There are quite a few good items and experience in the Academy as well, so there’s plenty of reason to go there regardless. Here’s how to get the Academy Glintstone Key in Elden Ring.
How to Get the Glintstone Key in Elden Ring
Your first clue to the Academy Glintstone Key’s location comes in the form of a map you loot off a corpse at the eastern Lucaria Academy gate. It points to an island to the west of the Academy, where a meeting of some persuasion was to take place.
The key rests on the corpse of a Lucarian mage, itself nestled in a nook on the island’s southern side. There’s just one problem: a dragon guards the island and thus the key. Glintstone Dragon Smarag sleeps just before the mage’s body and rouses to attack shortly after you arrive. Killing it gives you some breathing room to grab the key.
Here’s the kicker, though: you don’t need to fight Smarag at all. The key doesn’t appear when he dies. It’s sitting there whether you fight him or not.
You’re perfectly within your rights to snatch the Glintstone Key then book it to one of the Academy entrances, but Smarag will remain a thorn in your side until dealt with. If his presence adds to the ambiance of the area or provides some extra tension that you want, by all means, leave the beast alive.
Unless you like dragon magic, in which case you need his heart. Take out the oversized lizard when you grab the Glintstone Key if you’re after that powerful bit of viscera. You can now enter Raya Lucaria Academy and make your way to the boss, Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon.
Now you know where to find the Glintstone Key to get into Elden Ring’s Raya Lucaria Academy. Make sure you can get there quickly and easily by following our guide on finding the Torrent Mount. It’s also easier to fight the dragon while two-handing your weapon, so check our guide on that, too. Stay tuned to our ever-growing guides hub for more.
