As one of 2022's best-reviewed games, Elden Ring's reception has been widely positive partly thanks to its compelling enemies and combat. With its open world and deep lore, FromSoftware has outdone itself with this stunning story. In true FromSoftware fashion, however, there is no shortage of challenging bosses to beat. This ranges from Elden Ring's story-required bosses to the optional ones found in the world.

Players who have put hours into Dark Souls or Bloodborne know to expect a learning curve when fighting its formidable enemies. Elden Ring does not disappoint in giving players a challenge to overcome. From adaptive AIs to visually terrifying foes, players can expect to spend hours trying to beat Elden Ring's hardest bosses, including the fearsome Maliketh to the infamous Malenia.

Updated on April 5, 2024, by Guillermo Kurten: Elden Ring is FromSoftware's most ambitious feat yet, applying the formula popularized in Demon's Souls and the Dark Souls trilogy into an open-world format. From optional field bosses to mandatory ones to progress the story, there are plenty of foes to test the player's mettle. This list is being updated to highlight more of the game's tough boss encounters.

20 Ulcerated Tree Spirit Are Deceptively Nimble

The Ulcerated Tree Spirits are one of the field boss types that players will find scattered across the Lands Between. These grotesque beings can easily catch players off guard, especially inexperienced players. Despite the malformed figure and large size, the Ulcerated Tree Spirit is deceptively fast, moving and attacking in erratic patterns.

This lets it close the distance between it and the player quickly, making it difficult for the Tarnished protagonist to evade and read the Tree Spirit's attacks. For these reasons, however, the hardest encounter will likely be the first one. It's the element of surprise when the Ulcerated Tree Spirit first assaults the player that it's most overwhelming, and staying in close quarters will make the fight more manageable.

19 Fallingstar Beast Is Brutal In Close Quarters

One of the most unique bosses players can stumble upon in Elden Ring is the Fallingstar Beast. This mysterious and cosmic-themed boss can give players a grueling fight with its almost chaotic attack patterns. The Fallingstar Beast is one of Elden Ring's many optional field bosses, but players who choose to fight it should prepare for a brutal battle up close.

This monster gives players few openings to strike in close quarters and, as its creature design suggests, it has incredibly staunch defenses. The Fallingstar Beast is a generally difficult boss for melee players, but its ranged weaknesses keep it from being tougher than many others. It's undoubtedly difficult and leaves no room for complacency, but mages should have a notably easier time attacking from afar while riding Torrent.

18 Draconic Tree Sentinel Adds A New Layer To A Tough Early-Game Boss

The original version of the Tree Sentinel will likely give new players a rude awakening at the beginning of the game, and the later Draconic variant mixes things up. This field boss will block players' way to the back entrance to Leyndell, the Royal Capital of the Lands Between.

Many elements that made the Tree Sentinel challenging carry over to the Draconic Tree Sentinel. However, the latter's increased agility and potentially lethal lightning attacks will keep players on the edge. The fight will test the player's reflexes, and inflicting it with Scarlet Rot offers the best chance to defeat it.

17 Commander Niall Makes An Already Tense Fight More Suffocating

Miquella's Haligtree is easily one of the hardest dungeons in the game — namely for its more iconic boss — and Commander Niall is its toughest gatekeeper. The most memorable and difficult element of this boss fight is that it's not a straightforward one-on-one between him and the player.

When the boss fight begins, Commander Niall summons two Banished Knight spirits to force players to be at their attentive best. Trying to juggle three enemies at once while trying to dodge Niall's lightning and frost attacks makes for an exhausting battle, and it's daunting to think it's easier than what lies ahead in the Haligtree.

16 Borealis, The Freezing Fog Adds An Ice-Themed Twist To Its Combat

Most of Elden Ring's dragon battles tend to be similar enough that once the player's finished off one, the rest are relatively easy to fight through. There are a handful of dragons, however, that are a little tougher than others because of the conditions under which they are fought.

Borealis, The Freezing Fog is one of these dragons, and the fog and snowfall around him make it difficult to track him down once he's off the ground and in the air again. This also makes the player more susceptible to attack since they're less likely to see him coming in from behind.

15 Limgrave Tree Sentinel Are Consistent Overworld Bosses

After playing for a while, the Tree Sentinel enemies don't feel as difficult, but early on they can be a remarkably deadly foe for a new character. Even FromSoft ranks the Limgrave Tree Sentinel as the third most difficult enemy recorded in gameplay. While this is likely because players charge in thinking it'll be a simple early-game encounter, these bosses are meant to be faced when the player grows stronger.

