Elden Ring Boss Fights Guide

Preparation (Before You Enter)

1. Level Vigor First

   Aim for 40 Vigor by mid-game and 60 by late game. Low HP is the number one killer. Bosses will one-shot you under roughly 30 Vigor. Explore and level before tough bosses instead of rushing straight to them.

2. Upgrade Your Weapon

   Get your weapon to at least +6 standard or +12 somber via smithing stones. Use weapon-appropriate ashes of war. Quick weapons let you sneak more hits between boss attacks. Heavy weapons stagger better but require better timing.

3. Stock Healing and Buffs

   Upgrade your Flask of Crimson Tears at churches. Bring consumables like boiled crab for defense or grease for elemental damage. Every advantage counts.

4. Choose a Spirit Ash Summon

   Mimic Tear or tanky spirits like Lhutel the Headless are top picks. Summon right before the fog gate. This draws aggro so you can heal and attack safely. Widely considered essential, not cheating.

   Key: Upgrade your spirit ash at Roundtable Hold. A +10 Mimic Tear can solo phase 1 of many bosses while you learn the patterns.

During the Fight

1. Enter and Observe

   Your first 1-2 deaths are learning runs. Do not attack immediately. Run around the arena and watch the full moveset. Note wind-ups, combo lengths, and safe distances. Keep the camera locked on the boss at all times.

2. Position Correctly

   Stay mid-close for most bosses. For large enemies like dragons and giants, hug their legs or sides. Attacks often miss or go over you. Dodge into the boss for many swings, not away. Back off only for big AoE attacks.

   Key: Dodging into the boss puts you behind them after the roll, giving you a free punish window. Dodging away keeps you in range of follow-up attacks.

3. Time Your Dodges

   Only roll when the attack is about to land. One attack equals one dodge. Do not spam roll. Practice timing on the boss's easiest moves first. Panic rolling is the single biggest killer in Elden Ring.

4. Punish Openings

   After a combo ends and the boss recovers or poses, get 1-2 hits in, then back off. Do not greed for more. Quick weapons let you sneak hits between attacks in a combo. Heavy weapons should wait for the full combo to end.

5. Heal Safely

   Only heal during clear openings after the boss commits to a long move with recovery time. Use your spirit summon as a distraction. Healing at the wrong moment gets you hit and wastes the flask.

6. Handle Phase Transitions

   Expect a second phase with new moves or arena changes. Stay calm. You have already learned phase 1. The second phase usually adds 1-2 new attacks on top of the existing moveset.

Key Decision Points

• Summon or solo: Use spirit ashes on first attempts and hard bosses, especially duo fights. Solo later for the satisfaction. Most players recommend summons for accessibility.
• Parry vs. dodge: Learn parries for human-like bosses like Margit and Malenia if you enjoy the timing challenge. Practice on smaller enemies first. Dodging and jumping is safer for most encounters.
• Build choice: Bleed and frost builds melt many bosses. Match elemental weaknesses if known from prior attempts. Fire works well on some, lightning on dragons.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Panic rolling or spamming dodge. This gets you caught in combos and killed.
• Greeding for too many hits. One extra swing leads to unnecessary damage or death.
• Ignoring exploration and leveling. Fighting underleveled makes every boss harder than it needs to be.
• Focusing only on offense. Defense and pattern learning come first. Damage comes after survival.
• Getting tilted after deaths. Take a break. Each run teaches you more about the moveset.

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