How to Beat Radahn in Shadow of Erdtree
Radahn in Shadow of the Erdtree is not just another tough Elden Ring boss, but the final test of the entire DLC. The boss's full name is Promised Consort Radahn. He is encountered at the end of the expansion, atop Enir-Ilim, and for many players, this fight becomes the most challenging ordeal in the entire playthrough. It's no longer enough to just have a high level, good weapons, and a habit of rolling away. Radahn overwhelms with speed, immense damage, long attack sequences, Miquella's magic in the second phase, and gives almost no time to heal. According to current guides, he is the final boss of Shadow of the Erdtree, and the fight consists of two phases: the first is built around Radahn's physical pressure, while the second adds Miquella's attacks and light finishers.
Players' main mistake is approaching Radahn like a regular boss who can be "pressured" with a couple of lucky attempts. Shadow of the Erdtree is designed differently: the final fight requires proper preparation, a sufficient level of Scadutree Blessing, a sturdy build, and an understanding of which attacks to roll through, which are best blocked, and which should not be attempted head-on. After patch 1.14, FromSoftware weakened the final DLC boss: some patterns were changed, the damage of some attacks was reduced, stamina damage was lowered, and effect readability was improved. But even after these changes, Radahn remains one of the most difficult opponents in Elden Ring.
When to Fight Radahn
It's better to approach Radahn not "as soon as the path opens," but after proper preparation. If you have a low Scadutree Blessing level, weak defenses, low health, and an under-leveled summon, the fight quickly turns into chaos. In regular Elden Ring, a high character level solves a lot of problems, but in Shadow of the Erdtree, Scadutree Fragments play a huge role. They directly boost your character within the DLC, so before the final boss, it's worth collecting as many fragments as possible and not trying to beat Radahn with an under-leveled blessing.
Ideally, you should approach the boss with high Vigor, good physical and holy damage defense, upgraded weapons, and a clear strategy. If you use Spirit Ashes, it's advisable for them to also be empowered through Revered Spirit Ash. Guides often recommend Mimic Tear, but a weak Mimic without upgrades quickly perishes and fails to provide real benefit. If the summon is needed not for aesthetics but for victory, it must be able to withstand at least some of Radahn's pressure.
Radahn's Weaknesses in Shadow of the Erdtree
Radahn is vulnerable to several statuses, and you should definitely use this. Bleed, Frostbite, Scarlet Rot, and Poison work well against him. Also, several guides specifically note the effectiveness of thrusting damage. This is an important point because simply trying to hit Radahn with normal damage often prolongs the fight, and the longer the fight lasts, the higher the chance of making a mistake in the second phase.
The most popular approach is a bleed build. The reason is simple: Radahn has a massive health pool, and bleed removes a significant percentage, allowing you to get through both phases faster. Fast weapons with bleed, dual blades, katanas, spears, as well as some spells and Arcane builds work well. But it's important to understand: status alone won't win the fight. If you can't survive Radahn's attacks, bleed won't accumulate. So, the build must combine damage and survivability.
Frostbite is also useful, especially if your build is already centered around cold weapons or magic. Scarlet Rot and Poison can help from a distance, but relying solely on gradual damage is dangerous: Radahn is too aggressive, and in the second phase, you'll still need to actively defend yourself. The best option is not to choose one "magic" status, but to build the fight so that every hit brings you closer to triggering bleed or frostbite.
Best Preparation for the Fight
Before fighting Radahn, you need to set up your character for survival. Equip talismans for physical defense, holy damage reduction, increased health, and stamina. In the second phase, holy damage becomes particularly nasty because Miquella's attacks add light explosions and finishing beams after Radahn's movements. If you enter the second phase without holy damage defense, even a successful roll can result in being hit by an additional light effect.
Heavy shields and block builds are very useful. After the DLC's release, many players defeated Radahn with a maximally tanky build using a large shield, because blocking allows you to survive some attack sequences that are difficult to consistently roll through. This approach doesn't make the fight free: stamina still runs out, grabs and powerful attacks are still dangerous, and in the second phase, light effects can break your stance. But for many players, a shield provides more control than trying to perfectly dodge every attack.
If you're playing without a shield, focus on mobility, high damage, and discipline. Mid-range against Radahn is often more dangerous than close-range because he easily closes the distance with dashes and jumps. Paradoxically, in many moments, it's safer to stay closer to him and move aside than to constantly run backward. Retreating often leads to being caught by a follow-up attack or a light trail in the second phase.
Radahn's First Phase
The first phase seems fairer, but this is where victory is forged. Radahn attacks with two swords, uses fast sequences, jumps, dashes, and gravitational techniques. Your task is not just to reduce his health by half, but to do so with minimal flask loss. If you get through the first phase with insufficient resources, the second phase will almost certainly end in defeat.
Don't be greedy after his attacks. Radahn has many sequences that appear finished but actually have continuations. It's better to land one hit and roll away than to try a full combo and get hit in the face. Moments when he pauses after a powerful wind-up are especially dangerous: the player thinks the window is open, but a second later, a follow-up attack arrives.
