Elden Ring is a masterpiece of punishing but fair combat, mysterious lore, and expansive exploration. At the heart of its brutal charm are the game’s boss battles — tests of endurance, skill, and wit. After logging hundreds of hours, facing down legendary enemies like Malenia, Blade of Miquella, and Radagon of the Golden Order, I’ve gathered seven time-tested strategies to Elden Ring Runes overcome the hardest bosses in the Lands Between. These tips are forged through personal experience and countless deaths — and they might just turn your next impossible fight into a triumphant victory.

1. Master the Art of Patience and Observation
The number one mistake most players make in Elden Ring is rushing in. Bosses like Malenia and the Godskin Duo punish aggression with swift counters. The key to survival is patience. Watch the boss. Observe their movement patterns, attack delays, and recovery windows. Every boss has a rhythm. The more you watch, the more you learn when it’s safe to strike and when to dodge.

Pro Tip: Let the boss come to you in the opening phase. Backpedal and study. You’ll often avoid early death and gather valuable intel.

Example: Radagon's delayed slams and fake-outs are lethal unless you learn to dodge at the very last possible second.

2. Use Spirit Ashes Wisely
Spirit Ashes are more than just distractions — they’re an essential part of your arsenal in difficult boss fights. Summoning the right Spirit Ash can turn the tide of battle, especially when soloing.

Best Choices:

Mimic Tear (after patching, still powerful with the right loadout).

Black Knife Tiche for dodging and health-draining attacks.

Lhutel the Headless for her teleportation and tanking.

Strategy: Upgrade your favorite Spirit Ashes to +10 with Ghost or Grave Gloveworts. Use them to split the boss’s aggro, giving you time to heal or cast spells.

3. Tailor Your Build for the Fight
A flexible Tarnished is a successful one. If a boss keeps crushing you, consider adjusting your build. Respec using Rennala’s Rebirth feature and optimize your stats, weapons, and armor for the task at hand.

Against fast bosses: Invest in Dexterity and use light weapons like katanas or curved swords.

Against heavy hitters: Boost Vigor and Endurance to tank hits and wield colossal weapons or greatshields.

Against magical foes: Equip gear with high magic or holy resistance and buff with Flame, Cleanse Me or Blessing of the Erdtree.

4. Status Effects Are Overpowered
Many players overlook the power of status effects, but they’re game-changers, especially against late-game bosses.

Bleed builds (e.g., Rivers of Blood, Uchigatana with Seppuku) can shred bosses with high HP bars like Mohg and Malenia.

Frostbite reduces damage absorption and causes a burst of damage when triggered — stack it with Bleed for double trouble.

Poison and Scarlet Rot work surprisingly well on some massive bosses. For example, Rotten Breath can chew through boss HP when used smartly.

Tip: Use Blood Grease, Freezing Pots, or Rotten Strikes if your weapon lacks native status effects.

5. Positioning and Camera Control Are Everything
Elden Ring’s third-person camera can be both a blessing and a curse. Proper positioning and camera control can make a huge difference in your success rate.

Stick close to large bosses. Many of their attacks swing over your head when you’re beneath them.

Avoid lock-on during fast or erratic boss patterns. Free camera gives more control and better angles.

Keep bosses in sight — use manual camera adjustments to monitor charging attacks or AoEs.

Example: Against dragons, locking on makes you miss the tail swipe or wing slam cues. Stay under their legs and manually adjust the view.

6. Use Buffs and Consumables Before Every Fight
Consumables, Talismans, and buffs can make a night-and-day difference — don’t neglect them!

Buffs to use before entering fog gates:

Golden Vow: +15% damage and +10% damage negation.

Flame, Grant Me Strength: +20% physical attack boost.

Blessing of the Erdtree or Boiled Crab: Massive healing or defense.

Talismans to consider:

Green Turtle Talisman for stamina regen.

Radagon’s Scarseal/Sourceal for Strength-based builds.

Shard of Alexander for Skill-heavy builds.

Item Buffs:

Physick Mix (choose from buffs like Bubbletear for a free hit).

Grease (Fire, Lightning, Holy) tailored to the boss’s weakness.

7. Co-Op When Needed — No Shame in Summoning Help
If you’re stuck on a boss for days, don’t let pride stop you. Summoning another player can breathe life into the fight and expose strategies you hadn't considered.

How to summon:

Use Furlcalling Finger Remedy to reveal summon signs.

Look for gold summon signs — often from high-level players offering assistance.

What to expect:

With two Tarnished and a Spirit Ash, the boss’s HP increases, but the boss will have difficulty focusing on all three.

Keep your distance and support your allies with buffs or ranged attacks while they draw aggro.

Some bosses, like Malenia or Placidusax, are designed to be co-op experiences for the average player. There’s no shame in building a party to overcome near-impossible odds.

Bonus Tip: Know When to Walk Away and Level Up
Sometimes, the boss is just too tough. Rather than slamming your head against the wall, take a break and come back stronger. Go explore a different area, gather Runes, upgrade your weapons, or find a better Spirit Ash. You’ll be shocked how much easier a fight becomes with just 10 more levels or a +10 weapon.

Farming tip: Try Mohgwyn Palace for quick Rune farming via the bird exploit.

Upgrade weapons to at least +8 before major bosses, or +10 for endgame.

Conclusion
Elden Ring’s hardest bosses are brutal but beatable. Each one is a puzzle, a test of skill, gear, and determination. These seven strategies — patience, Spirit Ashes, build flexibility, status effects, smart positioning, consumable use, and co-op play — can tilt the odds in your favor. There’s no single “right” way to win in the Lands Between, only the method that works best for your Tarnished journey.

Whether you're facing down Maliketh’s relentless onslaught, dodging Malenia’s Waterfowl Dance, or Elden Ring Items trying to time your hits on Hoarah Loux, never forget: perseverance is your greatest weapon.

May your flasks be full and your summon signs golden — see you at the next fog gate.