Elden Ring: The 14 Best Female Characters (2024)

The narrative of Elden Ring is deep and rich, from the expansive worldbuilding to the epic stakes of the Tarnished's quest. One of the places where this narrative shines through the most is in its characters. The Lands Between are populated with deep, fascinating figures, whose decisions and motivations will leave a profound impact on the Tarnished's journey to rebuild the Elden Ring.

From intimidating bosses to close allies, Elden Ring is home to some truly fascinating female characters. Some of these women come to life in intricate questlines, while others are major historical figures, whose legacy can only be learned through item descriptions and flavor text. Here are some of the most memorable female characters in Elden Ring.

Updated July 17th, 2024, by Peter Morics: Elden Ring's recent DLC, Shadow of the Erdtree, added an expansive new region that's rich in content and lore. Players have been learning a lot about the backstory of the Golden Order and the living gods that have shaped this region's grim history. They've also been meeting some very significant new characters. The DLC includes several new female characters who have more than earned their place among the legendary figures from the base game. These characters include stalwart new allies, challenging new bosses, and figures with startling revelations to share about the nature of Elden Ring's world itself, and they are now included on this list with its latest update.

14 Rellana, Twin Moon Knight

An Enigmatic And Challenging Foe

• Location: Castle Ensis, Castle Lord's Chamber Site of Grace

While Shadow of the Erdtree takes players to a new realm with new lore and people, the major factions from the Lands Between still have an undeniable presence. This can especially be seen in Rellana, a Carian noblewoman who forsook her noble destiny to aid Messmer in his campaign of destruction against the Hornsent.

The complex history of this mysterious figure can be teased out through item descriptions, but first, players will have to fight her. Rellana is absolutely brutal in combat, wielding a fearsome dual-blade technique that calls back to legendary bosses from past FromSoftware games like Bloodborne's Lady Maria and Dark Souls 3's Pontiff Sulyvahn.

13 Metyr, Mother of Fingers

A Key Piece Of The Game's Lore Puzzle

• Location: Finger Ruins of Miyr, Cathedral of Manus Metyr Site of Grace

Much of Elden Ring's lore concerns the strange eldritch Outer Gods that meddle in the affairs of The Lands Between from beyond. These beings are often key to the most mysterious aspects of the game's lore, and they're very rarely encountered in person. Metyr, the Mother of Fingers, is a significant exception to this.

This sinister and grotesque DLC boss is one of the most significant figures in the game's history and cosmology, as she provides important context for the Two Fingers and their twisted role in Elden Ring's central religion. The sidequest required to reach her contains important and disturbing revelations about the game's entire cosmology.

12 Redmane Freyja

A Proud Knight With Important Secrets

• Location: Gravesite Plain, Three-Paths Cross Site Of Grace

The stalwart warrior Redmane Freyja is one of the first friendly NPCs most players will meet upon arrival in the Realm of Shadow. This proud knight fought alongside General Radahn, but was stricken with Scarlet Rot and left for dead. Miquella saved her and cured her affliction, giving her a second chance in life and causing her to swear her fealty to the enigmatic demigod.

Freyja can aid the Tarnished with a couple of the DLC's dangerous and deadly bosses. As her sidequest progresses, she and the Tarnished will both learn some key bits of ancient lore concerning the relationship between Miquella and Radahn. While her fellow followers of Miquella are doomed to a tragic end, her aid remains invaluable while she and the Tarnished remain on the same side.

11 Needle Knight Leda

A Zealous Follower Of Miquella The Kind

• Location: Mohgwyn Palace, Cocoon of the Empyrean Site of Grace

Needle Knight Leda is one of the most prominent NPCs in the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC. She leads Miquella's band of followers across the war-torn region, seeking to serve their lord in his ascent to godhood. While she starts as a friendly NPC, and even aids the Tarnished against Rellana, the Twin Moon Knight, her zealotry and fanaticism never fade, and when Miquella's enchantment begins to fade from her allies, her true nature springs forth.

Leda's undying devotion to Miquella provides the Tarnished with a chilling look at the sort of world the demigod might create if he's allowed to ascend to godhood. The inevitable but tragic conclusion of her deadly crusade culminates in a bitter and brutal standoff that sees the bonds of loyalty and camaraderie pushed to the absolute limit.

