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Elden Ring isn’t just a game—it’s an unforgiving gauntlet of triumphs and heartbreaks that is sure to push players to their absolute limits. As the game is currently fromsoftware’s best and most difficult iteration to date, there are a number of bosses who have become notorious and even renowned for testing player’s patience, skill, and resolve. Whether you’re a newcomer or a veteran, the hardest Elden Ring bosses are the ones that are brutal and unforgiving and, as such, we are ranking the 17 hardest Elden Ring bosses that have definitely made players rage quit.
17. Margit the Fell Omen
The first major boss fight in the Elden Ring, Margit, the Fell Omen is the boss that serves as the very first test for players. Margit is an adversary who combines magic and heavy melee attacks with an offbeat timing that gets players majority of the time. As players try to learn his attack pattern, his sudden erratic agility will make players panic roll just so they can survive long enough to comprehend what had happened. While Margit is the first boss of the game, he is one of the hardest because of what he brings to the encounter and humbles anyone who thinks they can first try him.
16. Crucible Knight Ordovis
Crucible Knight Ordovis is a double boss battle that is reminiscent of an infamous duo in Dark Souls, primarily due to how each knight has a perfect balance of offense and defense. As each knight cover each other’s weaknesses and openings, the entire encounter gives players very little time to maneuver and inflict damage. In addition, due to the knights durability, this is one of those boss battles that will test player’s build making them rethink their entire strategy.
15. Commander Niall
Commander Niall stands out as one of the hardest bosses in Elden Ring due to his heavy hard hitting move set and his ability to summon spectral knights in battle. This is one of the rare instances where players essentially get a taste of their own medicine if they have ever used spirit summons in the game. While the spectral knights may take some time and strategy to get used to, Commander Niall’s attack pattern and fighting style is very reminiscent of Elden Ring players who focus on strength builds and, as such, becomes the players worst nightmare to face against.
14. Lichdragon Fortissax
Lichdragon Fortissax is a dragon boss battle that takes part in a considerably small arena and wields a variety of lightning attacks that is sure to drop jaws and cause panic rolling. In fact, Fortissax’s attack pattern is both unpredictable and deadly, making him hard to hit as players are running around dodging lightning. As all dragon encounters in Elden Ring feature a range of attacks that cover a significant radius, players who do not have any spatial awareness will struggle against Lichdragon Fortissax.
13. Scadutree Avatar
The Scadutree Avatar is an ancient guardian who is outright aggressive and extremely fast. While some of the Avatar’s attacks have a build up, it is one of the more difficult attack patterns to time and dodge precisely. This is amplified even more with its large AOE attacks that covers a significant portion of the arena.
However, the fact that this boss encounter has three phases means that players who barely defeat the first phase will struggle to defeat the other two. With each passing phase, the Scadutree Avatar only becomes more aggressive and gives players less time to recover and make a counterattack, making it one most stubborn yet hardest bosses in Elden Ring.
12. Valiant Gargoyle
Veterans of Soulsborne games understand how difficult a gargoyle boss fight can be and as such, the Valiant Gargoyle stands as one of the hardest bosses in the Elden Ring. Without a doubt, the biggest and most aggressive iterations of gargoyles to date, the Valiant Gargoyle combines heavy damage dealing attacks with poisonous elements that is sure to inflict massive amounts of damage onto players.
However, what really makes this fight harder than most, is that right when players think they have figured out what to do, a second gargoyle appears out of nowhere and players are now forced into a double boss battle. A classic move from fromsoftware, but a devastating realization for players who spent hours trying to get good.
11. Divine Beast Dancing Lion
The first boss of the Elden Ring DLC, the Divine Beast Dancing Lion is a boss that welcomes players in the DLC and immediately humbles them with a combat style that is elegant, unforgiving, and jaw dropping shockingly. Taking inspiration from the Lion Dance found in Chinese culture, the Divine Beast Dancing Lion is extremely fast, agile, and acrobatic, forcing players to take part in its choreographed dance to the death.
However, what really makes this boss difficult is its ability switch between multiple elements such as lightning, frost, and even blight. As the fight progresses, the Divine Beast will switch between elements and becomes more erratic in its movements, making it one of the hardest to face even after defeating every single boss in the base game.
10. Commander Gaius
Commander Gaius is a large hulking warrior riding a boar and stands as one of the hardest bosses in Elden Ring due to his reliance on sheer physical might and gravitational magic. Absolutely relentless in his attacks, Commander Gaius’s hitbox range is extremely vast meaning that the slightest mistake can allow players to get caught in his never ending attacks.
If that is not bad enough, Gaius’s move set features a variety of large AOE attacks, explosive bursts that take a while to dissipate, and a flurry of attacks that is down right annoying to dodge and deal with. Even with assistance from fellow tarnished, this is one of those boss battles that cannot be easily solved with numbers.
9. Dragonlord Placidusax
A secret encounter who by far stands as one of the most intimidating encounters in Elden Ring, Dragonlord Placidusax is an ancient two headed dragon that fights like a modern day kaiju. From lightning blasts to thunderous dragon slashes, Dragonlord Placidusax has a large range of aggressive AOE attacks that can cover large portions of the arena.
The fact that he only becomes stronger, faster, and more aggressive as fight goes on, solidifies his place as one of the hardest bosses in Elden Ring. In addition, the Dragon Lord can teleport and fly around the arena, making players wonder how they can close the gap when half of the arena is on fire and littered with lightning bolts.
8. Godskin Duo
A ruthless double boss battle that is notorious for being difficult to defeat, the Godskin Duo is an agile damage dealing pair who are absolutely relentless in their attacks. Their coordination leaves very little time to recovery and no matter how much distance players try to make, this pair closes that gap immediately.
