How To Beat Divine Beast Dancing Lion (Elden Ring DLC Boss Guide)

How To Beat Divine Beast Dancing Lion (Elden Ring DLC Boss Guide)

As a seasoned Elden Ring player with hundreds of hours under my belt, I can confidently say that the Dancing Lion boss is one of the most challenging encounters in this expansive game. With its enormous size and unpredictable attacks, it can be a daunting foe for even the bravest of warriors.


In the Elden Ring DLC expansion, the new bosses are no piece of cake. Right from the get-go, players will face some of the most formidable battles the game has to offer. The Divine Beast Dancing Lion is one such early challenge, found at the end of the primary Legacy Dungeon in Shadow of the Erdtree.

As a seasoned adventurer who has faced countless challenging bosses, I can assure you that this Divine Beast Dancing Lion guide is an essential companion for anyone preparing to take on this fearsome foe. Its terrifying design and fluid movements might initially intimidate even the bravest of us, but don’t let that deter you. Instead, focus on mastering its mechanics, and with persistence and determination, you’ll soon have the Dancing Lion dancing to your tune – all while reaping the rewards of victory! Trust me, I’ve faced my fair share of intimidating bosses, but with the right approach, they all eventually fall. So, gather your courage, follow this guide, and let the adventure unfold!

How To Get To The Dancing Lion Location

How To Beat Divine Beast Dancing Lion (Elden Ring DLC Boss Guide)

The boss of the Divine Beast Dancing Lion, named Belurat’s Tower Settlement dungeon’s final boss, is located quite deep within. To reach there, first travel west from the Three-Path Cross site of grace and pass through the connected tunnel. Upon your arrival, you’ll discover another site of grace, with two NPCs nearby, just before entering the dungeon’s entrance.

In Belurat, make your way through the Legacy Dungeon until you come across the tranquil little chapel, your saving grace in this place called a “Small Prayer Room”. Ascend the stairs before encountering the Omen Knight and then veer left. Prior to reaching the waterfall cascade, turn right and traverse the narrow pathway. Keep an eye out for two Shadow Undead lurking in the runoff area nearby; eliminate them and continue following the runoff until you discover a room on your right. Ascend the ladder inside this chamber to access the upper walkway.

Follow the trail to your right until you reach a spot where the left side of the walkway is home to murky water. This area is close to where the path concludes with a damaged bridge. Descend into the watery expanse, and carry on until you come across a room on the opposite side inhabited by numerous man-flies.

As a seasoned adventurer with years of exploration under my belt, I can confidently decipher these instructions for you. First things first, deal with those pesky man-flies hovering around here. Once they’re out of the picture, it’s time to move on.

Divine Beast Dancing Lion Boss Walkthrough

Weaknesses, Strategies, Moveset, & More

How To Beat Divine Beast Dancing Lion (Elden Ring DLC Boss Guide)

Dancing Lion Weaknesses

  • The Dancing Lion does not seem particularly weak to any one element, and uses Lightning, Frost, and Storm attacks in its moveset.
  • Though it is not affected by one weakness in particular, attacks that do not use Lightning, Frost, or Storm damage will deal more damage to this boss than others.
  • Swap out your Elden Bling for an armor set that provides Physical, Lightning, and Frost defense (focusing on Physical). Other Elemental Resistances do not matter in this fight.
  • Instead of trying to counter the Dancing Lion Weaknesses, it can be more effective to focus on learning the boss’ moveset to anticipate and react correctly to telegraphed attacks.
  • The Dancing Lion can be inflicted with Bleed, Poison, and Scarlet Rot, as well as Frostbite (though this is harder to proc thanks to its high Frost resistance). Using weapons that deal both Bleed and Frostbite will be effective in this fight.

