Messmer location, weak spot, and methods to beat in Elden Ring DLC

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 instrument at your disposal. Messmer’s assault patterns are swift and unforgiving.

Our Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree information explains methods to beat Messmer, together with particulars about his weaknesses and the way greatest to organize for this boss battle.

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.

Nevertheless, 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 methods to put together

Picture: FromSoftware/Bandai Namco by way of Polygon

Messmer has two massive 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 selections
• Glintstone Icecrag and a workers with S-rank sorcery scaling
• (Elective) A second main-hand weapon to deal heavier bodily harm

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

This technique offers you the perfect probability of whittling Messmer’s well being down with out being in an excessive amount of hazard your self. Your Mimic Tear will probably 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 basic magic or bodily harm together with your different spells and weapon. Don’t get too comfy 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 might change the chilly Ash of Warfare for a blood one for those who’re working a bleed construct, however Divine Beast Frost Cease has the added benefit of overlaying a broad space. Bleed builds don’t have something comparable. Nevertheless, 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 battle embody the Dung Eater Puppet, which is helpful 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 would possibly suppose, and her personal abilities cowl a broad space. Her assaults will both hit Messmer or drive him to dodge, which places him in your vary and offers you an opportunity to strike earlier than he begins one other combo.

Picture: FromSoftware/Bandai Namco by way of Polygon

That stated, in case your Revered Spirit Ash stage is decrease than seven, most Spirit Ashes apart 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 possibly can overwhelm him with poise-breaking heavy assaults when you study the timing. For those who do strive that choice, use the Stonebarb Cracked Tear in your Combined 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 robust sorcery selections, and Rellana’s Twin Moons offers a hefty quantity of harm — 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 usually, and the Facet 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 a must to be up shut for it to work.

Picture: FromSoftware/Bandai Namco by way of Polygon

Earlier than you enter Messmer’s chamber, your Scadutree stage needs to be at the least 10 or larger, so take a detour to search out some Scadutree Fragments for those who haven’t saved up with that to this point. It’s additionally value utilizing a Rune Arc earlier than coming into the sector and consuming a Fireproof Pickled Liver to buff your fireplace harm resistance. Half of Messmer’s assaults are imbued with fireplace, 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 happy to summon the Hornsent NPC for assist as properly. The energy of his want for vengeance doesn’t translate to competency in fight, however he’s distraction for Messmer.

How one can beat Messmer the Impaler in Elden Ring DLC

The Messmer boss battle 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 usually occur in mid combo, and for those who strike him even as soon as whereas he’s attacking an ally summon, he’s nearly assured to return after you subsequent. Messmer has few openings for assault, besides after he ends a combo, and any melee strike places you in danger for a follow-up. Your greatest guess is a cautious steadiness of evasion and offense.

Messmer boss battle part 1

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The Messmer battle begins with a bang after which one other one. He’ll stroll ahead a number of steps, rise into the air whereas constructing an orb of flaming shadow fireplace 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 have got simply sufficient time to summon your Spirit Ash earlier than the orb lands, so try this first. After the explosion, I like to recommend working to the opposite aspect of the sector within the hope that Messmer targets your summon as an alternative of you. That offers you time to heal for those who used the Mimic Tear after which to activate the Hornsent’s summon signal in order for you him to affix in.

Picture: FromSoftware/Bandai Namco by way of Polygon

Messmer has a number of flame and spear combos, and he’ll generally string them collectively in unpredictable methods. His fundamental 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 comply with 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 tough, after which lastly make an upward slash that has a excessive probability of knocking you backward. What course you dodge in issues lower than ensuring you dodge on time.

Whereas he sometimes sticks to only these flame-free assaults, he extra usually mixes them together with his fireplace abilities as properly. The tame ones embody a flaming thrust and a slash in entrance of him together with his ignited spear that leads into one other slash or a flaming thrust. These frontal assaults throw flame huge and much, so regulate them even for those who aren’t close to Messmer on the time.

Picture: FromSoftware/Bandai Namco by way of Polygon

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

Picture: FromSoftware/Bandai Namco by way of Polygon

Certainly one 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 too can dodge ahead to keep away from, and he ends by slamming his spear into the bottom.

Picture: FromSoftware/Bandai Namco by way of Polygon

The flames round it erupt into smaller spears, and there’s nearly by no means sufficient house 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.

Picture: FromSoftware/Bandai Namco by way of Polygon

That’s lots to absorb, and also you’ll have to only take care of it and dodge more often than not. Messmer strikes so rapidly throughout these combos that you don’t have any room to counter, and when you can break his poise, he’s a bit sturdier than the sooner obligatory bosses. Don’t rely on breaking him rapidly until 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 fireplace 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 until my HP was fully full, the assault at all times resulted in demise. The precise strike is delayed by a second or two, so it’d take a number of cases of getting hit and dying earlier than you study the timing. If he does this to one in all your allies, it offers you about 4 seconds to assault with out restraint, and also you even have a short alternative to assault whereas he recovers after lacking you.

Picture: FromSoftware/Bandai Namco by way of Polygon

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 tips up his quick sleeves, too. If he throws fireplace at you together with his hand — much like how Mohg sears the air with bloodflame — he’ll comply with up with a brutal spear strike or combo. The flame offers no harm until you’re proper in entrance of him, so for those who dodge that, his spear strike is assured to hit you. Alternatively, 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 comply with up with a thrust or begin one in all his different combos. You have 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 suitable 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 check out for greater than two assaults, you’ll find yourself regretting it. You can too benefit from ally distractions to land a number of hits, nevertheless it’s value 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, maintain dodging and attacking with out worrying a few dodge-counter from him.

Messmer boss battle part 2

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

Messmer alternates between snake assaults and spear assaults on this part, and he retains nearly all his combos from the primary part. He’s much less probably 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 together with his spear.

The snake strikes are his most typical strikes on this part. Messmer turns into an enormous shadow snake and shoots ahead throughout the sector, concentrating on you — and the goal of this assault is nearly at all times you, even when an ally continues to be on the sphere. The snake normally repeats this two extra instances 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 normally greatest to plan for the complete combo.

Picture: FromSoftware/Bandai Namco by way of Polygon

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

Messmer may also flip right into a pool of shadows, hover below you for a number 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 weak to strikes after ending.

Regardless of Messmer being extra harmful than ever on this part, he’s additionally simpler to hit. You have got a window of roughly a second or two after one in all his snake assaults the place he’s remodeling again into his human kind, 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 kind, simply deal with dodging his assaults until a very good alternative presents itself.

Picture: FromSoftware/Bandai Namco by way of Polygon

After the battle ends, you obtain the Remembrance of the Impaler, which you’ll 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.

On the lookout for extra Shadow of the Erdtree guides? Try our guides on new Elden Ring DLC weapons, armor, bosses, map fragments, websites of grace, and talismans. We’ve additionally bought location guides on the place to search out Scadutree Fragments and Revered Spirit Ashes, and an interactive Elden Ring DLC map.