Gaol Cave is a location in Caelid in Elden Ring and the stomping grounds of the Frenzied Duelist. This cave also contains a weapon, a rare shield, a Stonesword Key, and a few crafting items. As part of our Elden Ring guide, we're going to explain how to complete Gaol Cave.

Elden Ring: How to Complete Gaol Cave

On this page, we're going to reveal how to complete Gaol Cave. We'll include the location, a walkthrough, and any additional information, like item drops.

Gaol Cave Location: How to Find It

The entrance to Gaol Cave sits southeast of Fort Gael North at the edge of some bloodrot pools, surrounded by bloodrot flower enemies. It requires two Stonesword Keys to open up.

Gaol Cave: Walkthrough

After dropping down a few ledges at the cave’s entrance, you’ll likely notice the treasure chest right next to the Site of Grace. Go ahead and open it to get a Rune Arc – not a bad freebie. There’s only one path forward here that leads to a lit chamber with a rat and a Golden Rune [2] on a corpse. Head down the next passageway out into another room with a rat and a closed metal door at the north end – it’s the first of many, but we’ll be opening them all up in a bit.

Take the open door at the east end to continue down a dark hallway that eventually results in a dead end, but keep walking to make the floor beneath you give out and drop you into an open cell. After leaving it, you’ll come to a room with an opening straight ahead and two locked cells on either side of it. While there’s no getting inside them yet, you can still hit the enemies through the metal bars if your weapon has the reach – taking them out here and now will make your life slightly easier later when these doors get opened up, but it’s no big deal if you don’t have the range.

Move onto the next chamber to find two more locked cells on either side and a Vulgar Militia enemy waiting to strike. As before, we’d recommend getting at those fiery enemies in the cells if you’re able. There’s no use trying the wooden door here as it only opens from the other side, so you’re clear to follow the only path forward to a Stake of Marika and a short ledge to hop down.

After dropping down, keep an eye out for the two Vulgar Militia enemies – one is on the left and the other is on the right. Head down the sole path forward past some more locked cells and empty cages until reaching another chamber. There’s a larger locked door off to the left with two more Vulgar Militia enemies guarding it – it’s up to you if you take them out now or later, but you’ll have to deal with them regardless.

Keep following the only path ahead which veers northward and slopes uphill. This passage leads to a crossroads with a couple rats on your left and the critical path on your right. Slay the rats if you wish to get a Golden Rune [4] and Turtle Neck Meat in the area where they sat. Continue along the critical path when you’re ready, but do so cautiously. There’s another rat by some boxes on the right, and there are poison traps at the top of the rock ramp. Carefully sneak around them to avoid the pesky poison buildup and emerge into a cobblestone room.

This room is populated with four Vulgar Militia enemies in total. Take them out one at a time and back up into the prior passageway if you need to better funnel them, but don’t back up too far lest you trigger the poison traps you just tiptoed past. With the four foes taken out, a Golden Rune [5] and a treasure chest containing a Somber Smithing Stone [5] are safe for the looting. Head up the stairs here and give the lever a pull to open up all the cell doors we’ve run across, and leave through the wooden door on the lower floor.

Now it’s time to backtrack through and grab all the goodies that are now accessible, but it’s imperative that you keep your wits about you with all the fire enemies on the loose. As soon as you hear one wailing and see it begin to swell, distance yourself as quickly as possible because it’ll soon burst in an extremely damaging blaze of fire. The enemies make it clear when they’re about to do so and the explosions they cause aren’t too big, so you should have plenty of time to get out of harm’s way once one sees you. Otherwise, if you’re able to get the jump on them, a few whacks should do them in. Just look out for when one is about to pop.

This first area on the other side of the wooden door now has two open cells: one on the north that holds some Old Fangs and the Pillory Shield, and another to the southeast that contains a shortcut back to the beginning of the cave. Before moving onwards, take the uncaged opening to the northeast to find another open cell to the northwest that contains a Golden Rune [2]. After grabbing it, turn back to the opening to the southwest and drop down off the ledge with the Stake of Marika.

Head to the right first to find a Golden Rune [2] in an open cell, then whip back around to continue on the path. The first cell you’ll pass on the right won’t have anything in it, but the next cell on the left does: a Wakizashi dagger, another Golden Rune [4], and a Stonesword Key to add back to your coffers. Head back out and onto the critical path to reach the next chamber where you’ll find the large metal door flanked by Vulgar Militia enemies is now open. Head inside to get a Golden Rune [4] and a Rainbow Stone. The way forward is obstructed by some wooden debris in the southwest corner of this room, destroy it to find a dark chasm that you have no choice but to drop down.

Opt to slide off the edge instead of jumping or rolling to maximize your chances of landing safely on the next ledge. Then, drop off this ledge on the right-hand side to reach the first in a series of platforms that are staggered across the wall of this chasm. Carefully slide down to each successive ledge, but pause before you reach the bottom because when you do, you’ll be dropped straight into the boss arena with the Frenzied Duelist. Heal or buff yourself if you have to before diving down into the fray.

Gaol Cave: Item Drops and Loot

Do you have any tips and tricks for how to complete Gaol Cave in Elden Ring? Let us know in the comments section below, and check out our Elden Ring guide for more information.