How to beat Messmer the Impaler in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree

Messmer the Impaler is among the hardest boss fights in Elden Ring’s Shadow of the Erdtree DLC. From Spirit Ashes to elemental imbuements, you’ll want to make use of each device at your disposal. Messmer’s assault patterns are swift and unforgiving.

Contents

Messmer location in Elden Ring DLC Messmer weaknesses and how you can put together The best way to beat Messmer the Impaler in Elden Ring DLC Messmer boss struggle part 1 Messmer boss struggle part 2

Our Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree information explains how you can beat Messmer, together with particulars about his weaknesses and the way finest to organize for this boss struggle.

Messmer location in Elden Ring DLC

Messmer waits for you within the Darkish Chamber, a room above the very best level of the Specimen Storeroom in Shadow Hold. He’s a compulsory DLC boss, so you may’t skip him.

Nonetheless, you may exit Shadow Hold by way of the Watering Gap or western gate to proceed exploring and discovering new weapons and improve supplies for those who want extra time to organize.

Messmer weaknesses and how you can put together

Messmer the Impaler sits on a chair before an Elden Ring DLC boss fight.

Messmer has two huge weaknesses you may exploit to take a large chunk out of his well being bar: Bleed and Frostbite.

The setup I used is one you may benefit from with out severe funding in a single particular stat. You’ll want:

A completely upgraded Mimic Tear
An Ash of Warfare that imbues a typical weapon with chilly. Divine Beast Frost Stomp or Ghostflame Name are strong decisions
Glintstone Icecrag and a employees with S-rank sorcery scaling
(Non-obligatory) A second main-hand weapon to deal heavier bodily harm

Normal weapons deal much less harm than particular ones, however stacking Frostbite (or Bleed) is simply as essential as dealing magic or bodily harm on this struggle.

This technique provides you the most effective likelihood of whittling Messmer’s well being down with out being in an excessive amount of hazard your self. Your Mimic Tear will seemingly prioritize the Ash-infused weapon or spells, each of which cowl Messmer’s ailment weaknesses, which leaves you to do the identical or deal with common magic or bodily harm together with your different spells and weapon. Don’t get too snug casting Icecrag or different spells, although. Messmer’s consideration by no means lingers lengthy on one foe, and he’ll swap to you after a few hits.

You possibly can change the chilly Ash of Warfare for a blood one for those who’re operating a bleed construct, however Divine Beast Frost Cease has the added benefit of overlaying a broad space. Bleed builds don’t have something comparable. Nonetheless, the Bloody Slash talent works fantastically for those who’re shut sufficient to Messmer for it to hit.

Different viable Spirit Ash summons for this struggle embrace the Dung Eater Puppet, which is beneficial for inflicting Bleed, and, for those who’ve defeated Bayle and completed the related questlines, Historical Dragon Florissax. She’s more proficient at avoiding assaults than you may assume, and her personal expertise cowl a broad space. Her assaults will both hit Messmer or drive him to dodge, which places him in your vary and provides you an opportunity to strike earlier than he begins one other combo.

Messmer the Impaler runs toward an Elden Ring DLC player during a boss fight.

That stated, in case your Revered Spirit Ash stage is decrease than seven, most Spirit Ashes aside from the Mimic Tear gained’t final lengthy, no matter what they’re.

There are, in fact, different methods to beat Messmer. Most melee weapons take a giant chunk of HP with every hit, and you could possibly overwhelm him with poise-breaking heavy assaults when you be taught the timing. For those who do strive that possibility, use the Stonebarb Cracked Tear in your Blended Physik to assist break Messmer’s stance extra simply.

Glintstone Icecrag, Adula’s Moonblade, Ranni’s Darkish Moon, and particularly Zamor Ice Storm are all sturdy sorcery decisions, and Rellana’s Twin Moons offers a hefty quantity of injury — for those who’re shut sufficient for the strikes to land, which implies you’re shut sufficient for Messmer to hit you. For incantations, Frozen Lightning Spear hits its mark surprisingly typically, and the Side of the Crucible: Thorns incantation you get from the Golden Hippopotamus offers excessive harm in a brief period of time. The draw back is that, like with Rellana’s Twin Moons, it’s important to be up shut for it to work.

Messmer the Impaler sends a giant blade of flame toward an Elden Ring DLC player during a boss fight.

