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If you hear a bush talking to you in day-to-day life, you might be losing it. But in Elden Ring? Chances are that’s Boc, a friendly demi-human with a knack for tailoring. In this guide, I will walk you through how to find Boc and handle his quest, as well as offer some tips on how to make use of his unique ability to alter equipment.
Lore
Not much is known about Boc. It is never truly addressed why he’s capable of communicating with humans and isn’t aggressive like all the other demi-humans you encounter.
Boc learned to tailor clothes from his mother, but it isn’t clear where a demi-human would have served as a seamstress. I have a few theories on this, but first, here is what know for sure.
Boc is a demi-human. A sort of beast and human hybrid typically treated as a servant caste by ruling humans. The other demi-humans the player encounters in the wild are always hostile and fight in tribal bands, with the chieftains of these tribes being the largest and strongest of the group.
While not explicitly stated, common demi-humans may be descendants of the beast-men of the now-destroyed city of Farum Azula. Boc was abused and cast out by his tribe for his gentle nature and lack of animal instinct.
Now, the descriptions of both the Gold Sewing Needle and the Golden Tailoring Tools claim the items were owned by Radagon when he married Renala.
It is possible that Boc’s mother was a servant of Radagon before his ascension to godhood, but this is just a personal theory that does not explain how Boc ended up back with his tribe.
Tailoring
Boc’s questline will introduce you to one of Elden Ring’s minor mechanics: Tailoring. There is not much to the process, but with the proper tools, you can adjust the appearance and slightly change the stats of some armor.
These changes are very minor, typically removing the cape from armor or similar adjustments while slightly reducing defense and weight. Boc can alter garments for free, while doing it yourself costs runes.
Standard equipment can be altered using the Tailoring Kit or by asking Boc if you have recovered his sewing needle for him. Altering demigod attire requires you to have the Golden Tailoring Kit or to give Boc the Golden Sewing Needle.
Boc’s Quest
- Questgiver: Boc the Seamster
- Bosses: Demi-human Chief x2
- Rewards: Boc’s tailoring services
- Lets the player alter garments without spending runes
Starting the Quest
Locating Boc at first can be a bit difficult because, well, he is disguised as a bush. I know there are at least a million bushes in Limgrave, but this one talks. Southeast of the Agheel Lake North site of grace in Limgrave, a short distance from the Birdseye Telescope, is Boc.
You should hear him calling out for help when you get close, and messages left by other players make it obvious if you are playing online. Attack the bush to break the illusion and reveal Boc.
When speaking to him, Boc will explain to the player what happened with his tribe and how his tools were left there.
After rewarding you with some mushrooms, he will ask you to wait until he can retrieve his belongings so he can make himself useful to you. As you can imagine, his former cave-mates won’t be too happy to see poor Boc.
Coastal Cave
Head down to the beach near the church you first emerged from and look for the mouth of a cave on the cliffside. This is Coastal Cave and will be guarded by a small band of demi-humans. Before you enter, I recommend you have either a torch or lantern, as the inside of the cave is very dark.
Make your way down through the cave entrance and you will find Boc lying injured next to a site of grace. Speak to Boc and he will explain that his fellow demi-humans refused to let him recover his things, beat him within an inch of his life, then left him for dead where you now see him.
If you’re like me and are looking to avenge the poor creature, or if you want to advance Boc’s quest, rest at the site of grace and then head deeper into the cave.
Not long after, you will come to a ledge guarded by a single demi-human. Since their back is turned, you should be able to backstab and knock them off the edge. Be aware that doing this will tick off the rest of the demi-humans below.
Tossing a Lightstone off the ledge can help illuminate your targets and give you an idea of what you’re up against. From here, either jump down into the fray or turn to the right and take the corridor down.
If you are a ranged fighter, note that the demi-humans will use the corridor to reach you if you do not engage in melee. Once you have dealt with them, it’s a straight shot to the boss room.
Past the fog wall, you will be faced with two Demi-Human Chiefs and several more demi-humans. This won’t be an especially difficult fight, but you’ll need to manage enemy numbers.
