Facing off against Malenia is akin to dancing with fate itself. Her every move exudes elegance and precision, capable of shattering even the sturdiest of defenses. To emerge victorious from this epic clash, meticulous preparation and unwavering determination are paramount. As you traverse the path that leads to her domain, let the whisper of these words guide your every step, for they hold the secrets to vanquishing this formidable foe.
The foundation of your triumph lies in understanding Malenia’s relentless assault. Her swordsmanship is a symphony of swift and deceptive strikes that weave through the air with unmatched grace. Moreover, she possesses an arsenal of Waterfowl Dance variations, each more perilous than the last. To counter her relentless onslaught, agility and anticipation are crucial. Learn the rhythm of her attacks, observe her stance, and anticipate the direction of her strikes. Seize the brief moments she leaves herself open, dodging her attacks with lightning-fast reflexes and punishing her with swift and precise attacks.
Beyond the physical realm, Malenia’s power extends to the very essence of life. Her Scarlet Rot inflicts grievous wounds that relentlessly gnaw at your health. An antidote is essential to mitigate its effects, allowing you to endure her attacks and maintain your composure in the face of adversity. Additionally, the summon Spirit Ash of Lhutel the Headless can prove invaluable in this battle. Her swift attacks and regenerative abilities provide a potent distraction, drawing Malenia’s focus away from you and creating precious opportunities to heal and regroup.
Melania’s Arsenal of Attacks
Melania, the enigmatic and formidable boss of Elden Ring, wields a vast arsenal of deadly attacks that can swiftly end the hopes of even the most seasoned adventurers. Understanding and mastering the intricacies of her combat strategy is vital for emerging victorious from this epic encounter.
Melania’s Blade of Miquella: An Overview
Melania’s primary weapon, the Blade of Miquella, embodies the essence of waterfowl dance, a graceful yet lethal series of slashes that can rapidly drain one’s health. This technique is renowned for its unpredictable nature, requiring keen observation and quick reflexes to evade its relentless onslaught.
The Blade of Miquella is adorned with a spectral waterfowl, which offers Melania additional abilities. These abilities include:
- Shadow Claw: Melania lunges forward, leaving behind a trail of spectral talons that deal damage upon contact.
- Phantom Blade: Melania launches a homing spectral blade that pursues its target until impact.
- Waterfowl Dance: Melania unleashes a flurry of nine consecutive slashes, each imbued with the power of waterfowl dance. Avoiding this attack requires precise timing and careful positioning.
To effectively counter the Blade of Miquella, players must master the art of dodging, rolling, and parrying. Identifying the attack pattern and anticipating Melania’s next move is crucial for survival. Additionally, utilizing ranged attacks can help maintain a safe distance and minimize the risk of getting caught up in her relentless barrage.
| Attack | Description |
|---|---|
| Shadow Claw | Lunges forward with spectral talons that deal damage upon impact. |
| Phantom Blade | Launches a homing spectral blade that pursues its target until impact. |
| Waterfowl Dance | Unleashes a flurry of nine consecutive slashes, each imbued with the power of waterfowl dance. |
Exploiting Her Weaknesses
Melania, the enigmatic final boss of Elden Ring, poses a formidable challenge to even the most seasoned Tarnished. To overcome this formidable foe, it is crucial to exploit her specific vulnerabilities. These weaknesses include:
1. Weak to Scarlet Rot
Scarlet Rot, the insidious ailment that consumes flesh, inflicts significant damage on Melania. Applying Scarlet Rot-infused weapons or incantations, such as Rotten Breath or Scarlet Aeonia, can greatly accelerate the battle.
2. Vulnerable to Stance Breaks
Melania’s stance can be broken with heavy attacks. Successfully breaking her stance will stun her, leaving her open to critical attacks. Utilizing colossal weapons or powerful ashes of war can make this strategy effective.
3. Susceptible to Fire and Holy Damage
Melania exhibits a marked susceptibility to both fire and holy damage. Equipping weapons with these elemental affinities or casting appropriate incantations will amplify the damage inflicted upon her.
4. Weakness to Bleed
Melania’s health pool is vulnerable to attacks that inflict bleed buildup. Utilizing bleed-infused weapons or talismans, such as the Rotten Winged Sword Insignia or Lord of Blood’s Exultation, can trigger significant bursts of damage.
5. Avoid Excessive Aggression
While it may be tempting to relentlessly attack Melania, doing so can lead to swift defeat. Her flurry of quick attacks and waterfowl dance can punish overly aggressive players severely. Adopting a more patient and cautious approach is recommended.