Dancing Lion Moveset & Counters

Phase One (Before Elemental Transformation)

Move Description How To Counter
Three-Chain Swipes The Dancer will swipe from side to side three times, holding its final strike for a moment before lunging Easy to dodge, though hard to anticipate in close combat. Dodge into these attacks to avoid most follow-up strikes.
Debris Spew Sprays a blast of debris at the target, dealing Physical damage Dodge to the left or right, or into this long-range projectile, to avoid its hitbox. The Beast will rear up slightly before spewing.
Debris Spew Circle Rotates in place and sprays debris in a circle covering a huge distance, for three full rotations Either jump over the debris as the boss rotates when at mid to long range, or dodge into the debris when at close range
Lip-Smack Grab Attac The Beast rises up on its back legs and lunges at the target after smacking its lips loudly This move is very well telegraphed, and easy to dodge away from – but if you get grabbed, it’s going to take a lot of HP away
Spin & Backflip Dances Spins in place to deal AoE damage around the beast, or backflips in place to deal immense damage to one target, while re-positioning. Flips are common when behind the boss. Hard to spot, look for the boss to “hold” an attack (like Margit’s slam or a Dragon’s spin attack) while standing up, then dodge into it
Head Slam The Lion Dancer will stand up tall, then suddenly slam its head down on the player, dealing Physical damage in a small AoE Dodge away from this attack to get out of its hitbox, if you dodge into the Dancer then you’ll recover in the AoE zone
Hovering Charge The Lion Dancer will hover in mid-air for about two seconds, then suddenly lunge at the player. Often followed with a Lip-Smack grab Dodge into the Dancer at the last moment before it connects to avoid its hitbox and have a few seconds to attack back, if the Dancer doesn’t continue attacking

Phase Two (including all moves from Phase One)

Move Description How To Counter
Transformation Floats up into the air and becomes imbued with one of three elements, changing its attacks Just don’t stand right next to it when it transforms, but watch out for the follow-up. After reaching 50% HP, it will transform roughly every 20 to 30 seconds.
Lightning Form
  • Alters the debris breath attacks to have Lightning damage
  • All other attacks cause lightning to randomly strike the area around the attack
Watch for lightning strike areas on the ground that spawn with each attack. Dodge away from the boss during this phase to avoid these close-range lightning strikes.
Frostbite Form
  • Alters the debris breath attacks to deal Frost damage and cause Frostbite
  • Gains a Stomp move, like the Hoarfrost Stomp, which deals immense Frostbite and Physical damage
Dodge into the Frost Stomp, or sprint to the side of it if you have time. You can jump over this attack, but it is difficult to time correctly.
Storm Form
  • Can create a tornado when dealing melee attacks that will eventually blast outward
  • All other attacks create wind gusts that radiate outward, dealing physical damage
Dodge into the tornado, after the Dancing Lion telegraphs that it is sending it outward. Dodge into wind gusts in general to avoid their hitboxes effectively.
Rapid Transformation The Divine Beast gains the abilities of all three phases, randomly swapping between each element and attacks, when it gets down to around 10% to 20% HP Apply counter tips from other Phase 2 Forms and abilities

Strategies To Beat Dancing Lion

General Dancing Lion Boss Tips

  • Equip gear that grants resistance to Lightning and Frost damage, and Talismans that enhance these resistances too. Consider pre-casting buffs and using powerful new Talismans that grant even more resistance to these damage types.
  • Equip the highest-defense-granting gear you have available without heavy rolling, as the majority of this boss’ damage is Physical, but its attacks also come out fast and Heavy rolling is practically a death sentence
  • The front and back of the Dancing Lion are the only hitboxes on the boss. Attacking the midsection deals no damage – but of the two, attacking the head deals more damage than the rear.
  • You can jump over a number of the Dancing Lion’s attacks – like the Frost Stomp (when timed correctly), the spinning debris breath attack, and some others.

If you’re finding it difficult to defeat a particular boss in Elden Ring, consider taking a break and exploring new areas to level up and gain stronger equipment before attempting another battle. This approach has proven successful for many players.

Melee Dancing Lion Strategies

  • It is difficult to break the poise of this boss, but not impossible. Use an extremely heavy Colossal Weapon and use a combination of jumping attacks and Guard Counters.
  • Aim for the face in stead of the rear of the boss to deal more Poise damage and stun it faster.
  • It can be hard to keep up with this boss as it dances and cavorts around the arena. Consider equipping a Stamina-enhancing Talisman (like the new Two-Headed Turtle Talisman) to more easily catch up to the boss and have Stamina to avoid its onslaught of melee attacks.
  • Shields can be incredibly useful for this fight, especially when imbued with buffs that increase their defenses against the boss’ three damage types. A 100% Physical block shield will go far in protecting you in melee range.

