Elden Ring: Why You Shouldn’t Kill Caelid’s Big White Dragon

Many players of Elden Ring like to begin a new game by defeating the sleeping white dragon in Caelid to quickly earn runes. Since the dragon doesn’t fight back, it appears to be a simple way for new players to gain a lot of experience early on.

Rushing into a fight with the giant dragon and defeating it without understanding its history or what will happen if Greyoll dies can make the game less enjoyable.

To truly understand the giant white dragon in Elden Ring, you have to fight it. This massive dragon is located in the northeast part of Caelid, and it’s guarded by five smaller dragons. If you defeat those five, the larger dragon will die as well.

Players have discovered a simple way to defeat the giant white dragon early in Elden Ring by sneaking behind it, allowing for easy rune collection. Defeating the dragon also unlocks a powerful incantation at the Cathedral of Dragon Communion, revealing its true origins.

Don’t Kill Caelid’s Giant White Dragon on a Whim

Doing So Can Rob You Of The Intended Experience

Defeating Greyoll early in the game might lessen your enjoyment. Elden Ring lets you play however you want, but beginning with a large amount of runes—50,000, specifically—especially during your first playthrough, feels like it goes against the core idea of the game, which is about overcoming difficult obstacles.

This isn’t just about whether it’s fair; it’s about how you learn to play. Starting with powerful items might seem helpful, but it can actually make Elden Ring harder overall. The early game is designed to teach you essential combat skills. You can’t just rush through battles; you need to learn how to fight effectively and, as players often say, improve your skills.

FromSoftware encourages players to truly explore the world of Elden Ring by making its early bosses challenging for those who haven’t leveled up much. While you can quickly gain levels and become powerful, doing so can actually make the game feel less expansive and less risky. It essentially removes the need to learn and improve your combat skills, turning the experience into a simple progression from one fight to the next.

Exploiting a weakness to defeat Greyoll yields fewer runes than challenging her stronger offspring later in the game when you’re at a higher level. There are also much better and more consistent ways to earn runes throughout the Lands Between. Therefore, using this exploit for a quick 50,000 runes isn’t just considered unfair by some players, it’s also a less effective strategy – and it prevents you from experiencing a truly epic fight.

I was pretty excited to get Greyoll’s Roar after taking down that huge white dragon in Caelid, but honestly, it’s just one of thirteen different Dragon Communion Incantations in Elden Ring. And, to be real, for how I like to play, there are actually better options out there!

Who The Giant White Dragon Is: Greyoll, Explained

Elder Dragon’s Powers Are Diminished

Greyoll, a massive white dragon found in Caelid, is described in Elden Ring lore as the ancestor of all dragons. She’s a key figure from a time long ago when dragons, not Queen Marika and Lord Godfrey, ruled the Lands Between.

Defeating Greyoll feels like needlessly destroying something special. While the dragon is currently weak and doesn’t pose a threat, destroying such a significant creature just for rewards feels unnecessarily cruel—particularly when there are more efficient places to gather runes in Caelid.

Generally, dragons in Elden Ring aren’t hostile towards players. Most of them simply wander the world unless someone invades their space.

Although defending yourself is understandable, hitting someone who is defenseless and revered in the Lands Between feels even worse than Melina wanting to destroy the Erdtree.

From a story perspective, destroying Greyoll feels like a real loss, considering its importance to the history of the Lands Between. Although Elden Ring doesn’t have a traditional morality system, the game tells a rich story about power, courage, and doing what’s right – qualities that don’t really fit with a player choosing to defeat Greyoll.

When You Should Consider Killing Greyoll In Elden Ring

Extra Runes Could Help You Level Up

Even though it’s easy to defeat the Elder Dragon Greyoll using a simple trick, there are still good reasons to do so in the Caelid area. The biggest advantage is quickly earning 50,000 runes with minimal effort – you just need a little patience.

Fifty thousand Runes represents a significant amount, and while players could potentially earn more by defeating the dragons in Elden Ring, spending them on an immediate level-up can be very beneficial. This is particularly helpful if you’re already familiar with the dragon lore or aren’t keen on fighting all of its offspring. Sometimes, simply increasing your level is all you need to meet the stat requirements for a new weapon and start using it.

Sometimes, defeating Greyoll can even give players the boost they need to overcome a difficult boss. Even smaller levels can help you progress, despite the game being completable at level one. A major benefit of defeating Greyoll in Elden Ring is immediately receiving five Dragon Hearts. If you’re aiming to use Dragon Communion spells and acquire more, defeating the white Elder Dragon in Caelid is a fast and simple way to do so.

Elden Ring’s Dragon Communion Incantations

Greyoll’s Roar uses 50 Focus Points and weakens enemies’ attack and defense in a small area around you. While it can be helpful, players who prefer powerful, visually impressive spells might find Dragon Incantations like Smarag’s Glintstone Breath or Theodorix’s Magma more effective.

Dragon Communion Incantations

Elden Ring offers a lot of powerful dragon abilities, and many of them are more practical than Greyoll’s Roar. For example, Rotten Breath is incredibly useful in a wide range of situations, and you don’t have to harm any defenseless creatures to obtain it. While it’s possible to defeat Greyoll early in the game for an advantage, it’s generally better to skip that and explore other options.

2026-01-05 01:18