As a seasoned adventurer with countless hours spent exploring the vast lands of Elden Ring, I’ve faced my fair share of formidable foes. But none have tested my mettle quite like the Blackgaol Knight. With his menacing presence and relentless attacks, I knew that approaching him without a solid strategy would mean certain doom.
In the expansion of Elden Ring, there are numerous new bosses waiting for you, with several appearing right at the beginning of the Shadow of the Erdtree. One such early encounter is the Blackgaol Knight, who can be found not long after entering the Realm of Shadow. Encountering him serves as a gentle reminder that it’s essential to explore and strengthen yourself before tackling the more challenging DLC bosses.
As a gamer, I can tell you that taking on the Elden Ring DLC’s Blackgaol Knight boss may seem like a piece of cake with him being roughly the same size as the Tarnished, but let me warn you, this foe is no walk in the park. For both melee and spellcasting builds, specific strategies are needed to emerge victorious. Don’t underestimate this high-Poise boss! Be cautious when deciding to attack, as one false move could lead to a painful defeat. But if you manage to outsmart him, the rewards will be well worth it – one of the heaviest and most defensively robust sets in the DLC.
Western Nameless Mausoleum & Blackgaol Knight Location
To reach the Western Nameless Mausoleum and conquer the Blackgaol Knight, follow this path: Go northwest from the DLC starting point, where you’ll encounter an area filled with Gravebirds and countless gravestones (infested and gravestone-ridden area). Alternatively, head southwest from the Three-Path Cross site of Grace, which is situated near Belurat Tower Settlement’s tunnel.
The Gravebirds may cause some inconvenience, yet you can effortlessly bypass them by riding Torrent directly to the mausoleum’s entrance in this western region with surrounding cliffs. Dismount and go through the doorway to locate the boss door at the foot of the staircase. Combat commences upon entering.
If you perish during the battle against the Blackgaol Knight boss in Elden Ring’s DLC, don’t fret about having to make a long trek back to the Site of Grace from the beginning. Instead, you will be given the chance to respawn right outside the entrance to the Blackgaol Knight boss fight, at the top of the stairs.
Blackgaol Knight Boss Walkthrough
Weaknesses, Strategies, Moveset, & More
Blackgaol Knight Boss Weaknesses
- The boss is very heavily armored (in an armor set you can get for defeating it), so melee attacks will be less effective than sorceries and incantations.
- The Blackgaol Knight can be easily Parried, and its slow but hard-hitting attacks are a great way to test out the new Spontaneous Guard system (granted by the Deflecting Hardtear)
- The Blackgaol Knight has few major resistances not granted by high armor, but it can be difficult to build up Bleed, Frostbite, or Scarlet Rot on this enemy.
- For spellcasters, Sorcerers and Incantation-wielders who can time their spells well will find the Blackgaol Knight’s Magic and Lightning weaknesses to be exploitable. Use spells like Greatblade Phalanx to keep the pressure off while spamming faster Sorceries, or try using Ancient Dragon Lightning spells (or Honed Lightning) as an Incantation-user.
Blackgaol Knight Moveset & Counters
| Move | Description | How To Counter |
|---|---|---|
| Greatsword attacks | Attacks with its equipped Greatsword, with the same four-hit animation given to all Greatswords. Can be wielded one or two-handed, with associated movesets. | If you can do a Jumping heavy attack, it is possible to stop the boss’ attack combo. Otherwise, just dodge backward and wait for the boss to stop attacking for a second or two of oppotunity. |
| Storm Blast & Follow-Up | The Knight will raise its greatsword, blast a wave of physical damage forward, then close the gap with a quick dash and strike. Can be cast from a long distance. | Dodge to the side of the physical blast, then dodge into the boss’ follow-up attack, to get a few seconds of reprieve to attack the boss or heal. |
| Crossbow Barrage | The Knight loads up its crossbow and fires a barrage of a dozen or so crossbow bolts fired increasingly faster | Walk to the side when at mid-to-long range to avoid these. Do not dodge, as you will likely be hit by bolts upon standing up, and they deal a ton of damage. |
| Dash Slash | Dashes forward with sword held in two hands and slashes after a moment of holding the strike. | Dodge towards the boss when it dashes toward you, either when it dashes on its own or follows up its physical blast wave with a dash slash. |
Strategies To Beat Blackgaol Knight
General Blackgaol Knight Boss Tips
- When firing and reloading its crossbow, the Blackgaol Knight is completely vulnerable. You can reliably trigger it to pull out the crossbow if you stand about a two-to-three second sprint from its location. That’s also about how long it takes to pull out and fire, so you can close the distance while it’s locked into the animation and deal some serious damage.
