Radagon of the Golden Order is the final boss players will face in Elden Ring, although it is only the first form. After his defeat, he’ll seemingly be transformed by The Greater Will into the Elden Beast—meaning players have two really tough back-to-back fights. Beating Radagon of the Golden Order means players can exhaust most of their flasks and abilities, and go into the second fight wholly unprepared.
No matter the level, Elden Ring’s final boss is quite difficult. Not only does it strain flasks, but even with maximized gear, it’s difficult to defeat the boss. Particularly, it’s worth noting that Elden Ring’s Bleed builds are a particular disadvantage, as both Radagon and The Elden Beast are immune to such tactics. However, if players are looking to defeat Radagon easily, there is one method to make these fights much easier.
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Elden Ring: Tips and Tricks Against Radagon and The Elden Beast
Prior to the cheese method, here are some general tips and tricks to tackling Radagon and The Elden Beast:
- Have the best sorceries, weapons, and equipment possible for your build
- Do NOT focus on Bleed in a melee build; instead, focus on raw DPS
- Find and equip the Haligdrake Talisman, as it reduces damage taken from Holy attacks, and both Radagon and The Elden Beast use Holy moves.
- The Mimic Tear Ash is still super useful after Elden Ring update 1.03, and the Haligdrake Talisman increases their ability to tank damage.
- The goal to pull this tactic off/beat both of these bosses is to limit how many supplies are used against Radagon and save as many resources as possible for The Elden Beast
Elden Ring: How to Beat Radagon of the Golden Order Easily
This method was seemingly discovered by YouTuber Tyrannicon and independently verified by Game Rant. We can confirm it still works after Elden Ring update 1.3.
Once players cross the golden light to initiate the fight, they should skip the cutscene and IMMEDIATELY, while the screen is still black, hold their sprint forward. The very first thing Radagon does is slowly turn around, and if players can get in his face before he is fully turned, he’ll just stand there. He won’t attack or retaliate against the player. However, should the player use certain spells or lock on to Radagon, he will become hostile. Keep these things in mind:
- Do NOT melee attack Radagon.
- Do NOT lock-on to Radagon.
- Do NOT move once he stops moving.
- It may take a time or two to get the positioning/time just right, but once it does, it then allows players to cheese the boss.
Once Radagon is standing still, there are a few options. There are certain spells Elden Ring players can use without him retaliating, such as Comet Azur, but the one thing most Elden Ring builds should have access to is a bow. Players should stock up on 99 arrows, as well as equip the Arrow’s Sting Talisman. Without locking on, players can use this (and poison mist) to kill Radagon by constantly hitting him. It does take a little time, but after some Poison Mist hits and arrow strikes, he’ll eventually go down after using crudely 80 arrows.
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Players should NOT continuously hit him with arrows. Depending on their Elden Ring build and damage output, about 30 arrows will break Radagon’s Poise and make him fall to the ground. If he does this, he will attack the player and end this cheesing method. Instead, players should let loose 15-20 at a time, count to 30, and then repeat until Radagon is defeated or drastically reduced in health.
What players should note is that, if they are not doing enough damage to kill him, this is still a great way to deal tons of damage without taking a single hit. If they exhaust their arrows, depending on their builds and abilities, Radagon could still have 50% health left if players aren’t fully geared for this tactic. However, that’s still enough to summon a Mimic Tear and begin to deal quick and heavy damage to Radagon, ending the fight quickly and without using a lot of resources.
This Elden Ring Strategy Only Leaves The Elden Beast To Deal With
Of course, once Radagon falls, there is still The Elden Beast to beat. The Elden Beast, on its own, is not too difficult of a boss once players learn his patterns—the hardest part of the Elden Beast is going into the fight with few supplies, a weak Mimic Tear Ash, and so on. By cheesing Radagon, either until death or until beating him only requires a few more hits, players can ensure they go into The Elden Beast fight unscathed.
This is a huge advantage, especially if players reduce their Holy damage via the Haligdrake Talisman. The Elden Beast is still hard, but having proper flasks and such make him much easier. Here, what players should do is let loose with their best abilities and utilize the raw power of their build, with the exception again of bleed builds, and they should be The Elden Beast with relative ease. Once it has fallen, players will be able to continue playing, pursuing other optional endgame bosses like Malenia, or begin New Game+.
Elden Ring is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
FAQs
How do you beat Radagon in the golden order? ›
Bring Fire – Radagon is resistant to Holy Damage and completely immune to Bleed. In fact, this boss is somewhat resistant to every kind of damage, with his only significant weakness being Fire Damage. Weapons like the Blasphemous Blade and the Sword of Night and Flame will be of great asset in this boss fight.
Can you cheese Radagon? ›Do NOT melee attack Radagon. Do NOT lock-on to Radagon. Do NOT move once he stops moving. It may take a time or two to get the positioning/time just right, but once it does, it then allows players to cheese the boss.
What weapon is good against Radagon? ›Because Radagon can be staggered and reliably Critically Hit, it's a good idea to use melee weapons that deal huge Poise damage like Colossal Greatswords or dual-wielded Katanas.
