What is the hardest boss in Elden Ring?

Players often name Malenia in the base game and Promised Consort Radahn in Shadow of the Erdtree. Messmer the Impaler is also frequently called very hard.

Do I need the DLC bosses to finish the game?

No. Shadow of the Erdtree is optional and needs the base game.

Yes in most boss fights, using Spirit Ashes or allies. Some fights have rules, so read the in-game prompts.

What level should I be for Malenia?

There is no fixed number. Upgrade your weapon, raise vigor, and focus on a build that applies bleed or frost.

Elden Ring Hardest Bosses and How to Beat Each One

Elden Ring has many hard bosses, but a handful stop most players. This guide covers Malenia, Starscourge Radahn, Maliketh, Promised Consort Radahn, Radagon with the Elden Beast, and Rennala, with the attacks to watch and one plan for each. The attack details come from a 2026 boss guide by GeekyInc, checked on October 10, 2026. Messmer the Impaler is also often named among the hardest Shadow of the Erdtree bosses by the press, but we do not give a detailed plan for him here.

Key takeaways

Level your gear and your Scadutree Blessing before the DLC final boss.
Summons (Spirit Ashes, allies) change difficulty a lot. Use them without shame.
Most deaths happen from greed. Hit once or twice, then dodge.
Bring items that match the fight: mobility for Radahn, damage over time for Malenia.

These screenshots may contain violence.

Images are provided by Steam and belong to their publishers.

Quick comparison

Boss	What makes it hard	Core plan
Malenia, Blade of Miquella	Waterfowl Dance flurry, heals when she hits you	Do not block. Use bleed or frost. Roll when the flower forms in phase two.
Starscourge Radahn	Gravity arrows at range, meteor crash	Fight on Torrent, use summons, zig-zag.
Maliketh, the Black Blade	Destined Death lowers max HP, fast phase two	Stay close and aggressive, jump low sweeps.
Promised Consort Radahn	Brutal combos, blinding light, huge cross-slash	Level Scadutree Blessing, dodge into the gaps.
Radagon and Elden Beast	Fast Radagon, evasive Beast	Stay close to Radagon, use reach against the Beast.
Rennala	Hidden lit student, summons in phase two	Find the student, then stay on her in phase two.

Malenia, Blade of Miquella

Malenia is the fight most players name first. Her Waterfowl Dance comes in a three-burst flurry. Sprint away from the first burst, or dodge into her during the third. She heals when her attacks hit you, including when you block, so avoid blocking. Bleed and frost builds work well against her. In phase two she opens with Scarlet Aeonia, a rot bloom, so roll as soon as the flower forms. Fight in short rounds: land a hit or two, back off, and heal only when you are sure it is safe.

Starscourge Radahn

Radahn fires gravity arrow barrages from far away. In phase two he teleports into the sky and crashes down like a meteor. Fight mobile on Torrent, summon allies like Blaidd, Alexander and Okina to draw his attacks, and hit and retreat. Zig-zag rather than running in a straight line, and when he vanishes, sprint sideways, not away.

Maliketh, the Black Blade

Maliketh's Destined Death lowers your maximum HP for the rest of the fight, so you cannot rely on a long fight. In phase two he is very fast, with leaps, low spinning sweeps and a leaping slam. Stay close and aggressive, jump the low sweeps, and punish the pause after the slam. Mobility talismans and a high stamina stat help.

Promised Consort Radahn

This is the final boss of Shadow of the Erdtree. Phase one is brutal melee combos. Phase two adds Miquella's blinding light and a screen-filling cross-slash. The guide's main advice is to raise your Scadutree Blessing with Scadutree Fragments before you try. In the fight, roll into his combos, dodge into the gaps, keep the camera pulled back, and do not lock on if the light blinds you. Practice the phase one dodge timing until it is automatic.

Radagon and the Elden Beast

Radagon is a fast, aggressive humanoid with hammer slams and a holy area attack on the ground. Stay close and dodge. The Elden Beast is a swimming boss that likes to flee and has awkward hitboxes. Use a weapon with good reach, chase it, and bring a healing incantation or the Blessing's Boon. Bleed and ranged options shorten the fight.

Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon

In phase one, find the lit student who shields Rennala and strike them. In phase two she summons wolves and dragons and casts a tracking full moon. Stay on her, because staggering her removes the summons, and dodge the moon cast late.

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Tools that help in any hard fight

Spirit Ashes: a summon draws attacks away from you.
Torrent: good against huge, slow bosses. Bad indoors.
Status buildup: bleed and frost are strong against many bosses.
Healing flasks: set your split between HP and FP before big fights.

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Next steps: read the general hard boss guide, check the Elden Ring hub, or watch how pros do it on live streams.

Elden Ring hardest bosses and how to beat each one