Players who struggled to fight one of them will definitely struggle even more. While one of the key strategies of beating this boss includes separating them, that is a task that is easier said than done. Additionally, defeating one of them is only temporary victory if players do not use that time to their advantage as the defeated one will eventually be summoned back into the encounter.
7. Maliketh, the Black Blade
Serving as the second phase of the Beast Clergyman encounter in Crumbling Farum Azula, Maliketh, the Black Blade is significantly more powerful and agile than his first phase counterpart. His attack pattern consists of jumping around the arena, launching rapid attacks that can permanently lower your health for the entire encounter, making players wonder how they can close the gap.
Maliketh is the embodiment of speed and ruthlessness, as his combo attacks will kill even the most veteran of Soulsborne players. In addition, he serves as one of the many bosses who uses their agility and aggression to make players panic and his relentless attacks forces players to get good and dodge appropriately, or else they will be forever stuck in the crumbling wasteland of Farum Azula.
6. Mohg Lord of Blood
Master of blood magic and one of the end game bosses in the base game, Mohg, Lord of Blood is a brutally powerful boss who make players fear the bleed stat like never before. He has a balanced variety of close and long range attacks, all of which are infused with blood magic and bleed damage, which can inflict additional damage to players if they are not careful enough.
If that is not enough, Mohg will cast a bleed spell that is guaranteed to take away about 50% of players health multiple times. This alone, can insta-kill players if they do not have enough flasks for the encounter. In addition, he becomes more aggressive and unpredictable in his second phase, because he sprouts wings and unleashes pools of blood flames all over the arena, giving players less space to maneuver as he charges straight at them. No matter what kind of preparations players try to do before hand, if they don’t understand the dangers of the bleed stat will learn it in this boss fight.
5. Bayle the Dread
Bayle the Dread is a colossal, draconic figure whose presence on the battlefield is both awe-inspiring and terrifying. He relies on a combination of overwhelming physical strength and devastating flame attacks to force you into a defensive stance, but being too defensive will only delay the inevitable as he will hunt you down like easy prey.
While players are able to get Bayle’s number one hater, Igon, on their side the moment the encounter starts, Bayle shows players why he is the bane of Igon’s existence. His aggression and range of abilities alone solidifies his spot as one of Elden Ring’s hardest bosses, but the fact that other NPCs recognize his strength and hate him as much as we do speaks volume.
In addition, his second phase is not only cinematically stunning and jaw dropping, it is absolutely wicked because Bayle unleashes his anger and might that turns the entire battlefield into an apocalypse.
4. Rellana the Twin Moon Knight
Rellana the Twin Moon Knight is a boss that is a whirlwind of swift swordplay and magical spells, showing players the ferocity of a seasoned warrior. In combat, she alternates between rapid, twin blade assaults and rapid sidesteps that allow her to evade incoming strikes and reposition herself for a perfect counterattack.
Absolutely relentless and aggressive, Rellana’s mastery of magical spells is just as hard to deal with and her spells have huge reach and speed. If Margit serves as the boss that humbles new players in the base game, Rellana is the boss that brutally humbles veteran players and reminds them what game they are playing.
3. Messmer the Impaler
Messmer is a brutal combatant who combines the art of pyromancy with the precision of spear mastery. His entire boss encounter is aggressive from the moment you step inside his domain and his barrage of flame-tipped spear thrusts requires flawless timing to dodge or block. If that wasn’t enough, Messmer has a variety of AOE attacks and special attacks that is hard to dodge and requires spatial awareness.
While he is a mid-game boss in the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, Messmer feels like a final boss that is just relentless. Even if players choose to take a break and upgrade their character with the strongest weapons and armor, Messmer will prove how useless they are and forces the player to rethink their entire strategy.
Whether you try to muscle your way to victory or try to evade his attacks, Messmer will not show any mercy. His ability to seamlessly switch between ranged pyromancy and close-quarters combat makes him an unpredictable foe and has rightfully placed him as the bane of many player’s existence.
2. Malenia Blade of Miquella
While Malenia, Blade of Miquella is not one of the largest bosses, she is a living legend whose combat prowess is as graceful as it is merciless. Her place as one of the hardest Elden Ring bosses is proven through her speed, fluid combination attacks, and the ability to heal herself with every strike she lands on players.
The entire encounter is much a dance to the death between warriors and the slightest misstep can be the difference between victory and another agonizing defeat. In fact, her her signature moves, the Waterfowl Dance, is a multi-hit combo that flows seamlessly from one strike to another, and should players get caught in that, they will perish in the matter of seconds.
Many players have compared her fighting style to Lady Maria in Bloodborne and Sister Friede in Dark Souls 3, but, she is by far, the ultimate warrior type boss who is faster, stronger, and deadlier than those two combined. Add on top of the fact that there are no NPC summons to assist players in this battle speaks volumes to the amount of skill required to defeat her.
1. Promised Consort Radahn
At the pinnacle of Elden Ring’s most challenging boss battles stands Promised Consort Radahn. This boss combines ethereal magic with raw physical power in a battle that evolves continuously, testing every skill you have developed throughout your journey and shows you every flaw of your build and playstyle.
Radahn wields a combination of swift and heavy sword strikes and gravitational magic spells that is heavily aggressive and hard to dodge. To triumph over Radahn, players must be attentive at all times as they alternate between defensive positioning and decisive counterattacks, while keeping a eye on their stamina.
While players are able to summon NPCs in this boss encounter, they can only do so much against this God of War and considering his range of attacks, players need a small army, luck, and prayers to have a chance at defeating him. Promised Consort Radahn stands as fromsoftware’s most difficult boss battle they have ever created and the fact they had to nerf him multiple times in order to make it fairer for the community proves his difficulty and his rightful place as the hardest Elden Ring boss.
