FromSoftware games always have great bosses that are difficult yet extremely satisfying to defeat. There are many iconic fights such as Old King Allant, Lady Maria, Nameless King, and Isshin, just to name a few. FromSoft’s latest game is no different. That is why this guide will look at the Elden Ring boss order and where to find them.
Talking about the order of side and night bosses is almost impossible because every player will explore the map differently and you will come across them in different orders. However, an easy way to know if you are in an area that is higher than your level is if you are having difficulties with a particular side boss. With that said, let’s dive right in and get started!
Main Bosses
Elden Ring features 21 main bosses that you have to defeat to complete the story. While you can skip a few of them, I feel like these are the bosses that offer the most lore in the game. So, make sure that you fight all of them to get the complete narrative and get a challenge as well.
Technically, you can only fight 13 main bosses to finish the game. However, I have listed down all unique boss fights in this category since you cannot find them anywhere else on the map.
We have divided this list into various sections according to the location. Some areas have multiple main bosses while others will only have a single main boss. If you only want to fight the main bosses, then this section should help you out a lot. Before we talk about each boss in detail, here is a list of all the unique main bosses in Elden Ring:
- Margit, the Fell Omen (Stormveil Castle)
- Godrick the Grafted (Stormveil Castle)
- Leonine Misbegotten (Castle Morne)
- Glintstone Dragon Smarag (Liurnia)
- Red Wolf Of Radagon (Academy)
- Rennala, Queen Of The Full Moon (Academy)
- Royal Knight Loretta (Caria Manor)
- Magma Wyrm Makar (Ruin-Strewn Precipice)
- Elemer Of The Briar (The Shaded Castle)
- Starscourge Radahn (Redmane Castle)
- Rykard, Lord Of Blasphemy (Volcano Manor)
- Godfrey, First Elden Lord (Leyndell)
- Morgott, The Omen King (Leyndell)
- Fire Giant (Mountaintops Of The Giants)
- Godskin Duo (Dragon Temple Altar)
- Dragonlord Placidusax (Crumbling Farum Azula)
- Beast Clergyman / Maliketh, The Black Blade (Crumbling Farum Azula)
- Malenia, Blade Of Miquella (Consecrated Snowfield)
- Sir Gideon Ofnir, The All-Knowing (Leyndell, Capital Of Ash)
- Godfrey, First Elden Lord / Hoarah Loux, Warrior (Leyndell, Capital Of Ash)
- Radagon Of The Golden Order / Elden Beast (Elden Throne)
Limgrave and Weeping Peninsula
Limgrave is the starting area of Elden Ring and you will encounter many bosses here. Plus, the Weeping Penisula is right below this area and you will probably roam around that area without even realizing it. So, I have combined these areas and listed all the main bosses.
Margit, The Fell Omen (Stormveil Castle)
Margit, The Fell Omen is the first main boss that you’ll cross in Elden Ring. If you are like me, you will probably hear the line “Put these foolish ambitions to rest” multiple times before finally defeating this boss. While he isn’t necessarily a difficult fight, he can be a bit challenging if you are a new player.
Overall, his moveset is simple and you can easily telegraph his attacks. Learning his moves and openings was a fun time and while I still think that the input reading for some of the bosses in this game is a little too blatant I still enjoyed this fight a lot more than I expected to.
How to Beat
- Purchase Margit’s Shackle from Patches to bind him to the ground, temporarily stunning him.
- Margit is extremely aggressive and has somewhat long combos with large wind-ups.
- Using the Lone Wolf Ashes you can attack him quickly.
- Look for his leaping hammer attack and roll through it toward him.
Godrick The Grafted (Stormveil Castle)
Before you exit Stormveil Castle, you will have to defeat Godrick the Grafted. Like most bosses, he has two phases which are quite fun to deal with. His first phase has easy attacks that you can telegraph without any issues. However, once he enters his second phase, he will deal tons of damage.
While most of his attacks are still easily telegraphed, he can be a bit erratic at times. Plus, his flame attack is a pain to deal with and it can break your momentum as well. I feel like Godrick is a great boss to get you ready for what you have to face in the future in Elden Ring.
How to Beat
- Be mindful of his combo attacks, and don’t run in unless you see a clear opening.
- Scope the arena to your advantage.
- Godrick is weaker to physical damage than elemental damage.
- When using fist-type weapon, aim for sides of Godrick.
Leonine Misbegotten (Castle Morne)
Ah, Leonine Misbegotten, what can I say about you? This boss fight is extremely easy since he has tons of attacks that you can telegraph without any worries. Plus, he is found in an area that is great for newer players, so, you shouldn’t have any issues.
If you are not familiar with his pattern, you’ll notice that he is aggressive. Just wait for him to finish his combo, and start whacking at him. His HP – while surprisingly high – is reduced quickly.
How to Beat
- Use the Lone Wolf Ash Summons.
- If you do use Barricade Shield, almost all the Misbegotten’s attacks will bounce right off your shield.
- He is easy to stagger.
Liurnia of the Lakes
Liurnia of the Lakes is the second area that you should go to after clearing Limgrave and the Weeping Peninsula. While most players go to Caelid, that isn’t ideal. Caelid is an extremely high-level area that has tons of strong enemies that will one-shot you. So, make sure that you progress towards Liurnia of the Lakes from Stromveil Castle.
Glintstone Dragon Smarag
Before entering the Raya Lucaria Academy, you will have to look for a key to enter the barrier. The guardian of this key is a massive dragon called Glintstone Dragon Smarag. As far as boss fights go, he isn’t that difficult. If you have battled dragons before in Elden Ring, he has similar attack patterns.
For a ranged character, this fight will be a walk in the park. However, if you are playing a melee character, you will have to be patient since this dragon loves to fly around the area. Once he lands, swing at his feet until he is preparing to use an attack. He is quite tanky but the overall fight isn’t difficult.
How to Beat
- Use Banished Knight Oleg for his high defense and health to distract the dragon.
- Wear armor with high Magic and Physical resistance.
Royal Knight Loretta (Caria Manor)
This boss fight can be found right before the area where you enter Ranni’s Rise. If you are planning to do Ranni’s quest, you will have to clear this boss since that area is quite important. Somehow, I had a lot of difficulties while fighting this boss because I was being too aggressive.
She uses a lot of spells with melee attacks in between. Some of her attacks are easily telegraphed so make sure that you get used to her pattern.
How to Beat
- Maintain your distance when she uses glintstone sorceries.
- Use Lightning Spear to take advantage of her elemental weakness.
Magma Wyrm Makar (Ruin-Strewn Precipice)
After clearing the Liurnia of the Lakes, you will want to make your way over to the Altus Plateau. If you do not have the two medallions for the Grand Lift, you will have to go through another way. Over here, you will face the Magma Wyrm Makar.
This is an intimidating boss but the fight isn’t too difficult. Keeping in tradition with the difficulty level of this area, you can easily beat this monster. Make sure that you stick to its hind legs. Do not try to hit its tail or you will get hit by a sweep attack.
Just be careful about his stomp attack and when he starts running around throwing lava all over the floor. Wait for the floor to be clear before you start hitting its hind legs again.
How to Beat
- Use the large center pillar as a barrier.
- As long as you stay close to the pillar, it’ll continue to execute its attacks or perhaps get stuck in a walking animation while the pillar will act as a shield.
- Then you can freely used ranged attacks to get in damage.
Red Wolf Of Radagon (Raya Lucaria Academy)
While exploring the Raya Lucaria Academy, you will come across a large room where this boss is located. Finding him isn’t hard since you have to go through that room to progress. Plus, the entire dungeon – despite seeming open-ended – is quite linear. So, don’t worry about not finding this boss room.
The boss fight itself isn’t something to write home about either. He is extremely aggressive and will use a few spells in between his attacks as well. If you have the right timing, you can easily avoid all of his attacks and deal tons of damage to him. Surprisingly, he doesn’t have a lot of HP despite his large stature.