A good tactic in the first phase is to stay to Radahn's side, not move too far away, and attack after obvious combo completions. If playing with bleed, don't try to build up the status at all costs. Let the bleed trigger gradually but safely. If playing with a shield, watch your stamina. Blocking a sequence is only half the battle; after blocking, you should have enough resource left to roll, strike, or drink a flask.
Radahn and Miquella's Second Phase
In the second phase, the fight becomes sharply more difficult. Radahn receives Miquella's support, and his attacks begin to be accompanied by light strikes, explosions, and additional beams. It is this phase that most often creates the feeling that there are too many effects on the screen and it's unclear where the safe zone is. The visibility of the second phase was indeed one of the players' complaints, and in patch 1.14, the developers specifically improved the readability of some of the final boss's effects.
The main rule of the second phase is not to automatically roll backward. Many light attacks are designed precisely for this: you move backward from a sword and get caught by an additional beam or explosion. It's often more advantageous to move sideways or at an angle towards the boss to avoid the main movement and not end up in the line of a follow-up. This requires practice, but it is often the change in roll direction that transforms the fight from chaos into a manageable scheme.
When Radahn soars upwards or prepares a large holy attack, do not try to finish him off at all costs. Move away, restore stamina, assess your position, and prepare to defend. In the second phase, it's dangerous to play on emotions: it seems the boss has little health left, you want to rush in and end the fight, but it is precisely at this moment that Radahn most often catches the player with a long sequence or a light finisher.
Best Builds Against Radahn
The most convenient build for most players is bleed plus high survivability. This can be dual blades, katanas, spears, or other weapons that quickly accumulate status effects. It's important that you don't turn your character into a "glass cannon." Against Radahn, an extra 10–15% damage isn't worth it if you die from one mistake.
A second viable option is a large shield, high stamina, and a thrusting weapon. Such a build allows you to block and attack more safely, especially if you use a spear or another weapon suitable for cautious play. In some guides and discussions, a tanky style with a large shield is called one of the easiest ways to beat the final DLC boss, because it lowers the requirement for perfectly rolling every attack.
The third option is magic or incantations with bleed, but much depends on your experience here. Radahn has few safe windows for long casts, so a spellcaster must either use a summon or know the timings very well. If you bring Mimic Tear, remove unnecessary spells and items from your hotbar so the copy doesn't waste time on useless actions. The simpler and more precise the toolset, the better the summon will assist in combat.
Should You Use Summons?
Summons against Radahn are a normal part of the playthrough, especially if your goal isn't to "prove yourself," but to clear the DLC. Mimic Tear, Ansbach, Thiollier, and other options can help distract the boss, create a window for healing, or build up status effects. But there's a nuance: summons increase the boss's health if they are NPC allies summoned at the arena. So sometimes it's easier for a player to complete the fight with a single strong Mimic Tear than to bring all available helpers and face a bulkier Radahn.
If you use Mimic, prepare it correctly. It copies your equipment, weapons, consumables, and spells. Don't overload its quick slots with junk. Give it what's truly useful: a bleed weapon, defensive items, healing, or simple strong tools. A well-prepared Mimic doesn't just distract the boss; it helps consistently build up status effects and survive difficult moments.
Common Mistakes in the Radahn Fight
The first mistake is too low a blessing level. A player might be level 180, but this doesn't help in the DLC if Scadutree Blessing is poorly leveled. The second mistake is a lack of holy damage defense. In the second phase, some of the damage comes not only from swords but also from Miquella's light effects, so ordinary physical defense is insufficient.
The third mistake is constant back-rolling. This works against many bosses, but Radahn easily punishes this style. The fourth mistake is greed after one successful dodge. Radahn has long chains, and a safe window often appears later than it seems. The fifth mistake is panic in the second phase. The light effects look terrifying, but the attacks have a rhythm. It's better to spend a few attempts not on winning, but on studying the dodge directions.
Short Tactic: How to Beat Radahn
Before the fight, collect Scadutree Fragments, upgrade your weapons, equip talismans for physical and holy defense, and prepare bleed or frostbite. In the first phase, stay close to the boss, move sideways, don't be greedy, and conserve flasks. Attack after completed sequences, not after every individual hit.
In the second phase, don't run straight backward. Watch out for light attack continuations, roll sideways or at an angle, conserve stamina, and don't try to finish Radahn off at all costs if the window isn't safe. If using a shield, block only what you can truly endure. If playing with bleed, hit in short bursts and don't break your position for an extra hit.
Conclusion: How to Kill Radahn in Shadow of the Erdtree
To kill Radahn in Shadow of the Erdtree, you need to stop viewing the fight as a normal reaction test. This is the final DLC boss that requires proper preparation, a high blessing level, physical and holy damage defense, careful play in the first phase, and coolness in the second. The most stable ways to win are a bleed build, a tanky option with a large shield, or a well-tuned Mimic with a weapon that quickly builds up status effects.
Radahn is tough but not unbeatable. He punishes greed, poor preparation, and chaotic rolls, but becomes much clearer if you break the fight down into tasks. The first phase is to conserve resources and avoid unnecessary damage. The second phase is not to panic from Miquella's light, move in the correct directions, and use short safe windows. When you stop trying to "out-damage" Radahn and start methodically surviving his attacks, the fight gradually transforms from a wall into a manageable final exam of Shadow of the Erdtree.
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