Elden Ring: 8 Hardest Bosses To Parry

Summary

Defeating bosses in Elden Ring can be tailored to any build, offering diverse strategies.
Parrying is a challenging skill to master, especially against bosses like Tree Sentinel.
Some bosses, like Malenia, require precise parrying to defeat due to their relentless attacks.

As a gamer, one thing I absolutely love about Elden Ring is the freedom it gives me to conquer its formidable bosses scattered across The Lands Between and the Land of Shadows with any character build I desire. Be it a mage wielding potent spells and donning enchanted armor, a nimble rogue swiftly darting about, or a colossal warrior smashing through obstacles with brute strength, there’s no limit to the paths I can forge.

While some players opt for the traditional dodge-and-strike approach with powerful Talismans, others elect to master the art of parrying. Here are a few particularly challenging bosses for parrying in Elden Ring.

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8. Tree Sentinel

The Difficulty Comes From How Early He Can Be Taken On

An optional early-game challenge
Figuring out the Tree Sentinel’s parry openings can be hard for beginners

The Tree Sentinel isn’t overly tough, but it becomes more manageable for those players who tackle other challenges in Limgrave and then come back to battle him once they’ve significantly leveled up. However, players who opt to fight this enemy immediately after lighting their first bonfire in the area might find parrying him quite tricky.

Initially, inflicting sufficient harm on this boss with your initial weapon might be challenging. Moreover, the Tree Sentinel deals a substantial amount of damage, making it easy for a few misplaced parries to lead to defeat. A smart approach to tackle this encounter’s toughness is by discovering the most effective weapons in Limgrave.

7. Margit, The Fell Omen

The First Skill-check For Many Players

One of the first real challenges players will face in The Lands Between
Margit’s second phase is much more aggressive than his first

For numerous players, especially those new to the Soulsborne series, Margit, The Fell Omen serves as their initial test of skill during their adventure. While Margit isn’t exceptionally challenging compared to bosses found later in the game, determining the right moment to parry him can prove tricky.

Additionally, it’s worth noting that his second form has left many players taken aback. His ability to accelerate even after losing half his health makes Margit difficult to block initially. Given his speed during the second phase, a character build emphasizing Dexterity with an efficient Dexterity weapon is suggested for effective parrying.

6. Loretta, Knight Of The Haligtree

A Harder Version Of The Boss Players Face At Caria Manor

This version of Loretta is much harder than that of Caria Manor
Dodging her attacks can be difficult, especially while looking for a parry opportunity

When gamers encounter “Loretta, Knight of the Haligtree”, they may swiftly discern that this powerful adversary is a tougher incarnation of the one they previously fought in Caria Manor during the game’s progression. As expected, this enhanced version is significantly more aggressive, delivers harder blows, and presents a greater challenge overall.

While it’s not too hard to predict Loretta’s parry openings, successfully reading and dodging her attacks while searching for an opening to strike is no walk in the park. For those finding her particularly tough, a good strategy might be to seek out powerful weapons that can swiftly deplete boss health bars, making this battle less daunting.

5. Crucible Knights

Quick Attacks That Can Be Hard To Predict

Crucible Knights are very fast and relentless
Defeating Crucible Knights often rewards players handsomely

In addition to offering multiple conclusions and an expansive selection of weapons, armor, and magic, Elden Ring also includes challenging duels against the formidable Crucible Knights, often regarded as among the toughest adversaries that aren’t designated as bosses.

The knights from the Crucible are as powerful as a truck, swift as lightning, and their attack patterns are tricky to anticipate, making them hard to predict at times. This is particularly noticeable during the fight against the Crucible Knight Duo, where players must strategize each move carefully to stay alive. Overcoming these knights in The Lands Between brings valuable rewards, but mastering the precise timing for parrying can be tough.

4. Commander Niall

His Attacks Are Telegraphed, But Also Quite Fast

Commander Niall must be defeated to enter Miquella’s Haligtree
It’s recommended to deal with the spirit knights first

While it’s possible for players to explore Miquella’s Haligtree and encounter Malenia without facing Commander Niall, doing so is not recommended if they aspire to win. One aspect that makes the battle against Malenia particularly challenging is that, prior to engaging Commander Niall, gamers must first defeat the two knight spirits he summons.

After Commander Niall’s allies have been handled, players can concentrate on dodging his attacks. Yet, this task isn’t straightforward because he packs a powerful punch, moves swiftly, and employs delayed attacks, making no margin for mistakes. Players might consider using the Blasphemous Blade or other tough-to-acquire weapons in Elden Ring to simplify the battle. Still, it won’t be an easy stroll.

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Once Commander Niall’s associates are taken care of, players can zero in on avoiding his strikes. However, this isn’t a piece of cake since he delivers heavy blows, moves rapidly, and uses delayed attacks, leaving no leeway for errors. Players might find the Blasphemous Blade or other hard-to-get weapons in Elden Ring helpful to make the fight less challenging. But even so, it won’t be a cakewalk.

3. Malenia Blade Of Miquella

Swift Blade Swings And Relentless Attacks

The hardest boss in the base game
If players fail to parry her, she’ll recover HP

Without a shadow of a doubt, Malenia stands as the most formidable adversary in the fundamental game of Elden Ring. Over time, she has proven to be an insurmountable obstacle for many players brave enough to engage her. Although mastering the art of parrying can lessen the battle’s difficulty, finding the rhythm to execute it successfully is no walk in the park.

She boasts not just swift abilities and a knack for regenerating HP upon striking Tarnished opponents, but she also possesses the lethal Waterfowl Dance move. Numerous gamers concur that transforming her into an optional boss was a brilliant decision by FromSoftware.

2. Rellana Twin Moon Knight

Her Dual Sword Attack Pattern Is Confusing

Dual sword attacks that are relentless and deadly
She leaves little to no window of opportunity to attack

In the additional content known as “Shadow of the Erdtree,” numerous gamers who thought themselves invincible in the main game were brought down to size. Characters such as the Rellana Twin Moon Knight demonstrated that the game could still be made more challenging, providing a tough test even for experienced players at higher levels.

One challenging aspect of facing Rellana in combat is that her attacks come quickly, consistently, and can be hard to anticipate due to her exceptional agility and unpredictable blade movements with her two swords. However, like many things, the challenge of parrying her attacks can be subjective, as some players find her moves predictable while others find her elusive.

1. Maliketh, The Black Blade

Some Attacks Can Only Be Parried With The Blasphemous Claw

Players must get the Blasphemous Claw to parry Maliketh properly
Swift melee and ranged attacks

To conclude, we also encounter Maliketh, the Dark Sword. Despite the fact that other base game and DLC bosses are generally perceived as tougher than him, Maliketh stands out due to a unique feature when it comes to parrying – the Sinister Talon.

Some of his assaults can be blocked conventionally, but others necessitate the use of Blasphemous Claw, which players must go through an additional process to acquire. This unique aspect makes Maliketh tricky to block effectively, as it’s not immediately clear that a special item is needed for some blocks.

2025-01-09 05:34