How to Beat
- Use spirit ash with high defense.
- Use fast-castling spells.
- All of the Red Wolf’s melee attacks deal Physical damage.
- Stay reactive and don’t get greedy.
- The Red Wolf will usually dodge ranged attacks, so try to maneuver it into a corner to limit its range of motion.
Rennala, Queen Of The Full Moon (Raya Lucaria Academy)
The final main boss of this area is Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon. Overall, she is an easy boss that doesn’t require a lot of skill. However, there is a gimmick to this fight that you have to figure out early on. Make sure that you kill the glowing enemy that is found in the boss room. Once you defeat a few of them, Rennala will be vulnerable and you can deal damage to her.
Rinse and repeat until you deplete her HP and move on to phase 2. During this phase, she will be quite aggressive and use a lot of spells. Make sure that you dodge them since they deal tons of damage. Since she is a squishy character, you can easily deal damage to her when you find an opening.
How to Beat
- Summon Lone Wolf Ashes in Phase 2 to stagger her repeatedly.
- Inflict status effects to get past Phase 1 quickly.
- Use Throwing Daggers in Phase 1 to hit the glowing Juvenile Scholars.
Altus Plateau
Once you have successfully cleared the previous area, moving on to the Altus Plateau is the next natural step. This area has a lot of difficult enemies but you should still go here instead of Caelid. While there are tons of side bosses here, you only need to fight one main boss.
Elemer Of The Briar (The Shaded Castle)
If you have been fighting the Bell Bearing Hunters at nighttime, you will be familiar with this boss. He is just like those hunters and has tons of HP, high damage, and isn’t easily staggered. His erratic attacks and movement can be troublesome but just like the Bell Bearing Hunters, you shouldn’t give up.
How to Beat
- When entering the boss room, it’s possible to sneak up behind him and hit him with a fully charged heavy attack.
- All his sword attacks deal pure Physical Damage, so a shield with 100% physical negation can completely block them.
Caelid
Caelid is one of the toughest areas in the game. Despite it being right next to the starting area, players will have a lot of difficulties clearing the enemies here. So, make sure that you only enter this area after leveling up and clearing other areas first.
Starscourge Radahn (Redmane Castle)
General Radahn is probably my favorite boss in Elden Ring – and one of my favorite bosses in FromSoft games. Fighting Radahn with the company of all your summons charging straight at him is an unforgettable sight that I don’t think I’ll ever forget. This fight seems like a proper war.
Radahn has a metric ton of attacks that are extremely difficult to keep up with. He not only hits like a truck but is also quite fast for his size. There are two phases of the fight so you’ll have to keep that in mind when fighting him. Defeating Radahn is a sight to behold and feels extremely satisfying.
How to Beat
- Two fully charged casts of Rotten Breath will drain 100% of Radahn’s HP.
- Summon all the allies you can in this fight.
- Use your Spirit Ashes to further distract him.
- Avoid his arrows at the start of the fight by either rolling or using Torrent.
Mt. Gelmir
Mt. Gelmir is an interesting place as you can find tons of lore here. Plus, you will fight many side bosses as well. However, as far as main bosses go, there is only one.
Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy (Volcano Manor)
Once you enter the boss fight, you will have to defeat the God-Devouring Serpent first. While he is quite intimidating, the fight itself isn’t that tough. However, once you defeat it, Rykard will appear. This bad boy has a face that only a mother could love.
The best way to defeat him is to continuously dodge and hit him with the weapon you are provided while heading to this area.
How to Beat
- Rykard is very weak to Frostbite.
- Use the Mimic Tear Spirit Summon while equipped with Serpent-Hunter to significantly reduce the boss’ difficulty.
Leyndell, The Royal Capital
Leyndell is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. It just goes to show that Elden Ring has wonderful art direction. As for the enemies, you can expect to take on strong foes and tons of strong bosses as well.
Margit, The Fell Omen (Leyndell West)
Ah, look who’s making a comeback, it’s Margit! This fight is extremely similar to the first Margit fight that you have in Stromveil Castle. Just like that fight, pick your openings and strike hard. Since you will be familiar with the game by now, this fight is a breeze. The only difference is that he has more HP and hits harder.
How to Beat
- Purchase Margit’s Shackle from Patches to bind him to the ground, temporarily stunning him.
- Wait for him to do his leaping plunge attack with his hammer, and roll through it towards him to get in some easy damage.
- Using the Lone Wolf Ashes can help distract Margit.
Godfrey, First Elden Lord (Erdtree Sanctuary)
Before you take on the real Godfrey, you need to fight his spirit. While this fight isn’t as tough as the real Godfrey, you still need to be extremely careful. He does not give you a lot of openings and deals tons of damage. So, make sure that you only attack a couple of times when you find an opening.
How to Beat
- Use any durable spirit that will distract the boss.
- Using lightning spells/incantations will deal tons of damage.
Morgott, The Omen King (The Elden Throne)
Just by looking at him, you might think that Margit is back for a third rematch. However, this is a powerful version of Margit and hits like a train. While he has similar attack patterns, some of his moveset are quite erratic and can catch you off guard.
How to Beat
- Using Margit’s Shackle outside the boss room temporarily breaks his AI.
- Morgott has no Fire or Lightning damage negation.
- Margit’s Shackle will stun him two times before Phase 2. He cannot be stunned in Phase 2.
Mohg, The Omen (Cathedral Of The Forsaken)
Mohg, The Omen is not a difficult boss fight if you have already taken on Mohg, Lord Of Blood. He is a lesser version that doesn’t deal nearly as much damage and he isn’t troublesome either. The only tough part about this fight is his bleed effect that will make your melee Spirit Ashes useless.
How to Beat
- Aim to burst through his first phase as he takes his time counting down to the phase change.
- He has slow combos with plenty of openings for a melee user to take advantage of.
- Upon entering the boss arena, the player has more than enough time to buff and use consumables before Mohg comes into attacking range.
Mountaintops of the Giants
After clearing the Royal Capital and Altus Plateau, you will have to make your way to the Mountaintops of the Giants. This is a tough area with many strong enemies. Even the normal mobs will deal tons of damage. As such, you can expect the bosses to be strong as well.
Fire Giant (Forge Of The Giants)
The Fire Giant is a strong foe that hits like a train – as you would expect. Due to his size, he has tons of AoE attacks that will destroy your Spirit Ashes instantly. If you try to get up close and personal, he will slam down his shield to push you away.
Like other large boss fights, stay under his legs and attack him. Once you see that he is winding up to do an AoE attack, either dodge it or run away. Be extremely careful in both his phases since he can easily kill you with a couple of his attacks.
How to Beat
- Summon Alexander as his attacks are very powerful in terms of breaking Giant’s poise.
- Fire giant is resistant to bleed but not immune, making weapons that inflict bleeding effective.
- During the second phase, the incantation Swarm of Flies can be used to inflict bleeding.
Astel, Stars Of Darkness (Yelough Anix Tunnel)
The boss fight with Astel is one of the most beautiful that you will ever experience. Astel deals tons of damage thanks to his long-range attacks that also have an AoE effect. If you are a melee user, you will spend most of the fight trying to close the gap.
While the fight itself is fine, you need to watch out for its grab attack. The worst part is that Astel will disappear and try to grab you to instantly one-shot you.
How to Beat
- It is advised you do not lock onto the boss unless you are performing an attack to give yourself more maneuverability.
- Once it teleports, face your camera upwards to see if it’s preparing to grab you.
Malenia, Blade Of Miquella (Haligtree)
Easily my favorite boss fight in Elden Ring is Malenia, Blade of Miquella. That’s not to say I didn’t have any issues with her, though. The amount of times I have died to Malenia is ridiculous and I am ashamed to mention it here. While most of her attacks are fine, her jump attack is insane.
She will heal herself for almost all her HP while simultaneously destroying you. If you manage to defeat her first phase, here comes the Goddess of Rot! She will have the same ridiculous moveset with the addition of a new strong AoE attack that applies rot.
