He’s a giant, sentient jar. Honestly, when you first stumble upon Iron Fist Alexander stuck in a hole in Northern Stormhill, you probably think he’s a joke. A gag character. You whack him from behind with a club—as he politely requests—and he pops out of the dirt like a champagne cork, giving you some Exalted Flesh for your trouble. It’s funny. But by the time you reach the end of the Elden Ring Alexander questline, the laughter usually turns into a bit of a lump in your throat.
Alexander is easily the most human character in the Lands Between, which is ironic considering he’s literally a ceramic vessel filled with the remains of dead warriors.
Completing his story isn't just about the "feels," though. It’s a requirement if you want the Shard of Alexander, arguably the best talisman in the game for anyone who actually uses their Weapon Skills. If you’re playing the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion or just tackling the base game again, you need this jar on your side. Here is how you actually finish his journey without getting lost in the weeds.
The Early Steps: Stuck in the Mud
Most people meet Alexander near the Saintsbridge Site of Grace in Limgrave. You’ll hear him shouting for help. He’s stuck. You hit him. He’s free. Simple.
But here’s a secret: you can actually skip this. If you miss him in Limgrave, he’ll just show up at his next spot. FromSoftware is surprisingly forgiving with his early triggers. After Limgrave, you might find him in Gael Tunnel on the border of Caelid and Limgrave. He’s standing behind a door, looking for a way to the festival. Again, talk to him, but don't stress if you missed this too.
The real quest begins at Redmane Castle.
During the Radahn Festival, Alexander is chilling in the courtyard with Blaidd and the other weirdos. This is where he tells you he’s ready for the big leagues. You can summon him for the Starscourge Radahn fight. Do it. He’s a decent tank, and seeing a pot take a cosmic gravity hit from a demigod is something you don't want to miss.
Crucial Step: After Radahn is dead, Alexander is standing in the middle of the desert (the Wailing Dunes). He’s literally shoveling dead bodies into his "lid" to repair himself. You must talk to him here until he’s out of dialogue. If you don't, he won't move to the next location.
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Getting Slippery in Liurnia
This is the part that trips everyone up. Alexander gets stuck again, this time south of the Carian Study Hall in Liurnia.
But this time, hitting him won't work. He’s too stuck. He tells you he’s "too dry." You need an Oil Pot.
- Go to the Siofra River (underground).
- Find the Abandoned Merchant in the ruins.
- Buy the Nomadic Warrior's Cookbook [17].
- Craft an Oil Pot using Melted Mushrooms.
Throw the pot at his back. He’ll get all shiny and lubricated. Now, hit him with a heavy attack. He pops out, thanks you, and mentions he needs to go somewhere hotter to "forge" his body.
The Lava Bath in Mt. Gelmir
He wasn't kidding about the heat. You’ll find him standing in a pool of literal magma near Seethewater Terminus in Mt. Gelmir.
To get there, you have to loop around the Volcano Manor area, past the Magma Wyrm boss. Alexander is just... standing in the lava. He looks like he’s having the time of his life. Stand on the nearby rock so you don't burn to death and talk to him. He’ll give you the Jar helm.
At this point, you’re in the home stretch. He’ll tell you he’s heading east.
The Final Duel at Crumbling Farum Azula
The Elden Ring Alexander questline ends in the city in the sky. It’s a somber place for a somber ending.
Once you’ve beaten the Godskin Duo (the worst fight in the game, let's be real), you can find a path that requires two Stonesword Keys. This leads to the Dragon Temple Lift. From there, you’ll head across some ruins toward a large, flat plaza where a dragon is usually hanging out.
Alexander is there. He’s been waiting.
He knows he’s reached his limit. He knows you’re the next Elden Lord. He asks for one final duel—a warrior’s death. Honestly? It’s a tough fight if you’re underleveled, because he uses a flaming version of the "Shoryuken" that can one-shot squishy builds.
When you win, he breaks. He dies happy, knowing he fought the best. He leaves behind:
- Shard of Alexander: Boosts skill attack power by 15%.
- Alexander’s Innards: A key item for another quest.
What to do with Alexander’s Innards?
Don't just leave those guts in your inventory. Take them to Jarburg in Liurnia.
There’s a little jar NPC there named Jar Bairn. If you’ve progressed Diallos’s questline (the "The tale of House Hoslow is told in blood" guy), you can eventually give the innards to Jar Bairn. The kid will eat them—it’s a jar thing, don't judge—and set off on his own journey. He leaves you the Companion Jar talisman, which makes your throwing pots do more damage.
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It’s a bittersweet way to end the cycle. Alexander is gone, but his "warrior spirit" lives on in the next generation.
Actionable Next Steps
If you're currently trying to optimize your build, here is exactly what you should do right now:
- Check your inventory: If you have the "Warrior Jar Shard," you killed him early and the quest is over. You'll need New Game Plus for the better version.
- Go to Mt. Gelmir: If he isn't in Farum Azula, he's almost certainly still standing in the lava because you didn't exhaust his dialogue there.
- Equip the Shard: Once you have it, pair it with the Carian Filigreed Crest to reduce FP costs while hitting 15% harder with every Ash of War.