Ring. You can revisit the Deeproot Depths whenever you want to. Therefore, you have plenty of opportunities to engage in battle with this terrifying foe, even after the main story concludes.
Can You Fight Fortissax After Beating the Game?
This is a question many Elden Ring players ask after they see the credits roll. You’ve conquered the Elden Beast, become Elden Lord (or maybe not!), and now you’re thinking about all the things you might have missed. One particular boss, Lichdragon Fortissax, often lingers in the back of players’ minds. He’s a powerful and memorable fight, so it’s natural to wonder: can you still go toe-to-toe with this draconic nightmare after you’ve finished the main story? Let’s dive into the details and find out.
Fortissax’s Location and the Fia Questline
Before we get into whether you can fight Fortissax after the end, let’s first talk about how you find him in the first place. Fortissax isn’t a boss you just stumble upon while exploring. He’s tied to a specific questline involving Fia, the Deathbed Companion, which you will encounter early in your journey at Roundtable Hold.
The Start of the Quest
Fia’s quest is a bit involved and requires several steps. Here’s a breakdown of the key points to find Fortissax:
Meeting Fia: You first meet Fia at the Roundtable Hold. She’ll offer you a hug, and this is a key trigger for her quest.
D, Hunter of the Dead: You’ll need to progress through certain parts of the game and encounter D, Hunter of the Dead. He is initially found near Summonwater Village in Limgrave.
The Black Knife Assassin: You need to defeat the Black Knife Assassin near the Site of Grace in the Deathtouched Catacombs.
Following Fia’s Story: After talking to Fia and giving the Twinned armor, she’ll eventually leave Roundtable Hold, and you’ll find her in the Deeproot Depths.
Deeproot Depths: This is the location you need to reach to encounter Lichdragon Fortissax. You need to progress through the area and find a specific spot to enter his arena.
The Specifics of the Boss Fight
Fortissax is not your average dragon boss. Here’s what makes the fight special:
Lightning and Death Blight: He uses a combination of lightning attacks and attacks that cause death blight, a status effect that can kill you instantly.
Unique Arena: You face him in an arena with a distinctive landscape, often with an ethereal or spiritual vibe.
Challenging Encounter: This fight can be tough, even for high-level players. His combination of damage types and speed makes him a real threat.
Optional Boss: It’s important to know that Fortissax is not a mandatory boss. You can beat the game without ever fighting him, but you might be missing out on a really cool experience.
Can You Still Fight Fortissax After the Credits?
Now, for the big question: can you fight Fortissax after you finish the game? The simple answer is yes, absolutely! The post-game state in Elden Ring allows you to freely explore the world, tackle any optional bosses you might have missed, and complete any unfinished questlines, including the Fia quest which leads to Fortissax.
Here’s a breakdown of why you can fight Fortissax after beating the main story:
World State Remains: After you beat the final boss, you are given the option to either start a new game or stay in your current world. If you choose to stay, the world remains in the state it was before you fought the Elden Beast.
No Missed Opportunities: Unlike some other games, Elden Ring does not lock you out of any areas or boss fights if you progress to the end of the game, except for specific endings that might alter the world slightly.
Freedom to Explore: This means you can still access all the locations and dungeons, including the Deeproot Depths where Fortissax resides.
Quest Completion: If you haven’t finished Fia’s quest and triggered the Fortissax fight, it’s still completely viable to do it after beating the game.
How to Trigger the Fortissax Fight Post-Game
If you haven’t fought Fortissax before completing the game, here’s a quick rundown of how to trigger the fight in the post-game:
1. Follow Fia’s Questline: Make sure you’ve completed all the necessary steps in Fia’s questline up to the point where she’s in Deeproot Depths.
2. Find the Specific Area: Deeproot Depths can be a confusing place to navigate. You’ll need to reach a certain point within the area to fight him. You’ll know you’re in the right spot when you see a giant, open area with a lot of roots and an ominous atmosphere.
3. Interact: There will be a place where you can interact with Fia, and this interaction will trigger the fight against Fortissax.
4. Prepare for Battle: Make sure you have a good build with strong defenses against both lightning and death blight, as Fortissax is quite a challenging boss to beat.
Why Fight Fortissax Post-Game?
So, you can fight Fortissax after beating the game, but why should you? Here are some compelling reasons:
Completing the Game: If you want a truly 100% completion experience, then fighting Fortissax is a must. He is one of the major optional bosses that adds to the game’s lore and narrative.
Challenge: If you’re looking for a challenging fight, Fortissax is the perfect choice. He’s one of the tougher bosses in the game, and defeating him can be very rewarding.
