Okay, let's talk Deathroot. If you're digging into the world of Elden Ring, especially as a Faith build or just someone who digs creepy lore and cool beast incantations, you NEED these things. Seriously, Gurranq (that big hungry beast clergyman guy) is practically begging for them, and what he gives back? Pretty darn useful. But finding every single one? Man, that can be a headache. They're tucked away in some seriously obscure spots, guarded by tough bosses, or just easy to miss entirely. I remember stumbling through Liurnia for hours before I found that one in the catacombs. Frustrating!

That's exactly why I put this guide together. Forget vague directions or incomplete lists. This is your definitive, step-by-step map to every single deathroot location in the Lands Between. We're covering exactly where they are, what bosses you gotta beat (or avoid!), any tricky requirements, and what juicy rewards you get for handing them over to Gurranq. Whether you're just starting out or deep into NG+, this is the only list for all deathroot locations you'll need.

Exactly Where to Find Every Deathroot in the Game

Right, down to business. There are nine deathroots scattered across the map. Nine. Some are relatively straightforward early grabs, others require trekking to the literal ends of the earth (or floating city, as it were). Here’s the complete breakdown, region by region:

See that Caelid one? Gelmir Hero's Grave... honestly, finding the entrance alone felt like winning a prize. And those chariots? I died more times than I care to admit trying to figure out the safe spots. Brutal. But hey, it's one of the crucial all deathroot locations. The Farum Azula one is sneaky too – it's just sitting there on a ledge, easy to sprint right past if you're focused on the main path.

Handing Over Deathroot to Gurranq: What You Get & How It Works

So you've braved catacombs and heroes' graves, fought off assassins and mariners, maybe even thrown your controller a few times at those chariot sections (no judgment). You've got the deathroot. Now what? Head back to the Bestial Sanctum in northeastern Caelid. That's where Gurranq waits, eternally hungry.

Give him a deathroot, and he'll reward you. Simple as that. But what does he actually give? It's not random; it's a specific sequence of rewards. Here's the payoff for your hard work finding all deathroot locations:

• 1st Deathroot: Clawmark Seal (Essential for Beast Incantations!)
• 2nd Deathroot: Bestial Sling Incantation
• 3rd Deathroot: Bestial Vitality Incantation
• 4th Deathroot: Beast's Roar Ash of War (Super versatile!)
• 5th Deathroot: Beast Claw Incantation
• 6th Deathroot: Stone of Gurranq Incantation
• 7th Deathroot: Beastclaw Greathammer (A solid strength weapon)
• 8th Deathroot: Gurranq's Beast Claw Incantation (The big, flashy one)
• 9th Deathroot: Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone (This is HUGE for max weapon upgrades)

A few important things to know about this process:

• Location: Bestial Sanctum, accessed via the portal near the Third Church of Marika in Limgrave or riding up to it in Dragonbarrow (Caelid).
• Aggression: Gurranq WILL eventually attack you after giving him a few deathroots. It's scripted. Don't panic! You don't have to kill him. Just fight him until he calms down (his health bar depletes a bit, then he stops). He'll be back to normal for trading. Kinda sucks he bites your head off after you bring him snacks, but hey, it's Elden Ring.
• Sequence Matters: You get the rewards in the exact order listed above as you hand in each deathroot, one by one. No skipping ahead!
• Post-Game: If you missed some deathroots and Gurranq has moved on later in the game (you'll know when), you can find the remaining Beast Incantations at the Twin Maiden Husks in the Roundtable Hold. But that Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone? Only Gurranq gives that for the 9th root.

That Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone... honestly, that's often the main reason folks hunt down the last few. Getting a weapon to +25 is a big deal, and those stones are rare. Worth the chariot trauma? Debatable, but necessary for completionists.

Deathroot Finder's Toolkit: Maps, Tips & Essential Info

Alright, you know where they are *roughly*. But Elden Ring's world is massive. Sometimes you need a little more help pinpointing things or knowing what you're getting into. Let's break it down further.

Region-Specific Guides & Map Markers

• Limgrave/Weeping Peninsula: The easiest two. Deathtouched Catacombs is literally visible from the road north of Saintsbridge. Stormfoot Catacombs? Hug the western coastline west of Church of Elleh. Look for the ghost sitting near the entrance.
• Liurnia: Both require exploring the less-traveled edges. Black Knife Catacombs is tucked away southeast of the Scenic Isle; look for a tombstone marker on the map near the cliff face. The Tibia Mariner near Road's End Catacombs sails around in that murky western swamp area – easy to spot from afar.
• Caelid: Gelmir Hero's Grave is the pain point. From the Smoldering Wall grace in north-central Caelid, head south along the cliff wall. The entrance is a small, dark crack – easily missed. Look for messages or bloodstains!
• Altus Plateau: Sainted Hero's Grave is relatively prominent east of Lux Ruins. It's got the classic hero grave pillars.
• Mountaintops: Giant-Conquering Hero's Grave is on the map west of the chain bridge. Hidden Path Catacombs requires completing Ordina first – that's a whole other puzzle! The catacombs entrance is midway along the main path inside the Hidden Path.
• Farum Azula: The deathroot here isn't in a dungeon. From the "Crumbling Beast Grave" site of grace, head out into the main area. Immediately look left/west towards the large crumbling tower structure. Carefully drop down the series of platforms and ledges jutting out from the tower wall. The deathroot is on one of these lower platforms. Don't fall!

