Unveiling Elden Ring's Epic Late-Game Boss Battle in the Shadow of Erdtree DLC

Elden Ring, which won the Game Awards' most prestigious trophy in 2022, was widely recognized by fans as the game of the year. This is not surprising considering that it incorporates the best elements from FromSoftware's previous games, namely Dark Souls, Sekiro, and Bloodborne, creating a comprehensive and exceptional experience.

Elden Ring boasts numerous impressive features, such as a vast open-world filled with hidden treasures and exciting encounters. It also offers a wide range of weapons, armor sets, and spells, allowing players to create diverse character builds. Additionally, the game delivers a captivating and dark storyline, surpassing even the quality of FromSoftware's recent releases. Of course, a hallmark of any FromSoftware game is the challenging bosses, and Elden Ring does not disappoint in this regard. It offers an abundance of formidable boss battles, one of which serves as an excellent introduction to the upcoming Shadow of the Erdtree DLC.

Elden Ring's Shadow of the Erdtree Bosses Should Take Inspiration From Maliketh

Elden Ring boasts some of the finest bosses ever seen in FromSoftware history, a truly impressive accomplishment. However, with a whopping total of over 150 bosses in the game, they are not all created equal. While the majority of bosses in Elden Ring offer endless possibilities for different strategies and approaches, there are some that feel quite generic and predictable, allowing players to simply absorb damage and retaliate without much excitement. Thankfully, there are also meticulously designed and challenging fights that truly stand out, and Maliketh is a perfect example of this.

Encountered in the final section of Elden Ring known as the Crumbling Farum Azula, Maliketh the Black Blade presents players with one of the most memorable boss battles not only in Elden Ring but throughout the entire collection of FromSoftware games. Much of this is owed to the level of challenge that Maliketh brings to the table. The first half of the fight is relatively straightforward, pitting players against a swift yet easily evaded Beast Clergyman. However, the second phase takes a sharp turn in difficulty, as players face the fierce and agile Maliketh, armed with the mighty and destructive Black Blade.

Content: The main feature of Maliketh's boss fight is that when players are struck by the Black Blade, their maximum health decreases and they are inflicted with a status effect that continuously drains their health until they use a healing item. Despite Maliketh having a low health bar, these Black Blade attacks can be extremely devastating if they connect, even the most experienced players are at risk of death after just two or three consecutive strikes. However, it is through this harrowing moveset that Maliketh establishes himself as one of FromSoftware's finest bosses.

With Maliketh, players cannot simply endure damage and rely on their own attacks to defeat him before he does the same. This approach will quickly deplete their supply of healing items. Instead, to overcome Maliketh's moveset, players must thoroughly understand the mechanics and attack patterns of the battle.

Players must successfully avoid taking damage before they can land their own hits. Maliketh's swift movements are easily predictable, allowing for skilled dodges and counterattacks. While Elden Ring features impressive boss fights, none require as much player skill as Maliketh. The Shadow of the Erdtree DLC for Elden Ring could benefit from additional skill-based battles like this one.

Elden Ring can be played on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.