We’re sure that the Tree Sentinel is still giving you bad dreams.
If you’ve played Elden Ring before, this should sound pretty familiar: you’re riding around the Lands Between when all of a sudden, dramatic music starts playing and a boss bar pops up at the bottom of your screen. A Field Boss just attacked you. For our purposes, this term refers to any boss you can fight without going through a Fog Wall.
These bosses can be found all over Elden Ring. They vary a lot in terms of how hard they are, from being fairly easy to being terrifying monsters that will give even seasoned FromSoftware players nightmares. Here are ten that are most likely to cause you problems.
Tree Sentinel
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In and of itself, the Tree Sentinel is not that hard to beat. But because it’s in Limgrave, it’s likely to be the first Field Boss you fight, and the developers at FromSoftware want to teach you a hard lesson with it. It’s there to teach you that, unlike in the company’s previous games, not every challenge is meant to be faced right away.
It’s not impossible to beat the Tree Sentinel if you take the time to learn its patterns, but you won’t have much fun if you try to fight it as soon as you can.
Ulcerated Tree Spirit

Ulcerated Tree Spirits can be found in different ways all over the game. Some are Field Bosses, while others are at the end of dungeons. They are very big and move very quickly, but in a jerky, flailing way that makes it hard to keep track of them.
These monsters aren’t quite as dangerous as they look, though. In fact, the most dangerous thing about the Ulcerated Tree Spirits might be the panic you feel when you see one for the first time. If you don’t freak out and stay close to them, they won’t hit you as often as you think.
The Dragons

We already have guides and lists describing where these dragons are and how to defeat them (although a handful of the dragons mentioned there aren’t technically field bosses), but there are enough dragons roaming the Places Between to complete this list on their own.
Most of the field bosses do things in the same way. Once you know how they attack, it’s easy to avoid them, but if you make a mistake, they’ll do a lot of damage. And, of course, there’s enough variety here to keep things interesting, between the unique attacks of the stronger “normal” dragons and the occasional Magma Wyrms and Ancient Dragon Lansseax, who use completely different moves.
Dragonkin Soldier

In Elden Ring, there are a lot of Dragonkin Soldiers. The first one is in Siofra River, and the Dragonkin Soldier of Nokstella is, as you might have guessed, in Nokstella. But the one in the Lake of Rot is the strongest of the three and makes this list. You probably don’t need to know much more than that to see why this Dragonkin Soldier can be a problem for players.
It has better stats than the others, but the Lake’s constant threat of Scarlet Rot is the real danger in this fight. Sticking to the platforms that protect you from the Lake will make the fight easier for ranged builds, but if you really need to get close to the Dragonkin Soldier, you should have a lot of Preserving Boluses on hand.
Black Blade Kindred
There are two Black Blade Kindreds in Elden Ring. One guards the Bestial Sanctum in Dragonbarrow, and the other guards the Grand Lift of Rold in the Forbidden Lands. Both of them are terrible to deal with. They attack in a similar way to the Valiant Gargoyles boss, but they can also use Blackflame attacks that can lower your health if they don’t kill you right away.
Both of these enemies are dangerous, but the one guarding the entrance to the Bestial Sanctum is especially dangerous because you can fight it before you’re strong enough to beat it. However, it can’t get into the Bestial Sanctum, so if you’re careful, you can cheese it.
Draconic Tree Sentinel

The Draconic Tree Sentinel is an improved version of the first Field Boss you face in the game. It stands at the entrance to Leyendell, the Royal Capital. At first glance, the two fights don’t seem that different, except that the Draconic Tree Sentinel has more health and does more damage, and it spams a fireball attack whenever you try to get away.
But don’t be fooled by how much they look alike. In its second phase, the Draconic Tree Sentinel adds a variety of lightning attacks with strange timing that cover large areas and will kill you if you aren’t careful. And unlike the normal Tree Sentinel, the Draconic version has to be killed for the game to move on, which could be a problem for players who are having trouble beating it.
Wormface