These bosses require players fighting on foot to learn patterns and have quick reflexes to dodge the much larger, faster, and more mobile foe. One of the Limgrave Tree Sentinels will technically be the first boss many new players will fight, but it's more of a lesson of Elden Ring's open-ended gameplay loop — it's okay to pick another direction to explore and come back when the player is ready. Specifically, the early-game Sentinel nudges players to return once they obtain their spectral steed Torrent to level the playing field.

14 Godrick The Grafted's Greatest Strengths Lie In His Second Form

While he's one of the earliest bosses players will likely face in Elden Ring, Godrick the Grafted can be a tricky foe to beat, especially for newcomers to the Souls-like subgenre. Godrick is located deep within the game's first core dungeon in the Stormveil Castle. It takes some time to learn his combos, but his attacks can be evaded by trying to stay behind him.

Godrick's second phase is a proper FromSoftware-style spectacle, as he grafts a dragon head onto his arm and gains a fire attack to couple his axe swinging. Godrick is an optional boss, but if players want the rewards that come with beating him and important assets for their playthrough of Elden Ring, then proper preparation is crucial.

13 Mohg, Lord Of Blood Uses Bloog Magic For Offense And Defense

Blood magic can be dangerous to come up against, and Mohg, Lord of Blood is an expert in its practice. Though only an optional boss, this Omen demigod cannot be parried. Dealing intense bleed damage and growing even stronger when fire magic is used against him, it can take a few tries to come out of this battle alive, especially if unprepared.

The Lord of Blood fully embraces his scorned Omen bloodline to use multiple dangerous blood magic techniques, including ranged, melee, and healing abilities on himself. Learning to recognize his attack patterns and dealing with him fast enough before he can regenerate too much HP will be key.

12 Godfrey, First Elden Lord Has Two Phases To Pay Close Attention To

One of the most difficult things about battling non-optional boss Godfrey, First Elden Lord, is that the fight has two stages to complete. After getting Godfrey's health bar to 60%, a cutscene triggers, and he transforms into Hourah Loux.

While not the most difficult boss fight in the late stage of the game, there is a strategy that requires the player to keep close during stage one to avoid getting stomped when he charges. During stage two, Godfrey's fighting style changes dramatically and he begins using grappling tactics. Keeping an eye on his movements can grant some insight into his style and prepare the player to avoid being grappled.

11 Crucible Knight Ordovis Is A Tense Double Boss Fight

Though there aren't many double-boss battles in Elden Ring, Crucible Knight Ordovis comes with a difficult partner in tow. While only a minor boss, Ordovis and his fellow Crucible Knight both deal heavy damage and with two of them coming at the player together, death is imminent for the unprepared. Ordovis' ability to manifest wings and fly around the stage makes things even more difficult.

Though the arena is relatively small, making space and defeating them one at a time is one of the easiest ways to get past them. Taking down the spear user is ideal, as this Crucible Knight's attacks have a daunting range. However, it may take a few tries to find the right rhythm and approach for dealing with them individually and achieve victory.

10 Margit, The Fell Omen Can Become An Early Roadblock

Margit is the first challenging boss players encounter in Elden Ring. His combos are constantly changing, so it is difficult to anticipate the next move. This boss can be particularly formidable against newer and lower-level players, since Margit is hard to miss for players taking the beaten path after following the early storyline.

Margit's combo strings, in addition to being hard to predict, can be quite long and his combat style is extremely aggressive. Those who have never played a FromSoftware game before will be unpleasantly surprised by the difficulty of this boss so early on in the game. Though best saved for later, Margit, the Fell Omen sets a tone for what to expect throughout the journey.

9 Morgott, The Omen King Raises The Stakes From The First Encounter

Though Margit, the Fell Omen is difficult given the context and timing players will likely encounter him, his true identity is a notch above. Revealing himself to be Morgott, the Omen King, players will find that he's bolstered his defenses since their early-game boss fight.

Morgott, the Omen King appears noticeably later in the game and, unlike his earlier alias, is a required boss to progress the story. This adds to the tension, but the hardest aspects of this fight are his much more hostile attack patterns, ranged abilities, and punishing area-of-effect attack. Morgott doesn't give players much time to breathe or think, and he'll devastate players spending too much time trying to evade him.

8 Fire Giant Deals Heavy Damage And Boasts High Defense

The Fire Giant is not optional after unlocking the Mountaintops of the Giants, which makes his fight all the more frustrating. His ability to roll out of players' way while they try to attack is a great example of exemplary AI work. However, it can be hard to appreciate the mechanics of it when constantly trying to avoid fire attacks.

The Fire Giant's massive health bar is equally disheartening, making him a formidable foe in the player's playthrough. Thanks to his staunch defense, even some of the best weapons can make most strikes on the boss seem like it's merely inflicting chip damage. This reasonably ranks the Fire Giant among one of Elden Ring's toughest foes.

