Are the endgame optional bosses in Elden Ring worth the grind?

[Justin.S]

I just finished the main story of Elden Ring and I'm wondering if the endgame optional bosses are worth the time. The difficulty spike for Malenia and the final dragon felt extreme, and I'm not sure if the unique gear or the personal satisfaction is enough of a reward for the struggle.

[Sofia_P]

I finally got through Malenia after a dozen tries, switching from a fast bleed build to a slower, patient approach and forcing myself to watch her tells. The moment I landed that last hit felt earned, and the fight taught me to read spacing more than any guide. The gear loot was nice, but the real payoff was trusting my own rhythm.

[Luna.W]

The final dragon after that felt brutal but not impossible; I did it with a stubborn late‑game setup, and the drops were fine, but I didn’t walk away thinking the set was wildly transformative.

[Kyle52]

Maybe the real problem isn’t the bosses at all; is it possible you’ve finished the story and the loop of farming feels off?

[JustinRT]

I tried the optional bosses for the challenge and quit early a couple times, then wandered through other areas for a while; when I came back, the fights clicked a bit more, but not perfectly.