Elden Ring: 10 Tough Boss Fights That Seem Made For Summons (2024)

Elden Ring has brought players some of the most iconic video game boss battles in recent memory. These characters are proof of FromSoftware's attention to detail, tragic storytelling, and awe-inspiring visual design. Many consider the bosses in The Lands Between incredibly difficult to fight thanks to their fast animations and lethal attacks.

This is where summons come in. Some bosses can prove too much of a challenge to take on alone, encouraging players to employ the help of player summons, NPC summons, or Spirit Ashes. This practice is divisive among Soulsborne fans, with some claiming that it makes the game too easy compared to previous entries, but several deadly bosses seem made for this handy mechanic.

10 Melania, Blade Of Miquella

Rapid Attacks And Health Recovery

Melania is not an easy boss to beat alone, with many in Elden Ring's community seeing this feat as the mark of true mastery. She is a two-phase boss with quick and varied attacks that require muscle memory and quick thinking to avoid. When she successfully lands a strike, she recovers a sum of health, while taking a chunk off the player's health bar, adding insult to literal injury.

The first phase is tough, but the aid of a Spirit or Player Summon is almost a requirement in her lethal second phase. Melania takes flight with wings of Scarlet Rot and a fully-recovered health bar. One player, aptly named Let Me Solo Her, became a legend among fans for helping countless players defeat this boss.

9 Starscourge Radahn

The Festival To Honor Him Was Well-Deserved

Found roaming the dunes of the Caelid Desert, General Radahn is a shadow of the warrior he once was. He is infected with Melania's Scarlet Rot and has lost his mind, attacking anything in sight, apart from his trusty steed. Radahn is a threat at any distance thanks to his lethal bow, dual Greatswords, and mastery over gravity magic.

His prowess is recognized throughout the realm, and because of this, a festival is held to give him a warrior's death. He is unique in the fact that his fight allows for multiple NPC summons, but this is by design. Radahn can eradicate multiple rivals at once with his quick and powerful gravity attacks that affect large areas, making it a necessity to bring multiple warriors along to fight him.

8 Maliketh, The Black Blade

Marika's Shadow Is A Force To Be Reckoned With

This is a two-phase battle, starting as a fight with the Beast Clergyman, before he reveals himself as Maliketh, the Black Blade and wielder of the Rune of Death. Phase one is tough, with fast attacks and incantations that cover large areas, but the second phase is the real challenge.

The Black Blade dances around the arena with blinding speed and unrelenting aggression. This is why it's such a good idea to employ the help of a Summon to take some of the heat. Other players or spirits taking the focus for a time allows the player to heal some of the damage they've taken from Maliketh's unforgiving health-sapping attacks.

7 Divine Beast Dancing Lion

A Graceful And Deadly Dance

A close look will reveal that the Divine Beast is not one animal, but two actors in costume, channeling the strength of a great horned lion. This fact may make the player feel a little better about calling Redmayne Freyja and a spirit for help. The Lion utilizes viscous jumping and sweeping attacks, and lightning, frost, and storm powers that cover wide areas.

Any player unfortunate enough to be caught in the lion's jaws is unlikely to survive. Getting caught in the storm isn't much better, with the arena becoming a dangerous place to stand still. Freyja is a capable NPC summon for this fight, helping to draw some of the beast's aggression and taking some pressure off the Tarnished.

6 Astel, Naturalborn Of The Void

A Haunting Beast With Lethal And Unexpected Attacks

Astel is one of the most unsettling bosses in the game, and that's saying something. Its appearance is frightening enough, but its deadly gravity magic is the real horror, making it hard to close in and deal melee damage. It uses an energy blast to hit targets from a distance with pinpoint accuracy, and the hard-to-avoid grab attack is enough to make seasoned players panic.

Player summons are unavailable, so the Tarnished must rely on Spirit Ashes if they need a helping hand. They should choose carefully, as Astel has strong defenses against Fire, Lightning, Magic, and Holy damage, and immunity to Frostbite. Spirit Ashes with strong physical damage and long-range attacks are likely the best choice.

5 Valient Gargoyles

A Tough Mid-Game Boss Duo

Players on their first encounter may have finally figured out the Gargoyle's varied move-set before its twinblade-wielding brother showed up. These bosses are prepared for every situation. They spew poisonous mist at their feet when players get too close, and unleash a powerful vacuum slash at longer distances.

Players can Summon a Spirit Ash, alongside the NPC, D, Beholder of Death, if they've progressed through his questline enough. This help is appreciated, as synchronizing dodges between these heavy hitters is no small feat. Gargoyle enemies are considered some of the base game's more difficult bosses, and have a few variants throughout the Lands Between.

4 Rykard, Lord Of Blasphemy

The Great Serpent Sets The Arena Ablaze

This unusual-looking boss can prove quite difficult when faced alone. The main reason for this is his large area of effect attacks that make it nearly impossible to go unscathed. His second phase is especially challenging, as he wields a giant sword and constantly launches flaming sculls that fly at the Tarnished and explode.

The player is given the Serpent Hunter weapon, which launches projectiles at Rykard, who sits out of reach in a pit of lava. This certainly helps, but doesn't negate the onslaught of projectiles and far-reaching slashes. Other players or Spirits drawing some of this aggression will allow the player more opportunities to land attacks.

3 Godskin Duo

Both A Godskin Apostle And A Noble

This battle seems to reference Ornstein and Smough from the original Dark Souls, at least visually. The Godskin Apostle and Noble complement each other in combat by combining their piercing and slashing attacks with Black Flame incantations. This leaves very little room for error, and there will be minimal opportunity to deal damage between their flurry of attacks.

Thankfully, if the Tarnished is part of Volcano Manor, they can summon Knight Bernhall, who wields a powerful Greathammer. With the Tarnished, Bernhall, and a Spirit Ash of the player's choice, the battle with the Godskin Duo will become far less stressful. This doesn't mean they can be underestimated. Even when outnumbered, they are still a formidable pair.

2 Bayle, The Dread

Fire And Lightning

The Lands Between is home to many terrifying Dragons, but Bayle may take the top spot. He is torn from battle, with bone protruding from his wings and a missing leg, but this seems to have only made him angrier. Every part of his body is used as a weapon, including his now sharpened claws, powerful right leg, and his mighty jaws.

He rains unrelenting fire and explosive lightning on his opponents, defending himself from all angles. In this fight, the Tarnished can summon Drake Warrior Igon, a unique NPC and old enemy of Bayle, alongside a Spirit Ash. They can draw some of the dragon's aggression and allow the player to attack.

1 Promised Consort Radahn

Radahn In His Prime

Fighting a broken man much earlier in the player's journey was already a challenge, even with the help of up to six NPC warriors. During that fight, Radahn was a shadow of his former self, leaving players to wonder what he was like at the peak of his strength. There is no longer any need to speculate thanks to Miquella. This battle is everything players expected and more.

Radahn leaves no room for error. Getting caught in the onslaught of his curved Greatswords will surely result in death. His gravity magic is back in full force too, alongside Holy attacks from Miquella in the second phase. Getting help from other players or spirits is a useful tactic here, and will make the Tarnished recall the glorious festival in Caelid so long ago.

Elden Ring

Platform(s)

PS5 , Xbox One , PS4 , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S , PC

Released

February 25, 2022

Developer(s)

From Software

Genre(s)

RPG , Action

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