Earlier than you enter Messmer’s chamber, your Scadutree stage ought to be not less than 10 or increased, so take a detour to search out some Scadutree Fragments for those who haven’t saved up with that thus far. It’s additionally price utilizing a Rune Arc earlier than coming into the world and consuming a Fireproof Pickled Liver to buff your hearth harm resistance. Half of Messmer’s assaults are imbued with hearth, so each little bit helps.

Spellcasters ought to have the Radagon’s Icon talisman geared up to shorten their casting time, and any construct wants the Two-Headed Turtle talisman to assist with stamina administration. Be at liberty to summon the Hornsent NPC for assist as nicely. The energy of his want for vengeance doesn’t translate to competency in fight, however he’s distraction for Messmer.

The best way to beat Messmer the Impaler in Elden Ring DLC

The Messmer boss struggle is a doozy. He blends the Dancing Lion’s erratic actions and delayed strikes with Rellana’s swiftness and effectivity, and he fluidly switches from one goal to the subsequent with little regard for who is definitely attacking him.

These switches typically occur in mid combo, and for those who strike him even as soon as whereas he’s attacking an ally summon, he’s virtually assured to return after you subsequent. Messmer has few openinings for assault, besides after he ends a combo, and any melee strike places you in danger for a follow-up. Your finest wager is a cautious steadiness of evasion and offense

Messmer boss struggle part 1

Messmer the Impaler leaps into the air during an Elden Ring DLC boss fight.

The Messmer struggle begins with a bang after which one other one. He’ll stroll ahead a couple of steps, rise into the air whereas constructing an orb of flaming shadow hearth round himself, then race ahead and slam into the bottom. The orb explodes the place Messmer lands roughly a second after he lands. Dodge to keep away from the primary strike, wait a beat, and dodge once more to evade the explosion.

You’ve got simply sufficient time to summon your Spirit Ash earlier than the orb lands, so do this first. After the explosion, I like to recommend operating to the opposite aspect of the world within the hope that Messmer targets your summon as a substitute of you. That provides you time to heal for those who used the Mimic Tear after which to activate the Hornsent’s summon signal if you would like him to affix in.

Messmer the Impaler explodes the ground during an Elden Ring DLC boss fight.

Messmer has a number of flame and spear combos, and he’ll generally string them collectively in unpredictable methods. His primary spear assault is a ahead slash adopted by a backhand slash. He’ll generally finish with a thrust or simply use a spear thrust unbiased of different assaults. Dodge ahead or backward to keep away from the primary two slashes and ahead or sideways to evade the thrust.

Messmer will generally observe the opening one-two spear combo with a transfer much like one which Margit makes use of. He’ll drag his spear behind him on the bottom, delay for a second to make dodging difficult, after which lastly make an upward slash that has a excessive likelihood of knocking you backward. What course you dodge in issues lower than ensuring you dodge on time.

Whereas he often sticks to simply these flame-free assaults, he extra typically mixes them along with his hearth expertise as nicely. The tame ones embrace a flaming thrust and a slash in entrance of him along with his ignited spear that leads into one other slash or a flaming thrust. These frontal assaults throw flame huge and much, so control them even for those who aren’t close to Messmer on the time.

Messmer the Impaler attacks an Elden Ring DLC player during a boss fight.

Much less typically, he’ll rush ahead and ship a flaming higher lower, and if it catches you, he’ll slam you again into the bottom along with his spear. Dodge ahead or sideways to keep away from the preliminary strike.

One in every of his deadliest combos begins when Messmer rises into the air, wreathed in flame. He’ll rush ahead much like the Dancing Lion, so dodge ahead identical to you probably did in that battle. He then turns round and unleashes a flurry of spear strikes that offers heavy harm, which you can even dodge ahead to keep away from, and he ends by slamming his spear into the bottom.

Messmer the Impaler performs a fury of spear attacks during an Elden Ring DLC boss fight.

The flames round it erupt into smaller spears, and there’s virtually by no means sufficient area to flee the complete space of impact. The dodge timing to keep away from the spear eruption is much like the preliminary orb explosion, so wait a second after evading the bottom strike earlier than dodging once more.

Messmer the Impaler throws a bunch of flaming spears during an Elden Ring DLC boss fight.

That’s quite a bit to absorb, and also you’ll have to simply take care of it and dodge more often than not. Messmer strikes so shortly throughout these combos that you haven’t any room to counter, and whilst you can break his poise, he’s a bit sturdier than the sooner obligatory bosses. Don’t rely on breaking him shortly except you’re buffed up and utilizing a colossal weapon.