How to Beat
- She can avoid most spells/throwable items, with a few exceptions like uncharged Lightning Spear.
- At the center of the arena, there is a pool that decreases her resistance to Lightning Damage.
- Her low Poise makes it easy to interrupt most of her actions by just relentlessly attacking her.
- Weapons with Bleed are recommended.
- Malenia heals every time she hits you with an attack, even when blocked.
Crumbling Farum Azula
The Crumbling Farum Azula is a beautiful area and one of the best-looking places I’ve seen in video games. This is an end-game location that features tons of strong enemies and boss fights. You will face some of the strongest bosses in Elden Ring in this area, so, make sure that you are ready for them.
Godskin Duo (Dragon Temple Altar)
Just talking about the Godskin Duo makes me tremble in fear. It took me dozens of tries to beat this boss fight due to how unfair it is. This fight involves the classic Elden Ring “let’s do a gank fight” trope to make things harder.
On their own, both of these enemies are surprisingly easy but when you combine them, they are out for revenge. This duo has a lot of HP, tons of damage, and will do whatever it takes to hit you with their combos.
How to Beat
- Put one boss to sleep and focus on the other.
- For Incantations, Dragon Communion spells can be used through the pillars.
- The structures in the arena are your allies, use them to gain space to heal, or to separate them and fight them one at a time.
- If you use a Spirit Ash, don’t stall too much as your Spirit ally won’t last too long.
Dragonlord Placidusax (Dragon Temple)
You might be used to fighting dragons in Elden Ring but this fight is nothing like you’ve ever experienced before. The overall atmosphere of this boss fight is amazing and it is one of my favorites of all time. Unlike other dragons, you cannot use the strategy of staying near its legs and hitting it.
Since it has two heads, one of the heads will breathe fire if you get too close. So, make sure that you find a suitable opening and get a lot of fire resistance.
How to Beat
- His attacks are quick and hit hard, but have a generous amount of time between them.
- When the fight begins, you will want to quickly close the distance to Placidusax.
- Lock-on during his teleporting part of the fight should make avoiding attacks easier.
Beast Clergyman / Maliketh, The Black Blade (Dragon Temple)
This boss is surprisingly swift for its size and stature. On top of that, he also will deplete your HP thanks to his strong combos and high damage. Once you reduce his HP, he will reveal his identity and become Maliketh.
Now, he will start using magic attacks as well. The only good news about this fight is that he is surprisingly squishy. Since you will naturally have high damage at this point, you will eat through his HP.
How to Beat
- Use the pillars in the arena to block his projectiles if you need to heal.
- Practice posture-breaking Beast Clergyman with heavy attacks.
- The Crimsonburst Crystal Tear can offset the damage-over-time effect of Maliketh’s attacks.
- A shield can negate his dagger swipes.
- Maliketh is a lot more mobile and is more of a test of patience.
Sir Gideon Ofnir, The All-Knowing (Erdtree Sanctuary)
Sir Gideon Ofnir is an NPC that you will interact with when you are at the Roundtable Hold. While he is quite supportive of you during the start, once you beat Maliketh, he will do a complete 180. After being teleported to the Erdtree Sanctuary, you will find Gideon waiting for you.
In my experience, this boss fight is a total joke and he cannot do anything against you. The best part is that you can easily stagger him with your attacks, so, you shouldn’t worry about this.
How to Beat
- Use the Eternal Darkness spell to redirect nearly all his spells.
- Use heavy jump attacks to disrupt Gideon’s more powerful spells.
- One attack of note for melee players to watch out for is his Black Flame Ritual.
Godfrey, First Elden Lord / Hoarah Loux, Warrior (Elden Throne)
After you fight his spirit, you must fight the real Godfrey. This time, he is extremely strong and has a lot of hard-hitting attacks. Plus, his combos are erratic and will almost one-shit you. In his first phase, he fights just like his spirit; giving you scarce openings and doing tons of damage.
However, once you take him to his second phase, he will ditch his large axe and will fight you with his bare hands. Make sure that you dodge a lot and remain patient. Otherwise, get ready to be power bombed by Godfrey – quite literally.
How to Beat
- Mainly deals Standard Damage, so prioritize defense towards that type of damage.
- No matter the build, during phase 1 it is important to keep close. He will otherwise dash toward you and Stomp, covering the entire area in AoE.
- In phase 2, recognize his grapple patterns.
- Most stomp attacks that cause a shockwave attack are more easily jumped over.
Radagon Of The Golden Order / Elden Beast (Fractured Marika)
Radagon is a fun boss fight that has tons of highlights. His intro is amazing that will signify that the game is reaching its climax. Plus, his attacks are quite strong and can easily one-shot you if you are not careful. While that’s all fine and dandy, the latter half of the fight isn’t what you would expect.
Considering that the Elden Beast pops up after you kill Radagon, you would expect it to be quite difficult. However, the fight is anti-climactic and surprisingly easy. Once you beat the Elden Beast, you will be crowned as the Elden Lord!
How to Beat
- Use the Black Knife Tiche Ash Summons.
- Fire weapons are great against him.
- At the beginning of the fight, you can run toward him and safely make an attack or two.
- When his arm starts glowing, he starts readying a lunging grab.
- When the Elden Beast jumps into the air, disengage the lock-on and watch for the rings. Jump over instead of rolling through them.
- Elden Beast is extremely resistant to holy and moderately resistant to other elements.
Side Bosses
Now that we have mentioned all the main bosses, let’s talk about the side bosses in Elden Ring. The game features hundreds of side bosses that you can fight across the map. Some of these fights are extremely easy while others can be a bit tough.
One disappointing thing is that many of the side bosses are quite similar and only have slight differences between them. We will list these bosses according to the areas instead of their exact order. Since there are so many bosses in the game, every player will have a different route.
We will also mention all variants of a particular side boss in one heading rather than prolonging the list. Plus, since the variants also have similar patterns and are essentially the same fight, there is no point in listing them separately.
Limgrave and Weepining Penisula
Just like the main bosses, you can find tons of side bosses here as well. The good news is that many of the side bosses in this area are easy. Most of the side bosses here can be found in various dungeons. So, make sure that you explore them and get all the great rewards!
Grafted Scion
The Grafted Scion is the first boss that you will encounter in Elden Ring. In classic FromSoft fashion, this is an extremely difficult boss fight. You are meant to lose this fight to progress. However, some skilled players have actually defeated this enemy.
Regardless of what you do, the outcome is the same and you will have to progress the same way. You can fight this boss again when you enter the Chapel of Anticipation but this time, the only way to move forward is to defeat it.
| Location |
|---|
| Grafted Scion (Chapel Of Anticipation) |
| Grafted Scion x2 (Fringefolk Hero’s Grave) |
| Grafted Scion (Stormveil Castle) |
| Grafted Scion (North Mt. Gelmir) |
How to Beat
- Keep your distance as much as possible, wait out its combos, and only attack when it’s safe.
- Avoid guarding as much as possible, since its long combos will quickly drain your stamina.
Soldier Of Godrick (Tutorial Boss)
The Soldier of Godrick is a tutorial boss that is there to show you the ropes. Once you are defeated by the Grafted Scion, you will have to jump down a hole in the place where you wake up. Over here, you will come across this bad boy. Since he is a tutorial boss, he is extremely easy and can be defeated without any worries.
How to Beat
- His attacks are very vertical: he swings his sword down to the ground and then up to the air, so dodge to the sides to avoid getting hit.
- His poise is higher than his mob counterparts, so weapons with a high poise damage might be useful.
Demi-Human Enemies
All Demi-Human fights play out similarly. All of them are aggressive and they will try to combo you. However, if you use your Spirit Ashes, you can easily overwhelm them and stagger them. Plus, if you have a strong weapon, you can stagger these enemies as well which makes the fight even easier.
| Location |
|---|
| Demi-Human Chiefs (Coastal Cave) |
| Demi-Human Queen Gilika (Lux Ruins) |
| Demi-Human Queen Margot (Volcano Cave) |
| Demi-Human Queen Maggie (Hermit Village) |
How to Beat
- These enemies are easy to deal with when alone, but will quickly overwhelm you with numbers.