10 Queen Marika

The Enigmatic Goddess Within The Erdtree

• Location: The Erdtree

Queen Marika the Eternal is arguably the most important character in Elden Ring. This divine figure conquered the Lands Between in ages long past and imposed her religion, the Golden Order, on the entire land. Her machinations set most of the events of the game into motion. When the Tarnished returns to the Lands Between, it's in chaos because Queen Marika shattered the Elden Ring which imposed order on the realm. She subsequently vanished, disappearing deep within the Erdtree.

In addition to being one of the most influential characters in Elden Ring, Queen Marika is also one of the most inscrutable. Her largely unknown motivations for shattering the Elden Ring and banishing the Tarnished are a point of considerable discussion and speculation among fans and Elden Ring characters alike.

9 Millicent

A Diseased Warrior With Great Potential

• Location: Church of the Plague

Millicent's questline starts innocently enough. A sage asks the Tarnished for help procuring a gold needle that he believes will aid Millicent in her struggle with the Scarlet Rot, a deadly affliction which is present throughout the Lands Between. Once the needle is obtained and repaired, Millicent begins a journey across the Lands Between in order to confront her past.

As it turns out, this past is more sinister than it appears. Millicent is descended from Malenia herself, the source of the Scarlet Rot and the manifestation of its divinity. Gowry, the kindly sage who helped cure her in the first place, actually wishes to see the Scarlet Rot flourish in her and bloom, just as it has in Malenia. The Tarnished is faced with a choice to aid Millicent on her journey or betray her, furthering the goals of the cult of rot.

8 Hyetta

A Mysterious And Sinister Maiden

• Location: Liurnia of the Lakes, Lake-Facing Cliffs Site Of Grace

One of the most important aspects of Elden Ring is that the Greater Will, as represented by the Golden Order, is far from the only divine force meddling in the Lands Between. This is where Hyetta comes in. When the Tarnished first meets this kindly blind woman, she claims she is a humble Finger Maiden in search of a golden light. The fact that her journey requires a steady supply of Shabriri Grapes, which are diseased eyeballs, suggests that her quest isn't quite as innocent as the Tarnished, and maybe even Hyetta, may have been led to believe.

Hyetta's questline is one of the most sinister stories in the game, and a lot of it revolves around how strange she is as a character. Her uncanny resemblance to a different blind woman encountered earlier in the game leads some fans to speculate that Hyetta isn't a person at all and that the body is simply a puppet for the malign force of the Frenzied Flame. This mystery, and the horrifying implications it has for the Lands Between, make Hyetta a truly compelling character.

7 Sorceress Sellen

A Cunning Witch With A Checkered Past

• Location: Waypoint Ruins

Sellen can be encountered fairly early on in Elden Ring. Spellcasting Tarnished will make good use of her, as she sells a good variety of Glinstone Sorceries. Like many other spell merchants, her inventory can even be expanded if she's given more spellbooks found throughout the Tarnished's travels.

However, Sellen's story goes far beyond simply acting as a spell vendor. She's the center of a long and complex questline that will take the Tarnished all over the Lands Between. Pursuing this quest will teach the player about Sellen's past as a sinister figure known as the Graven Witch. It also exposes some of the darkest secrets of the academy of Raya Lucaria and the nature of Glintstone Sorcery itself.

6 Nepheli Loux

A Warrior Destined For Greatness

• Location: Stormveil Castle, Secluded Cell Site of Grace

While Elden Ring is a very open-ended game, most players will find themselves visiting Stormveil Castle as their first major dungeon. It is here one can meet Nepheli Loux, a powerful warrior who is here to dethrone Godrick the Grafted. Nepheli can be summoned to help take down the monstrous lord, and her assistance in combat is invaluable. Her proper questline only begins after Godrick falls.

As the Tarnished befriends and accompanies Nepheli they will see some of the darkest corners of the Lands Between. Nepheli's personal journey exposes her to corruption, manipulation, and atrocities. The player can either help her keep her resolve in the face of utter darkness or take advantage of her for personal gain. Aiding Nepheli helps her develop into a truly noble lord, who will rule over Limgrave with wisdom and justice.

