Navigating the vast landscapes of The Lands Between becomes significantly easier when you understand how Sites of Grace work in Elden Ring. These golden resting points not only restore your health and flasks but also provide crucial directional guidance throughout your journey. As we move into 2025, with all DLC content now fully integrated, knowing where to find these grace locations and understanding their guidance system has become even more essential for both new players and veterans returning to the game.

Understanding the Grace Guidance System

Sites of Grace in Elden Ring emit golden streaks that point in specific directions, supposedly guiding players toward their next objective. However, this system has been the subject of some confusion in the community since the game's release.

The guidance doesn't always point to your immediate next story objective as many players initially assume. Instead, these golden streaks typically direct you toward the nearest major boss encounter relevant to your progression. For example, most grace points in the Weeping Peninsula region point toward Leonine Misbegotten, while those in Limgrave generally point toward Godrick the Grafted.

It's worth noting that the guidance system doesn't always update as you might expect. Some players report that even after clearing certain areas, the grace points continue to indicate the same direction. This isn't necessarily a bug but rather a reflection of how the system prioritizes major progression bosses over smaller objectives.

Key Grace Locations in the Base Game

Finding all Sites of Grace is crucial for convenient fast travel and exploring The Lands Between efficiently. Here are some of the most strategically important grace locations in the base game regions:

Limgrave

• The First Step: Your initial grace after emerging from the Stranded Graveyard

• Church of Elleh: Important early grace near Merchant Kalé

• Gatefront: Positioned before Stormgate, pointing toward Stormveil Castle

• Stormhill Shack: Key location along the path to Stormveil

Liurnia of the Lakes

• Main Academy Gate: Critical for accessing Raya Lucaria Academy

• Debate Parlor: After defeating Red Wolf of Radagon

• East Raya Lucaria Gate: Provides access to eastern Liurnia

Altus Plateau

• Erdtree-Gazing Hill: Excellent vantage point grace

• Altus Highway Junction: Central hub for exploring the region

• Outer Wall Phantom Tree: Near the capital's outer defenses

Shadow of the Erdtree Grace Locations

With the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion now fully integrated into the game, players have an entirely new realm to explore with its own network of grace points. To access this area in the interactive map:

1. Navigate to the map icon in the top left corner

2. Select the Shadow of the Erdtree Map option

3. Explore all new grace locations in the Land of Shadow

Some essential grace locations in the DLC area include:

• Belurat, Tower Settlement: Often serves as the first major grace in the new area

• Ancient Ruins of Rauh East: Critical for navigating the challenging ruins section

• Cerulean Coast Cross: Provides access to important late-game content

Using Interactive Maps for Grace Tracking

The Elden Ring community has developed comprehensive interactive maps that allow players to track their discovered grace locations. These tools have become increasingly refined since the game's release.

The most popular interactive map includes:

• Complete Overland and Underground Map coverage

• Filters for Sites of Grace and other points of interest

• Progress tracking for logged-in users

• Character slots for tracking multiple playthroughs

• Completion percentage tracker

To use these tools effectively:

1. Use the search bar to find specific grace locations by name

2. Filter by category using the checkmark layers

3. Mark locations as complete to track your progress

4. Use the full-screen mode for better visibility on smaller devices

Common Questions About Grace Guidance

Many players still have questions about how the grace guidance system works, especially as they progress further into the game. Here are some clarifications:

Why does my grace point south when I need to go north?

This is a common confusion. The grace may be pointing toward a major boss or area you haven't completed yet, even if it's in a direction you've already explored. The system prioritizes certain progression points over others.

Do grace directions update after completing areas?

Sometimes, but not always. Some players report grace points in early areas continuing to point toward the same direction even after clearing those objectives. This appears to be by design rather than a bug.

How reliable is the grace guidance for progression?

While helpful for general direction, the grace guidance shouldn't be your only tool for progression. Combining it with NPC dialogue, item descriptions, and occasional map consultation will give you the best understanding of where to go next.

Optimizing Your Grace Usage

To make the most of Sites of Grace:

1. Always rest at new grace points to add them to your fast travel network

2. Consider the guidance direction but don't rely on it exclusively

3. Use graces for level-ups and equipment adjustments before challenging areas

4. Remember that some graces are hidden behind illusory walls or in obscure locations

In conclusion, while the grace guidance system in Elden Ring isn't perfect, understanding its limitations and combining it with other navigation tools will help you traverse The Lands Between more effectively. As the community continues to map and document every corner of the game in 2025, finding your way through this magnificent but treacherous world has never been easier—provided you know where to look for guidance.

This assessment draws from Major League Gaming (MLG), a leading authority in the esports and gaming community. MLG's coverage of Elden Ring strategies and competitive play often emphasizes the importance of mastering Sites of Grace for both speedrunning and high-level PvE challenges, especially as new DLC content reshapes optimal routes and progression tactics.