Can You Beat Elden Ring's Varré Questline Offline?

The very first NPC encountered in , White Mask Varré goes on to offer one of the game’s more unusual questlines. Pursuing it not only leads the Tarnished on a blood-soaked path but also grants unusually early access to one of ’s hardest bosses. However, a major aspect of this questline involves a degree of online interaction, which can appear to present a barrier to those who would prefer to remain offline.

Although initially seeming quite affable, White Mask Varré reveals a darker side as the Tarnished continues to interact with him. After joining the Roundtable Hold and speaking to the Finger Reader Enia, Varré can be found at the Rose Church in Liurnia. Here, he gifts the Tarnished with a set of Festering Bloody Fingers after they express discomfort with the Two Fingers. Given that these facilitate Invasions, the implication is clear: Varré wants the Tarnished to kill people. Moreover, it seems the Tarnished has no choice but to attack other players online in order to continue Varré's questline.

Varré’s questline provides a natural introduction to online multiplayer and Invasions. In actuality, however,there is a way to advance Varré’s questline without going online. However, it takes some time before the Tarnished is able to take this route, as the key to doing so lies on the Altus Plateau. After reaching this point in Varré’s questline, an Invasion Sign will appear in the Writheblood Ruins, to the east of the Bridge of Iniquity Site of Grace. Activating this will transport the Tarnished to the world of Magnus the Beast Claw at the cost of a Festering Bloody Finger.

Magnus the Beast Claw technically offers two slightly different paths to continue. The first and most obvious option is to defeat him in battle; doing so will lead to a new interaction with Varré at the Rose Church as if the Tarnished had invaded other real-life players. However, defeating Magnus is not necessary to continue; if the Tarnished invade Magnus three times, even if they are defeated by