Unique Rewards: Defeating Fortissax nets you valuable items, like the Remembrance of the Lichdragon which allows you to obtain powerful weapons, spells, or items from Enia at Roundtable Hold.
Lore and Story: Fortissax is a big part of the lore surrounding the Death Rite Birds and the Godskin Apostles. Fighting him adds another layer to the overall Elden Ring story.
Test Your Build: Post-game is a great time to experiment with different builds and fight tough bosses like Fortissax to see how your build holds up.
Achievement or Trophy Hunting: If you are aiming to get all achievements or trophies, then you might need to defeat Fortissax as part of specific requirements or challenges.
Other Things You Can Do Post-Game
Fighting Fortissax is just one of many activities you can do after beating the game. Here are some other ideas to keep you exploring the Lands Between:
Optional Bosses: There are many other optional bosses scattered around the world. From hidden dragons to formidable human warriors, there’s plenty to fight.
Complete Quests: Maybe you missed some side quests or left some NPC questlines unfinished. The post-game gives you an opportunity to wrap things up.
Explore Areas: There are hidden locations and dungeons that are easy to miss. Take the time to re-explore areas to find these secrets.
Farm for Runes: If you want to further improve your character or experiment with different builds, you can spend time farming for runes in various places of the game.
Try a New Ending: If you’re interested in seeing different outcomes of the story, the New Game Plus is always an option. New Game Plus allows you to start a new game with your current character and items, but the game’s difficulty will increase in every playthrough.
A Final Note On Accessibility
It’s important to remember that while the game allows you to fight Fortissax after the end credits, you need to have access to Deeproot Depths to reach him. This area is somewhat hidden and requires some effort to access. If you have not explored the Deeproot Depths thoroughly, you will need to do so before you can face Fortissax. However, if you follow Fia’s questline, you will be guided to the area, making it easier to reach him even after completing the main game.
How To Access Deeproot Depths
Since the location of Fortissax is directly tied to the Deeproot Depths area, here’s a bit more detailed guide on how to access it. This is important to know, especially if you are trying to find Fortissax in the post-game.
The Siofra River Well: One way to access Deeproot Depths is through the Siofra River Well, located in the eastern part of Limgrave. This well will take you down to the Siofra River underground area.
Nokron, Eternal City: From Siofra River, you will need to navigate through to reach Nokron, Eternal City. You can access Nokron through a huge hole that appears in Limgrave, after you defeat the area’s main boss.
Aqueduct-Facing Cliffs: Once in Nokron, you will have to proceed until you reach an area called Aqueduct-Facing Cliffs. This area acts as a bridge to reach Deeproot Depths.
Fia’s Location: Once you reach Deeproot Depths, Fia is found near the Prince of Death’s Throne. Interacting with her here will allow you to trigger the fight with Fortissax.
The Great Waterfall: The route to Fia can be a little complex. You have to find your way through the branches, climb up certain sections, and eventually you will find yourself by a large waterfall, which will lead you to Fia.
Understanding the Importance of Questlines
The Fia questline is a crucial part of the overall lore and story of Elden Ring. It is also necessary to get access to the Fortissax boss fight. This highlights how Elden Ring integrates these quests and optional boss encounters into the main narrative.
Rich Lore: The Fia quest delves into some complex themes, including the nature of death, rebirth, and the mysteries of the Lands Between.
Story Impact: Depending on your actions during Fia’s questline, you might trigger different end scenarios, adding even more replayability to the game.
Character Development: The characters you meet during this quest have their own motivations and backgrounds, which make the game feel much deeper.
Missed Content: It’s quite common for players to miss out on this content if they are not exploring thoroughly, hence why many ask about Fortissax and the requirements to fight him in the post game.
In-depth Experience: If you are seeking the full Elden Ring experience, you should not ignore these detailed questlines like Fia’s questline. They are often more rewarding than they may seem on the surface.
In summary, fighting Lichdragon Fortissax after finishing the main story is not only possible but also quite worthwhile. It is a good way to extend your game time with a challenging fight and more story. With this information, you can confidently continue your adventures in the Lands Between and face Fortissax whenever you are ready.
It’s great that Elden Ring allows you to keep exploring and completing any missed content after the main story is done. That is what makes this game so good for many players, who want to take their time and enjoy every aspect of it, without worrying about a point of no return that would lock them out from certain bosses.
Elden Ring: 10 Things To Do After You FINISH THE GAME
Final Thoughts
Yes, you can fight Fortissax after beating the game. The game world remains accessible, allowing you to revisit areas. Boss fights, including Fortissax, are available. This means your progress carries over.
You must remember to trigger the fight if you missed it earlier in the story. The fight becomes available once you fulfill the specific conditions. So, ‘can you fight fortissax after beating the game?’ – the answer is definitively yes.