What magic works best against Radagon? ›Use fire damage and Blackflame
Radagon is surprisingly weak to fire damage, and any flame-based attacks, skills, and spells can very quickly dispatch him. Popular weapons like Blasphemous Blade and the Sword of Night and Flame work great for this, as do fire Incantations and Sorceries.
Radagon is resistant to most status effects, and completely immune to bleed - those who've adapted the Rivers of Blood build from our Elden Ring best builds might find him pretty difficult.
Can Radagon be parried? ›If you're good at getting the parry time down of boss attacks, you'll definitely want to take in a shield for this fight, because there's plenty of opportunities to parry Radagon.
What is the best strategy for Radagon? ›Dodge the bolt right as he hurls it at you, then quickly get some distance, as it will stick in the ground and explode a moment after. He will sometimes fire five smaller bolts at you at once. Dodge through these. If you get too far away, he will often close the distance by flying towards you with a sweeping attack.
What is radagons weakness? ›If you're wondering what Radagon is weak to, the main Radagon weakness is fire, meaning you should be able to drop him quickly with a build that is geared toward that status.
Can you summon help against Radagon? ›NPC summons to defeat the Red Wolf of Radagon
If you've met Sorceress Sellen and become her apprentice, you'll be able to summon her for support in this boss fight. Her gold summon sign can be found outside the boss gate. While doing so will give the wolf a health and power buff, Sellen will be a powerful ally.
Both bosses are weak against Black Flame though, a substance that was created to kill gods. It will mostly be just you running away from him, meaning it's likely to go on a while. There are plenty of openings to attack the Elden Beast before and after his attacks, so learn to spot them, then take full advantage.
Can the Elden Beast be cheesed? ›
There are several ways players can set up their character to cheese the Elden Beast, most of which are best suited to intelligence-based builds. However, there are also a couple of ways players can cheese the boss using melee weapons.
Do you need to fight Radagon every time? ›Now you have to go in with your energy and resources drained, and dying to the Beast only means having to deal with Radagon again - yes, you have to kill him every time. For that reason, as a general rule, you want to fight Radagon in a very thrifty manner.
Does Radhan cheese still work? ›It turns out you can actually cheese the boss fight with Elden Ring's mighty General Radahn. At least, you can cheese it once you get his health whittled down to 50 percent, which is admittedly still a task in its own right.
Is Radagon immune to Scarlet Rot? ›Radagon of the Golden Order does not have any weaknesses. He is immune to sleep and bleed damage and resists Scarlet Rot, frostbite, and poison. In terms of damage types, he is resistant to holy.
Can you poise break Radagon? ›Radagon is vulnerable to poise damage. If you're consistent about applying it, then he can be poise broken 3 times in this fight, giving you a much-needed break to reapply buffs, drink flasks, or stack more damage.
How do you stagger a Radagon? ›It is possible to stagger the boss if you get enough hits in, at which point it'll be open for a critical hit. To defend, use a mixture of blocking and dodging.
Does Radagon drop good runes? ›Location Found. Radahn's Great Rune is obtained by defeating Starscourge Radahn in the Wailing Dunes of Caelid, after clearing Redmane Castle. The Great Rune must also be activated at the Divine Tower of Caelid before it can be used.
What spell does the most damage to Elden Beast? ›Incantation-users should use the Black Flame against the Elden Beast as it deals percentage-based damage that wrecks the boss' high HP bar.
What level should I be to fight Radahn? ›Elden Ring Radahn boss battle
You should be at least level 70 before fighting Radahn, ideally with a powerful weapon suited to your chosen build, such as the Moonveil Katana, or strong spells with good range, including Comet.
Radagon is her second spouse and Elden Lord, a red-headed champion who mastered magic and incantations. All of this is well known and communicated to players early on, but what is less well known is the fact that Radagon and Marika are one and the same.
Is Red Wolf of Radagon necessary? ›
Red Wolf of Radagon is a mandatory boss in the story of Elden Ring. Located in the Raya Lucaria area of Elden Ring, the Red Wolf of Radagon is a potentially tough fight, depending on what build you're using, and whether you're summoning in any AI or player allies.
What is Godskin Apostle weak to? ›The Apostle is weak to Bleed damage, and can be reliably staggered with an aggressive playstyle. To reliably stun this boss, consider powerstancing weapons or two-handing your primary weapon for maximum Poise damage. If you powerstance two Bleed weapons, the Godskin Apostle is far easier to handle at close range.
Is Radagon a female Elden Ring? ›Radagon is a major antagonist of the 2022 video game, Elden Ring. He is the male half of Marika and the protector of the Elden Ring.
Does Radagon take frost damage? ›Radagon is strong against a number of status effects, but he can be slowed down with frost damage. It'll take you a while for the effect to proc, however. Alternatively, you can enchant your weapon with fire to increase your damage against him.
Is Radagon A Boy or a girl? ›Radagon is the male "other self" of Queen Marika and former husband of Queen Rennala. As Marika's King Consort, he would became the second Elden Lord.
