Conquering Malenia: A Tarnished's Guide to Defeating the Blade of Miquella in Elden Ring Malenia, Blade of Miquella.

Malenia, Blade of Miquella. Just the name sends shivers down the spines of even the most seasoned Tarnished. This optional boss in Elden Ring is infamous for her relentless aggression, life-stealing attacks, and the dreaded Waterfowl Dance. Many a controller has been rage-quit after countless attempts to fell this demigod. Fear not, fellow Tarnished! I've spent far too long in Elphael, Brace of the Haligtree, and I'm here to share my hard-earned knowledge to help you finally conquer Malenia. This guide assumes you're at a reasonable level (120+), have a decent weapon upgraded, and some understanding of Elden Ring's core mechanics. Let's get to it.

Step-by-Step Strategic Breakdown: From Tarnished to Malenia Slayer

Alright, here's the meat of the guide. This isn't a one-size-fits-all solution, but it’s a tried and true method for taking down Malenia.

1. Phase 1 Preparation: Before even entering the fog gate, make sure you have a plan. Malenia is highly resistant to most status effects, but Bleed is your best bet. Weapons like Rivers of Blood, Mohgwyn's Sacred Spear, or dual Scavenger's Curved Swords are excellent choices. Alternatively, if you're a sorcerer, consider using the Comet Azur to burn her health down quickly at the start of the fight. Equip your best armor for physical damage negation, and consider using talismans like the Green Turtle Talisman (for stamina recovery) and the Crimson Amber Medallion (for extra HP).

2. The Initial Assault: As soon as you enter, buff yourself. Golden Vow and Flame Grant Me Strength are great options. If you're using a spirit ash, summon it immediately. Mimic Tear is the go-to for many, but Black Knife Tiche can also be incredibly effective. The goal here is to get some damage in before Malenia starts her onslaught.

3. Waterfowl Dance - The Bane of Our Existence: This is the attack you need to learn to dodge. There are several methods, but here's what worked best for me:

   • Run Away, Then Roll In: As soon as you see her jump in the air, sprint away to create distance. Then, time your rolls into her during the second and third flurries of attacks. This requires precise timing and spacing, but it's the most reliable way to avoid getting shredded.
   • Bloodhound's Step: This Ash of War grants invincibility frames, making dodging Waterfowl Dance significantly easier. If you're struggling, consider using it.
   • Block: A greatshield with high stability like the Fingerprint Stone Shield can block the attack, but will drain stamina heavily.

4. Maintaining Aggression (Safely): Malenia heals with every hit, so you need to be aggressive, but smart about it. After dodging Waterfowl Dance (or any other attack), capitalize on the opening. Don't get greedy – one or two hits are often enough. Prioritize dodging over dealing damage.

5. Phase 2 - Scarlet Rot Bloom: When Malenia's health bar hits zero, she'll initiate a Scarlet Rot bloom, dealing massive damage in a large area. Immediately sprint away as far as possible to avoid being caught in the blast. This phase is similar to Phase 1, but with a few key differences:

   • Scarlet Rot Aura: She now has a constant Scarlet Rot aura, so maintaining distance is even more important.
   • Clone Attack: She will summon several clones of herself, each dealing damage and inflicting Scarlet Rot. Roll through these clones to avoid taking damage. This is easiest when locked off.

6. Rinse and Repeat: The strategy for Phase 2 is essentially the same as Phase 1: dodge her attacks, capitalize on openings, and don't get greedy. Bleed builds remain effective, and sorcerers can continue to deal significant damage from a distance.

Tips, Tricks, and Advanced Tactics

• Frostbite Reset: If you're using a weapon that inflicts Frostbite, you can reset the Frostbite status by applying Fire damage. This allows you to reapply Frostbite more frequently, further increasing your damage output.
• Jump Attacks: Jump attacks are effective for staggering Malenia, creating additional openings for attack.
• Poise Breaking: Using heavy weapons or Ashes of War that deal significant poise damage can stagger Malenia, allowing for critical hits.
• Learn Her Moveset: This sounds obvious, but it's crucial. Spend some attempts just focusing on dodging her attacks and learning her patterns. The more familiar you are with her moveset, the easier it will be to anticipate and react to her attacks.
• Spirit Ash Choice Matters: Experiment with different spirit ashes to find one that complements your playstyle. Mimic Tear is a solid all-around choice, but Black Knife Tiche's high damage and evasion can also be very effective.
• Patience is Key: Don't get discouraged if you're not successful right away. Malenia is a challenging boss, and it may take several attempts to learn her moveset and develop a winning strategy.

PC-Specific Considerations

Alright, let's talk about making sure your PC isn't the reason you're dying (besides Malenia herself, of course).

• Controls: I highly recommend using a controller for this fight. The precise movement and dodging required are much easier to execute with a gamepad. If you're sticking with keyboard and mouse, remap your dodge button to something easily accessible (like Shift or a mouse button).

• Settings: Elden Ring can be demanding, especially during intense boss fights. Lowering your graphics settings can significantly improve your frame rate. Here's what I recommend:

  • Resolution: Start at your monitor's native resolution and lower it if you're experiencing frame rate drops.
  • Anti-Aliasing: TAA High is visually appealing, but taxing. Switch to TAA Low or FXAA for a performance boost.
  • Shadows: Lowering shadow quality has a significant impact on performance.
  • Effects: Reduce effects quality to minimize visual clutter and improve frame rate stability. Pay special attention to the bloom effect, as it can be distracting during Waterfowl Dance.

• Mods: While Elden Ring's modding scene isn't as extensive as some other games, there are a few helpful mods that can improve your experience:

  • Ultrawide Support: If you have an ultrawide monitor, this mod will fix the aspect ratio and prevent black bars.
  • Performance Mods: Search NexusMods for community-created mods tailored to boost FPS and smooth gameplay. (Use at your own risk, especially online.)

• Performance Tweaks:

  • Update Your Drivers: Make sure you have the latest drivers for your graphics card.
  • Disable Background Applications: Close any unnecessary applications running in the background to free up system resources.
  • Run Elden Ring in Fullscreen Mode: This can improve performance compared to borderless windowed mode.
  • Check CPU and GPU Temperatures: Overheating can cause performance issues. Monitor your CPU and GPU temperatures to ensure they're within safe limits.

Concluding Remarks

After finally defeating Malenia, you'll be rewarded with her Great Rune and Remembrance, allowing you to acquire powerful weapons or spells. More importantly, you'll gain a sense of accomplishment that few other games can provide. You've overcome one of the greatest challenges Elden Ring has to offer. Now, go forth, Tarnished, and continue your journey to become Elden Lord! You've earned it. And remember to visit XenGamer.com for more Elden Ring guides and walkthroughs!