(Image: [[https://static0.gamerantimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Featured-Image-for-Game-Rant-(1).jpg|https://static0.gamerantimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Featured-Image-for-Game-Rant-(1).jpg]]) To kill or not to kill, that is the question that so many players will ask when going through From Software's instant classic [[https://Eldenringworld.com/|Elden Ring online guide]] Ring . While going through this tremendous adventure players will be put through the wringer. The game does not pull any punches so, the players need all the help they can get. NPCs are abundant in the Lands Between and the Tarnished will have to choose their friends wisely. Certain NPCs will try to help and benefit the Tarnished. Others will try to hold the Tarnished back and are better off dead. How does the player decide which ones are safe to keep alive? There are the NPCs the Tarnished might want to keep around for a while in Elden Ring . Updated August 16, 2024, by Hamza Haq: Killing an NPC in [[https://Eldenringworld.com/|Elden Ring story guide]] Ring is an irreversible decision, one that may come to haunt the player way down the line when they discover that the character they offed 20 hours ago was actually the key to obtaining a very powerful weapon or armor set that is now out of reach because they’re dead. And because FromSoftware doesn’t allow for save scumming, there is no telling what the reward for killing someone is before the player does it. With the release of Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, a new host of NPCs have been added to the game, each with their questlines and, more importantly, reasons for killing or not killing. This list has been updated to include the ones players should absolutely avoid being violent with (Image: [[https://static0.gamerantimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/elden-ring-iron-fist-alexander-partly-buried-feature.jpg|https://static0.gamerantimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/elden-ring-iron-fist-alexander-partly-buried-feature.jpg]]) (Image: [[https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1595538934869-503c9448981b?ixid=M3wxMjA3fDB8MXxzZWFyY2h8Nnx8ZWxkZW4lMjByaW5nJTIwc3RvcnklMjBndWlkZXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3NTg2MDQwNTN8MA\u0026ixlib=rb-4.1.0|https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1595538934869-503c9448981b?ixid=M3wxMjA3fDB8MXxzZWFyY2h8Nnx8ZWxkZW4lMjByaW5nJTIwc3RvcnklMjBndWlkZXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3NTg2MDQwNTN8MA\u0026ixlib=rb-4.1.0]]) Initially located in Northern Stormhill First up on the do-not-kill list is Alexander the Living Jar. When the Tarnished first stumbles upon (Image: [[https://static0.gamerantimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/sharedimages/2024/05/elden-ring-npc-icon-128.png?fit=contain&h=22&w=22|https://static0.gamerantimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/sharedimages/2024/05/elden-ring-npc-icon-128.png?fit=contain&h=22&w=22]]) Alexander the Iron Fist north of Agheel Lake, he is in a dire situation. Alexander has gotten himself stuck in the mud and cannot break out. He calls upon the Tarnished to save him by tapping him on the behind to give him the extra gusto needed to break free. For any morally upstanding citizen, the tapping ends there. Only a truly foul person would betray the trust that he placed in them and attack Alexander after unearthing him. Aside from the morality of killing Alexander, doing so will lock the player out of his Elden Ring questline , which grants the Shard of Alexander, one of the best Talismans in the game. (Image: [[https://static0.gamerantimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Nepheli_Loux_Elden_Ring.jpg|https://static0.gamerantimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Nepheli_Loux_Elden_Ring.jpg]]) Initially located in Stormveil Castle If the Tarnished goes down the stairs next to the Secluded Cell site of grace in Stormveil Castle they will come across a woman standing over a body in a room. She is (Image: [[https://static0.gamerantimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/sharedimages/2024/05/elden-ring-npc-icon-198.png?fit=contain&h=22&w=22|https://static0.gamerantimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/sharedimages/2024/05/elden-ring-npc-icon-198.png?fit=contain&h=22&w=22]]) Nepheli Loux , a warrior and adoptive daughter of Gideon Ofnir. If the Tarnished ignores her warning and [[https://Eldenringworld.com/|Https://Eldenringworld.com]] chooses to attack, the Tarnished can slay Nepheli Loux. Doing so will grant the Tarnished with a Stormhawk Axe. This weapon is peanuts compared to what the Tarnished will get if she is kept alive. First and foremost, the warrior will aid the Tarnished in the fight against Godrick the Grafted. Also, later on in her questline, Nepheli will provide the Tarnished with a couple of different rewards depending on the path taken. One of the most notable is the Arsenal Charm, which increases the player's equipment load . After all is done the Tarnished will receive two Stormhawk Axes when completing her questline, making killing her actually pointless. (Image: [[https://static0.gamerantimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Collage-Maker-17-Jun-2022-1228-PM.jpg|https://static0.gamerantimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Collage-Maker-17-Jun-2022-1228-PM.jpg]]) Initially located in Lake-Facing Cliffs Lightseeker (Image: [[https://static0.gamerantimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/sharedimages/2024/05/elden-ring-npc-icon-168.png?fit=contain&h=22&w=22|https://static0.gamerantimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/sharedimages/2024/05/elden-ring-npc-icon-168.png?fit=contain&h=22&w=22]]) Hyetta