Death Blight is one of the most scary things in Elden Ring. Even the bravest Tarnished will be scared to death when they see that status bar on their screen. It shows how close they are to dying right away. The Wormface Field Boss is near a Minor Erdtree in the Altus Plataeu. It can cause Death Blight in two ways: first, by releasing a large cloud of poison, and second, by spitting globs of it at you from a distance.
Then, as you panic and run away from the Death Blight clouds, this gangly weirdo will run after you and try to grab you in a nasty way. If you have a lot of resistance to Death Blight, this fight might not seem so bad, but if you aren’t ready, it can be very hard.
Bell Bearing Hunter
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The Bell Bearing Hunter is a secret boss who shows up in different parts of the Lands Between. Because the conditions that make him attack are so specific, many players may never have seen him. He only shows up at night near certain merchants, and it looks like he wants to kill them.
From the way he looks, you can tell that this mysterious person is the Shaded Castle boss Elemer of the Briar. He uses the same powerful telekinetic attacks as his boss form, and the most powerful versions of him have more health than the boss. But at least in the versions where Elemer is not the main boss, you don’t have to fight him in a room the size of a shoebox.
Death Rite Bird

You might have run into a Deathbird early on in your Elden Ring game while you were traveling at night. They look scary, but there’s nothing too hard about them. Then, later in Tunnel Rush game, you can find Death Rite Birds, which are basically Deathbirds on steroids. They have full wings, so they can actually fly, and they can use powerful Ghostflame magic.
If you need help getting rid of these magical zombie chickens, try using Holy Water Pots. Since Death Rite Birds are weak to holy damage and Holy Water Pots increase damage against undead, they are very useful even if you haven’t leveled up your Faith.
Full-Grown Fallingstar Beast