What is Dragonlord Placidusax weak to? ›Placidusax is fairly easy to hit at range, and you'll avoid most of their more troublesome attacks this way. Melee characters will need to learn the dragon's claw swipe move and track the dragon after they vanish to avoid their deadlier moves. Placidusax is reportedly weak to fire.
How do you negate Holy Damage? ›Probably the most effective way of protecting oneself against holy damage in Elden Ring is by equipping the Crucible Tree Armour. The entire set can be found in the Deeproot Depths, which can be accessed through the Siofra Aqueduct after defeating the Valiant Gargoyle and resting in a coffin.
Who is Radagon married to? ›Radagon went on to marry Marika and become King Consort and second Elden Lord.
What armor is best against Elden Beast? ›The Lionel's Set is the toughest suit of armor in Elden Ring. It's simply the best armor you can get if you want to face-tank hits without flinching with a good balance of defense and poise. This set will let you swing a greatsword into enemies regardless of the attacks they throw at you.
Is Radagon weak to blood loss? ›Defeating Radagon of the Golden Order. For starters, Radagon doesn't have many weaknesses. They are strong against frost, scarlet rot, poison, and holy attacks. The boss is also immune to blood loss damage, so players should avoid using weapons or Incantations with this affinity.
Does Holy Damage heal Elden Beast? ›
The Elden Beast is immune to all status effects, and strong against all elemental damage (it even heals from Holy Damage, so avoid that at all costs).
Can you cheese Malenia? ›There's finally a way to cheese Malenia. Malenia, as you may know by now, is by far the toughest boss to beat in Elden Ring. Thankfully, FromSoftware showed us an iota mercy by making her optional boss, and put her all the way on a part of the map you don't even need to go near to complete the game.
Do you have to fight Radagon if you lose to Elden Beast? ›The Elden Beast appears in a cutscene after you defeat Radagon of the Golden Order, making this effectively a two-part fight. There is no Site of Grace or chance to heal, so you'll need to defeat Radagon while conserving enough resources to battle the Elden Beast.
Does anything unlock after Elden Beast? ›After defeating the Elden Beast, you can go back to the Lands Between to collect all remaining weapons and runes, defeat the optional bosses, or finish the game's puzzles. Then, when you're truly ready, you can start your next Elden Ring journey.
Can you summon NPC for Radagon fight? ›Defeating Radagon will automatically start the next fight with Elden Beast. There are no summonable NPCs here, so you will have to rely on other online players or Spirit Ashes if you need help.
What level should I be for malenia? ›The recommended level for Malenia is 120 at least, ideally 125+, with weapons of +23 or more. You can't really be overleveled for this fight.
Is Radahn a necessary boss? ›The challenging Starscourge Radahn is thankfully optional - but is a route to the end of the game if you like.
What is Radagon weak to in Elden Ring? ›His health pool isn't too high, but he deals very high holy damage, so we recommend coming into this fight with some resistance to this status. If you're wondering what Radagon is weak to, the main Radagon weakness is fire, meaning you should be able to drop him quickly with a build that is geared toward that status.
How do you beat Radagon and Elden Beast easy? ›Simply dodge towards him to try and get behind him. You're always safe behind him from all three slams, just time each dodge with the slam itself to avoid the Holy damage as you try to make your way towards him. If you're too far away when he starts this chain, you'll have to dodge the aftereffect instead.
What is the number 1 hardest boss in Elden Ring? ›1 Malenia, Blade of Miquella / Malenia, Goddess of Rot
The rest of the fight has a beautiful and deadly rhythm to it, one worthy of the hardest boss in Elden Ring. The satisfaction that comes from finally defeating this seemingly impossible (and optional) boss is perhaps unmatched throughout all FromSoftware titles.
What is the easiest main boss in Elden Ring? ›
1 Rykard, Lord Of Blasphemy
Depending on who you ask, Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy, is either one of the easiest encounters in Elden Ring or is an impossible and unfair nightmare to deal with.
Popular weapons like Blasphemous Blade and the Sword of Night and Flame work great for this, as do fire Incantations and Sorceries. Use any of these to deal huge chunks of damage to Radagon. Black Flame skills and spells work particularly well, dealing high damage upfront before dealing even more damage over time.
What is the most overpowered thing in Elden Ring? ›One of the Legendary Armaments in Elden Ring, Dark Moon Greatsword's lives up to the expectations by being one of the most overpowered weapons. The weapon has a unique skill – Moonlight Greatsword. When activated, you'll temporarily gain additional 65 magic attack power and increase the frost buildup by 15.
What summon is best against Radagon? ›Your best options for Spirit Summons would be Tiche or the Mimic Tear. Make sure you've fully upgraded them with Roderika, as any health they have at the end of the battle will carry over into the following one.
What is Radagon immune to? ›Radagon of the Golden Order does not have any weaknesses. He is immune to sleep and bleed damage and resists Scarlet Rot, frostbite, and poison. In terms of damage types, he is resistant to holy. His poise can be broken, but he has a very high poise raiting making it difficult.
What element is Elden Beast weak to? ›Unlike Radagon, the Elden Beast has no particular weaknesses, so any weapons without Holy damage and status effects will perform about the same.