In the DLC of Elden Ring, you will encounter the boss Rot Knight during your adventure. We will show you where you can find him and what his weaknesses are here.
Which boss are we talking about? The Rot Knight is an optional boss from Shadow of the Erdtree. You will inevitably encounter him when you complete the quest of the NPC Thiollier. You can find a dedicated guide to this on MeinMMO.
The Rot Knight is a tough opponent who will likely cost you several attempts. With our guide, you will learn the weaknesses and attacks of the boss, and how you can respond to them.
Finding the Rot Knight
Where is the boss located? The Rot Knight is somewhat hidden. He waits for you behind the site of grace “Depths of the Rift.” To get there, you first need to go south on the map. You can reach the top of the peninsula via the Sky Blue Shore to a hole in the ground, the rift.
You can only proceed once Miquella’s Seal is broken. You will know that the seal is broken when you hear a loud noise and receive a prompt. This can happen when you first enter the Shadow Mountain Fortress, the Bonny Village, or the Ruins of Rauh.
Only then can you descend into the rift. Follow the level path and ultimately reach the Rot Knight’s arena.
Defeating the Rot Knight
The Rot Knight initially looks visually fearsome. He appears to be a grotesque skeleton sitting on an equally pathetic horse. But don’t be fooled by the first appearance. His attacks are formidable. It is advisable to collect as many Scadum Tree fragments in the game world beforehand. You can find a dedicated guide to this on MeinMMO.
You can also summon the NPC Thiollier for the fight to get some help. Your spirit ashes are also available.
Rot Knight’s Weaknesses
What weaknesses does the boss have? Since the Rot Knight is an undead opponent, he is vulnerable to holy damage. So it is best to bring a weapon with the corresponding damage type. Alternatively, talents for your weapon such as “Holy Blade,” or summons that cause holy damage will also do.
Additionally, you can deal poise damage to the boss and land a critical hit when the invisible gauge is full. This is particularly easy with an effective strength build – here you will find a recommendation from MeinMMO.
By the way, the boss is immune to frost – as he attacks with it himself. Therefore, sufficient protection in the form of armor is advisable. For adequate robustness, for example, “Radahn’s Lion Armor” or the “Horn Talisman of Immunity” provides good defense.
Attacks and Tactics
How does the boss attack? Right at the beginning, the Rot Knight will charge at you. He will fight with the following attacks:
- The knight jumps off the horse and attacks you. Dodge the attack by rolling left or right at the right time.
- If he gets close to you, the knight swings his weapon down twice in your direction, which can also be countered by two well-timed dodge rolls.
- In the meantime, it may happen that the horse attacks on its own. Keep an eye on where it is and dodge its attacks if necessary.
- If the knight is at medium range, he will spin towards you. Roll to the left, right, or through the attack.
- If the guy is on his horse, he can attack you from there. Dodge accordingly.
- The boss can also throw his weapon at you, which returns to him. It is best to create as much distance as possible between you and the curved blade by rolling or running backward.
- The horse can whinny and throw you back – if you see the attack start, roll backward.
- Last but not least, the knight has his probably strongest attack: He flies into the air and throws blue flames (frost) at you across the ground. Good timing is required here: Either roll out of the damage zone or jump over the flames at the right moment.
Further tips: The boss is aggressive, and you should be too. Stay close and dodge the attacks, try to deal a lot of damage quickly. If you are not very skilled with the dodge roll, a good shield can also help to block at least some of the attacks. In this case, your stamina should be leveled up high, otherwise you will quickly become overwhelmed.
This way you should win the fight. As a reward, you will receive 220,000 runes and the Echo of Decay. Afterwards, you can enter the Deep Violet Garden and continue Thiollier’s quest. Are you looking for more guides for Elden Ring and the DLC? You can find an overview on MeinMMO.