- Killing their leader can cause most of them to cower.
- They gain a buff at night time, signified by their glowing red eyes.
Burial Tree Watchdog
The Burial Watchdogs can be found in various catacombs across the map of Elden Ring. All of them have similar attack patterns and are quite easy to defeat.
| Location |
|---|
| Burial Tree Watchdog (Stormfoot Catacombs) |
| Burial Tree Watchdog (Impaler’s Catacombs) |
| Erdtree Burial Watchdog (Wyndham Catacombs) |
| Erdtree Burial Watchdog x2 (Minor Erdtree Catacombs) |
How to Beat
- If you hit a Watchdog with several Crystal Darts, it will go berserk and attack the closest thing.
- Kaiden Sellsword Ashes make early Watchdog fights a breeze.
- Bait its attacks.
Beastman of Farum Azula
This side boss is extremely aggressive and loves to land long combos. However, thanks to his low poise, you can stagger him constantly and defeat him. Plus, it is quite easy to parry him as well.
| Location |
|---|
| Beastman of Farum Azula (Groveside Cave) |
| Beastman Of Farum Azula x2 (Dragonbarrow Cave) |
How to Beat
- Bait its long attack combos and counterattack once it’s finished.
- Try to avoid blocking since its attacks drain so much stamina.
Stonedigger Troll
The Stonedigger Troll boss fight is extremely easy. Regardless of where you fight him, you need to watch out for his easily telegraphed attacks and dodge them. While he has high damage and high HP, chances are that you won’t get hit once.
| Location |
|---|
| Stonedigger Troll (Limgrave Tunnels) |
| Stonedigger Troll (Old Altus Tunnel) |
How to Beat
- The Troll is extremely weak to Sleep.
- Use the Kaiden Sellsword Ashes for an easier fight.
- The Troll is slow but hits with large area-of-affect attacks, so make sure you aren’t caught in them.
Patches (Murkwater Cave)
Patches is a joke character in FromSoftware games. As such, he appears in Elden Ring as well. He will ambush you initially and a boss fight will start. Slap him around a few times and he will beg for forgiveness. If you spare him, you can follow his quest line.
How to Beat
- Slow down when going against Patches to be aware of when he starts to surrender.
- As soon as you hear the dialogue, stop your attack until you are notified “Enemy Felled”.
Black Knife Assassin
The Black Knife Assassin is an easy fight if you know what you’re doing. They have tons of damage and can use their backstab attack to almost instantly kill you. However, they have low poise which makes them easy to stagger. So, try to save your stamina and dodge their backstab.
When the time is right, be aggressive and stagger them so that they cannot move.
| Location |
|---|
| Black Knife Assassin (Deathtouched Catacombs) |
| Cemetary Shade & Black Knife Assassin (Black Knife Catacombs) |
| Necromancer Garris & Black Knife Assassin (Sage’s Cave) |
| Black Knife Assassin (Sainted Hero’s Grave Entrance) |
| Black Knife Assassin (Queen’s Bedchamber) |
| Black Knife Assassin (Ordina) |
How to Beat
- Use the Lone Wolves or Godrick Soldiers.
- The safest way to attack her is to wait for her Helmsplitter.
- Keep your distance and use ranged attacks.
Mad Pumpkin Head
There are multiple Mad Pumpkin Head boss fights in the game. Plus, you will also encounter these enemies in the world of Elden Ring as well. They are quite easy and you can get past them without even getting hit. Just watch out for their head slam since it can catch you off guard.
| Location |
|---|
| Mad Pumpkin Head (Waypoint Ruins) |
| Mad Pumpkin Head x2 (Caelem Ruins Underground) |
How to Beat
- Summon the Lone Wolf Ashes to help stagger him, giving you an opening for free damage.
- Attack from behind to avoid hitting his head.
Tree Sentinel
I absolutely hate the Tree Sentinel. Once you make your way to the open-world section of Elden Ring, you will face a Tree Sentinel immediately. While you can run past it and come back when you are stronger, I wanted to fight him and defeat him before progressing.
Needless to say that all of these fights play out the same way. Try to stay near the back of his horse and attack him. However, make sure that you are positioned either on the left or right side. Otherwise, his horse will kick you.
| Location |
|---|
| Tree Sentinel (Church Of Elleh Road) |
| Tree Sentinel x2 (Leyndell Entrance) |
| Draconic Tree Sentinel (Inner Leyndell Entrance) |
| Draconic Tree Sentinel (Dragon Temple) |
How to Beat
- Fighting on horseback is a great option for extra mobility.
- Wait for Tree Sentinel to finish an attack and get in a quick hit or two before rolling away.
- Stand to Tree Sentinel’s right and a little towards its hind leg, so that some of its attacks swing over your head and miss.
- Use Barbaric Roar and then perform jumping attacks whenever Tree Sentinel is after an attack.
Flying Dragon Agheel (Agheel Lake)
The first dragon that you will likely fight is Agheel. While exploring Agheel Lake, a large dragon will come flying down and attack you. The fight is quite simple as you need to stay near his hind legs and smack him around. Watch out for his stomp and you are golden!
How to Beat
- Use Torrent to quickly close distance when Agheel flies away and more easily dodge its breath attacks.
- Agheel’s head takes bonus damage, so focus on trying to land hits on it.
- Many of Agheel’s attacks can be avoided by simply running toward its feet.
Tibia Mariner
Honestly, this shouldn’t even be considered a boss fight. The Tibia Mariner poses no real threat to the player as they waddle around in their boat. Their attacks are extremely telegraphed and you cannot get hit even if you try. Play extremely aggressively against them and you will be good to go.
| Location |
|---|
| Tibia Mariner (Summonwater Village) |
| Tibia Mariner (East Liurnia) |
| Tibia Mariner (Wyndham Ruins) |
| Tibia Mariner (North Mountaintops) |
How to Beat
- Stay on Torrent throughout the battle.
- Use spirit ash that can help you distract the Skeletons, like the Lone Wolf Ashes.
- Be aggressive.
Bloodhound Knight Darriwil (Forlorn Hound Evergaol)
Bloodhound Knight Darriwil is an extremely quick and aggressive foe that will be a nightmare for new players. However, you can stagger him with the correct weapons and easily damage him due to his low HP. Try to dodge at the right time and deal damage whenever you can. Do not match his aggressive style or he will always win.
How to Beat
- Glintblade Phalanx and Ash of War: Glintblade Phalanx can decimate this boss.
- While you’re still learning his moves, guard when you’re not attacking so he doesn’t dash in.
- Pay particular attention to Darriwil’s Grinding Attack and Clawing Attack.
Crucible Knight
I cannot stress how much I hate Crucible Knights in Elden Ring. They are the bane of my existence and they are extremely tough. These bosses are spread across the map and have tons of HP. On top of that, they hit like a freight train and can one-shot you depending on their attack.
The worst part is that they will charge toward you if you plan to heal yourself. Since this boss is in a low-level area, he isn’t as tough as his brothers. However, you will still have a hard time.
| Location |
|---|
| Crucible Knight (Stormhill Evergaol) |
| Crucible Knight (Stormveil Castle) |
| Misbegotten Warrior & Crucible Knight (Redmane Castle) |
| Crucible Knight Ordovis & Crucible Knight (Auriza Hero’s Grave) |
| Crucible Knight Siluria (Deeproot Depths) |
How to Beat
- Jumping attacks can be a good counter to their charge attack.
- Use Cuckoo Glintstones to hit their back when its shield is facing you.
- Roll directly away from its attacks to keep your distance.
- It’s better to use a weapon with a high amount of raw damage than one whose power comes from building up ailments.