The Full-Grown Fallingstar Beast is in Mt. Gelmir, northeast of Volcano Manor. It is much stronger than the babies you can find in the Altus Plateau and the Sellia Crystal Tunnel. It has a lot more health and is just as fast and mean as its younger siblings. It also gives it a few more Gravity attacks that can almost kill you in one hit if they hit.
The fact that the Full-Grown Fallingstar Beast’s arena is small and on top of a mountain doesn’t help. The boss is hard enough to beat that you don’t have to worry about dying if you slip and fall.
FAQs
What is the #1 hardest boss in Elden Ring? ›
1 Malenia, Blade Of Miquella
Malenia may not be the gigantic beast that Starscourge Radahn is, but she's still generally considered to be the hardest boss in Elden Ring. Some compare her to Bloodborne's Orphan of Kos and Dark Souls 3's Sister Friede, which speaks to just how difficult she can be.
- 1 Malenia, Blade Of Miquella. Elphael, Brace of the Haligtree.
- 2 Starcourge Radahn. Caelid. ...
- 3 Godskin Duo. Crumbling Farum Azula. ...
- 4 Radagon Of The Golden Order/Elden Beast. ...
- 5 Beast Clergyman/Maliketh, The Black Blade. ...
- 6 Dragonlord Placidusax. ...
- 7 Astel, Natural Born Of The Void. ...
- 8 Fire Giant. ...
The Revenant is by far the most dangerous enemy in Elden Ring. At no point in the game should you feel comfortable when encountering this abomination. The Revenant enemy is relentless. It hits fast and hard, quickly repositioning before diving back in for a series of lethal blows.
How many bosses do you actually have to beat Elden Ring? ›Technically, there are only eight mandatory bosses in Elden Ring, all of which come during the late-game portion where you run through multiple bosses in relatively quick succession.
Who is the least favorite boss in Elden Ring? ›Many players claim that the terrifying Death Rite Birds are their least favorite bosses in Elden Ring, with several also mentioning the fight against the two Valiant Gargoyles. Crystalians are named a few times along with Erdtree Burial Watchdogs, probably because these two boss types can come in groups.
Who is the secret boss in Elden Ring? ›Deep under the stalwart defenses of Stormveil Castle in Elden Ring lies a hidden crypt housing an Ulcerated Tree Spirit, also known as the "Root Monster." Slaying this boss will reward Tarnished adventurers with a Golden Seed, the valuable resource required for upgrading Flasks.
Who is the most powerful demigod in Elden Ring? ›General Radahn is generally considered by most Elden Ring characters as the strongest demigod, except it seems even the strongest don't always win.
What is the most overpowered thing in Elden Ring? ›Dark Moon Greatsword
One of the Legendary Armaments in Elden Ring, Dark Moon Greatsword's lives up to the expectations by being one of the most overpowered weapons. The weapon has a unique skill – Moonlight Greatsword.
Blackflame Monks are one of the rarest enemy types in Elden Ring, only spawning in the Divine Tower of Caelid.
What is the hardest Elden Ring weapon? ›Hands down, the most ridiculously powerful bleed weapon in Elden Ring, Rivers of Blood can cut bosses to shreds with very little brain power needed. Simply walking near the target and spamming the left trigger will leave them lying at the Tarnished's feet.
Is Caelid completely optional? ›
Even so, Caelid is actually an optional zone, meaning that you don't need to visit it, explore it, or defeat the challenging boss Starscourge Radahn at Redmane Castle if you don't care to. However, you do need to beat at least two shardbearers to progress to the end of the game, so Radahn is one option.
What bosses give the most runes? ›Boss | NG Runes |
---|---|
Godfrey | 300,000 |
Mohg, Lord of Blood | 420,000 |
Malenia the Severed | 480,000 |
Elden Beast | 500,000 |
You may think this sounds easy, that you'll just miss out on a couple of side quests and vendors, righ? Wrong. ymfah states that they will only talk to NPCs that are absolutely required to progress the main story, but they also show us early on in the video that talking to Melina is actually optional.
Can Malenia get Scarlet Rot? ›Can inflict Scarlet Rot in 2nd phase. Parriable: Yes. However, she can only be riposted on every 3rd parry, otherwise backsteps.
What is Melania weak against? ›To beat the Malenia boss fight in Elden Ring, here's some strategic tips and tricks: Malenia is weak to Fire and Bleed weapons. Armor up against Slashing, Piercing and Scarlet Rot.
Who are the evilest characters in Elden Ring? ›Mohg, the Lord of Blood – Elden Ring
Mohg is probably the single evilest character in a From Software game.
"It's tough to decide", Miyazaki said about the bosses, "but I'd have to say Radahn. As an individual character he's really alluring, and I really like the Radahn Festival situation.
Who is the 1st Elden Ring boss? ›Elden Ring's first major boss battle is against Margit the Fell Omen, a formidable foe who stands between you and the Stormveil Castle legacy dungeon. This means you'll have to take him down to move the story along, and you can guarantee he won't make it particularly easy on you.
Who is the blood place boss in Elden Ring? ›How to find Mohg, Lord of Blood in Elden Ring. Mohg can be found within the Mohgwyn Palace, a secret level within the underground Siofra River. This area can be accessed by going through a portal in the west of the Consecrated Snowfield. There is another way to access his lair much earlier in the game.
Who is stronger Malenia or Radahn? ›The battle was considered a draw by most, considering how badly both sides had faired, and because neither Demigod had actually died. That said, it seems that at the end of the day, Malenia was the clear winner.
Who killed Ranni the witch? ›
In what would become known as the Night of Black Knives, the assassins murdered Godwyn the Golden, killing him in spirit, while Ranni killed herself in body, transferring her spirit into a doll said to be modeled after the image of her mentor, the Snow Witch.
Is godrick the weakest demigod in Elden Ring? ›Enia describes Godrick as the weakest of the demigods, which is alluded to when he was driven from the capital and was defeated by Malenia. It is possible to skip phase 2 entirely if you kill him during the phase transition.
