Learn how to defeat the Rotting Knight from Elden Ring with these expert tips and strategies. Prepare, strategize, and emerge victorious in this challenging battle.

How to Defeat the Rotting Knight from Elden Ring.

The Rotting Knight is an optional boss in Elden Ring, part of the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion . Despite its episodic nature, it’s one of the most memorable enemies in the game. A knight made of rotten flesh and wielding a cleaver, it’s a good opponent to test your dodging skills and patience.

Where to find the boss

The Rotting Knight is located in the Azure Coast in the Rift location, inside a stone sarcophagus. The location will be inaccessible until you reach the Shadow Haven or cross the bridge northeast of Bonny Village. After that, the golden barrier will fall and you will receive a notification about access to a new area.

Enemy Review

History: This boss emerged from a cluster of rotting flesh – the remains of the Unclean, buried in stone sarcophagi. When they fell into an underwater cave, the bodies turned into a gray, stinking mass. One of these clusters was fed by the nectar of Saint Trina and became her loyal knight.

Weapons. The boss’s main weapon is an unusual crescent-shaped cleaver made of bones and flesh. In addition, the knight wields the magic of ghostly flame, which was once used to burn the dead.

Boss behavior

Style: The Rotten Knight prefers to counterattack. He rarely acts aggressively first, instead waiting for the moment when the player initiates an attack and cannot dodge. If you do not try to hit him in close combat, he will simply ride around, occasionally performing simple combos.

Combo: The most dangerous combination is when the knight jumps off his horse and performs a vertical strike. After that, he begins a series of attacks, flying through the player. At this moment, the horse appears from the ground and rams you, and then the knight attacks again while spinning. This sequence is repeated twice, after which the boss gets back on the saddle – this is the perfect moment for a counterattack.

Phases of the battle

First. At the beginning of the fight, the knight mainly uses combinations of blows with a cleaver, riding past the player. Attacks can come from both the right and left. His vertical strike is especially dangerous, when the boss takes the cleaver by both ends. He can also launch the cleaver like a boomerang and attack with the help of a horse.

Second. Occurs after losing 40% of health. Ghostly flames are added to normal attacks. The knight creates blisters of rot, releases streams of blue fire, and forms a contracting ring of ghostly flames. These attacks deal heavy damage and cause frostbite.

Preparing for battle

Here’s what you can use to strengthen yourself before the fight:

Weapons. It is best to use weapons with holy damage. The ideal option is a rapier with ant spikes and the “holy blade” skill. It allows you to apply red rot – the only status effect that works against the boss.

Basic Tactics

Aggressive style. Requires a good understanding of the boss’s mechanics. Don’t chase the knight around the arena – it’s a waste of stamina that can cost you your life at a critical moment. Instead, wait for the rot to start approaching on its own.

Your advantage is that most of his attacks are quite slow – after dodging his cleaver swing, you’ll have a window for one or two hits. Stick to the knight’s right side, where you’ll be relatively safe from most of his attacks. Don’t abuse this position, though – if you linger too long, the boss will unleash a lightning-fast three-hit combo that’s hard to dodge.

Defensive Style: For those who prefer a more cautious approach, we recommend using this combination: a shield with a high block value and the Sacred Relic Sword. This combination will allow you to safely study the boss’s attack patterns, blocking most of his attacks. At the same time, you will still be able to quickly counterattack after a successful block.

Note that even with a good shield, it is worth saving stamina – several blocked hits in a row can deplete your stamina. An alternative option is Eleanor’s naginata with the Blood Blade Dance skill. This ability is effective against the Rotting Knight because it gives you additional mobility in battle. You can quickly close the distance, deal damage and immediately retreat, avoiding the knight’s counterattacks.

Note that even with a good shield, it is worth saving stamina – several blocked hits in a row can deplete your stamina. An alternative option is Eleanor’s naginata with the Blood Blade Dance skill. This ability is effective against the Rotting Knight because it gives you additional mobility in battle. You can quickly close the distance, deal damage and immediately retreat, avoiding the knight’s counterattacks.

How to play boss phases

Phase One: At the start of the fight, keep a medium distance from the enemy. Watch not only the knight, but also his horse – the steed can suddenly rear up and attack with a shockwave. When you see the boss take the cleaver with both hands, get ready to dodge a powerful vertical blow. Pay special attention to the combo – when the knight starts a series of spinning attacks, roll through him, and then get ready for a ram from the horse.

Second phase. At this stage, the boss actively uses the magic of the ghost flame. When you see the preparation of the “bubble of rot”, immediately retreat to the maximum distance. When attacking with the “stream of rot”, dodge to the side or jump over the waves of fire. The most dangerous attack is the “whirlwind of rot”. When the knight starts it, turn off the target lock and carefully watch the shrinking ring of flame.

Smoke behind the boss signals the charge of a new attack – immediately prepare to jump back. After each wave of flame, a sword throw will follow – be on guard and frantically roll around the arena.

This fight can be fought not solo. Use co-op mode or summon assistants using ash. The NPC Tiolier is especially useful – it effectively distracts the boss’s attention to itself, thereby giving you time to attack or recover.

Awards

Defeating the Rotting Knight will reward you with 220,000 Runes and a Memory of the Rotting Knight. In New Game+, the reward increases to 440,000 Runes.

As you can see, despite the difficulty, this boss is quite passable with the right preparation and tactics. The main thing is to be patient and watch his attacks carefully.