5 Rennala, Queen Of The Full Moon

The Tragic Queen Of Raya Lucaria

• Location: Raya Lucaria Grand Library

Rennala is one of the five shardbearers players can challenge for a piece of the Elden Ring, and she's also one of the most tragic. As the leader of the Carian Royal Family, Rennala led her Academy against the Golden Order, in a series of brutal wars that only ended when she fell in love with the Order's champion, Radagon. When Radagon abandoned her, her sorrow led to the collapse of Raya Lucaria, once one of the strongest factions in the realm.

By the time the Tarnished confronts her, she's become delusional, obsessed with rebirthing her scholars using the mystical Golden Egg Radagon gave her before he left. During the fight, the player must battle not only Rennala, but an illusion of the sorceress queen, representing Rennala at the height of her power. The stark contrast between these two forms highlights just how heartbreaking Rennala's descent truly is.

4 Roderika

The Kind Spirit Tuner

• Location: Stormhill Shack

Roderika's adventure in the Lands Between came to an abrupt and horrifying end when her soldiers were grafted onto Godrick's minions in Stormveil Castle. When the Tarnished finds her, she is despondent and traumatized, and she will swiftly flee to the Roundtable Hold once she's given a measure of comfort about her fallen friends.

Roderika's storyline involves her coming to terms with her perceived failure at Stormveil Castle. With encouragement from the player, she eventually flourishes as a spirit tuner, allowing her to upgrade spirit ashes. This function makes her indispensable to the Tarnished, but seeing this kind young woman recover from her trauma and strive to do right by her allies is arguably the greater reward.

3 Melina

A Mysterious Makeshift Maiden

• Location: Third Site Of Grace Found

The enigmatic Melina is a very prominent character who acts as the Tarnished's companion throughout the game. Since the Tarnished lacks a Maiden to help them channel runes into strength, Melina fills that role, making her extremely important from a gameplay perspective. Melina's origins are murky, but she wishes to reach the Erdtree to learn more about who she is and what her purpose is.

The Tarnished's bond with Melina grows over the course of the game, but the mystery surrounding her deepens as well. As a likely daughter of Queen Marika herself, Melina's status in the world of the Lands Between is deeply significant, and this makes her apparent anonymity all the more surprising. While speculation runs rampant about some of the more elusive details of her backstory, her steadfast bond with the Tarnished and her determination to enter the Erdtree make her a truly remarkable companion.

2 Malenia, Blade Of Miquella

The Undefeated Goddess Of Rot

• Location: Elphael, Brace of the Haligtree

Malenia is one of the most famous boss fights in Elden Ring. Despite being buried deep in the hidden location of the Haligree, her impact on the Lands Between is palpable. Her famous battle with the legendary Starscourge Radahn blanketed much of the land in Scarlet Rot, which continues to fester and spread to this day.

As a demigoddess and Empyrean, Malenia is a candidate for godhood and a potential ruler of the Lands Between, which makes her affliction with the Scarlet Rot all the more alarming. It also makes her backstory more impressive. Malenia is motivated primarily by a deep, abiding love for her sibling Miquella, and much of the training that made her such a peerless fighter was dedicated to locking away the Scarlet Rot that roils within her. Malenia is truly a legendary figure, and fighting her appropriately feels like crossing blades with a deity.

1 Ranni The Witch

A Secretive Demigod

• Location: Ranni's Rise

The elusive Ranni the Witch lies at the center of one of Elden Ring's longest and most involved questlines. Players who follow her story eventually learn that she is a descendant of Rennala and Radagon, a demigod who is fit to inherit lordship over the Lands Between. However, Ranni actively defies her fate, casting away her body and rejecting the guidance of the Two Fingers.

By allying with Ranni, the Tarnished can aid her in steering her own destiny, forcing the stars into motion and orchestrating the death of the godly Two Fingers. Her determination and her secretive nature make Ranni a deeply compelling character, and her ending, which sees the player become Ranni's consort and lead the world into a new age of mystery and discovery, is one of the game's most popular.

Elden Ring

Platform(s)

PS5 , Xbox One , PS4 , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S , PC

Released

February 25, 2022

Developer(s)

From Software

Genre(s)

RPG , Action

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