6. Time Your Dodges Carefully
Melania’s attacks are notoriously difficult to dodge due to their speed and erratic nature. Mastering the timing of your dodges is essential to avoid taking unnecessary damage. Pay close attention to her attack patterns and anticipate her next move.
7. Utilize Spirit Ashes
Summoning spirit ashes can distract Melania and provide valuable support in combat. Ashes with high health or the ability to inflict status ailments, such as Tiche or Mimic Tear, can offer a significant advantage.
8. Stay Mobile
Melania’s waterfowl dance attack has a wide area of effect and can deal devastating damage. Constantly moving and dodging is crucial to avoid getting caught in its path.
9. Guard Counters
If blocking Melania’s attacks is unavoidable, attempt to perform a guard counter by pressing the heavy attack button immediately after blocking. This technique can interrupt her attack and give you a brief opening.
10. Learn her Attack Patterns
The key to defeating Melania lies in understanding and anticipating her attack patterns. Study her movements carefully, identify tells that indicate specific attacks, and react accordingly.
Countering Her Firestorm Spells
Melania is known for her devastating firestorm spells, which can deal massive damage and inflict status effects on her victims. Here’s how to counter her firestorm spells and come out on top:
1. Dodge the Fireballs: The firestorm spell consists of several flaming projectiles that rain down on you from the sky. To avoid being hit, try to stay moving at all times and dodge the fireballs by rolling or sprinting to the side. Remember, you have a few seconds to react before each fireball strikes.
2. Use a Shield: A shield is a reliable option for blocking most of the fireballs. A 100% physical block shield will completely negate all the damage from the fireballs. Alternatively, a shield with high fire resistance can significantly reduce the damage you take.
3. Use a Bow or Crossbow: Ranged weapons can be used to stagger Melania during her firestorm spell. A good opportunity to attack is after her second or third volley of fireballs when she is momentarily vulnerable. Staggering her will interrupt the spell and give you a chance to heal or deal damage.
4. Equip Fire Resistance Items: Items with high fire resistance can greatly reduce the damage you take from her firestorm spells. Some useful items include: Dragoncrest Shield Talisman, Crimson Tears Ash of War, Fireproof Dried Liver Consumable, and Flame-Shrouding Cracked Tear for your Flask of Wondrous Physik.
5. Use a Water-Based Spell: Water-based spells, such as Loretta’s Greatbow or Carian Piercer, can be used to extinguish some of the fireballs and reduce the damage you take. This strategy is particularly effective against the small, lingering fireballs that can accumulate on the ground.
6. Use a Spirit Summon: Summoning a spirit, such as the Mimic Tear or Black Knife Tiche, can help distract Melania and draw her fireballs away from you. Your spirit summon can also deal additional damage to Melania, allowing you to defeat her more quickly.
7. Use the Environment: The area where you fight Melania contains pillars and structures that can be used to block the fireballs. Use these obstacles to your advantage and hide behind them to minimize the damage you take.
8. Time Your Attacks: Observe Melania’s movements and learn the timing of her firestorm spell. There are several safe moments during the spell when she is less likely to attack. Use these windows of opportunity to heal, restore stamina, or deal extra damage to Melania.
9. Practice and Patience: Defeating Melania requires practice and patience. Don’t get discouraged if you fail the first few times. Study her attack patterns, experiment with different strategies, and eventually, you will develop a consistent method for countering her firestorm spells and overcoming this formidable boss.
10. Consider Using Status Effects: Some status effects can be helpful against Melania during her firestorm spell. For example, Frostbite can reduce her damage output, while Hemorrhage can deal additional damage over time. Consider using weapons or spells that inflict these status effects to enhance your chances of success.
| Fire Resistance | Item |
|---|---|
| +15% | Dragoncrest Shield Talisman |
| +10% | Crimson Tears Ash of War |
| +20% (while using) | Fireproof Dried Liver Consumable |
| +15% (for 3 minutes) | Flame-Shrouding Cracked Tear |
Negating Her Magic Barriers
Melania, the formidable Goddess of Rot, wields a vast arsenal of debilitating spells and incantations. To overcome her potent magic, it is imperative to comprehend her spellcasting patterns and devise strategies to counter them.
Evading and Destroying Frostbite
Melania’s signature spell, Frostbite, conjures a flurry of frost-wreathed projectiles that inflict rapid damage and freeze buildup. To avoid the spell, maintain a distance and dodge the projectiles when they are telegraphed. Alternatively, use the “Bloodhound’s Fang” weapon art to prevent the buildup and damage from Frostbite.
