Can You Get Shard Of Alexander After Beating The Game

Can You Get Shard of Alexander After Beating the Game?

Okay, so you’ve bravely faced the Elden Beast and become Elden Lord (or perhaps a different ending caught your fancy). Congratulations! But now, you’re wondering about something very important: can you still get the Shard of Alexander after beating the game? This is a common question for many players, and the answer isn’t as straightforward as a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’. It involves a bit of understanding about how questlines work in Elden Ring, and the specific steps needed for Alexander the Warrior Jar’s journey.

Alexander’s Questline: A Quick Recap

Before we dive into the post-game scenario, let’s briefly remember Alexander and his quest. Alexander isn’t just any pot; he’s a mighty warrior with a heart of gold (well, a heart of…clay?). His questline is a series of encounters where you help him out of jams, witness his growth, and eventually, face a crucial decision about his destiny. He’s a powerful character with a unique personality, and his talisman, the Shard of Alexander, is a prized possession for any player focusing on physical damage builds.

His quest begins in Limgrave, near the Saintsbridge. He is stuck and needs your help to get out. Then, you encounter him again in Gael Tunnel, and later on, in Mt. Gelmir. Each interaction moves his story forward, leading him towards his dream of becoming a great warrior. Each meeting location holds significance to his story and overall journey. If you miss any key encounter, you might have to wait until the next playthrough.

Key locations for finding Alexander throughout his journey, before progressing further into the game:

• Limgrave: Near the Saintsbridge, stuck in the ground.
• Gael Tunnel: Inside the tunnel, further along his quest.
• Mt. Gelmir: Near the Magma Wyrm boss area, needing help from a lava pit.
• Farum Azula: A final meeting before his ultimate fate.

The Shard of Alexander: What Makes It Special

The Shard of Alexander isn’t just any talisman. It significantly boosts the attack power of skills, making it extremely valuable for players who use weapon skills or incantations that deal physical damage. If you use abilities that deal extra damage depending on your attributes, Shard of Alexander helps in that case as well. It’s a powerful tool for builds focusing on damage output and those who really rely on skills. This talisman makes a huge difference in the later areas of the game, especially with the increase in difficulty. So, it’s easy to see why it’s sought after by many Elden Ring players.

Why is this talisman so important?

The Shard of Alexander is important because it directly increases the effectiveness of many special abilities. If you are using weapons with special skills, this talisman is a must have. For example, imagine you are using the Bloodboon Ritual skill on Mohgwyn’s Sacred Spear, or the Hoarfrost Stomp on a long weapon. With the Shard of Alexander, those skills do a lot more damage. This makes the Shard essential for certain builds, especially those focused on close combat with physical damage.

The Shard of Alexander also contributes to a player’s build diversity and potential. By having an item that specifically enhances skill attacks, players are encouraged to experiment with a wider range of weapons and abilities they might otherwise have overlooked. This diversity enriches the gameplay experience, making it more engaging and fun. The Shard helps players see the true potential of builds they are already using, allowing for new ways to play and approach challenges.

The Post-Game Dilemma: Can You Still Acquire the Shard?

Now, the burning question: can you get the Shard of Alexander after beating the final boss and seeing one of the endings? The short answer is: it depends. It hinges entirely on whether you’ve completed the critical steps of Alexander’s questline before triggering the game’s ending. Let’s break this down into possible scenarios.

Scenario 1: You’ve Completed Alexander’s Quest

If you have diligently followed Alexander’s questline, helped him at each location (Limgrave, Gael Tunnel, Mt. Gelmir) and reached him in Farum Azula, then you are in luck. Completing his quest in Farum Azula is the crucial part. After beating him in battle, he will give you the Shard of Alexander. If you have acquired the shard before beating the last boss, you have nothing to worry about. You will have the Shard after beating the game, it will stay with you in New Game Plus as well. This talisman is yours to keep, and you can use it in your next playthroughs.