is a blind woman whom the Tarnished will stumble across shortly after defeating Godrick the Grafted. She requests the Tarnished feed her Shabriri Grapes for her to witness a faint light she thinks is guiding her to her destiny. Aside from her being blind and placing full trust in the player, killing Hyetta will reward the player with Frenzyflame Stones, which is a very easy resource to craft. The Tarnished should spare this poor woman because her questline can lead the player to an entirely different ending. Instead of slaying her, the Tarnished should provide her with the Shabriri Grapes and keep an "Eye" on her to make sure she doesn't get into trouble. (Image: [[https://static0.gamerantimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/gowry-sitting-inside-his-shack-in-elden-ring.jpg|https://static0.gamerantimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/gowry-sitting-inside-his-shack-in-elden-ring.jpg]]) Located in Caelid (Image: [[https://static0.gamerantimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/sharedimages/2024/05/elden-ring-npc-icon-160.png?fit=contain&h=22&w=22|https://static0.gamerantimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/sharedimages/2024/05/elden-ring-npc-icon-160.png?fit=contain&h=22&w=22]]) Gowry is an old wizard who is held up in a shack right outside Sellia, Town of Sorcery. He warns the Tarnished of a young woman who is dying of rot, tasking the Tarnished to go save her. Killing Gowry provides the Tarnished with his bell bearing and the Flock’s Canvas Talisman, which increases the Faith attribute . However, If the Tarnished helps Gowry and saves Millicent, there are many more rewards at the end of both of their questlines. Gowry will open up a shop selling different sorceries to the Tarnished. Eventually, the Tarnished will be able to get the bell bearing and the Talisman anyway. The more pressing reason to keep Gowry alive is Millicent. Her questline leads to more rewards, including Talismans and an alternate ending. (Image: [[https://static0.gamerantimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/first-meeting-with-thiollier-in-elden-ring-shadow-of-the-erdtree-dlc-sote.jpg|https://static0.gamerantimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/first-meeting-with-thiollier-in-elden-ring-shadow-of-the-erdtree-dlc-sote.jpg]]) Initially located at the Pillar Path Cross Site of Grace Shadow of the Erdtree DLC introduces a host of new NPCs to the world of Elden Ring , and (Image: [[https://static0.gamerantimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/sharedimages/2024/06/elden-ring-missing-icon-3.png?fit=contain&h=22&w=22|https://static0.gamerantimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/sharedimages/2024/06/elden-ring-missing-icon-3.png?fit=contain&h=22&w=22]]) Thiollier is among the most notable in terms of his importance. The Tarnished will encounter Thiollier for the first time, sitting next to the Pillar Path Cross Site of Grace, directly east of Castle Ensis. Killing him when he is first encountered will lock players out of his questline, which involves one of the most important lore characters in the game: St. Trina. Thiollier’s quest involves finding and interacting with St. Trina, discovering their secrets, and getting to hear words spoken by this mythical entity itself. While the Tarnished will still be able to find St. Trina without Thiollier’s help, there is no way to progress this questline without him. Additionally, Thiollier is also the provider of Thiollier’s Concoction, an item needed to get an alternate ending for the Dragon Priestess quest at the Grand Altar of Dragon Communion . (Image: [[https://static0.gamerantimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/elden-ring-millicent.png|https://static0.gamerantimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/elden-ring-millicent.png]]) Initially located in Church of the Plague Although her sickly disposition might render her a relatively unimportant NPC, (Image: [[https://static0.gamerantimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/sharedimages/2024/05/elden-ring-npc-icon-192.png?fit=contain&h=22&w=22|https://static0.gamerantimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/sharedimages/2024/05/elden-ring-npc-icon-192.png?fit=contain&h=22&w=22]]) Millicent has a highly rewarding questline should the player be more than willing to help with her quest of healing her Scarlet Rot, which affected her deeply and immobilized her. When killed after moving to the Windmill Village, she will drop a talisman called Millicent's Prosthesis, which increases attack power with subsequent attacks and increases dexterity by 5. However, the rewards that are waiting upon the completion of her questline are far more powerful. During her questline, she will be available at times as a summon to help with difficult boss fights, such as against the Godskin Apostle. Moreover, her questline is highly rewarding as completing one of the paths can potentially unlock the powerful talisman, Rotten Winged Sword Insignia, and the Somber Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone, which is capable of upgrading legendary armaments. (Image: [[https://static0.gamerantimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/elden-ring-thops.png|https://static0.gamerantimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/elden-ring-thops.png]]) Initially located in Church of Irith The unassuming student of the esteemed Academy of Raya Lucaria might look to be harmless and of no importance at first glance. As a vendor, (Image: [[https://static0.gamerantimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/sharedimages/2024/05/elden-ring-npc-icon-240.png?fit=contain&h=22&w=22|https://static0.gamerantimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/sharedimages/2024/05/elden-ring-npc-icon-240.png?fit=contain&h=22&w=22]]) Sorcerer Thops sells simple sorceries such as the Glintstone Pebble and Starlight. However, completing his questline will prove his usefulness further as he will be able to provide the player with a critically useful gesture, the Erudition Gesture. (Image: [[https://plus.unsplash.com/premium_photo-1669077047402-acf5be874f11?ixid=M3wxMjA3fDB8MXxzZWFyY2h8MXx8ZWxkZW4lMjByaW5nJTIwc3RvcnklMjBndWlkZXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3NTg2MDQwNTN8MA\u0026ixlib=rb-4.1.0|https://plus.unsplash.com/premium_photo-1669077047402-acf5be874f11?ixid=M3wxMjA3fDB8MXxzZWFyY2h8MXx8ZWxkZW4lMjByaW5nJTIwc3RvcnklMjBndWlkZXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3NTg2MDQwNTN8MA\u0026ixlib=rb-4.1.0]]) Later, this gesture can be used to solve a tricky puzzle in the Converted Fringe Tower. By performing the gesture while wearing a Glintstone Crown, players can uncover a secret door that leads to two particularly powerful Sorceries, Cannon of Haima and Gavel of Haima. (Image: [[https://static0.gamerantimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/igon-mentioning-bayle-in-elden-ring-shadow-of-the-erdtree-dlc.jpg|https://static0.gamerantimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/igon-mentioning-bayle-in-elden-ring-shadow-of-the-erdtree-dlc.jpg]]) Initially located at the Pillar Path Waypoint Site of Grace One of the best new characters added by the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC is (Image: [[https://static0.gamerantimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/sharedimages/2024/06/elden-ring-missing-icon-3.png?fit=contain&h=22&w=22|https://static0.gamerantimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/sharedimages/2024/06/elden-ring-missing-icon-3.png?fit=contain&h=22&w=22]]) Igon , a Dragon Hunter who was crippled by Bayle the Dread and now seeks revenge on this gigantic dragon at the slopes of the Jagged Peak. Without the Tarnished to help him, Igon is destined to stew in his vengeance, never able to actually deal a significant blow to the dragon that brought him to ruin. The reason not to kill Igon has little to do with gameplay or items. All rewards for completing Igon’s quest can be obtained by directly slaying him where he stands when players first encounter him at the Pillar Path Waypoint Site of Grace. No, the reason to keep Igon alive is to hear one of the best voice lines in all of Elden Ring , delivered by Igon when he is summoned to exact his revenge upon Bayle. Not to mention that Bayle is an incredibly difficult boss, especially without someone like Igon to draw aggro away from the Tarnished. (Image: [[https://static0.gamerantimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/elden-ring-gostoc.jpg|https://static0.gamerantimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/elden-ring-gostoc.jpg]]) Located in Stormveil Castle (Image: [[https://static0.gamerantimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/sharedimages/2024/05/elden-ring-npc-icon-154.png?fit=contain&h=22&w=22|https://static0.gamerantimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/sharedimages/2024/05/elden-ring-npc-icon-154.png?fit=contain&h=22&w=22]]) Gatekeeper Gostoc is a slimy peasant in Stormveil Castle who tries to betray and trick the Tarnished at every turn. He will steal from the Tarnished and trap the Tarnished in rooms with enemies to guarantee their demise. So, why shouldn’t the player do away with him? Well, Gatekeeper Gostoc, although very annoying, does have a questline if kept alive. At the end of it, the rewards far outweigh the annoyance of keeping him alive. After certain criteria are met throughout the game, Gostoc will open up a shop in Godrick’s Throne Room. He sells a bunch of different items, but the most notable is an Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone. This can be very useful for the player if they need to get a weapon to the highest level. (Image: [[https://static0.gamerantimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Elden-Ring-Patches.jpg|https://static0.gamerantimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Elden-Ring-Patches.jpg]]) Located in Murkwater Cave The legendary (Image: [[https://static0.gamerantimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/sharedimages/2024/05/elden-ring-npc-icon-218.png?fit=contain&h=22&w=22|https://static0.gamerantimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/sharedimages/2024/05/elden-ring-npc-icon-218.png?fit=contain&h=22&w=22]]) Patches (NPC) is the definition of an NPC the player should not kill. An argument can be made that Patches should never be killed in any of his iterations throughout FromSoftware’s games. In Elden Ring , Patches can be found in Murkwater Cave and is the boss of the dungeon. When the player gets him down to half health he will beg for forgiveness. If the Tarnished decides to finish the job, Patches will drop a +7 Spear that can be pretty beneficial so early in the game. If the player holds off on killing Patches, he will open up a shop, allowing the player to buy a plethora of different items. The items he offers can be extremely beneficial depending on the build the player is going for. He also can be spoken to at Volcano Manor advancing his questline and leading the Tarnished on an assassination mission. After doing this, Patches will eventually move back to Murkwater Cave where he will teach the Tarnished his infamous Patches Squat, a gesture that can be found in most Souls games.