Countering Waterfowl Dance
“Waterfowl Dance” is Melania’s most devastating attack, a whirlwind of seven swift slashes. The key to surviving this onslaught is to recognize the startup animation and initiate a well-timed dodge to avoid being caught in the whirlwind. Practice dodging consistently to master this perilous maneuver.
Interrupting Swarm of Flies
“Swarm of Flies” summons a horde of scarlet flies that home in on the player, dealing persistent damage and potential Scarlet Rot status. To neutralize the spell, use a shield with high magic defense or utilize ranged attacks to interrupt Melania’s spellcasting before the flies are released.
Dispersing Fallingstar Beasts Jaw
“Fallingstar Beasts Jaw” creates a meteor shower that bombards the battlefield with devastating impact. To mitigate the damage, find a sheltered position or use a “Starscourge Greatsword” with its “Starscourge Orb” skill to absorb the falling stars.
Blocking Unblockable
Melania’s grab attack, “Goddess of Rot’s Unblockable Grab,” is a perilous maneuver that cannot be blocked or parried. The only defense is to roll away from Melania when the grab animation begins. Rolling at an angle or into a structure can help dodge the grab’s wide hitbox.
Resisting Scarlet Aeonia
“Scarlet Aeonia” is Melania’s ultimate attack, a massive flower that releases a sphere of Scarlet Rot. To survive this deadly spell, it is essential to have high Scarlet Rot resistance. Equipping the “Crimson Seed Talisman” and “Ritual Sword Talisman” provides substantial resistance and allows you to withstand the flower’s malevolence.
Exploiting Her Weaknesses
Despite her formidable magic, Melania has specific vulnerabilities that can be exploited. Fire and Lightning damage are particularly effective against her, so prioritize weapons and incantations that inflict these damage types.
Burst Damage Strategy
To capitalize on Melania’s low health pool, consider a burst damage strategy. Use high-damage weapons and abilities to unleash a swift barrage of strikes before she can activate her more dangerous abilities. This strategy is highly effective during the early stages of the battle.
Patience and Perseverance
“Defeating Melania is a battle of attrition that requires patience and relentless perseverance. Do not be discouraged by repeated failures; learn from your mistakes and adjust your strategies accordingly. With each attempt, you will gain a deeper understanding of her patterns and develop the necessary skills to overcome this formidable opponent.
Summary Table
| Spell | Counter |
|---|---|
| Frostbite | Evade projectiles, use “Bloodhound’s Fang” weapon art |
| Waterfowl Dance | Dodge during startup animation |
| Swarm of Flies | Use shield with high magic defense, interrupt spellcasting |
| Fallingstar Beasts Jaw | Find shelter, use “Starscourge Greatsword” with “Starscourge Orb” |
| Goddess of Rot’s Unblockable Grab | Roll away from grab animation |
| Scarlet Aeonia | Equip “Crimson Seed Talisman” and “Ritual Sword Talisman” for resistance |
Utilizing the Summon Ashes
In the epic clash against Melania, Blade of Miquella, the Summon Ashes offer invaluable aid. These spectral allies can distract and engage Melania, creating precious openings for you to strike. By selecting the appropriate ashes and employing them strategically, you can significantly increase your chances of victory.
11. Black Knife Tiche
Black Knife Tiche stands as one of the most potent ashes in the Elden Ring arsenal, particularly against formidable foes like Melania. Her swift and agile movements allow her to dodge Melania’s relentless attacks with ease. Moreover, her ranged attacks can chip away at Melania’s health from a safe distance, providing consistent pressure without putting you at excessive risk.
| Advantages: |
|---|
| – Exceptional mobility and agility |
| – Ranged attacks for safe damage output |
| – Black Knife Assassin’s Dagger inflicts Scarlet Rot |
| Disadvantages: |
|---|
| – Relatively fragile, requires careful positioning |
| – Limited close-range combat capabilities |
Summoning Strategy
Summon Black Knife Tiche at the start of the fight to draw Melania’s attention. Her ranged attacks can force Melania to shift her focus away from you, allowing you to attack or heal without interruption. Position Tiche carefully to avoid getting caught in Melania’s attacks, and always be ready to resummon her if she falls.
Tiche’s Black Knife Assassin’s Dagger inflicts Scarlet Rot, which can deal sustained damage over time. When Melania attacks Tiche, she will often spread the rot to herself, weakening her. Take advantage of this by attacking her aggressively while she is afflicted with Scarlet Rot.
