How to Defeat Starscourge Radahn according to the Elden Ring runes Guide
Although there are many difficult boss battles in Elden Ring, there is none that compares to the battle with Starscourge Radahn in terms of difficulty. The action takes place in a massive arena with a lot of ground to cover, and he has the skills to take you out in a matter of seconds if you don’t pay attention.
As we progress through this guide, we’ll look at Radahn’s abilities, how to rely on the assets you have, and what the best strategies are for dealing with him. Located at the midpoint of Elden Ring, following the completion of the Stormveil Castle and Academy of Raya Lucaria dungeons, this fight is the final boss encounter. Warning: There will be some minor spoilers in this post.
Pre-Battle information
This battle takes place in the Caelid region, in the desert north of Redmane Castle, and is the culmination of a series of events. It is not absolutely necessary to defeat Radahn in order to progress, but most players will come across him after they have completed their exploration of Caelid. In the event that you choose to skip this and continue with the game, you will be unable to participate in some of the late game events. In order to participate in this battle, you’ll need to interact with a number of NPCs throughout your journey through Limgrave and Liurnia. You’ll run into a number of characters you’ve met along the way who will welcome you into the castle. These characters will give you advice and help you prepare for the Festival, which is where you’ll meet Radahn for the first time.
Breakdown of the boss fight
General Radahn, also known as Starscourge Radahn, is such a threat because he excels at nearly every aspect of combat. He is one of the most dangerous characters in the game. At a distance, he can easily dispatch you with his powerful arrows — this is the first indication that you’re in for a difficult battle. At close range, he has massive twin swords with a long range that can cut through anything. One of his combo attacks can easily deplete all of your health in a single hit. Furthermore, he is extremely mobile, thanks to his trusty steed (named Leonard), and he is capable of closing the distance between him and you relatively quickly. Finally, he possesses lethal magic spells, which he employs in the latter stages of the battle to devastating effect.
Simply put, this is a fight that has the potential to result in your character’s death quickly and brutally, while also leaving you, the player, frustrated at the amount of work required to make progress. One thing to keep in mind during this fight is that, fortunately, you are not fighting alone. It is possible to enlist the assistance of the various characters you have already met. You’ll see a variety of summon signs throughout the arena that you can interact with. To bring in your small army of NPC fighters, each of whom possesses a unique set of skills that they will employ against Radahn during the battle, you will need to activate these signs as quickly as possible. However, don’t rely on them too much because they only cause minor damage and are primarily intended to serve as distractions for the boss.
Patches, for example, is an NPC that you can summon. In the event that you managed to keep him alive in the Murkwater Depths dungeon in Limgrave, he will be available for summoning into battle. When he sees Radahn riding his horse, he’ll immediately turn around and flee the situation. Patches should never be trusted.
The first phase of the strategy
First and foremost, it is preferable not to enlist the assistance of another human player. While it is possible to summon the various AI characters, the disadvantage of summoning another player is that you will be unable to summon your horse Torrent while another player is present. While having additional reinforcements can help in some ways, you will still need to stay ahead of Radahn and close the distance between you and him as quickly as possible when the situation calls for it. Riding Torrent is a tremendous help in this regard.
When the battle begins, make sure you have your sights locked on Radahn in the distance and that you are paying attention to what he does next. Every fight will commence with him firing three to four purple, gravity magic-infused arrows into the air to start things off. This section is critical because the fight can be over in a matter of seconds; you will need to dodge roll through the arrows or take cover behind the bundles of weapons scattered around the arena. If you are hit by an arrow just once, it is likely that your character will be killed on the spot. The most important thing to do during this phase of the fight is to summon your allies while avoiding his attacks. Radahn will eventually unleash a hail of arrows on you, which will slowly make their way toward you. Unless you have a heavy shield and a lot of stamina, you should be able to block through most of it. However, it is recommended that you ride on Torrent and avoid the arrows by moving quickly away.
Eventually, your allies will engage Radahn in close combat, forcing him to flee the battlefield. From here, you’ll need to be strategic about when you attack the boss and wait until he’s distracted by the other fighters before attacking him. The key to winning this game is to stick to your guns and move quickly. If you’re a magic user, you can cast spells against him, but you’ll have to ride away quickly if he notices your presence on the battlefield. Those who prefer close-range combat will find themselves in a more dangerous situation, as they will need to get close to him on a regular basis. Continue to hit him with your attacks and revive your allies at new summoning locations, and he will eventually enter the next phase of the battle… in a spectacular fashion.
Strategy for the Second Phase
The moment half of Radahn’s health has been depleted, he will leap into the air and disappear from view. Make sure to keep your eyes fixed upwards toward the sky and on the lookout for bright lights because Radahn will be barreling down to the Earth like a comet. In the event that you don’t maintain your distance from him, his dramatic return to the planet will kill you instantly, forcing you to restart the battle from the beginning. Radahn has gained in strength as a result of his use of gravity magic.
His magic will also enable him to conjure massive rocks that will act as homing missiles in addition to sending out waves of energy with swings from his sword — which can be avoided by jumping over them. Whenever he summons these, they will remain hovering over his shoulder for an extended period of time. When a bright flash occurs around the rocks, however, it is imperative that you take cover. Due to the fact that you’ll most likely be fighting your way toward the center of the arena, there are several mounds of sand scattered across the hill. These mounds provide excellent cover, so if you need to make a quick getaway, ride Torrent down the hill and away from Radahn’s line of sight in order to avoid the massive boulders.
The key to defeating Radahn is to stay with your attacks and move with them while keeping your allies in the game. Despite how hard he hits, Radhan can still take a beating if everyone attacks at the same time and with the same intensity. If you manage to land some heavy blows on him in a short period of time, you may be able to put him out of commission. Providing you don’t lose your patience and concentration, and as long as you keep picking the right moments to attack, you should be able to overcome one of Elden Ring Runes PC for sale‘s most outrageous battles.
Also, be sure to check out our general boss guide, where to find Smithing Stones, and which Ash Summon you should use for more information on buy Elden Ring runes.