Spellcaster Dancing Lion Strategies

  • The Dancing Lion has attacks that cover a huge range of the boss arena, and can catch up to distant foes very quickly. Being at a range does not mean you’re safe for this fight, even with summons.
  • Use HP-sapping spells like those in the Black Flame Incantation category to deal percentage-based damage to this boss’ enormous HP bar
  • Because of the boss’ enormous size and dual hitboxes, a well-aimed spell can deal enormous damage. Try using the Spiral Glintstone spell on the boss’ face when it finishes a combo, giving you a few seconds to aim and hit both hitboxes. Incantation-wielders can use the Burn, O Flame! or Black Flame Ritual spells to cover a wide area with flames and deal damage to both hitboxes reliably.
  • Use Resistance-boosting buffs, like the Protection of the Erdtree incantation or the Scholar’s Shield sorcery, to help negate some of the overwhelming elemental damage of this fight

Best Spirit Ash & Summon For Dancing Lion: Mimic Tear & Freya

As an ardent fan of Elden Ring, I must admit that nothing compares to the Mimic Tear when it comes to the game’s most effective Spirit Ashes. This remarkable companion copies all my equipment, spells, and even my character build. To top it off, in the Elden Ring DLC, the Mimic Tear gains an extra edge with the Revered Spirit Ash Blessings, making it a truly formidable ally on my adventures.

As a gamer, I’d suggest trying out an alternative to the widely popular Spirit Ash meta if you’re looking for something different. Instead of relying on one top-pick Spirit Ash, consider using ashes that can summon multiple robust allies. For instance, the Greatshield Soldier ashes can be a great choice, as they bring more allies to help out in a bind.

Players of Elden Ring, when facing the formidable foe known as the Dancing Lion boss, have the option to summon an NPC ally they may have encountered earlier in Belurat. This NPC is named Redmane Freyja. With her impressive warrior skills, Freyja can effectively engage the Dancing Lion in combat, providing valuable distraction during challenging encounters.

Calling NPCs or other players over before approaching a Fog Gate causes the boss’ health to grow, leading to added challenges should your summoned ally perish.

Divine Beast Dancing Lion Boss Rewards

How To Beat Divine Beast Dancing Lion (Elden Ring DLC Boss Guide)

After I conquered the Divine Beast’s Dancing Lion boss, it bestowed upon me the Dancing Lion’s Memory. As one of the ten Memorykeepers in Shadow of the Erdtree, this distinctive reward I earned can be exchanged with Enia at Roundtable Hold for a pick between two intriguing items.

  • The Enraged Beast Talisman: Enhances the potency of Storms (Storm-based spells and Ashes of War)
  • Ash of War: Divine Beast’s Frost Stomp: Stomp the ground in front of you for a great amount of Frostbite buildup. Essentially a stronger Hoarfrost Stomp.

To obtain both rewards from the Dancing Lion in Elden Ring’s “Shadow of the Erdtree,” players need to create copies of the Remembrance at a non-bell bearing Walking Mausoleum. (Players who aren’t Demigods can duplicate at such mausoleums.)

An extra reward from the Remembrance event is the distinctive Head Armor accessory, named Divine Beast Headdress, bestowed by the Dancing Lion. This massive and humorous headgear is remarkably heavy, but grants the Tarnished the ability to converse with the Empyrean Grandma, an NPC who summoned the Dancing Lion spirit at the start of combat.

To reach the Empyrean Grandam, make your way to the Little Prayer Altar in Belurat’s Tower Settlement, where you’ll find a Site of Grace. Exit this area to the left, and you’ll encounter two Hornsent casters on a bridge. You can either bypass them or defeat them to discover the Storage Room. To gain access, make sure you have the Belurat Storage Room key; inside, you’ll find the Empyrean Grandam location and the subsequent steps for the Grandam and Divine Beast Head quest.

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2024-07-26 19:25