The chamber is big enough to allow you to move around without getting cornered and lit by several campfires. Larger weapons with sweeping attacks can make quick work of the smaller demi-humans, and the chiefs have very low poise, making them easy to stagger.
In fact, demi-humans are vulnerable to every kind of damage and condition, the only exception being their immunity to madness.
If you need to, you can usually avoid drawing the attention of the second chief by staying near the entrance to the room, allowing you to only face one at a time. Also, keep in mind that all demi-humans get a buff to their damage at night, indicated by glowing red eyes.
When defeated, the chiefs will drop Boc’s Sewing Needle and a set of Tailoring Tools. The tailoring tools will allow you to alter basic clothing at sites of grace, for a small fee. Bring the needle back to Boc and exhaust his dialogue to continue his quest.
The Traveling Seamster
Now that Boc has his tools back, you can have him alter your clothes without having to pay the fee required by the tailoring kit. Boc will begin to travel towards the Erdtree in the same way as a few other NPCs and can be found in several locations along your journey there.
It is not necessary to find or speak to Boc at any of these locations, but he will offer his tailoring services each time you see him.
Boc can be found:
- At the Lake-Facing Cliffs Site of Grace in Liurnia
- At the East Raya-Lucaria Gate Site of Grace in Liurnia
- At the Altus Highway Junction Site of Grace in the Altus Plateau
The last location he can be found is at the East Capital Ramparts site of grace in Lyndell. He will remain at this location until you finish his quest or reach the Forge of the Giants.
The Golden Needle (Optional)
Boc’s ability to alter gear can be upgraded by bringing him the Golden Sewing Needle and a piece of demigod armor that can be altered. The needle can be found at the Church of Vows in Liurnia of the Lakes and demigod armor can be purchased from Enia, the Finger Reader in the Roundtable Hold.
Boc’s Wish (Conclusion)
After speaking to Boc at the East Capital Ramparts Site of Grace, Boc will say that he is ugly and wishes to be remade as someone beautiful. At this point, you will have two options for how to proceed.
Grant Boc’s Wish
In order to grant Boc’s wish you will need to bring him a Larval Tear. These are not common items, but there are several locations where you can get your hands on one.
Most of them are found by accidentally attacking the wrong Wandering Noble, who is actually one of several giant monsters in disguise. The Eternal Cities, Nokron and Nokstella, are the most common locations to find these tears, dropped by bosses and hidden in corners.
Handing over a larval tear to Boc will cause him to relocate to Renala’s chamber inside Raya Lucaria. Here you can find him reborn as a human who will die shortly after. This will complete Boc’s quest.
Tell Him He’s Beautiful
It might be a tad difficult to explain to Boc that his beauty lies on the inside since your character is essentially mute. Fortunately, there is an unlikely solution.
Prattling Pates can allow your character to say a few select things and are mostly used in multiplayer as jokes or a way to say hello. However, the ‘You’re Beautiful’ Prattling Pate serves a more profound purpose here.
You can find this little trinket at the Hermit Village in Mt. Gelmir. Fittingly, the area is defended by demi-humans, demi-human chiefs, and a Rune Bear they managed to goad into attacking you, so be on your guard.
Once you have the Prattling Pate, return to Boc and use the item in front of him. Speak with him about the voice bound to the Prattling Pate and decide how to answer. If you tell Boc you believe he is beautiful, he will swear himself to your service and his quest will be complete.
FAQs
Question: Can Clothing Alterations be Undone?
Answer: Yes. Any alterations made to your clothing can be undone the same way they are applied.
Question: What Does Altering Clothing Do?
Answer: The changes are mostly cosmetic, but some stats do change a small amount. Typically, altered versions of gear offer lower protection but reduced weight.
Question: What is the Difference Between having Boc Alter Garments and Doing it Yourself?
Answer: Boc’s alterations are always free, whereas altering garments yourself costs runes each time you do so.
Wrapping Up
However you chose to handle Boc’s quest, I hope this guide gave you some insight into his backstory and Elden Ring’s tailoring system. If you enjoyed this article and are looking for more information, check out our other guides on Elden Ring. May grace guide your path, Tarnished.
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