11 of the Hardest Shadow of the Erdtree's Bosses Ranked (2024)

The Shadow of the Erdtree DLC expanded not only the world of Elden Ring but also the types of enemies and bosses. After all, a new realm would mean entirely new threats to face, right? Well, many of them have proven to be quite the skill check for even veteran FromSoft fans!

These 11 bosses might be the most difficult ones you’ll face not only in the Land of Shadow but throughout the entire Elden Ring experience!

11. Blackgaol Knight

Belurat Tower may be most people’s first destination when entering the DLC, but others may stumble upon the Western Nameless Mausoleum and get their first taste of the DLC’s difficulty.

The Blackgaol Knight is one tanky enemy, wielding a greatsword and a repeating crossbow that can stun-lock you and melt your health bar. Couple his hard hits with low stagger, and it’s not surprising that many people decided to come back to face him after gathering more Scadutree fragments.

10. Logur, the Beast Claw

While not a ‘boss’ in the traditional sense of FromSoftware titles, this wandering naked man in the woods will still give you a hard time.

With attacks reminiscent of Father Gascoigne from Bloodborne, this swiftly moving individual can quickly rack up a bleed status if you’re not light on your feet. Found in the southeastern side of the Gravesite Plains, defeat this enemy to get the Beast Claws weapons, which can be formidable status appliers in (or on) the right hands.

9. Golden Hippopotamus

Don’t let the size of this creature fool you. The first boss you fight when you enter the Shadow Keep is light on its feet, and you’ll meet your end before you even land a single hit.

While the largest of its type in the game, other such Golden Hippopotamus roam freely in Shadow of the Erdtree. Each drops a Scadutree fragment, so they are worthwhile to track down, and defeating the boss variant will also grant the user the Aspect of the Crucible: Thorns incantation and access to the Keep.

8. Divine Beast Dancing Lion

For many, this would be the first boss they face in the DLC and the boss that makes them walk away from it too (for a few days at least).

The Divine Beast Dancing Lion can get complicated to fight due to its aggressive and long attack patterns and AoE effects. In the second phase, this boss will start using lightning, frostbite, or storm attacks and cycle randomly between these elements, so you will need to stay on your toes.

7. Rellana Twin Moon Knight

Rennala might have been the mage of the family, but Rellana was the spellsword. She is the final boss after completing Castle Ensis and awards us with a Remembrance along with access to the Scadu Altus if you haven’t found the alternate route already.

True to her heritage and her name, Rellana attacks with dual swords and also uses magic spells to keep the pressure on. Her recently discovered cut content might have added to the experience of beating her, but she is a fun fight even if she doesn’t say a single word through the duel.

6. Metyr, Mother of Fingers

You can access this boss only after completing a couple of secondary objectives given to you by Count Ymir. Once you ring both bells, you can visit the area under the Cathedral of Manus Metyr.

Her weak point, the chest, may be easily accessible, but she has a range of attacks to watch out for that can easily take you down. From long-range lasers to summoning finger crawlers to aid her, this boss won’t go down without a tough fight but has deep lore implications for the entire game.

5. Commander Gaius

One of the few mounted bosses in the game, Commander Gaius and his giant boar, can hit like a truck. While he is an optional boss, beating him does allow access to five Scadutree Fragments, making him a very useful boss to defeat.

This is easier said than done, though, as a combination of boar attacks, physical attacks, and gravity magic makes the entire ordeal a challenge. You can ride Torrent during the fight, but Gaius can match your speed, so use your steed wisely.

4. Midra, Lord of the Frenzied Flame

His first phase may make you think this boss is a pushover, but the moment the second phase starts, you’ll know it could push you into madness.

Midra’s attacks can come out fast, but they have a delayed wind-up, which can lead you to misjudge when the attack lands. The constant AoE struggle of managing the madness buildup is another factor to consider, but this fight is easily one of the most cinematic moments in the game.

3. Bayle the Dread

Speaking of cinematic fights, it doesn’t get more theatrical than fighting a giant drake in a crater at the top of a mountain filled with red flowers and bones while red lighting strikes the ground around you.

Bayle the Dread is one of the toughest bosses in the game, and ascent of the Jagged Peak only hints at his feorcity. Just make sure you speak with Igon and summon him during the fight for some of the best voice acting in recent FromSoft history!

2. Messmer the Impaler

A shunned child of Queen Marika, who we thought would be the main villain of the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, lives up to his name in combat.

With a wide variety of thrusting attacks from his spear, Messmer is fast and ferocious when taking down the Tarnished. You’ll need precise timing from the moment you step into the arena, and the way he has been tuned may be why so many Elden Ring fans want more bosses like him.

1. Promised Consort Radahn

If you thought pre-nerfing Radahn from Elden Ring was difficult, we advise you to steel yourself before stepping into his final form.

Lore-wise, it makes sense that a Radahn freed from the struggle of scarlet rot would be a far more difficult challenge than the version we fight in Caelid. Despite criticism, the Radahn-Miquella partnership has proven to be the biggest challenge in the DLC.

Which was your favorite boss in the game? Let us know in the comments below!