Ulcerated Tree Spirit
This boss has erratic movements, strong attacks, and is a bullet sponge. To beat it, you need to have a lot of patience and you’ll want to dodge all of its attacks. One mistake can mean death and you will have to start all over again.
| Location |
|---|
| Ulcerated Tree Spirit (Fringefolk Hero’s Grave) |
| Ulcerated Tree Spirit (Stormveil Castle) |
| Ulcerated Tree Spirit (Minor Erdtree) |
| Ulcerated Tree Spirit (Leyndell West) |
| Ulcerated Tree Spirit (Lower Capital Church) |
| Ulcerated Tree Spirit (Giants’ Mountaintop Catacombs) |
How to Beat
- Keep pushing towards his left side with your shield up until you are in range.
- Watch out for the start of Phase 2, since it does a large AOE with lightning strikes.
- Try to stagger the boss in its transition phase to cheese the AI.
Runebear (Earthbore Cave)
The Runebear is just like any other bear enemy. It will deal tons of damage and will not stagger easily due to high poise. So, make sure that you wait for it to finish its attacks before you start doing damage. Overall, this isn’t a tough boss fight, so, you shouldn’t have any issues.
How to Beat
- If you see the Runebear winding up for his grab, hug his left leg and roll with it.
- Stay close to the Runebear and roll into its attacks.
Cemetary Shade
You might think that the Cemetary Shade is intimidating due to its appearance but the fight is extremely easy. This boss has low HP and low poise as well. You can potentially finish it off if you land a good combo once or twice.
| Location |
|---|
| Cemetary Shade (Tombsward Catacombs) |
| Cemetary Shade (Caelid Catacombs) |
| Cemetary Shade & Black Knife Assassin (Black Knife Catacombs) |
How to Beat
- If you’ve got enough damage output and the vitality to survive a few hits, you’ll probably win a fight where you just trade blows until one of you dies.
- If you want to play defensively, equip a shield with 100% physical negation.
- Spells like Swift Glintstone Shard that can be cast quickly are helpful.
- Bring Stanching Boluses to prevent Hemorrhage.
Erdtree Avatar
Overall, this isn’t a tough fight but they can really pack a punch. To beat them, make sure that you use your Spirit Ashes to distract them while you damage them from behind.
| Location |
|---|
| Erdtree Avatar (Minor Erdtree) |
| Erdtree Avatar (East Minor Erdtree) |
| Erdtree Avatar (West Minor Erdtree) |
| Erdtree Avatar (West Minor Erdtree, Caelid) |
| Erdtree Avatar (Leyndell Main Road) |
| Erdtree Avatar (East Minor Erdtree, Mountaintops of the Giants) |
How to Beat
- Try to end up behind it whenever you can, as it will always turn to face you before it attacks.
- Fist-type weapon users should attack by either jumping attacks or on the back/side.
- It’s extremely weak to Fire damage.
Scaly Misbegotten (Morne Tunnel)
If you progress far into the game, you’ll notice that this boss is just a normal enemy. The only difficult part about this foe is its large axe that has a deceptively long range. Dodge at the correct time so that you don’t get punished and finish it off in no time.
How to Beat
- Summon Lone Wolf Ashes.
- Circle around behind the Misbegotten during its long windups and land backstabs.
- The Misbegotten’s heavily telegraphed attacks make it particularly easy to parry.
- He has slow attacks, so you can easily telegraph them.
Miranda The Blighted Bloom
This is a large giant poisonous magical flower that cannot move. She spews poisonous clouds at you that deal a good amount of damage. To make this fight easier, use fire attacks to destroy this large plant without any issues.
| Location |
|---|
| Miranda The Blighted Bloom (Tombsward Cave) |
| Omenkiller & Miranda The Blighted Bloom (Perfumer’s Grotto) |
How to Beat
- Bring Neutralizing Boluses to cure Poison.
- Use a Torch to light the Miranda on fire and interrupt most of its attacks.
Ancient Hero Of Zamor
You will fight a total of three versions of this boss throughout the game. Other than his quick movements and frost attacks, he has low HP and low damage as well.
| Location |
|---|
| Ancient Hero Of Zamor (Weeping Evergaol) |
| Ancient Hero Of Zamor (Sainted Hero’s Grave) |
| Ancient Hero Of Zamor (Giant-Conquering Hero’s Grave) |
How to Beat
- In Phase 2, all of its physical attacks do additional Magic damage and inflict Frostbite, so keep that in mind.
- He has low HP so make sure that you hit him with strong attacks.
Liurnia of the Lakes
Liurnia of the Lakes is a large area that has a lot of secrets spread across it. There are various dungeons as well that you can explore to get good rewards. As such, there are tons of side bosses in these dungeons and various areas.
Cleanrot Knight
This is a tough fight since the Cleanrot Knight is a strong foe. He deals decent damage and has a good amount of HP as well. Take your time with these fights and you shouldn’t have any problems.
| Location |
|---|
| Cleanrot Knight (Stillwater Cave) |
| Cleanrot Knight x2 (Abandoned Cave) |
How to Beat
- Don’t keep attacking over and over.
- Long windups and attack animations leave it very vulnerable to backstabs.
Adan, Thief Of Fire (Malefactor’s Evergaol)
Since he is found in an early game area, this boss is extremely easy. Just watch out for his quick-fire attacks and flail, and you should be good to go. He also has low HP and low poise, making it even easier to defeat him.
How to Beat
- Each fire spell he uses flashes a red circular rune briefly before they are cast.
- His flail combo has a very long animation and Adan commits to it fully if you are just out of range.
- Adan poses no significant challenge for Magic and Ranged users as they can remain at a distance and avoid most of his attacks.
Godskin Noble
This is the fat enemy in the Godskin Duo. He is surprisingly swift and deals tons of damage. The best method to defeat him is to spam bleed attacks and use your summons to distract him. Overall, he shouldn’t be too difficult if you have fought the Godskin Duo before.
| Location |
|---|
| Godskin Noble (Divine Tower Bridge) |
| Godskin Noble (Volcano Manor) |
How to Beat
- Use sleep pots to put the boss to sleep.
- Alternatively, sleep arrows are elementary to craft at the point of the game when players meet Noble for the first time.
Bloodhound Knight
This fight is extremely similar to the other Bloodhound Knight that you have already faced by now. The only major difference is that one variant of this boss will use occasional AoE explosions of frost.
| Location |
|---|
| Bloodhound Knight (Lakeside Crystal Cave) |
| Bloodhound Knight Darriwil (Forlorn Hound Evergaol) |
How to Beat
- Staunching Boluses can help prevent Hemorrhage.
- Keep your guard up.
- Pay particular attention to Darriwil’s Grinding Attack and Clawing Attack.
Crystalians
At first, these enemies will not take a lot of damage from your weapons. However, they are quite vulnerable to blunt attacks. Use a weapon that deals blunt damage to lower its armor and then you can use your regular weapon to finish it off.
| Location |
|---|
| Crystalians (Academy Crystal Cave) |
| Ring Blade Crystalian (Raya Lucaria Crystal Tunnel) |
| Crystalians x2 (Altus Tunnel) |
| Crystalians x3 (Sellia Hideaway) |
How to Beat
- Focus on getting to the first stance break.
- Use Night Maiden’s Mist, as Crystalians generally move slowly.
- Use Greatshield Soldier Ashes for fights with multiple Crystalians.
Royal Revenant (Kingsrealm Ruins Underground)
Like most bosses in Elden Ring, the Royal Revenant loves his long combos and swift attacks. Sometimes, he will combine that with delayed attacks that will mess up your dodge timing. However, if you use AoE heals near him, you will stun it and deal tons of damage.
How to Beat
- Use Barricade Shield to block its attacks and get in guard counters.
- Use a heavier weapon and focus on breaking its stance with jumping attacks.
Bols, Carian Knight (Cuckoo’s Evergaol)
Dodge Bols’ melee and magical attacks before you look for an opening. If you try to hit him during his combo, he will not stop and deal a lot of damage to you. So, make sure that you recognize his pattern and attack at the right time.
