Deeproot Depths is another secret area in Elden Ring. This game is basically the Inception of secret areas due to all the discoveries that you’re bound to see. In this particular case, the dungeon will take you to meet an old friend. Here’s our Elden Ring guide to help you find Deeproot Depths and Fia, the Deathbed Companion from Roundtable Hold.
Note: For more information, check out our Elden Ring guides and features hub. Likewise, please be reminded that this guide contains minor spoilers.
Elden Ring guide – Deeproot Depths and Fia
Exploring Nokron Eternal City
To get to Deeproot Depths in Elden Ring, you’ll need to meet the following criteria:
- Uncertain: Getting a hug from Fia in Roundtable Hold.
- Uncertain: Meeting Sorcerer Rogier during the Margit boss fight and, subsequently, while going through Stormveil Castle. You’ll cause him to spawn in Roundtable Hold where you can talk to him.
- Uncertain: Meeting D past Saintsbridge in Limgrave and having him appear in Roundtable Hold.
- Uncertain: Reaching the first point of no return in the campaign may or may not be required (I’m not sure but I’m well past that point already). This will cause some characters to leave Roundtable Hold or die outright. Fia is one of the characters who will leave.
- Required: Defeating Starscourge Radahn in Caelid is an absolute necessity. This gives you access to a secret area called Nokron Eternal City.
Okay, assuming you already have access to Nokron Eternal City, take out the Mimic Tear and make your way to the Ancestral Woods fast travel point. Those who’ve been doing Witch Ranni’s quest will remember this as the entrance to Night’s Sacred Ground. However, instead of going into the dungeon, you’ll want to cut north past the mobs.
Keep going through the forest until you see the glowing jellyfish. Run past them all the way to the cliffs. If you look down below you, you’ll see ledges that lead to a structure.
Watch out for the enemies and continue along the aqueduct. Eventually, you’ll meet an NPC who asks you for the Twinned Armor Set, the same gear pieces dropped by D when he died.
Note: I chose to decline for now.
Boss fight: Valiant Gargoyles
Continue onward until you’re at a cavernous area with waterfalls. Here, you’ll battle two Valiant Gargoyles. Only one will spawn at the start, so keep wailing at it and keep your flasks in reserve as much as possible.
At around 50% HP, the second Valiant Gargoyle will spawn. This is when you should burst down your initial opponent so it doesn’t become a two-on-one bout. Likewise, beware of their poison breath attacks. After killing them, you’ll get the Gargoyle’s Greatsword and Gargoyle’s Twinblade.
Next, go near the waterfalls to find a Site of Grace. Beside it is a coffin. Just like what you did/what you’ll do in the Lake of Rot, you can interact with the coffin so your character sleeps in it. The coffin will then get beamed up into the sky. Okay…
The Deeproot Depths secret area in Elden Ring
After the cinematic, you’ll find yourself in a murky forest. You’ve now made it to the Deeproot Depths secret area in Elden Ring.
In front is an Erdtree Avatar and a Dung Beetle with Ash of War: Golden Land. Our main goal, however, lies to your right upon spawning.
Cross the chasm by using the tree branches and make your way to the end.
At the cliffs, you’ll find a Site of Grace and a Finger Reader. Rest up and, when you’re ready, go through the tree canopy and gallop past the mobs.
Eventually, you’ll reach a clearing with the Across the Roots Site of Grace. Now, while this zone has several minibosses and lots of loot, our Elden Ring Deeproot Depths guide will focus on getting you to Fia quickly.
For this, take a look at the towers beyond. You should see giant branches that wind around this area. The towers themselves also have hostiles that will breathe fire if you come close.
Our goal here, as you can see in the image below, is to gallop past them and jump on one of the smaller branches that’s jutting out. It will wind around a tower and lead to a ledge that you can jump to. If you try to go the other way, an enemy will block your path and you and Torrent will probably get scorched.
Once you’ve landed on the ledge, you can tag the Site of Grace. Nearby is an opening that leads to a spacious chamber (as you can see in the featured image of this article).
Note: This specific Site of Grace behind the towers ensures that the gargoyle creatures have their backs turned. You can use ranged attacks or spells (i.e., Comet Azur from Sorceress Sellen’s quest) to kill those that are within range. You’ll receive thousands of runes from each kill, and you can rest to respawn these mobs for some quick farming runs.
Meeting Fia and fighting Fia’s Champions in Elden Ring
When you approach the dead “thing” at the back of this arena, barriers will appear. Then, one of Fia’s Champions will spawn.
After that, Sorcerer Rogier will also pop up. This is why I’m uncertain if meeting him and having him go to Roundtable Hold is a requirement. Anyway, you can use weapon skills on Rogier without issues, but watch out for his Glintstone Phalanx since it deals multiple hits.
With Rogier downed, three more enemies will spawn. There are two Fia’s Champions (a caster with a shield and a dual-wielder), and Lionel the Lionhearted. Lionel is the most dangerous of the bunch, since he can cast Deathskull and Death Blight on his surroundings. If you have a Spirit Ash with several summoned mobs (i.e., Greatshield Soldier Ashes), you can even the odds.
Defeating this gauntlet of foes nets you Fia’s Mist, a Sorcery spell. Likewise, you’ll be able to talk to Fia once more in Elden Ring. Lastly, if you meet certain requirements, you can fight a secret boss called Lichdragon Fortissax to receive an item for an alternate ending.
Update: Reaching Deeproot Depths in Elden Ring by going through the sewers of Leyndell
I’ve just been told that there’s another hidden path to Deeproot Depths (thanks to Georg in the comments section). Basically, you’ll need to pass through the fake wall behind Mohg’s altar in the Subterranean Shunning-Grounds/Cathedral of the Forsaken, which can only be done if you remove all your armor pieces. This chamber is also where you can obtain the power of the Flame of Frenzy for a secret ending. You can watch the video below from YouTuber Squeakasaurus Rex:
Elden Ring is available via Steam. For more information, check out our guides and features hub.