Boss Strategies (The Quick & Dirty Version)

Slogging through dungeons is one thing, but the bosses guarding these deathroots can be roadblocks. Here's the bare minimum you need to know for each:

• Black Knife Assassin (Deathtouched Catacombs): Aggressive and invisible sometimes? Use a weapon with wide swings or AoE. Listen for footsteps. Fire works well.
• Erdtree Burial Watchdog (Swords - Stormfoot): Stay close-ish, dodge the sword slams and bites. Its head is vulnerable after some moves.
• Cemetery Shade (Black Knife Catacombs): Clear the skeletons FIRST (use holy damage or weapon buffs to stop resurrection). The Shade itself is squishy but hits hard and spawns more skeletons. Be aggressive!
• Tibia Mariner (Liurnia Swamp): Summons skeletons? Ignore them mostly or use AoE. Stay on Torrent, ride behind him, smack the glowing spots on his back/boat. Easy once you know.
• Red Wolf & Ulcerated Tree Spirit (Gelmir Hero's Grave): Tough combo. For the Wolf, be aggressive, dodge the magic lunges. For the Tree Spirit, lots of fire or bleed, stick to its sides/back, watch the explosive grab. Summons help immensely here.
• Ancient Hero of Zamor (Sainted Hero's Grave): Frostbite danger! Dodge the icy lunges and ground spikes. Punish after his slower slam attacks. Fire again is good.
• Crucible Knight Ordovis & Spear Knight (Giant-Conquering): Brutal duo. Try to separate them using the pillars. Kill the spear knight first if possible (he's slightly less tanky). Parrying Ordovis works wonders.
• Stray Mimic Tear (Hidden Path Catacombs): Enter the boss fog NAKED and with no weapon equipped. Seriously. The Mimic will spawn naked. Quickly put your gear back on and destroy your pathetic naked clone.

That Mimic Tear trick? Total lifesaver. Facing a fully geared copy of yourself early on is terrifying. Doing it naked levels the playing field hilariously.

Your Deathroot Questions, Answered (FAQs)

I get questions about these things all the time. Here are the most common ones I see popping up regarding all deathroot locations:

Can I get locked out of obtaining any deathroots?

Generally, no. Most deathroots are found in self-contained dungeons or on open-world bosses that persist. The one slight exception is if you progress the main story VERY far (specifically, after defeating Maliketh in Crumbling Farum Azula), Gurranq leaves the Bestial Sanctum. BUT, you can still hand in any remaining deathroots to the Twin Maiden Husks at the Roundtable Hold. You'll get the incantations/ashes of war, except for the Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone. That ONLY comes from Gurranq himself for the 9th root. So, hand in those first nine before defeating Maliketh if you want that stone!

I gave Gurranq a deathroot but didn't get a reward? What gives?

Did he attack you? This is common. After handing in the 4th deathroot, he enters his aggressive phase mid-conversation. You HAVE to fight him until he calms down (his aggression stops after you deplete about 25% of his health). Don't kill him! Once he stops fighting, he'll be passive again. Now you can safely hand him the next deathroot and receive the reward. If you left during the fight, just go back and fight him until he yields.

Is Gurranq essential? What happens if I kill him?

For obtaining Beast Incantations and the Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone? Yes, he is essential *until* you've gotten everything you want from him. If you kill Gurranq outright:

• You lose access to all his rewards for the remaining deathroots you haven't handed in.
• You CANNOT get the Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone reward for the 9th deathroot in that playthrough.
• His bell bearing goes to the Twin Maiden Husks, allowing you to buy the incantations/ashes he *would have* given for the deathroots you *already handed in*. But anything beyond that is lost.

Are there more than nine deathroots?

Nope. Nine is the total count. That's all deathroot locations covered. If you've handed in nine and Gurranq isn't giving you anything else (besides him finally calming down permanently once sated), you've gotten everything.

What's the best order to collect deathroots?

Honestly? Go for the easy ones first to power up your Beast Incantations early:

1. Limgrave: Stormfoot Catacombs & Deathtouched Catacombs (easiest access/bosses).
2. Liurnia: Road's End (Tibia Mariner is easy with Torrent) & Black Knife Catacombs.
3. Altus Plateau: Sainted Hero's Grave (chariots are annoying, Zamor boss is manageable).
4. Caelid: Gelmir Hero's Grave (tougher dungeon/bosses, but rewards are mid-sequence).
5. Mountaintops: Giant-Conquering (very late, tough) and Hidden Path (need Haligtree access).
6. Farum Azula: Crumbling Beast Grave ledge (late game, easy to grab once you know where).

How important is the Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone?

Massively important if you want to maximize ANY standard or somber smithing stone weapon. They are extremely limited per playthrough (only around 13-15 Ancient Dragon Stones total, combining standard and somber). Getting one reliably from Gurranq for the 9th deathroot is a key reason to complete the set. If you plan on using multiple max-level weapons, you need every stone you can find. Don't miss this one!

Finding all deathroot locations can feel like a chore, I won't lie. Some of those dungeons are just plain mean. But the payoff? A seriously powerful suite of incantations, a great seal, a fun ash of war, a solid greathammer, and one of the rarest upgrade materials in the game. Plus, you kinda get the satisfaction of finally calming down that perpetually hangry beast priest. Happy hunting, Tarnished. Go get those roots.