How to Beat
- Use his size to your advantage by dodging between his legs.
- Always keep your eye on him as he can quickly turn around to perform a follow-up.
- Stick close to him to get behind him.
Spirit-Caller Snail
This is a simple boss fight where you have to destroy the spirits this boss summons. Once you do that, he will reveal himself and you can damage him. After a short duration, he will turn invisible again and summon his spirits. Rinse and repeat until you defeat him.
| Location |
|---|
| Spirit-Caller Snail (Road’s End Catacombs) |
| Spirit-Caller Snail & Godskin Apostle / Noble (Spiritcaller’s Cave) |
How to Beat
- Focus on the snail and ignore its summons.
- When the snail is invisible, look for a faint glow on the ground and attack it.
Omenkiller
The Omenkiller is a mediocre fight since he doesn’t pose a lot of threats. However, there are a few of his attacks that can hit like a truck. Make sure that you use your summons to keep him distracted and damage him from behind.
| Location |
|---|
| Omenkiller (Village Of The Albinaurics) |
| Omenkiller & Miranda The Blighted Bloom (Perfumer’s Grotto) |
How to Beat
- There are three dogs that can be cleared before the fight.
- Bring Stanching Boluses Item to account for Hemorrhage build-up.
Alecto, Black Knife Ringleader (Ringleader’s Evergaol)
If you are a ranged character, you will have a rough time with her. She dodges most of your ranged attacks thanks to her speed and can use fast and damaging attacks to counter you. No matter what happens, make sure that you avoid her grab attack or you will instantly die.
Once she is done using her massive AoE attack, you can attack her to your heart’s content while she is recovering.
How to Beat
- Her Imbued Helmsplitter attack has a short tracking distance, so start sprinting away immediately as she crouches down to jump.
- Use Glintblade Phalanx or Carian Phalanx to quickly bring down her Poise.
Alabaster Lord (Royal Grave Evergaol)
The Alabaster Lord loves to ruin your combo by using his spells and hitting you with projectiles. When he is using his magic, make sure that you are keeping your distance or he will use his strong melee attacks to finish you off. Find a good opportunity and you can easily damage him.
How to Beat
- Fight him on the outer edges of the arena.
- Take advantage of his Meteorite’s long cast animation
Altus Plateau
This area is somewhat difficult but some of the side bosses are extremely easy. While they have high HP and decent damage, you will not have a tough time here.
Ancient Dragon Lansseax (Altus Plateau)
By now, you will have gotten used to the dragon fights in Elden Ring. The best method to defeat it is to use Torrent and stay behind it. Make sure that you keep moving to avoid its lightning attacks and you’ll be good to go.
How to Beat
- Summon Latenna to distract him and deal a good chunk of damage.
- Bring some Lightningproof Dried Liver and Boiled Crab for damage negation.
Godefroy The Grafted (Golden Lineage Evergaol)
Like Margit, Godrick’s identical twin has also come for a rematch. Just like Godrick, he has long combos that can mess up your dodge timings. However, this fight shouldn’t be too difficult for you at this point. Think of him as a stronger Godrick.
How to Beat
- His attack pattern is similar to Godrick’s.
- Watch out for his delayed attacks – don’t roll too quickly.
Wormface
This boss is quite swift and can catch you off guard. However, if you dodge at the right time and avoid its death-blight clouds, you can easily finish this fight. If you are on horseback, you will find it even easier than before.
| Location |
|---|
| Wormface (Minor Erdtree) |
| Wormface (Road Of Iniquity) |
| Wormface (Farum Azula) |
How to Beat
- Use the Lone Wolf Ashes Ash Summons.
- Bring Rejuvenating Boluses used solely to Alleviate death blight buildup.
- Use Order Healing and Law of Regression for curing.
Godskin Apostle
This foe is the slim enemy of the Godskin Duo. He is fast and can use his long neck to attack you from a distance. However, if you are on Torrent, it is almost impossible to get hit. However, you still need to watch out for its AoE black flame attacks since they can easily ruin the whole fight.
| Location |
|---|
| Godskin Apostle (Dominula Windmill Village) |
| Godskin Apostle (Divine Tower of Caelid) |
| Spirit-Caller Snail & Godskin Apostle / Noble (Spiritcaller’s Cave) |
How to Beat
- Use sleep pots with a strong spirit summon such as Lhutel the Headless.
- Maintain a medium distance from him at all times.
Fallingstar Beast
The Fallingstar Beast is a tough boss fight due to several reasons. Firstly, it can charge swiftly and run through you. This does a lot of damage and is difficult to avoid. Plus, this boss has various AoE attacks that reduce your HP if you get too close. Finally, combine all this with their high HP and you’ve got yourself a tough boss fight.
| Location |
|---|
| Fallingstar Beast (South Altus Plateau Crater) |
| Fallingstar Beast (Sellia Crystal Tunnel) |
| Full-Grown Fallingstar Beast (Ninth Mt. Gelmir Campsite) |
How to Beat
- Almost all of its attacks do Physical damage, so bring a Shield with 100% Physical Resistance.
- Use ashes that deal elemental damage.
Caelid
Since Caelid has a lot of strong enemies, you can expect the side bosses there to be extremely difficult as well. While some of these are a bit easier than the rest, all of them have high HP and will destroy new players. So, make sure that you approach this area after the Altus Plateau.
Magma Wyrm
All the Magma Wyrm boss fights play out the same way. They are massive creatures that like to run around the arena while spitting magma. The best way to beat them is to stay behind their legs and target them. Be careful of their flame attack or when they stomp the ground.
| Location |
|---|
| Magma Wyrm (Gael Tunnel) |
| Magma Wyrm (South Of Fort Laiedd) |
| Magma Wyrm (Volcano Manor) |
How to Beat
- Use Redmane Knight Ogha Ashes for his durability, fire resistance, and ranged attacks.
- Use the Rock Sling spell to take advantage of its weakness to physical damage.
- Use Flamedrake Talisman to reduce fire damage.
Frenzied Duelist (Gaol Cave)
If you have encountered the Grave Warden Duelists before this, you will notice that this fight is extremely similar. The only major difference is that this boss has more HP and is stronger. Other than that, you should wait for an opening and hit him as hard as you can.
How to Beat
- Roll through his attacks and try to end up behind him.
- Ranged players should avoid standing at a medium-long range.
- Go for backstabs if you can.
Decaying Ekzykes (Caelid Highway South)
This dragon loves to breathe Scarlet Rot which can be quite terrifying. If you get hit by this attack, your HP will start to deplete in no time. As long as you avoid this attack, the rest of the fight is just like any other dragon fight in Elden Ring.
How to Beat
- Ekzykes is extremely weak to Fire.
- Use spells with very long range.
- Use Torrent to quickly escape the rot breath and even to double-jump over it without taking damage.
- Use Preserving Boluses.
Commander O’Neil (Aeonia Swamp)
I found this boss by accident while roaming around the Aeonia Swamp grinding for XP. Overall, he is quite easy but the main issue is the archers summoned during the fight. They can distract you and deal tons of damage. Plus, it opens you up for a combo from Commander O’Neil himself.
How to Beat
- Use any tanky Spirit Ash Summons.
- Bring equipment inflicting Frostbite or/and Hemorrhage.
- Riding Torrent during this fight is recommended to avoid Scarlet Rot build-up.
Nox Swordstress & Nox Priest (Chair-Crypt Of Sellia)
This is another one of those Elden Ring classic gank fights. While their attacks have decent damage, their HP isn’t high. You can easily defeat both of them without even using a summon. If you do use your Spirit Ashes, you will easily kill both of these bosses without any issues.
How to Beat
- Avoid attacking one of the bosses while the other is nearby.
- Separate the bosses with ranged attacks.
- Both stagger quite easily and will dodge right after.