Scenario 2: You Missed Early Steps or Important Interactions

Here’s where things get tricky. If you missed helping Alexander in Limgrave, Gael Tunnel or any of the required steps, then unfortunately, you may not be able to get his talisman in that particular game. The game will not let you complete questlines of characters if you have missed critical steps. Missed steps and interactions usually makes the characters go on a different path, where they are not able to progress their questlines. The game moves on after each location if you miss some interactions, and you are not able to trigger the next stages of the quests. This means, that you are not able to finish them for that playthrough. However, this doesn’t mean it is impossible to ever get the shard. You can still get the shard, you just need to start a New Game Plus. So you can carry your build, and try to complete his questlines this time, so that you can get the Shard of Alexander in your next playthrough.

It is important to note that Alexander’s quest is not time based, if you miss his encounter in any area, then he will still be there. But the problem is, after some major events, the questlines of some character might progress forward automatically, meaning you will never be able to trigger his dialogues from previous locations. This makes it essential to trigger his dialogue in all the locations as they unlock, otherwise you will miss the crucial dialogues needed to progress his quests.

Scenario 3: You Didn’t Complete the Quest Before Final Boss

This is where the post-game aspect matters. Even if you’ve met Alexander, and even if you’ve helped him out a little, the game only rewards you the Shard of Alexander upon successful completion of his final battle in Farum Azula. If you didn’t reach this point in his questline before defeating the final boss, then there’s no way to go back to Farum Azula and fight him. The area will not be accessible once the game is completed. You will need to start the game again in New Game Plus mode, so that you can complete his quest. This means, that the game doesn’t allow you to finish up the questlines after you have completed the main storyline.

Why is the Game Designed This Way?

Elden Ring is known for its open-world design and the freedom it gives to players. However, it does impose some restrictions on the questlines of various characters. The game is designed in such a way, that the player is not able to finish the questlines after defeating the final boss. The main reason is to make the players think about their actions in the game, and if they make any errors they must start the game again to rectify their mistakes. This gives the game more replayability, and makes the player think of the consequences of their actions in game.

This design also ensures that players are rewarded for exploring and paying attention to character stories. If you rush through the main storyline without engaging with the world and its characters, you might miss out on important items. This encourages players to explore all the locations in the game. This is what Elden Ring is all about, and if you try to bypass all the interactions, then you might end up missing very important items.

Tips for Ensuring You Get the Shard of Alexander

If you are starting a new game, or are trying to get the Shard of Alexander in your New Game Plus mode, then here are some tips that you should keep in mind, so that you do not miss this essential item.

• Explore thoroughly: Don’t just rush through the main path. Take your time to explore each region completely, so you do not miss out on important NPC interactions.
• Talk to NPCs repeatedly: After every major story event or boss fight, go back to familiar locations and try to talk to every NPC. There are many interactions that the characters can have with the player, so it’s important to try all the dialogues to be sure that you have not missed anything.
• Refer to guides: While exploring and discovering is a fun aspect of the game, if you’re determined to get the Shard of Alexander, it may be helpful to consult an online guide. This can help you keep track of his location and make sure you do not miss any crucial dialogues.

Table: Alexander’s Questline Summary and Requirements

Here’s a simple table to summarize the key steps of Alexander’s questline:

What to Do If You Missed It

So, you missed getting the Shard of Alexander in your first playthrough? Don’t worry, it’s a common mistake. You can still get it! Here’s what you need to do:

1. Start a New Game Plus (NG+): This allows you to carry over your character’s stats and most of their gear, so you don’t have to start from scratch.
2. Prioritize Alexander’s Quest: As soon as you can, make your way to Limgrave and begin his questline. Keep a close eye on his location, and make sure that you complete each step carefully.
3. Complete All Interactions: Ensure that you have triggered all the dialogues, so that he progresses to the next location. Make sure that you do not miss any dialogue prompts.

Missing out in your first playthrough doesn’t mean you will never get it. It is an incentive to start the New Game Plus mode, and explore the world with the knowledge that you have gained previously. The game becomes a lot easier if you are playing the second time, so it’s not that hard to finish the questlines.

Remember, it’s all part of the Elden Ring experience. Every missed quest or item is a lesson learned, and you will definitely be able to complete the steps in your next playthrough. So don’t fret too much, and just have fun with the game.