Is there a gun in Elden Ring? ›Clearly this is just one of the many weapons that will be at our disposal in Elden Ring, but it's still a little jarring to see a gun - however medieval looking it might be - in the middle of a game all about swords and sorcery.
What is the fastest sword in Elden Ring? ›The far more obtainable Estoc is one of the strongest and fastest attacking thrusting swords in Elden Ring. Its heavy attack, like the Noble's Estoc, deals slashing damage.
What is Elden Ring's weakest weapon? ›The Eclipse Shotel Is Elden Ring's Worst Legendary Weapon
Though at the very least respectable in terms of damage, its Death Flare weapon art leaves much to be desired - particularly in that its deathblight effect is completely ineffective against all but a select few of Elden Ring's many enemies.
With blood in the title of the weapon, it is no surprise that the Rivers of Blood katana is the best blood weapon players can find and use. Inflicting also physical and fire damage with every hit, this is a weapon many foes will not wish to cross blades with.
What is the biggest weapon in Elden? ›- 1 Greatsword - 164.
- 2 Grafted Blade Greatsword - 162. ...
- 3 Troll's Golden Sword - 155. ...
- 4 Watchdog's Greatsword - 142. ...
- 5 Zweihander - 141. ...
- 6 Starscourge Greatsword - 129. ...
- 7 Maliketh's Black Blade - 127. ...
- 8 Troll Knight's Sword - 124. ...
That's because Caelid is ravaged by something called Scarlet Rot. The creeping disease infects living things and pools in a huge, fetid swamp, resulting in a whole region filled with putrefying, monstrous creatures.
Who is the giant boss in Caelid? ›The Beastman of Farum Azula can be fought as the main boss inside the Dragonbarrow Cave just south of the Bestial Sanctum in Caelid. Upon beating the Beastman, it grants 65,000 Runes and an Elden Ring Talisman, the Flamedrake Talisman +2.
What level should I be for Radahn? ›You should be at least level 70 before fighting Radahn, ideally with a powerful weapon suited to your chosen build, such as the Moonveil Katana, or strong spells with good range, including Comet.
What boss drops 420000 runes? ›
Summary Mohg, Lord of Blood is an optional boss in Elden Ring that is well worth the effort, as he drops a 420,000 Runes and a Remembrance of the Blood Lord consumable.
What kills Melina Elden Ring? ›As an example, one Elden Ring fan completely destroyed Melania using Morgott's Cursed Sword, as they managed to defeat her within 60 seconds. Now, another player has uploaded a similar video of them defeating Malenia with a different weapon.
What happens if you reject Melina? ›What happens if you refuse Melina in Elden Ring. Refusing Melina's offer in Elden Ring will block your progression in the game. Accepting her offer is the only way to level up in the game, and she's the one who will give you the key item Spectral Steed Whistle, which you can use to summon Elden Ring's horse Torrent.
Does Melina betray Elden Ring? ›There's a way to do this after Melina sacrifices herself, but those who pursue the Three Fingers so Melina does not die will betray her trust. She will beg players not to seek out the Frenzied Flame, and she'll leave their side if they do.
Who is the strongest boss in Elden Ring lore? ›Maliketh is the most powerful character in Elden Ring who is not a demi-god. This beast-like creature is the Shadow to Queen Marika, essentially acting as the demi-god's enforcer. What truly makes Maliketh a formidable foe is his sword, which wields the power of Destined Death.
Is Elden Beast the hardest boss in Elden Ring? ›Another of the hardest Elden Ring bosses is the Elden Beast, a massive creature you'll encounter as the second form of Radagon of the Golden Order. Equally massive to the Elden Beast's form is the size of its boss arena.
Which Elden Ring boss has the most kills? ›Malenia, Blade of Miquella ate up an astonishing 329 million of those attempts, making her Elden Ring's objectively deadliest boss.
Is Ranni the strongest demigod? ›Still, if Ranni was always the intangible, one-shotting demigod she is in Elden Ring, then she may very well be more powerful than Radahn and Malenia combined. In that instance, she's more than worthy of being considered the strongest demigod in the game.
Who is the god of Elden Ring? ›The Greater Will
The vessel of the Elden Ring is considered a God, and the God's consort takes the title of Elden Lord. Assuming Elden Lord means "consort to the vessel of the Elden Ring" then we know of two Gods under the Greater Will: Marika and Placidusax's fled God.
Holy damage will heal them, so avoid using it completely, and they have resistance to all status effects, meaning the Elden Beast weakness is pure physical damage.
Why is Malenia so hard? ›
What makes Malenia so difficult, even for her fellow boss characters, is the fact that she heals with every attack she lands, making her incredibly durable.
What is Melania weak to? ›Elden Ring fans in shambles after they work out Malenia's killed 10 of them every second since launch.
What percent of players beat Malenia? ›We know that 34.6 percent of all Steam players have defeated Malenia at least once because of the associated achievement, and we know there have been 20 million Elden Rings sold across all platforms.
What is the average death count in Elden Ring? ›Over nine billion player deaths were recorded in Elden Ring's first year. If you divide that through the 20 million copies the game sold in that timeframe you get an average death count of 450.
What is the saddest boss fight in Elden Ring? ›Famously known as one of the most difficult bosses in the game, Malenia, Blade of Miquella also has one of the most tragic origin stories across Elden Ring's pantheon of demigod characters.
What is the strangest boss in Elden Ring? ›6 Astel, Naturalborn Of The Void
The oddest and creepiest boss award in Elden Ring goes to Astel, Naturalborn of the Void.
Blackflame Monks are one of the rarest enemy types in Elden Ring, only spawning in the Divine Tower of Caelid.