Battlemage Hugues (Sellia Evergaol)
As the name suggests, Hugues likes to use a lot of spells to damage you. He also uses his hammer to create a shockwave that does an AoE attack. While fighting him, try to move around the arena and find a good opening to attack.
How to Beat
- Continuously move around the arena.
- Find a good opening to attack.
- Respect his AoE hammer attack.
Putrid Avatar
I hate the Putrid Avatar fights since it is neither difficult nor easy. They are just there to annoy you and pose somewhat of a challenge. Some of the Avatars use magic to inflict Scarlet Rot while others do not do much. Whack at them when you find an opening and deplete their HP.
| Location |
|---|
| Putrid Avatar (East Minor Erdtree) |
| Putrid Avatar (West Minor Erdtree) |
| Putrid Avatar (Elphael) |
| Putrid Avatar (Elphael) |
How to Beat
- Use Spirit Ashes that can distract him.
- Roll away when he is charging up his strong attacks.
Flying Dragon Greyll (Farum Greatbridge)
This fight is exactly like the previous dragon fights. However, the major issue is that you are fighting on an extremely narrow bridge. This doesn’t give you a lot of extra space to kite around this massive foe. Other than that, this is the usual dragon fight in Elden Ring.
How to Beat
- Stand on the elevated areas overlooking the bridge and snipe Greyll.
- Use Serpentbone Arrows or Rotbone Arrows.
Leyndell, The Royal Capital
Leyndell is a great place that has tons of side bosses and main bosses. Plus, the normal enemies are also quite strong so you shouldn’t take them lightly.
Twinblade Gargoyle (Leyndell Entrance Steps)
You might have already faced the two Twinblade Gargoyles before this fight. If so, you will have a breeze with this Gargoyle. He is exactly like the previous fight but the best part is that he is alone. So, you shouldn’t have any issues with this boss fight.
How to Beat
- Use the Spirit Jellyfish, Ancestral Follower, or any other ashes able to draw aggression away from you.
Fell Twins x2 (Divine Tower Of East Altus Bridge)
This fight will seem extremely intimidating since the entire arena goes pitch black. Plus, you will be reminded of the dreaded Godskin Duo fight. However, both these twins have telegraphed attacks that you can easily dodge and counter.
How to Beat
- Use a swift weapon.
- Only use a colossal weapon if it can stance-break them easily.
Mountaintops of the Giants
Since this area is near the end of the game, you can expect to find tough enemies. The side bosses aren’t anything special but they can deal tons of damage if you are not careful.
Commander Niall (Castle Sol)
While the rest of the side bosses are somewhat easy, Command Niall is one of the most difficult boss fights in this area. As soon as the fight starts, he summons two Banished Knights that hit like a truck. After you deal with them, he will start attacking you aggressively.
How to Beat
- Focus on the Banished Knight with dual swords at the beginning.
- Kill one Banished Knight before summoning your spirit.
- Take advantage of when Niall tires himself out.
- Jump to avoid his shockwave foot stomp.
- Use a tanky Spirit to distract the Banished Knights.
Vyke, Knight Of The Roundtable (Lord Contender’s Evergaol)
Like most Evergaol fights, you need to be aggressive with Vyke while dodging his attacks. However, do not take him lightly because he will take out almost all of your HP with his combos. If you are patient with him, you can easily defeat this foe.
One tip that will help you out is to wait slightly longer for him to finish his air attack than normal. He likes to stay in the air for just a second longer than others.
How to Beat
- He has 2 healing flasks so keep that in mind.
- Continue rolling and find a good moment to strike.
Borealis The Freezing Fog (Frozen Lake)
At this point, you know the drill. He is like any other dragon that you have faced so far in Elden Ring – and you’ve faced many! Make sure that you stick near his hind legs and attack him. However, he is stronger than other dragons so be careful.
How to Beat
- Fight this boss like other dragon fights by staying near its hind legs.
- Watch out for his stomp attack and tail sweep.
Crumbling Farum Azula
This is an end-game area with tons of tough enemies. As such, the bosses are no different. Even the side bosses are extremely difficult and will deal tons of damage. So, make sure that you are leveled up for this place.
Ancient Dragon (Farum Azula)
There are multiple Ancient Dragons in Farum Azula. To make the process simple, we have listed the location of each dragon in the table below instead of listing them separately. Each of these bosses has a similar pattern and you will need to follow the same steps to beat them.
| Location |
|---|
| Crumbling Farum Azula |
| Lift down from the Crumbling Beast Grave Depths |
| Dragon Temple |
How to Beat
- Avoid lightning attacks at all costs.
- Use Spirit Ashes like Latenna in the distance.
- Keep distracting the boss so that Latenna can damage him from a distance.
Alexander, Warrior Jar (Farum Azula)
Alexander is a beloved NPC and your companion. You can find him throughout the game as you complete his side quest. To prove that he is a great warrior, Alexandar will challenge you to a duel in the same place you defeat the third Ancient Dragon – the Dragon Temple.
The overall fight is quite simple but you need to watch out when he swings his arms around. While the fight is like any other pot fight you’ve encountered before, Alexandar has higher damage and more AoE attacks than the rest.
How to Beat
- Attack him a few times and run – he cannot be staggered.
- Watch out for his AoE attacks.
- When he starts swinging his arms, run as far as you can.
Underground Areas (Lake of Rot, Deeproot Depths, Ainsel River, and Siofra River)
Finally, let’s take a look at all the optional side bosses in various underground areas. In Elden Ring, there are different layers of the map that you can go to. The underground areas consist of the Siofra River, Ainsel River, Deeproot Depths, and Lake of Rot.
Dragonkin Soldier Of Nokstella (Nokstella)
This is just like the Dragonkin Soldier that you faced in Siofra River. He has similar attack patterns and will be just as aggressive. One easy way to defeat this mighty foe is to stay near his legs and swing your sword. Be careful of his stomp or fire attacks since they can deal tons of damage.
How to Beat
- Watch out for his flame breath.
- Try to stick near its hind legs so that he cannot attack you.
Dragonkin Soldier (Lake Of Rot)
Oh, look, another Dragonkin Soldier. Just like other Dragonkin Soldier fights, you will need to stick near his legs like glue and continue to swing your sword to your heart’s content. Keep in mind that since this boss fight takes place in an area that is harder than the rest, the boss will be stronger as well.
Plus, since you are surrounded by the Lake of Rot, you will be affected by Scarlet Rot. Make sure that you have tons of healing items to cure your ailment or you will take a lot of extra damage.
How to Beat
- Use Preserving Boluses to reduce the effect of Scarlet Rot.
- Stay near his hind legs and attack when you see an opening.
- Try to stand on the few pieces of land so that you do not take extra damage from rot.
Fia’s Champions (Deeproot Depths)
If you follow Fia’s questline to the point where she leaves the Roundtable Hold, you will have to fight her champions to continue. All of these enemies are extremely easy but when they work together, they can really mess you up. Plus, a 3-on-1 isn’t fair, now is it?
How to Beat
- Use AoE spells.
- Don’t let all three surround you.
- Always keep moving/dodging.
- During 3rd wave, eliminate champions as soon as possible – Lionel is a serious threat on his own.
Lichdragon Fortissax (Deathbed Dream)
Near the end of Fia’s quest, if you hug her and later return to her location, you will fight this boss. While this isn’t necessarily a tough fight, avoiding his lightning attacks can be a hassle. Plus, you cannot use Torrent which means that you will have to close the gap while running around.
How to Beat
- Use the Mimic Tear summon.
- Use spells and incantations that summon large numbers of projectiles.
Mimic Tear (Siofra River)
The Mimic Tear is an interesting boss fight since it will transform into your character. So, you are essentially fighting yourself. If you have a lot of good gear and strong weapons, the Mimic Tear will also deal tons of damage.
One easy way to cheese this fight is to take off every piece of armor and weapon you have before entering the arena. As such, the Tear will also be stripped down and not hit you as hard. Once you defeat it, you will get the Mimic Tear summon which allows you to call a second character.
