Elden Ring: Lake of Rot Walkthrough

THE Lake of Rot in Elden Ring is a hidden location in the underworld, deep within Liurnia.

You will need to venture into this area of Elden Ring as part of Ranni’s quest. There is a specific way to cross it safely and a boss fight awaits you at the lake, so we strongly advise you to make sure you are prepared with enough weapons and items before heading there.

This is a pretty large area to cover, so here’s our Elden Ring Lake of Rot Walkthrough.

On this page:

How to find the Lake of Rot in Elden Ring

You can reach the Lake of Rot after passing through Noksstella, the Eternal City. There you need to find an elevator that will take you to the grace site “Noksstella Waterfall Basin”. At the bottom of this elevator, defeat the Evil Shadow as part of Ranni’s quest and continue to find another elevator on the right. This will take you to the Lake of Rot.

ancient ring character entering the rot lake area, area name in german — Image credit: Eurogamer/FromSoftware

You will find the map of Lake of Rot by a corpse just before the reddish water. This will help you navigate the area, but be warned: this water is incredibly dangerous and triggers scarlet rot when you touch it. We recommend taking plenty of preservative boluses to help eliminate the effects and stay rot free.

Likewise, having clothing with a high “Immunity” value (like various robes) also provides better protection against rot, but let’s not kid ourselves: it still won’t be an easy adventure, even with all the protection in the world. . . Finally, watch out for basilisks that like to burst out of the water.

Elden Ring Player gets an item from the Lake of Rot map — Image credit: Eurogamer/FromSoftware

Elden Ring Lake of Rot Five Switches explained

Looking across the lake, you will recognize some pillars in the distance, standing on small islands. Near them are floor switches that raise huge platforms out of the water and allow you to stand safely.

The first of these land masses is located southwest of your starting position. Run there quickly, climb on the platform and watch out for the basilisks.

elden ring lake of rot remote pillar — Image credit: Eurogamer/FromSoftware

Collect 1x rot grease of the corpse and continue in a southwest direction. Stand on the switch and more platforms will appear.

former ring player standing safely on platforms in rot lake — The next pillar is visible in the distance | Image credit: Eurogamer/FromSoftware

You will find the next pillar to the southeast of your position. Along the way, basilisks will annoy you on the small platform ahead, so be careful. The object in the water is 1x heating stone. This switch moves a structure west out of the water.

Elden Ring Player on the Rot Lake platform with dead basilisks — Watch out for the basils! | Image credit: Eurogamer/FromSoftware

Then head east and after a few runs you will find the last switch to raise the nearby platforms.

Here are the five switches on the map, so you won’t have to search as long:

Lake Elden Ring of Rot pillar locations on the map — Image credit: Eurogamer/FromSoftware

The Spirit Summon symbol will also appear at this point, which certainly doesn’t bode well. And indeed, once the last platforms are activated, a Dragonkin soldier rises in the center of the lake.

How to defeat the Lake of Rot Dragonkin Soldier in Elden Ring

This adversary is not new. We know him in an aggravated form as a draconian soldier of Noksstella from the Ainsel region, at the end of the Uhl Palace ruins.

ancient ring player facing the lake of rot draconian soldier — Image credit: Eurogamer/FromSoftware

In this fight it is important that you don’t get thrown off the platform. We don’t need rot to hurt our chances of winning here.

Otherwise, spiritual invocations are possible and entirely recommended. We don’t have much room to maneuver and although the Dragonkin Soldier isn’t a very tough opponent, the circumstances of your environment make the fight much more difficult.

a former ring player fighting the draconian soldier in the lake of rot — Yes, the copycat tear makes terrible situations significantly less terrible. Fight for something. | Image credit: Eurogamer/FromSoftware

Your reward for beating them is 58,000 runes and a dragon scale blade.

The corpse right next to the combat zone also leaves 1x Golden Rune (10)the one a little further south 1x Lightning Resistant Dried Liver and the one to the east 1x Golden Rune (7).

Elden Ring Player recovers an item from the corpse in the Lake of Rot — You can now explore the lake and find cute items. | Image credit: Eurogamer/FromSoftware

Explore the rest of the Rot Lake in Elden Ring

You can now (more or less) explore the rest of the Lake of Rot and collect the objects lying around.

Here’s a map with item locations, so you can see everything at a glance:

elden ring rot lake locations on map — Image credit: Eurogamer/FromSoftware

1x Darkforge Stone (8)
1x Aeonian butterfly
1x Darkforge Stone (7)
1x Golden Rune (9)
1x Darkforge Stone (8)

1x Mushroom Crown (go over the fallen pillar to the right of item #5 and drop it on the pillar in the area with several basilisks)
1x Dark Forge Stone (6) near a scarab
1x Darkforge Stone (7)
1x preservation bolus
1x Nomad Warrior Cookbook (22)
10x black keyed bolts
1x Immunizing Horn Charm +1

Where you find item #9, there is also a passage to the area behind it. Use it to continue towards the Great Cloister.

But before that, you can travel northeast to item #9 – south of the five switches on the map above. On the structures you raised in the lake, you will encounter an Alabaster Lord. Beat him, and he will drop the sword of the alabaster lord.

ancient ring player facing the lake of rot lord of alabaster — Image credit: Eurogamer/FromSoftware

Explore the rest of the platform and you will find 1x Darkforge Stone (9).

That’s all you need to do in the Lake of Rot. Next, head to the Great Cloister, where you’ll encounter the fearsome (but optional) Astel boss, Naturalborn of the Void, who you’ll need to defeat to end Ranni’s quest.