7 Astel, Naturalborn Of The Void Is An Efficient Ranged Attacker

Stepping out of the medieval fantasy foreground and into a cosmic nightmare, Astel awaits players with laser beams and future night terrors. This Elden Ring boss has many tricks up their metaphorical sleeves. It is nearly impossible to get in close range without being knocked by their shock waves. Distance is not an ally in this fight, as Astel aims lasers at the player. Even when Astel reaches about half health, dodging is the player's best friend as they cast meteors from the sky. A being that rivals a Lovecraft creature, Astel unnerves as well as overpowers.

Using magical attacks against Astel, Natural Born of the Void will only serve to empower it, so physical attacks that do slashing, striking, piercing, and standard damage are a must. It may only be an optional boss, but defeating this eerie alien-like entity is required to open the Moonlight Alter and achieve the "Age of the Stars" ending.

6 Dragonlord Placidusax Is A Hard-Hitting And Evasive Enemy With Many Resistances

Dragonlord Placidusax is another impressive spectacle of a boss fight. A two-headed dragon in an arena surrounded by lightning, it is easy to see George R. R. Martin's influence on Elden Ring. Placidusax has the advantage of being a tough boss while using the environment to beat the players. His quick teleportation makes it difficult to land a blow.

Players are advised not to get too focused on Placidusax's one-hit kills, as the lightning on the map can still kill players. Placidusax is hard to find, so players can easily avoid the fight, but achievement hunters will want to max out their weapons before braving this beast.

5 Beast Clergyman/Maliketh, The Black Blade Is Ruthless In His Second Phase

The Beast Clergyman is a relatively easy boss to beat, but when he transforms into Maliketh, any hopes of winning this fight on the first try will be dashed for players ill-equipped to deal with his new moveset. Maliketh has various one-hit kills that force players to time their dodge rolls just right to avoid them.

Maliketh flies around the map without any pattern to his movements, making the element of surprise especially difficult in this fight. Players can use the arena to help dodge attacks, but getting a hit is the biggest challenge of this fight. The fact that this is a required boss in Elden Ring's main storyline is enough to halt some players' progress.

4 Radagon Of The Golden Order/Elden Beast Is A Climactic Final Boss

In the final boss fight of Elden Ring, players are in for a gripping battle that is the perfect ending to their long journey. The fight starts with Radagon wielding the hammer that shattered the Elden Ring. The boss is a seemingly straightforward fight with Radagon's mix of ranged and melee attacks, while his most dangerous move is his grab. However, players have to adapt quickly when he's defeated and the Elden Beast replaces him.

There is no break between the two bosses, so players are left with whatever health they had at the end of the first fight going into the second. The Beast is constantly moving, making it hard to hit. If players can get a hit on it, its glowing center is its weakest spot.

3 Godskin Duo Is Elden Ring's Toughest Dual Boss Fight

If there was ever a boss fight to co-op during Elden Ring, the Godskin Duo is it. Players must fight Godskin Apostle and Godskin Noble at the same time. Both have their respective health bars and a shared health bar. The goal is to deplete the shared health bar to defeat both. If the player depletes one of their single health bars, they will be resurrected moments later.

It can be easy to be caught off-guard by the Godskin Duo, as the fight's mechanics can wear down the player's endurance. Individually, the Godskin Apostle and Nobles are already difficult, with this dual boss fight forcing players to adapt to each of their styles simultaneously. The former uses a series of agile attacks, including blade strikes and Black Flame incantations. Meanwhile, the Noble wields a rapier for standard and piercing damage, Black Flame incantations, and is shockingly fast.

2 Starcourge Radahn Is Relentless From The Start

Starscourge Radahn is a boss who doesn't let new players figure out fighting style before they have died at least once. Starscourge starts miles away from the player, shooting arrows that can kill with a single hit. Starscourge's ranged attacks are powerful, and his aggressive melee combos make it hard to find breathing room.

Radahn's initial phase is tense enough as is, but his second phase sees the General turn into a meteor and crash down upon the players. He's effective at catching players unaware almost immediately after entering his arena, meaning newer players will likely need to conduct some trial and error to defeat Radahn.

1 Malenia, Blade Of Miquella Is An Infamously Punishing Fight

There is heavy debate among Elden Ring fans on which bosses are tougher than others, but Malenia is where most players can agree. Malenia's words, "I have never known defeat," reign painfully true as she darts toward the player and kills them with her first move. If her fighting style isn't aggressive enough, she can heal herself with every blow she lands.

Malenia's quick dodges make it difficult to land even simpler strikes. Her second phase adds wings to her arsenal, increasing her damage and making her more mobile. Any player who dares attempt to defeat her will need a constant full health bar and endless amounts of patience, as her diverse arsenal and agility should be a match for any character build.