Introduction
This guide will get you through to Crumbling Farum Azula quickly and not sacrifice non-consumable collectibles to the Elden Gods while doing so. This way you can rush to the endgame and have access to all the Smithing-Stone and Somberstone Miner's Bell Bearings, still be able to finish all quests, and have the option to go back and collect anything you want. Some lore dialogue will be skipped, but you'll get all the important stuff.
This is the easy part, there is so much that can be missed once you start the NPC quests, so be careful!
Important Information
This is not a detailed guide on how to do everything, just the need to knows.
Recommended's are obviously not necessary, but will save you time or from easily missing something later.
You may at any point deviate from this path to gather gear or level, but stick to this path for progression. Proceed with caution if it involves NPC questlines.
I do not go over where to find Ghost-Glovewort and Glovewort Picker's Bell Bearings, check Wiki if you want their whereabouts.Good Luck Tarnished!
Spoiler Warning!
1. Limgrave
For some easy upgrade materials, farm Limgrave Tunnels.
Recommended:
Defeat Recusant Henricus outside the Limgrave Colosseum (Missed if you talk with Tanith and join the Volcano Manor as a Recusant).
Receive the Finger Snap Gesture from Merchant Kale after visiting Mistwood Ruins (You can kill him for it otherwise).Must Do:
Receive the Sitting Sideways Gesture and the Spirit Jellyfish Ashes Spirit Ashes at the Stormhill Shack by speaking with Roderika.
Receive the Triumphant Delight Gesture from Alexander after freeing him.
Receive the Grovel for Mercy, Extreme Repentance, and Calm Down! Gestures from Patches (Might be able to wait until after burning Erdtree, need to test).Then:
Defeat Margit, the Fell Omen to gain access to Stormveil Castle.
2. Roundtable Hold
These can be done before defeating Margit, the Fell Omen, conditions very on when it becomes available.
Must Do:
Receive the What Do You Want? Gesture by speaking with Ensha.
Receive the Prayer Gesture by speaking with Brother Cohyrn.
3. Stormveil Castle
Must Do:
Speak with Nepheli inside Stormveil Castle then defeat Godrick the Grafted (First of two Great Runes needed to access Leyndell, Royal Capital). Afterwards travel to Roundtable Hold and receive the Arsenal Charm from Nepheli.
4. Liurnia Of The Lakes
Recommened:
Progress Rya's quest and receive the Volcano Manor Invitation (If you join Volcano Manor before doing this, you will be unable to progress Blackguard Big Boggarts questline).
Retrieve the Smithing-Stone Miner's Bell Bearing 1 from Raya Lucaria Crystal Tunnel.
Progress White Mask Varre's quest to gain access to Mohgwyn Palace for Rune farming (Possible to miss a Gesture here. He moves to Rose Church after obtaining any Great Rune, travel to his original location in Limgrave and you'll find a message on the ground where he once stood. Interact with it to receive the Bravo! Gesture. You must do this before speaking with him at the Rose Church).Must Do:
Travel to the Village of the Albinaurics and collect the Haligtree Secret Medallion (Right) and defeat the Omenkiller. Then travel to Roundtable Hold and defeat Ensha and progress Nepheli's questline and give her the Stormhawk King.
5. Raya Lucaria Academy
Must Do:
Progress Bloody Finger Hunter Yura's quest to receive the Ash of War: Raptor of the Mists after helping him invade at the Main Academy Gate Site of Grace.Then:
Defeat Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon (Last Great Rune needed to access Leyndell, Royal Capital).
6. Caelid
Recommended:
Retrieve the Somberstone Miner's Bell Bearing 1 from Sellia Crystal Tunnel.
Complete Redmane Castle (Nothing is missed by not doing this, but you get the intended experience of the dungeon before triggering the Radahn Festival when going to Altus Plateau).
7. Ruin-Strewn Precipice
Recommended:
Receive the Casual Greeting Gesture from Summoning Great Horned Tragoth just before Magma Wyrm Maker boss arena (Can also be received during Starscourge Radahn fight or Draconic Tree Sentinel fight, and will be missed if you kill him during Patch's Volcano Manor questline).Then:
Defeat Magma Wyrm Maker to gain access to the Altus Plateau.
8. Altus Plateau
Recommended:
Speak with Rya at the Lux Ruins for access to Volcano Manor (Caution talking with Tanith as joining the Recusants will prevent Recusant Henricus from invading, and you can miss Blackguard Big Boggarts questline if you didn't do the first part of Rya's quest leading to this, as previously mentioned).
Retrieve the Smithing-Stone Miner's Bell Bearing 2 from Sealed Tunnel.
Retrieve the Somberstone Miner's Bell Bearing 2 from Atlus Tunnel.Must Do:
Receive the Outer Order Gesture from Melina at the Minor Erdtree Church.Then:
Defeat Draconic Tree Sentinel to gain access to Leyndell, Royal Capital.
9. Leyndell, Royal Capital
Must Do:
Progress Cohyrn's quest until the Immutable Shield incantation is available for purchase.Then:
Defeat Morgott, the Omen King to gain access to the Mountaintops of Giants.
10. Mountaintop Of The Giants
Recommended:
Retrieve the Smithing-Stone Miner's Bell Bearing 3 from Zamor Ruins.
Retrieve the Somberstone Miner's Bell Bearing 3 from First Church of Marika.Must Do:
Defeat the Fire Giant.Then:
Burn the Erdtree.
11. Crumbling Farum Azula
Recommended:
Retrieve the Smithing-Stone Miner's Bell Bearing 4, and the Somberstone Miner's Bell Bearings 4 and 5.Warning!
Do not defeat Maliketh, the Black Blade until all items from Leyndell, Royal Capital have been retrieved, and you receive all rewards from Sir Gideon Ofnir, the All-Knowing.
Conclusion
Now you should have access to all Smithing-Stone and Somberstone Bell Bearings without sacrificing any missables.
Please let me know if I have missed anything in the comments, I will update with new information.
Stay Tarnished!
Credits
Thanks to all the folks over at the Fextralife and the community members there. Their work made it much easier creating this guide.
Source: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2947349437
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