In Elden Ring, one of the most intriguing side characters is Sorcerer Rogier, who plays a key role in unraveling the mysterious lore behind the game’s most hidden elements. Players often find themselves puzzled when the Rogier Bloodstain not working issue arises. This problem affects a specific bloodstain that should trigger a crucial cutscene or lore reveal involving Rogier, but for some players, the interaction either fails to activate or does not appear at all. This guide explains why this issue occurs, how to fix it, and what it means for your progress in the game.
Understanding Rogier’s Role in Elden Ring
Rogier is first encountered in Stormveil Castle, where he assists players in fighting off powerful enemies. He later relocates to Roundtable Hold, where his story unfolds through dialogue, quests, and interactions. One of the more obscure but important pieces of his narrative involves a bloodstain found in the crypt beneath Stormveil Castle. This bloodstain is supposed to reveal a vision of Rogier confronting an entity known as the Prince of Death, providing critical insight into the Deathroot curse and the deeper mythos of the Lands Between.
Why the Bloodstain Matters
The Rogier bloodstain is more than just a cosmetic feature. It connects to hidden storylines and NPC quests, including Ranni’s questline and D’s storyline. When working correctly, interacting with the bloodstain should trigger a flashback-like sequence or message, helping you understand what happened to Rogier. If the bloodstain is not working, it can prevent you from fully experiencing these narrative elements.
Common Reasons the Rogier Bloodstain Is Not Working
There are several known causes for the Rogier Bloodstain not working issue. Most are tied to the sequence of in-game events or player progress in related quests.
- Skipped Dialogue or Events: If you progress too far in the game without speaking to Rogier at key times, some of his triggers will not activate.
- Missed the Trigger Location: The bloodstain appears in a very specific place beneath Stormveil Castle, near the root-infested corpse. If you miss that exact area, the interaction won’t trigger.
- Questline Interruption: Completing certain story events or killing specific NPCs too early can lock you out of parts of Rogier’s quest, including the bloodstain cutscene.
- Online/Offline Mode: Some players report that playing in offline mode or experiencing connection issues may affect bloodstain visibility, although this is not officially confirmed by FromSoftware.
- Game Version Bugs: Outdated versions of the game or corrupt save files may lead to some interactions failing to load properly.
How to Fix the Rogier Bloodstain Issue
If you’re facing the Rogier bloodstain problem, don’t worry there are several workarounds that may help resolve the issue and get the questline back on track.
Follow the Quest Progression Properly
To avoid missing the bloodstain event, ensure that you:
- Speak with Rogier thoroughly at Stormveil Castle and Roundtable Hold.
- Defeat the boss of Stormveil Castle (Godrick the Grafted) before continuing the quest.
- Visit the crypt beneath Stormveil Castle where the face-like root is located.
- Rest at a Site of Grace after speaking to Rogier to update his dialogue.
After following these steps, return to the root area and check again for the bloodstain near the corpse. If the bloodstain still doesn’t appear, continue progressing Rogier’s dialogue until he speaks about investigating the Deathroot or the corpse beneath the castle. This often serves as a trigger.
Reload the Area or Use Fast Travel
Sometimes, the bloodstain fails to load due to a temporary glitch. Try fast traveling to another location and returning to Stormveil Castle. Alternatively, restarting the game entirely and returning to the site may help.
Update the Game
Ensure that your version of Elden Ring is fully up to date. FromSoftware regularly patches issues, and some minor bugs have been fixed in updates that affect NPC behavior and quest events.
Check Online Mode Settings
Although not confirmed by developers, some players have noticed that switching between online and offline mode can influence whether bloodstains and messages appear. If you’re playing offline, try enabling online features to see if it changes anything.
What You Miss If the Bloodstain Doesn’t Work
If the Rogier bloodstain never appears or fails to trigger the intended cutscene, it doesn’t completely break your playthrough. However, you do miss out on an important lore moment. The bloodstain reveals that Rogier confronted the Prince of Death and was mortally wounded, explaining his eventual state of decay and resignation at Roundtable Hold. It also deepens your understanding of the death curse and its link to Godwyn the Golden.
In some playthroughs, missing the bloodstain can make it harder to follow the storylines tied to Ranni and Fia, two other key NPCs involved in death-related quests. That said, you can still complete their questlines even if Rogier’s story is incomplete.
Preventing Issues in Future Playthroughs
If you plan to start Elden Ring again or want to avoid similar problems, it helps to approach NPC storylines methodically. Make a habit of:
- Exhausting all dialogue options before progressing too far.
- Visiting known quest-related areas shortly after defeating bosses.
- Resting at Sites of Grace regularly to trigger NPC updates.
- Keeping a separate save file before major story decisions.
The Rogier bloodstain not working issue is frustrating for players who want to uncover every bit of Elden Ring’s complex narrative. Fortunately, it often results from simple progression errors that can be avoided with careful planning. While missing this particular scene won’t ruin your game, fixing it will provide a richer experience and a better understanding of the lore behind the curse of death and Rogier’s tragic fate. Keep your game updated, follow NPC storylines closely, and you’ll avoid missing key moments like this in the future.