Malenia, Blade of Miquella, is one of the most infamous bosses in Elden Ring. Found deep in Elphael, Brace of the Haligtree, she is widely regarded as the hardest fight in the game. With lightning-fast attacks, devastating combos, and Elden Ring Runes a unique healing mechanic, Malenia punishes mistakes more brutally than nearly any other foe. Whether you’re attempting the fight solo or with summons, victory requires preparation, patience, and precision. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know to finally bring her down.

Why Malenia is So Difficult

Before diving into strategies, it’s important to understand what makes Malenia such a formidable boss:

Healing Mechanic: Every time she hits you—even if you block—she regains health. This makes trading blows disastrous.

Speed and Reach: Her blade attacks are swift, multi-hit, and often have deceptive ranges.

Scarlet Rot: Phase 2 introduces rot-infused abilities that steadily drain health.

Waterfowl Dance: Her signature move, a flurry of slashes, can shred players instantly.

Recognizing these mechanics is step one toward victory.

Preparation Before the Fight

1. Gear and Resistances

Armor: Wear medium-weight armor for balance between protection and mobility. Heavy armor won’t save you from her combos, but poise can sometimes prevent staggers.

Talismans:

Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman – reduces physical damage.

Green Turtle Talisman – boosts stamina regeneration, crucial for dodging.

Rot Resistance Talismans (like Immunizing Horn Charm) – helps in Phase 2.

Weapons: Fast-striking weapons like katanas, curved swords, or thrusting weapons are great. Bleed weapons (Rivers of Blood, Uchigatana, Nagakiba) are especially effective.

2. Spirit Summons and Allies

Mimic Tear Ashes (fully upgraded) – provides a mirror of your build, doubling your damage and distracting Malenia.

Tiche Ashes – deals consistent damage and avoids many of her combos.

Multiplayer summons can help, but be cautious: more players means more health for Malenia.

3. Consumables

Rot-curing items (Preserving Boluses).

Stamina recovery items to maintain dodging ability.

Buffs: Use Flame, Grant Me Strength or Golden Vow to boost damage.

Phase 1: Blade of Miquella

Malenia opens with her standard form, relying on swordsmanship and lightning-fast combos.

Key Moves to Watch

Standard Combos: Chains of slashes. Dodge toward her or diagonally to stay close and counter quickly.

Thrusting Stab: Long-range lunge. Side-dodge to punish.

Waterfowl Dance: Her deadliest attack, a flurry of spinning slashes.

How to Survive Waterfowl Dance:

When she leaps into the air, immediately back off.

Sprint diagonally away, then roll through the last flurry.

Alternatively, a well-timed Bloodhound’s Step or quickstep can evade all hits.

If using a shield, blocking will reduce damage but still heal her, so dodging is safer.

Strategy

Stay in mid-range: too close and she punishes instantly, too far and her lunges catch you.

Punish whiffs with quick, light attacks instead of greedy combos.

Use bleed weapons to shorten the phase. Malenia is highly susceptible to bleed buildup.

Phase 2: Goddess of Rot

At 50% HP, Malenia transforms, unleashing scarlet rot across the arena. She gains new abilities and deadlier combos.

Key Moves to Watch

Scarlet Rot Bloom: On phase transition, she creates a massive AoE rot explosion. Back off immediately to avoid taking heavy damage.

Scarlet Aeonia Dive: She dives from the air, creating a massive flower that inflicts rot. Stay far away until the bloom fades.

Spirit Clones: She summons phantom copies to attack alongside her. Keep moving and dodge through the illusions.

Strategy

Use rot-resistant gear and consumables. The Immunizing Horn Charm and Preserving Boluses are invaluable.

Patience is even more critical. Her attacks are more punishing, but also create bigger openings if dodged properly.

Punish after Aeonia or clone attacks when she recovers.

Don’t linger near her flower blooms—wait it out, then re-engage.

General Tips for Both Phases

Don’t panic roll. Many of her combos are designed to bait early dodges. Delay your roll until the last possible moment.

Manage stamina carefully. Always leave enough stamina for an emergency dodge. Never spend your entire bar attacking.

Summons are your friend. Even the best players often rely on Mimic Tear or allies to create space and punish safely.

Capitalize on bleed. Weapons like Rivers of Blood, with blood loss buildup, melt her health bar faster than almost any other option.

Learn through repetition. Malenia’s fight is as much about recognition as mechanics. The more you see her combos, the better you’ll time your responses.

Rewards for Victory

Defeating Malenia is one of the most satisfying moments in Elden Ring. You’ll earn:

Remembrance of the Rot Goddess – can be exchanged for her sword (Hand of Malenia) or Scarlet Aeonia Incantation.

Malenia’s Great Rune – restores HP when you land attacks, reflecting her own lifesteal ability.

Both are powerful tools, and the sense of accomplishment is unmatched.

Conclusion

Malenia is a boss designed to test everything you’ve learned in Elden Ring: patience, precision, and cheap Elden Ring Runes adaptability. She is merciless, but not impossible. With preparation, careful observation, and practice, you can whittle her down, phase by phase, until you stand victorious. Few fights in gaming rival the triumph of defeating the Blade of Miquella—so equip your best gear, summon your allies, and embrace the challenge.