With theElden RingDLC,Shadow of the Erdtree, just about to peek its head over the horizon, there is no time like the present to subject yourself to a torturous and brutally difficult Elden Ring replay. I don’t have to tell you that there are so many devastatingly tough bosses in Elden Ring. But with such a stacked roster of enemies hellbent on forcing you to read the ‘You Died’ screen, it can be hard to decide which bosses serve as the toughest challenges in The Lands Between.
Elden Ring: Complete Game Progression Guide
Venture forth on a grand journey through the Lands Between with this extensive guide, and don’t miss a beat in your quest to become Elden Lord.
Well, in a bid to allow you all to focus on the fights ahead of you, I’ve taken the critical thinking off your plate, deciding once and for all which one of these Souls juggernauts reigns supreme.
I have platinumed Elden Ring and seen all it has to offer. Trust me, I know which are the hardest bosses.
10Valiant Gargoyles
Closest Site of Grace
Sofira River
30,000 Runes
Gargoyle’s Greatsword
Gargoyle’s Twinblade
We begin with an Elden Ring boss that doesn’t get talked about enough despite being a very tough duo boss fight. If Dark Souls Fans remember the Bell Gargoyles fight, this one is a nod to that battle, only this one is heaps harder. The obvious hurdle to overcome here is fighting two powerfulValiant Gargoyle & Valiant Gargoyle (Twinblade)at once, as when you get the first Gargoyle down to 50% health, the other will drop into the fray. At this point, it’s vital you kill the wounded Gargoyle fast, as the Twinblade Gargoyle is much more dangerous.
This duo not only moves fast and hits hard, but they also cast poison attacks, which not only hurt in real time if you get caught up in them, but can also lead to consistent damage over time as well. In short, there are a lot of moving parts to this fight, and you’ll need to run around, pick your moments carefully; and if your strategy ends with you not dead when the dust settles, you’ll be able to enter Deathroot Depths, and pursue the Age of the Duskborn Ending.
9Full-Grown Fallingstar Beast
Ninth Mt. Gelmir Campsite
21,000 Rune
Somber Smithing Stone [6]x1
Smithing Stone [6]x5
Fallingstar Beast Jaw
Continuing the trend of lesser-known and talked about Elden Ring bosses that require insane amounts of skill to take down, we have theFallingstar Beast (Altus Plateau). You may have encountered the standard versionFallingstar Beast (Caelid), which doesn’t really offer much of a test to seasoned players, but this variant does, and then some. The problem with taking this boss on is that it’s a damage sponge, which means this fight will always go the distance. Plus, there’s a rather chaotic and unpredictable nature to this boss' attack patterns.
With some cosmic attacks to contend with, along with powerful physical charges and slams that inflict Hemorrhage, and a crater arena that can often put you in compromising positions through no fault of your own, this beast more than earns a spot in this top ten. Thankfully, this fight is completely optional, but if you want the bragging rights of being a true Elden Lord, you’ll need to slay this one along with all those still to come.
8Godskin Duo
Dragon Temple Transept
170,000 Rune
Smithing-Stone Miner’s Bell Bearing [4]
As showcased by the Valiant Gargoyles, fighting two bosses at once tends to be a nightmare scenario. A scenario that gives me Ornstein and Smough flashbacks, but I digress. Of all the two-on-one fights in Elden Ring, theGodskin Duois far and away the toughest. Unless you used Sleep Pots/Arrows, but come on, we all know that’s cheating.
In this fight, you’ll battle aGodskin Noble (Solo)and aGodskin Apostle (Dominula, Windmill Village)and the key to success here is focusing on the more aggressive Godskin Noble in a bid to even the playing field. But even then, if you don’t capitalize on this, the enemy still standing will re-summon the other half of their duo. It’s all about using the pillars on the battlefield to your advantage and keeping these two as separated as possible. So, when these two rear their ugly heads, I wish you luck.
7Commander Niall
Church of the Eclipse
90,000 Runes
Veteran’s Prosthesis
I always try to be objective, but this entry may be skewed a little by how many timesCommander Niallbashed my skull. But, in my defense, he is a very tricky boss, even with my bias to one side. This fight sees you take on Commander Niall and a pair of his guardsmen, which are twoBanished Knight Oleg AshesSpirits. He’s pretty passive until you take out the guards, and then he springs into action.
The key to beating Niall is by exercising patience. There are small openings in a battle otherwise dominated by rangy attacks, AOE effects, and hard-hitting slams. Not to mention Lightning and Frost effects to contend with. So if I have one tip for you, just don’t get greedy, or he will punish you.
6Radagon/Elden Beast
Elden Throne
It’s rare in a Souls game that the end-game boss serves as the hardest fight, but in terms of the mandatory fights in Elden Ring, the final fight is right up there. This fight is split into two separate bouts, first against Radagon and then against the Elden Beast immediately after, with no time for respite.Radagon of the Golden Orderis pretty easy in their first phase but really ramps things up in their second phase with some devastating holy attacks.
Elden Ring: All Side Quests Guide
This guide is designed to help you track and complete the diverse range of quests provided by various NPCs throughout the game.
