Elden Ring has taken the gaming world by storm, providing players with challenging battles against unique and terrifying bosses. Defeating these demigods and their vassals is key to progressing through the Lands Between and unlocking the game‘s mysterious endings.
This comprehensive guide will cover all 18 main boss encounters in Elden Ring in the order players will face them. We‘ll highlight attack patterns, recommended strategies, location info, lore significance, and tips to overcome each major foe.
What Makes Elden Ring So Popular
Before diving into the bosses, it‘s worth summarizing what makes FromSoftware‘s Elden Ring such a phenomenon. Key factors in its success include:
- Gorgeous open world with seamless transitions between dungeons, fields, and legacy areas
- Epic scope and worldbuilding that gives strong incentive to explore
- Customizable builds with magic systems, crafting, spirit summons, and more
- Tough but fair combat that rewards mastery
- Memorable characters and demigods with rich backstories
- Seamless multiplayer integration for PvP and co-op
While the setting pulls players in, it‘s overcoming the game‘s intense boss fights that provides the most satisfaction. Now let‘s cover these bosses in order.
Margit, the Fell Omen
The first main boss plays gatekeeper to Stormveil Castle and Godrick. Margit unleashes aggressive magical sword strikes, daggers, and hammer moves to pummel the unprepared.
Location: Guards the path to Stormveil Castle in Limgrave
Tips to Defeat:
- Roll towards him when he attacks to get behind for counter damage
- Using spirit summons helps split his aggression
- Strike weapons bypass his high slash defense
Margit exemplifies the skill needed to progress, acting as an early test before facing true demigods.
Godrick the Grafted
The repugnant Godrick seeks power through grafting appendages of vanquished foes onto his deformed body. He wields a massive dragon head for breaths, slams, and bites.
Location: Boss of Stormveil Castle Legacy Dungeon
Tips to Defeat:
- Target Godrick‘s real head for max damage
- Utilize pillars when he breathes rot
- Summon spirits to create openings
Slaying Godrick earns the Great Rune of the shardbearers, boosting attributes.
Red Wolf of Radagon
This large red direwolf creeps through Raya Lucaria Academy guarding the Carian Queen Rennala beyond. Fire and blood define his moveset.
Location: Inside Raya Lucaria behind the Church of the Cuckoo grace
Tips to Defeat
- Frost builds quickly stun the beast
- Let summons grab aggro then go for backstabs
While optional, defeating the wolf opens the path to a Rune.
Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon
A sorceress who can call upon full moon magic resides in the Grand Library of Raya Lucaria. She begins with illusory students before facing players directly.
Location: Boss of Raya Lucaria Legacy Dungeon
Tips to Defeat:
- Rush Rennala before she can summon help
- Magic attacks like Glintstone Pebble quickly deplete her HP
Rennala‘s Rune boosts magical prowess – perfect for aspiring mages.
Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy
Deep below Mt. Gelmir lies the serpentine horror Rykard who wields near-immortality thanks to the satanic serpent blade, Blasphemous Claw. Only true champions can end this vile recycling of souls.
Location: Inside Volcano Manor after completing quests for Lady Tanith
Tips to Defeat:
- Acquire the Serpent-Hunter spear to inflict max damage
- L2 attack enables a shield-piercing takedown that stuns Rykard for a period
- Protect spirit summons from area of effect lava bursts
Rykard guards another shard of the Elden Ring.
Starscourge Radahn
The legendary Starscourge Radahn stands as one of the mightiest shardbearers despite scarlet rot taking both body and mind. With the loyal Leonard aiding him, Radahn wields gravity magic and giant swords with animal ferocity.
Location: Southeast Caelid on approach to Redmane Castle
Tips to Defeat:
- Utilize walls and ruins to avoid meteors
- Torrent greatly improves mobility for the fight
- Patience is key as Radahn often leaves himself exposed between combos
Finding Radahn starts Ranni the Witch‘s questline towards unlocking an ending.
Morgott, the Omen King
As players enter Leyndell, the Royal Capital at the Erdtree‘s base, Morgott stands guard to repel Tarnished wishing to progress. His curse grants wings, a tail, horns, and blood weapons with potent combos and shrieks.