How to Beat
- Remove all your armor and unequip your weapons before entering the arena.
- After you enter, equip everything and summon your Spirit Ashes.
Ancestor Spirit (Siofra River)
This boss fight is quite easy yet extremely beautiful. As soon as you enter the boss arena, you will see this large monster walking toward you. Don’t worry because he has attacks that you can see from a mile away. No matter how many playthroughs I do, this fight isn’t difficult in any of them.
How to Beat
- Wait to heal or buff until it uses Airborne Spirit Vapor.
- Bring a shield with 100% Physical defense since it can help you block attacks.
Regal Ancestor Spirit (Siofra River)
Much like the Ancestor Spirit, this version of the boss has the same moveset. He is slightly stronger and will pull out a few new attacks but other than that, there is nothing to worry about. The only major difference is that you will have to attack this spirit for a longer duration since he can regain HP.
How to Beat
- Use spirit ashes that attack quickly.
- Once its health is getting low after its first two Soul Siphons, go all out and try to kill it before it can heal again.
Dragonkin Soldier (Siofra River)
The first Dragonkin Soldier that you will probably face is in Siofra River. Just like any other Dragonkin Soldier, you need to stay near his legs and hit him. Since this is not a problematic area compared to the rest, you shouldn’t have any issues with this boss fight.
How to Beat
- Stay near its hind legs and watch out for his stomp attack.
- Do not stand near his mouth or he can deal a lot of damage.
Valiant Gargoyles (Siofra Aqueduct)
This fight wouldn’t be nearly as difficult as it is if it wasn’t for the second Gargoyle that joins the battle. Once you reduce the first boss’s HP to 50%, a second Gargoyle will jump in through the waterfall and start attacking you. Both of them deal tons of damage and can easily combo you to oblivion.
How to Beat
- Use the Spirit Jellyfish, Ancestral Follower, or any other ashes able to draw aggression away from you.
- Always keep the second Gargoyle in your vision or he will blindside you.
- Keep your distance if both bosses come too close.
White-Faced Varre (Mohgwyn Palace)
White-Faced Varre is the first NPC that you will encounter in Elden Ring. Like other NPCs, you can complete his quest to unlock rewards and fight him at the end. When it comes to boss fights, he isn’t nearly as strong as other bosses that you have faced.
Varre has a low range and will have to really come close to you just to deal damage. Make sure that you dodge accordingly and hit him whenever you get an opportunity.
How to Beat
- Like other NPC fights, time your dodges.
- Wait for a good moment to strike.
- He takes a lot of damage, so the fight shouldn’t be tough.
Night Time Bosses
We have covered all the nighttime bosses in detail in another guide, so, make sure that you check it out. However, we will briefly talk about them here as well. Since Elden Ring is an open-world game, it features a dynamic day/night cycle. Many bosses only spawn at night.
There are a total of 21 nighttime bosses that you can find across the world of Elden Ring. The best part is that you can start seeing these bosses from the starting area to the ending area. Remember that the bosses you find in later areas are pretty difficult and can be a pain to deal with. So, make sure that you are prepared to fight them.
Night’s Cavalry
The Night’s Cavalry can be found across the map in each major location. You can start fighting it from the starting area till the ending area. There are a total of 9 Night’s Cavalry in the game. If you are curious, here are the locations of all the Night’s Cavalry in Elden Ring:
| Location | Reward |
|---|---|
| Limgrave bridge | Ash of War: Repeating Thrust / 14,400 Runes |
| Castle Morne Rampart Site of Grace | Ash of War: Barricade Shield / 16,320 Runes |
| East of Caelid Highway South Site of Grace | Ash of War: Poison Moth Flight / 30,600 Runes |
| Near Lenne’s Rise Site of Grace | Ash of War: Bloundhound’s Step / 100,800 Runes |
| North of Liurnia Highway North | Ash of War: Ice Spear / 20,160 Runes |
| East Raya Lucaria Gate | Ash of War: Giant Hunt / 20,160 Runes |
| Southwest of Altus Highway Junction | Ash of War: Shared Order / 36,000 Runes |
| Forbidden Lands | Ash of War: Phantom Slash / 86,400 Runes |
| Southwest of the Inner Consecrated Snowfield | Night’s Cavalry Helm, Armor, Gauntlets, Greaves / Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone / 201,600 Runes |
How to Beat
- Kite around while mounted on Torrent.
- Do not get greedy and try to attack him multiple times.
- When he falls off his horse, get off Torrent and fight him like a regular enemy.
Bell Bearing Hunter
There are a total of 4 Bell Bearing Hunters in Elden Ring. These are surprisingly difficult boss fights since they can be a bit erratic at times. However, it is extremely fun to parry these bosses and defeat them.
| Location | Reward |
|---|---|
| Warmaster Shack Site of Grace | Bone Peddler’s Bell Bearing / 16,200 Runes |
| Isolated Merchant Shack | Gravity Stone Peddler’s Bell Bearing / 120,000 Runes |
| Church of Vows | Meat Peddler’s Bell Bearing / 21,600 Runes |
| Hermit Merchant’s Shack | Medicine Peddler’s Bell Bearing / 72,000 Runes |
How to Beat
- Try to parry if you can.
- Continuously dodge until you find a good opening.
- Watch out for his grab attack.
Death Bird
The Death Bird is a difficult boss that I had trouble fighting. This boss had no right to be this difficult considering how easy it was to defeat the main bosses. There are 4 Death Birds that you can find in The Lands Between.
| Location | Reward |
|---|---|
| East of the Warmaster Shack | Blue-Feathered Branchsword / 16,800 Runes |
| Southwest of the Castle Morne Rampart Site of Grace | Sacrificial Axe / 18,720 Runes |
| Southeast of the Boilprawn Shack | Red-Feathered Branchsword / 23,760 Runes |
| East of the Hermit Merchant’s Shack | Twinbird Kite Shield / 104,400 Runes |
How to Beat
- Stay close to its hind legs.
- Don’t get greedy and attack more than a few times.
- Time your dodges, and get a few swings in after every attack.
Death Rite Bird
While the name sounds extremely similar to Death Bird, these are slightly different bosses. They appear similar and might have a few same attacks but their moveset is quite different. Plus, they are more deadly and can apply various status effects on you as well. You will have to fight 4 Death Rite Birds.
| Location | Reward |
|---|---|
| Northeast of Cathedral of Dragon Communion | Death’s Poker / 54,000 Runes |
| South of Gate Town North | Ancient Death Rancor / 28,080 Runes |
| West of Snow Valley Ruins Overlook | Death Ritual Spear / 184,800 Runes |
| Mountaintops of the Giants | Explosive Ghostflame / 528,000 Runes |
How to Beat
- Learn the pattern of this boss since it can be quite erratic.
- Stay on foot by default, and only get on Torrent briefly to evade specific attacks.
- Don’t lock on to its head since it moves around quickly and will disorient you.
What Are The Hardest Bosses in Elden Ring
There are many bosses in Elden Ring that you can fight. Naturally, some boss fights are extremely difficult and will require a lot of skill to defeat them. Here is a brief list of the hardest boss fights in Elden Ring:
- Malenia, Blade of Miquella
- Starscourge Radahn
- Mohg, Lord of Blood
- Godfrey, First Elden Lord
- Godskin Duo
Are All Bosses Optional in Elden Ring
Since Elden Ring is an open-world game with tons of bosses, many players wonder if all the bosses are optional. No, all bosses aren’t optional in Elden Ring. While there are tons of bosses that you can skip, you have to fight at least 13 main ones.
Otherwise, you cannot progress through the game and will not finish it. We have listed down all the bosses that you need to fight above so make sure that you check it out.
Conclusion
And there you have it; that is the Elden Ring boss order and where to find them. You can find these bosses across the map but fighting them in order should allow you to have a better chance. Otherwise, you will take a lot of damage, and the boss will have tons of HP.
Which boss is your favorite in Elden Ring? Did you get stuck on a particular boss? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