However, the real stumbling block here is theElden Beast. This huge Draconic Beast has a variety of very hard-to-dodge flame attacks, constantly re-positions around the arena to create distance between you and them, making it tough to get into position to deal consistent damage, and due to the sheer size of the thing, it can be difficult to see what attack the monster is gearing up for next. Equipping aHaligdrake Talisman +2can help protect somewhat against their powerful assortment of Draconic attacks, but even if you have all the finest gear, this two-part fight will prove a tough one for sure.
5Mohg The Omen
Forsaken Depths
100,00 Runes
Bloodflame Talons
When it comes to Omen bosses in Elden Ring, you are pretty spoiled for choice withMargit, the Fell Omen,Demi-Human Queen Margot, andMohg, the Omenrepresenting a subsection of bosses, along withMohg, Lord of Blood, who is an Omen boss in everything but name. But of all these, Mohg the Omen is the hardest of the lot.
Why? Well, because unlike the others listed, this boss is immune to all status effects, so if you’ve been relying on bleed or Scarlet Rot to this point, that won’t fly. Not to mention, they hit hard, inflict Bleed, and the room is filled with loads of visual clutter to make tracking his movements even more tricky. I guarantee you, you’ll be spending a few hours trying to take this brute down, but if you want the Lord of Frenzied Flame Ending, you’ll need to stick it out.
4Maliketh, The Black Blade
Beside the Great Bridge
220,000 Rune
Remembrance of the Black Blade
When it comes to mandatory fights, relatively speaking, I feel like most of the early to mid-game is fairly easy, and I include the likes of Margit,Rennala, Queen of the Full MoonandStarscourge Radahnin that statement. But when Maliketh comes out to play, well, that’s when things get interesting, and bloody difficult.
Maliketh is the true form ofGurranq, Beast Clergyman, and must be defeated to transformMap (Leyndell, Royal Capital)into theLeyndell, Ashen Capital. But to make that happen, you’ll need to make sense of Maliketh’s dynamic and hard-hitting moveset. The first phase isn’t all that tougher than fighting the Clergyman’s NPC variant. But when they take their true form, you’ll have your work cut out for you, along with some of your vital organs. This one is all about fast reactions and not getting too greedy when he does give you an opening. But, obviously, that’s easier said than done, or they wouldn’t be on this list, now, would they?
3Godfrey (Hoarah Loux)
Queen’s Bedchamber
300,000 Rune
Remembrance of Hoarah Loux
Maliketh is a tough mandatory boss, but in my humble opinion,Godfrey, First Elden Lord(Hoarah Loux), is the hardest non-negotiable Elden Ring fight. Now, cards on the table: if you are running a non-melee setup, you might have an easier time with Godfrey, but if you’re someone like me who favors a strength build and greatsword combo in all Souls games, Godfrey is your kryptonite.
Godfrey’s primary tactic is getting up close and personal at all times, and using a series of relentless and seemingly never-ending combos. And the only way to take him down is by creating tiny openings and slowly chipping away at him. But one false move, and he’ll grab you, and you’ll be forced to watch a gruesome animation play out as your health plummets. It’s an incredibly unforgiving fight, but considering it’s the second-to-last fight in the game, it would be silly to expect anything less.
2Dragonlord Placidusax
280,000 Rune
Remembrance of the Dragonlord
Our top two bosses on this list reside at the Haligtree, and while you probably know who will be topping our list,Dragonlord Placidusaxdeserves its moment in the limelight. The first phase of the fight is fairly manageable and not too unlike all other dragon fights. Just get in behind and avoid any AOE attacks trying to flush you out. His lightning claw is the only first-phase attack worth worrying about.
But when he takes flight, that’s when you realize that the first half isn’t going to mirror the second, and you’re going to have to work for the win. This is because Placidusax will disintegrate and reappear at will, and create space between you and him, giving you fewer chances to get hits in. Not to mention, their attacks become much tougher to dodge. It only takes one slightly Ill-timed dodge roll, and you’ll be charcoal, so stay on your toes, and you might just get to meet our top-ranked boss.
1Malenia, Blade Of Miquella
Haligtree Roots
480,000 Runes
Malenia’s Great Rune
Remembrance of the Rot Goddess
You knew this was coming. It was inevitable, bordering on obvious, but toMalenia, Blade of Miquella’s credit, that reputation doesn’t come without the body count to back it up. There are so many factors that make Malenia a staggeringly brutal boss. There’s the swift and punishing moveset, including the dreaded Waterfowl attack.
There’s the debilitating Scarlet Rot she inflicts as she goes. But by far, the biggest thorn in the side of players looking to take her down is that every time she hits you, she heals herself.
Errors are punishing enough in Souls games without also being a boon to your enemies, and that is why Malenia sits atop this list. She’s so tough she inspired the’Let Me Solo Her' guyto help countless players take her down, so if you’re lucky, maybe you can summon him in and watch from the sidelines. But if you want that quintessential Souls feeling of overcoming adversity, then you’ll need to show her that you’re the real deal.
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