Elden Ring Boss Guides: How to Beat Every Boss#

Elden Ring has dozens of bosses — this chapter collects detailed strategies for every Remembrance boss and major boss, laid out in main-story progression order.

Main Story Bosses#

Margit, the Fell Omen#

Key tactics / strategy:

• Margit’s attack rhythm is deliberately varied — he delays many of his swings. Don’t roll the moment you see him raise his arm; wait until the weapon is about to come down, then roll
• Summoning Nepheli Loux or the Spirit Jellyfish Ashes can pull aggro away from you
• The item “Margit’s Shackle” (found underground beneath the Mistwood) can pin him down twice during the fight

Tip: If you can’t get past him — go explore the Weeping Peninsula, level up, and come back later

Godrick the Grafted#

Key tactics / strategy:

• Phase 1: Godrick attacks with his axe and dragon-head strikes. Hold mid range, wait for him to finish a big committed swing, then move in and punish
• Phase 2: He grafts a dragon head onto himself — wide-area fire attacks. Back off, let the flames finish, then move in to attack
• Staying in close is recommended for melee — his ranged dragon fire breath is easy to dodge, so close range is actually the safer option
• Godrick’s severed limb can be traded at the Roundtable Hold for Godrick’s Great Rune

Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon#

Key tactics / strategy:

• Phase 1: Rennala floats in the air surrounded by singing students. Kill the students glowing with golden light to shatter her shield — then attack her body. Repeat 3 times
• Phase 2: Rennala casts powerful sorceries — summoning a giant moon, moonlight blades, and spirits. Keep moving, get in close, and attack aggressively
• The key to phase 2: Rennala’s melee attacks are weak — once you stick to her, she’s a punching bag
• After the fight you can use a Larval Tear to respec your stats

Starscourge Radahn#

Key tactics / strategy:

• The Radahn Festival — one of the most spectacular boss fights in the game. You can summon a huge crowd of NPCs to fight at your side
• Phase 1: Radahn snipes from afar with his greatbow — ride Torrent in wide circles to dodge the arrows. Once you close in, summon NPCs and gang up on him. Do not face tank him head-on
• Phase 2: Radahn launches himself into the sky as a meteor and crashes down — the moment he disappears, ride away fast to avoid the impact. In phase 2 he uses gravity magic and gravity waves
• Key strategy: keep re-summoning the NPCs that fall — their summon signs reappear again and again
• Defeating him awards the Remembrance of the Starscourge and Radahn’s Great Rune

Morgott, the Omen King#

Key tactics / strategy:

• Morgott is an upgraded Margit — more moves, faster. He has the same delayed slashes
• Phase 1: He attacks with a greatsword and a hammer — flashy but wide, committed swings. Punish after he finishes a combo
• Phase 2: He adds holy-imbued weapons and area attacks. He leaps and plants his sword into the ground for a huge AOE — jump to avoid it
• Summoning Ashes can dramatically lower the difficulty — the Mimic Tear is recommended
• Defeating him awards the Remembrance of the Omen King

Fire Giant#

Key tactics / strategy:

• Phase 1: Attack his left leg — it’s injured, and hits there deal the most damage. Stay behind him
• Phase 2: The Fire Giant breaks off his own leg — and crawls on his hands. His eye and palms are the weak points
• Fighting on horseback is very effective — Torrent lets you swing behind him quickly to dodge the fire breath
• Bleed weapons are recommended — the Fire Giant has an enormous health pool, and hemorrhage massively speeds up the fight

Maliketh the Black Blade#

Key tactics / strategy:

• Phase 1 (Beast Clergyman): A humanoid beast clergyman — he hurls stone chunks and fights with melee bites. Hold mid range and punish after his attacks
• Phase 2 (the Black Blade): Maliketh is extremely agile — leaping all over the arena and attacking with black flame. His hits reduce your max HP
• The key: Maliketh’s health pool isn’t that thick — but his mobility is extreme. Use Lion’s Claw or other high-impact Ashes of War to trigger a critical hit quickly
• The pillars are your friends — circle around them to dodge his leaping slashes
• Defeating him awards the Remembrance of the Black Blade

Godfrey, First Elden Lord#

Key tactics / strategy:

• Phase 1 (Godfrey the Warrior): He swings his waraxe in huge, committed arcs — long reach but clear wind-ups. Punish after his ground slams
• Phase 2 (the First Elden Lord): Godfrey discards the axe — and switches to bare-handed brawling. He will grab and throw you — roll the moment you see the grab wind-up
• The key to phase 2: his wide roaring shockwave must be jumped over — not rolled through
• This is a pure mechanical skill check of a fight — no cheap tricks. Learn his attack rhythm

Radagon of the Golden Order#

A back-to-back final boss fight — once Radagon falls, the Elden Beast immediately follows

General strategy

• For the Elden Beast phase — the horse is useless, you can only chase on foot
• Radagon takes hemorrhage damage — bleed weapons can finish phase 1 quickly
• After the fight you choose an ending — touch the Elden Ring and become Elden Lord

Optional Bosses#

Malenia, Blade of Miquella#

Widely considered the hardest boss in the game — no contest

Phase 1

• Malenia’s Waterfowl Dance is the deadliest move in the game — when she leaps into the air: first flurry, run outward → second flurry, roll inward → third flurry, roll toward her
• She heals on every hit she lands — one of the main reasons she’s so brutal
• Hoarfrost Stomp or River of Blood are recommended — frost plus hemorrhage can shut her down fast
• Summon the Mimic Tear — ideally give it a shield so it can hold her attention

Phase 2

• Malenia spreads her wings — adding Scarlet Rot attacks and using the Waterfowl Dance more often
• Her clone attacks require careful reading to find the real body
• Bring Preserving Boluses to cleanse rot buildup

Mohg, Lord of Blood#

Key tactics / strategy:

• Key item: obtain the “Pureblood Knight’s Medal” at the Village of the Albinaurics in Liurnia to teleport to Mohgwyn Palace
• Phase 1: Mohg attacks with his trident — slow, telegraphed swings. Hold mid range and punish after his recovery
• Nihil: at the start of phase 2, Mohg casts three times to shield himself and burn your HP away — this cannot be dodged. You must acquire Mohg’s Shackle (in the underground beneath Liurnia) before the fight, or carry the Pureblood Knight’s Medal
• Mohg’s Shackle is recommended — usable twice during the fight to pin him down
• This is a fight that demands high DPS — bleed weapons excel here

Lichdragon Fortissax#

Key tactics / strategy:

• This death dragon is enormous — its attack range is huge but the wind-ups are obvious. Stand beside its head to attack
• Its lightning strikes must be dodged with rolls — never stand still
• Fighting mounted is mediocre here — fight on foot instead
• High physical damage weapons are recommended — hitting the head deals the most damage

Ancestor Spirit#

Key tactics / strategy:

• One of the most graceful boss fights in the game — the Ancestor Spirit moves slowly, with elegant but easy-to-read attack patterns
• Light every flame in the Siofra River to make the spirit temple appear
• One of the easiest bosses in the game — keep moving, dodge its charges and light attacks, and punish the openings

DLC Bosses: Shadow of the Erdtree#