Location: Within the hallway proceeding the Grand Lift to the Capital
Tips to Defeat:
- Margit‘s Shackle can disrupt his stance
- Guard Counters with 100 physical reduction shields work well
- Frostbite and bleed inflict heavy damage during openings
Only by slaying Morgott can Tarnished hope to venture deeper towards the Erdtree.
Fire Giant
Far above in the frozen Mountaintops of the Giants prowls one of the last Giant survivors consumed by flame and bound by Queen Marika to guard the Forge. Fire Giants draw power from a core flame inside their chest.
Location: Northeast snowfields
Tips to Defeat:
- Target the leg brace on his unchained foot to topple him
- Use Torrent for mobility to get behind during stomps
- Quickly run away from arm swipe combos
Killing the Giant opens the path to crucial armaments in the Giant‘s Flame area beyond.
Godskin Noble & Godskin Apostle
A daunting pair of black flame monks built like tanks dual wield katana-like flaying weapons with deadly skills. Once defeated individually at Mt. Gelmir and Windmill Village, players must face this tag team in Farum Azula.
Location: Dragon Temple Rooftop, Crumbling Farum Azula
Tips to Defeat:
- Sleep pots/arrows can incapacitate one temporarily
- Bleed buildup can punish their slow recovery animations
- Divine Fortification rejects their holy black flame damage
This encounter checks skills learned from previous shardbearers leading to Malekith‘s domain.
Hoarah Loux, Warrior
When facing off against Queen Marika‘s champion, the player encounters this curmudgeon Tarnished back from banishment. A grueling bare knuckle brawl featuring earth-shattering slams and an earth blade prosthetic arm.
Location: Fog Gate before Erdtree Sanctum, Leyndell Capital Outskirts
Tips to Defeat:
- Quick rolling through his delayed stomp combos works if timed well
- Guard Countering with high stability shields creates chances for critical strikes
Only by defeating the Tarnished‘s blade can players gain right of entry into Queen Marika‘s presence.
Maliketh, The Black Blade
Marika‘s loyal sword wields destined death magic able to forever slay gods. After taking down the agile armor-clad Gurranq, the wolf-like Maliketh emerges for a pummeling dance of blades.
Location: Beside the Dragon Temple Throne, Crumbling Farum Azula
Tips to Defeat:
- Nullifying his tornado tracking moves should be top priority
- During Phase 2, stay close and dodge diagonally when possible
- Holy damage boosting talismans and incantations help whittle his health
Maliketh bars passage to the Queen until a true Elden Lord claimant arrives to test might.
Radagon of the Golden Order
At last, past all other challengers, the player ascends into the Erdtree towards Queen Marika only for Radagon to bar passage with his lightning imbued hammer and great shield.
Location: Inside the Erdtree Sanctuary fog gate before the Elden Throne room
Tips to Defeat:
- Dodge diagonally towards Radagon during hammer combo chains
- Fully charged R2s in openings can inflict poise breaks
- Lightning resist gear and magic protection talismans strongly advised
Only a victory here earns the right for one final confrontation against Marika‘s fractured other self.
Elden Beast
Emerging after defeating Radagon, the Elden Beast rises as the vassal container of the Elden Ring itself attempting to bar the Tarnished‘s right to repair it. A colossal otherworldly lightning flinging creature.
Location: Golden fog gate after Radagon, inside Erdtree Heart
Tips to Defeat:
- Torrent offers greater escape from large area attacks
- Frost and blood loss buildup work well during brief vulnerability windows
- Hoarfrost Stomp or Pest Threads punish distance closers
Destined heroes who would become Elden Lord must fell a god. Only in victory can Tarnished heroes finally Restore or Reform the foundations governing the Lands Between in their vision.
Conclusion
This concludes our epic journey through all main 18 bosses in Elden Ring and how to beat them. While extremely challenging, besting these foes offers a one of a kind sense of accomplishment. With New Game+ and varied endings, these battles reward replayability and overcoming harder variants.
What boss gave you the most difficulty in your playthrough? Which foe did you find most epic? Let everyone know in the comments. And be sure to check out our other Elden Ring guides covering optimized builds, farming runes, secrets, lore explanations and more. Stay tuned for DLC expansions featuring even more intense battles!