Using Cold Grease to Inhibit Frostbite
Exposure to extreme cold temperatures can cause frostbite, a condition that can lead to tissue damage and permanent injury. One effective method to prevent frostbite is to apply cold grease to exposed skin.
Cold grease acts as a protective barrier, reducing heat loss and preventing frostbite. It is particularly effective in areas prone to frostbite, such as the nose, ears, fingers, and toes.
How to Apply Cold Grease
Applying cold grease to prevent frostbite is a simple and effective process:
1. Select a suitable cold grease: Choose a cold grease that is specifically designed for protecting skin from cold temperatures.
2. Clean the skin: Before applying cold grease, ensure that the skin is clean and dry.
3. Apply a thin layer: Use a thin layer of cold grease to the exposed skin, covering all areas at risk of frostbite.
4. Massage gently: Massage the cold grease gently into the skin to ensure even distribution and penetration.
5. Reapply as needed: Reapply cold grease every few hours, or more frequently if exposed to extreme cold or wet conditions.
Benefits of Using Cold Grease
Using cold grease to prevent frostbite offers several benefits:
- Lowers risk of frostbite: Cold grease acts as a protective barrier, significantly reducing the risk of frostbite.
- Protects skin from wind and moisture: Cold grease not only insulates against cold temperatures but also protects the skin from wind and moisture, further minimizing the risk of frostbite.
- Soothes and moisturizes skin: Cold grease contains moisturizing ingredients that help soothe and protect the skin, preventing dryness and irritation.
Precautions
While cold grease is generally safe for use, there are a few precautions to consider:
- Allergic reactions: Some individuals may be allergic to certain ingredients in cold grease. Test a small amount on a patch of skin before applying it to larger areas.
- Skin irritation: Cold grease can cause skin irritation in some cases. If irritation occurs, discontinue use and consult a healthcare professional.
- Avoid eyes: Avoid applying cold grease near the eyes.
Additional Tips for Preventing Frostbite
In addition to using cold grease, other measures can help prevent frostbite:
- Wear warm, layered clothing, including gloves, a hat, and a scarf.
- Avoid prolonged exposure to cold temperatures.
- Take frequent breaks to warm up in enclosed areas.
- Drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated.
- Avoid alcohol consumption, as it can impair the body’s ability to regulate temperature.
- If you suspect someone has frostbite, seek medical attention immediately.
| Frostbite Symptoms | Treatment |
|---|---|
| Initial numbness and tingling | Move to a warm area and rewarm the affected area. |
| Pain and swelling | Immerse the affected area in warm water. |
| Skin discoloration | Seek medical attention immediately. |
| Blisters or open wounds | Seek medical attention immediately. |
Mastering the Art of Ranged Combat
Understanding Her Movements
Observe Melania’s erratic movements and predict her next step. Study her patterns and anticipate her attacks to gain an advantage.
Keep Your Distance
Maintain a safe distance from Melania to avoid her close-range attacks. Utilize the arena’s space to maneuver around her and create openings.
Aim for Crucial Spots
Target Melania’s head, arms, and legs to inflict maximum damage and potentially stagger her. Headshots are particularly effective.
Utilize Cover
Take cover behind the pillars and rubble in the arena to shield yourself from Melania’s attacks. Use these vantage points to recover and plan your next move.
Dodge and Roll
Master the art of dodging and rolling to evade Melania’s swift and powerful attacks. Time your movements carefully and anticipate her strikes.
Manage Stamina
Ranged combat requires careful stamina management. Ensure you have enough stamina to dodge, roll, and attack effectively.
Use Ranged Buffs
Enhance your ranged attacks with buffs such as Magic Potion or Dark Orb. These enhancements can increase your damage output and improve your chances of success.
Upgrade Your Arsenal
Upgrade your ranged weapons to maximize their damage and accuracy. Consider using a bow, crossbow, or even magic spells that excel at range.
Use Patience
Fighting Melania requires patience and perseverance. Don’t rush into attacks; instead, wait for the right opportunity and strike with precision.
Summon Spirit Ashes
Summoning spirit ashes can provide invaluable support. Distract Melania with their attacks while you create openings to deal damage.
Specific Attack Strategies
Melania has unique abilities that require specialized strategies:
| Attack | Strategy |
|---|---|
| Waterfowl Dance | Dodge the initial three strikes, then sprint away from the final flourish to avoid getting hit. |
| Scarlet Aeonia | Run away and destroy the quickly budding flowers before they explode and inflict heavy damage. |
| Clone Attack | Focus on attacking the real Melania. If you’re unsure, dodge to the side as the clones dissipate. |
