Shadow of the Erdtree, the anticipated expansion for Elden Ring, is just a week away from release and players are returning in droves to make sure their characters are in top shape for the DLC to come. A couple of roadblocks stand in your way though. Starscourge Radahn, while an optional fight in the base game, will now be mandatory in order to access Shadow of the Erdtree. Here’s how to defeat one of the toughest bosses in the game.
Before you proceed, if you aren’t familiar with it yet, make sure you read our guide on how to access Mohgwyn Palace, the area that you’ll want to travel to in order to start the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC.
How to Defeat Starscourge Radahn in Elden Ring
Starscourge Radahn is a Legend Boss in Elden Ring and according to the lore, he fought Malenia to a standstill. Any boss capable of doing that is surely trouble and his boss fight definitely lives up to his reputation.
You can find Starscourge Radahn at Redmane Castle in Caelid. You would’ve needed to progress Ranni’s questline in order to activate the Radahn Festival (we’ve also got a guide for that in the Age of the Stars route right here).
Upon entering Redmane Castle, you’ll find a bunch of familiar NPCs gathered for the Radahn Festival, eager at a chance to do battle with Starscourge Radahn. The good news is these NPCs will be joining you in the fight. Yes, all of them. Once you’ve listened to the introductory speech, head over to the back of the area where you’ll find an elevator that takes you down to the massive battle arena.
Here’s a step-by-step of the fight, what to expect and the best strategies:
- As soon as you enter the area, Radahn will begin firing enormous arrows at you from a distance. You can dodge it with a perfectly-timed evasion roll into the arrow or hide behind the stacks of weapons littered around the area.
- You’ll notice several summon signs on the ground around the area. To make the fight a bit less stressful, we recommend seeking the help of every NPC available (maybe not Patches, he runs away the moment you summon him).
- Torrent will come in handy here. You’ll need to run to the nearest summon signs; this can be very tricky on-foot since Radahn will not only be firing arrows at you but dropping a barrage of spears from the sky. Torrent is fast and will get you to those signs quickly.
- It’s worth noting that if an NPC is killed, they can be re-summoned. Their summon sign will usually appear at a different location not too far from the centre of the area where Radahn is located.
- Using summons is a very good way to draw Radahn’s aggression, giving you significant openings to attack.
- Radahn’s bread and butter in this fight is gravity magic. Beware of his purple charges that send out big AoE blasts or throw you into the air. They hit like a truck and most of the time can one-shot you.
- At the halfway point of the fight, Radahn will shoot up into the sky. Keep your eyes on the sky. He’s about to launch himself at you like a meteor. Knowing which direction he’s coming from will help you evade the blast. Use Torrent to create distance.
- This downtime is great for re-summoning fallen NPCs before the second phase, so use those vital few seconds wisely.
- In the second phase, Radahn becomes much more aggressive. He uses gravity magic more frequently, hurling boulders at you if you’re trying to keep your distance. Once again, using NPCs to draw his aggression is the key to victory here.
- Attack only when you’re certain you have an opening. Radahn has sweeping attacks that can catch you off-guard if you try to approach him from behind.
Once you’ve defeated Starscourge Radahn, celebrate with the lads and have a pint.
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree launches on 21 June 2024 for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC. Make sure you also check out the game’s pre-load and file size.