- The Blackgaol Knight boss will often blast the player with a Blasphemous Blade-like weapon skill, which launches a wave of physical damage when it brings its greatsword down. It will always follow this up with a charge-slash, so be careful to avoid both the physical blast and the distance-closing strike.
- With a high Guard Boost shield, and a lot of Stamina, you can block the majority of the boss’ attacks, but you won’t have much Stamina left over to attack back. Try using Barricade Shield for extra Guard Boost to offset this, or try using the Two-Headed Turtle Talisman (found later in the DLC) for a huge boost to your Stamina recovery.
- Slowly walk to the side of the boss when at mid-to-long range to avoid all of the rapid-fire crossbow bolts. You do not actually need to dodge away from this, and in fact dodging instead of just walking to the side can make you get caught in the barrage as your character stands up.
Based on my own experience playing “Elden Ring,” I can confidently suggest that if you find yourself stuck on a boss battle, stepping back and exploring other areas to level up and gain new abilities is often the best course of action. I’ve found myself in this predicament numerous times, feeling frustrated and defeated after multiple attempts against a particularly challenging foe. However, taking a break from the battle and delving into unexplored territories has always paid off. Not only do you get to discover new environments and collect valuable resources, but you also gain experience points and level up, making you a stronger and more capable player when you eventually return to face that boss again. Trust me; this strategy has worked wonders for me, and I believe it will benefit you as well in your “Elden Ring” journey.
Melee Blackgaol Knight Strategies
- The Blackgaol Knight has incredibly high Poise, and it’s very, very difficult to break its stance and get a critical hit. However, this does not apply to the skill on the cheese-lover’s favorite Blasphemous Blade (and other weapon skills that knock enemies down)
- It also can be knocked down reliably with the Giant Hunt and Lion’s Claw Ashes of War, but be careful not to get struck during the wind-up for these animations.
- Try using a Smithscript weapon against this boss instead of traditional melee weapons. These allow you to throw the weapon for ranged damage with the R2/RT attack, and can be a helpful way to beat the boss with a melee build without being in close range.
Spellcaster Blackgaol Knight Strategies
- Its small hitbox and ability to react to your spellcasts means it’s better to cast spells like Magic Glintblade and Night Shard than powerful, long-cast-time spells.
- Avoid AoE spells like Black Flame Ritual and Meteorite, as the Blackgaol Knight will likely hit you before the spell goes off. Instead, opt for short cast time spells like the aforementioned Sorceries and Black Flame, Lightning Bolt, and other fast Incantations.
- The boss’s weapon skill can take you unawares from a distance, as it travels very fast, and is always followed up with a gap-closer. Watch for the boss to raise its greatsword and charge it to know when to dodge out of the way of these two attacks.
Blackgaol Knight Boss Rewards
As a devoted fan, I’m thrilled to share that defeating the formidable Blackgaol Knight in the enigmatic Western Nameless Mausoleum will grant you five rewarding items: not only the coveted Shadow of the Erdtree title, but also the complete set of the Armor of Solitude – an incredibly heavy yet protective and fashionable armor collection. The Blackgaol Knight, upon his defeat, bestows this impressive armor set upon the victor.
The Greatsword of Solitude, a shorter-than-average black Greatsword in Elden Ring, may not stand out for its length. However, this weapon’s true power is hidden within its Ash of War ability, which remains unchangeable. Activating this skill grants the Tarnished character the ability to mimic the powerful slam and charge attack moves of the Blackgaol Knight.
As a seasoned gamer with hundreds of hours spent in the realm of action RPGs, I can tell you that this Ash of War is a real game-changer. Picture this: you’re in the heat of battle against a formidable foe, and just when you think all hope is lost, you activate your special move. Your weapon slams down with a thunderous roar, unleashing a powerful ray of physical damage that shoots forward like a bolt of lightning.
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2024-07-26 19:24