When Messmer’s hand glows with flame, and he holds it behind him, he’s about to make a seize for you. He’ll deal hearth harm if he’s profitable, impale you and inflict bloodloss, after which lastly allow you to go. I had a vigor stat of 52, and except my HP was fully full, the assault all the time resulted in demise. The precise strike is delayed by a second or two, so it would take a couple of situations of getting hit and dying earlier than you be taught the timing. If he does this to one among your allies, it provides you about 4 seconds to assault with out restraint, and also you even have a quick alternative to assault whereas he recovers after lacking you.

He’ll additionally create a flame blob that hovers after which flies towards you, much like the Flame Knights in Shadow Hold. Dodge away simply earlier than it makes contact.

Messmer has some merciless feint methods up his quick sleeves, too. If he throws hearth at you along with his hand — much like how Mohg sears the air with bloodflame — he’ll observe up with a brutal spear strike or combo. The flame offers no harm except you’re proper in entrance of him, so for those who dodge that, his spear strike is assured to hit you. However, he additionally makes use of his spear to fling an extended string of flame outward horizontally. That fireside will harm you, and he could or could not observe up with a thrust or begin one among his different combos. You’ve got sufficient time to dodge the flame and no matter comes subsequent, although.

The important thing to damaging Messmer on this part is ready for the correct alternative. He’s briefly open to assault after ending any of his heavy combos – the aerial one, the seize, and the dragging spear strike – however for those who get grasping and take a look at for greater than two assaults, you’ll find yourself regretting it. It’s also possible to benefit from ally distractions to land a couple of hits, nevertheless it’s price noting that

for those who assault him whereas he’s attacking an ally, Messmer will, like Rellana, casually goal you with out breaking his present combo. He’s not as evasive as Rellana, although, so for those who can hold dodging and attacking with out worrying a couple of dodge-counter from him.

Messmer boss struggle part 2

Messmer the Impaler turns into a giant snake during phase 2 of an Elden Ring DLC boss fight.

Section two begins the identical as the primary part. Snake Messmer generates a large orb of flame after which crashes down the place you’re standing. The orb explodes after a second, and the affected space is larger than the primary part explosion.

Messmer alternates between snake assaults and spear assaults on this part, and he retains virtually all his combos from the primary part. He’s much less seemingly to make use of his flame arc assaults, although, and tends to favor the three-part aerial combo or the flaming thrusts. He’ll additionally perform a little roll into the air and crash down along with his spear.

The snake strikes are his commonest strikes on this part. Messmer turns into a large shadow snake and shoots ahead throughout the world, focusing on you — and the goal of this assault is sort of all the time you, even when an ally remains to be on the sector. The snake often repeats this two extra occasions earlier than coming to a cease, and you’ve got a second to strike the top after which Messmer after it does cease. Much less incessantly, it stops after one assault, nevertheless it’s often finest to plan for the complete combo.

Messmer the Impaler attacks a player during an Elden Ring DLC boss fight.

Dodge any course to keep away from taking harm. Simply ensure you’re able to dodge once more to keep away from the subsequent strike.

Messmer can even flip right into a pool of shadows, hover below you for a couple of seconds, and burst out of the bottom because the snake earlier than slamming his head again down onto the bottom. There’s loads of time to dodge away from this assault, and he’s susceptible to strikes after ending.

Regardless of Messmer being extra harmful than ever on this part, he’s additionally simpler to hit. You’ve got a window of roughly a second or two after one among his snake assaults the place he’s remodeling again into his human type, and he’s not attacking. Use this chance to deal as a lot harm as you may, and whereas he’s in human-ish Messmer type, simply deal with dodging his assaults except a extremely good alternative presents itself.

Messmer the Impaler turns into a snake during an Elden Ring DLC boss fight.

After the battle ends, you obtain the Remembrance of the Impaler, which you’ll be able to alternate for his sphere or the incantation that summons his flaming orb. You’ll additionally get a flame that clears away shadow, nevertheless it’s not time to open Belurat Tower simply but. Exit Shadow Hold by way of the western gate for the journey’s subsequent part.

In search of extra Shadow of the Erdtree guides? Take a look at our guides on new Elden Ring DLC weapons, armor, bosses, map fragments, websites of grace, and talismans. We’ve additionally acquired location guides on the place to search out Scadutree Fragments and Revered Spirit Ashes, and an interactive Elden Ring DLC map.