8 Hardest Bosses To Parry

Summary

• Defeating bosses in Elden Ring can be tailored to any build, offering diverse strategies.
• Parrying is a challenging skill to master, especially against bosses like Tree Sentinel.
• Some bosses, like Malenia, require precise parrying to defeat due to their relentless attacks.

One of the best things about Elden Ring, is that it allows players to defeat the various bosses spread across The Lands Between and the Land of Shadows with any build they want. Whether it is a powerful Magic build with a matching armor set, a swift Dexterity one, or a decimating Strength variant, there are many pathways to explore.

Although many players prefer to stick to the classic dodge and strike method paired with a few great Talismans, others choose to hone their skills and set out on a journey to become parrying experts. Here are some of the hardest bosses to parry in Elden Ring.

8

Tree Sentinel

The Difficulty Comes From How Early He Can Be Taken On

• An optional early-game challenge
• Figuring out the Tree Sentinel’s parry openings can be hard for beginners

The Tree Sentinel isn’t particularly difficult, especially for players who choose to take on the other challenges spread across Limgrave and then return to this enemy after leveling up considerably. However, players who decide to take this enemy on as soon as they touch the first bonfire in the area will find that parrying him can be very challenging.

For starters, doing enough damage to this boss with a starting weapon can be tough. On top of this, the Tree Sentinel does a lot of damage, so a couple of ill-timed parries can mean death. A good way to counteract this encounter’s difficulty is to find the best weapons in Limgrave.

7

Margit, The Fell Omen

The First Skill-check For Many Players

• One of the first real challenges players will face in The Lands Between
• Margit’s second phase is much more aggressive than his first

For many players, especially those who have never played any other Soulsborne title, Margit, The Fell Omen will be the first skill-check they encounter on their journey. Although this boss is not particularly difficult compared to those in the later stages of the game, it can be hard to figure out when to parry him.

Moreover, his second phase has taken more than one player by surprise, and given how he picks up the pace after losing half his Health bar, Margit can be hard to parry, at least at first. Since he can move rather fast during his second phase, a Dexterity build with a good Dexterity weapon is recommended.

6

Loretta, Knight Of The Haligtree

A Harder Version Of The Boss Players Face At Caria Manor

• This version of Loretta is much harder than that of Caria Manor
• Dodging her attacks can be difficult, especially while looking for a parry opportunity

When players face Loretta, Knight of the Haligtree, they might quickly realize that this formidable boss is a stronger version of the one they faced in Caria Manor earlier in the game. Naturally, this stronger variant is considerably more aggressive, hits harder, and is overall more difficult.

Although figuring out Loretta’s parry openings is not that challenging, having to read and dodge her attacks while trying to look for a window of opportunity is no easy task. Players who are struggling with her in excess can try to find some of the best weapons that can melt boss health bars to make this fight easier.

5

Crucible Knights

Quick Attacks That Can Be Hard To Predict

• Crucible Knights are very fast and relentless
• Defeating Crucible Knights often rewards players handsomely

Elden Ring not only has multiple endings, and a broad range of weapons, armor, and spells, but it also features various fights with Crucible Knights, who are considered by many to be some of the hardest enemies that are not actual bosses.

Crucible Knights hit like a truck, are lightning-fast, and have confusing attack movesets that can sometimes be hard to predict. This is especially true during the Crucible Knight Duo fight, where players will have to plan their every move to survive. Defeating Crucible Knights in The Lands Between yields great rewards, but figuring out the correct parry timings to do so can be challenging.

4

Commander Niall

His Attacks Are Telegraphed, But Also Quite Fast

• Commander Niall must be defeated to enter Miquella’s Haligtree
• It’s recommended to deal with the spirit knights first

Although Commander Niall is completely optional, defeating him is mandatory if players want to gain access to Miquella’s Haligtree and the infamous boss fight against Malenia. One of the things that make this boss fight so difficult, is that before players can even face Commander Niall, they’ll have to take care of the two knight spirits that he summons.

Once Commander Niall’s companions have been dealt with, players can focus on parrying his attacks. However, this is not simple, as he hits like a truck, moves really fast, and has delayed attacks, which means that there’s no room for error. Players can use the Blasphemous Blade or some of the other hardest weapons to obtain in Elden Ring to make this fight easier. But even then, it won’t be a walk in the park.

3

Malenia Blade Of Miquella

Swift Blade Swings And Relentless Attacks

• The hardest boss in the base game
• If players fail to parry her, she’ll recover HP

Malenia is, without a doubt, the hardest boss in the Elden Ring base game. Throughout the years, she has posed a significant challenge to any player who decides to face her, and while parrying can make her easier to defeat, getting the right pace to do so isn’t very simple.

Not only does she have a very fast moveset and recovers HP whenever she lands a hit on the Tarnished, but she also has the Waterfowl Dance move in her repertoire, which is deadly, to say the least. Many players agree that making her an optional boss is the best thing FromSoftware could have done.

2

Rellana Twin Moon Knight

Her Dual Sword Attack Pattern Is Confusing

• Dual sword attacks that are relentless and deadly
• She leaves little to no window of opportunity to attack

The Shadow of the Erdtree DLC humbled many players who were already overpowered in the base game and felt like they were unstoppable. Bosses like Rellana Twin Moon Knight proved that things can still be kicked up a notch in terms of difficulty and present players with a formidable challenge, even if they’re at a high level.

One of the things that make Rellana so difficult to parry is that her attacks are swift, relentless, and often hard to read as she swings her two blades with the utmost dexterity and unpredictability. Like everything else in life, her difficulty to parry is up for debate, as some players say she’s easy to read, while others disagree.

1

Maliketh, The Black Blade

Some Attacks Can Only Be Parried With The Blasphemous Claw

• Players must get the Blasphemous Claw to parry Maliketh properly
• Swift melee and ranged attacks

Lastly, there’s Maliketh, the Black Blade. Although there are other bosses in the base game and the DLC that are considered to be more challenging than him, there’s a particular aspect about parrying Maliketh that other bosses do not have—the Blasphemous Claw.

Some of his attacks can be parried normally. However, others call for the Blasphemous Claw, which requires players to take a few extra steps to obtain it. This, in and of itself, makes Maliketh a challenge to parry, as figuring out that a special item is needed to parry some attacks isn’t obvious.