The hardest boss in the game is not Malenia.

[Uncanny Moskvich]

It's Maliketh. This boss is pure cancer. He spends 80% of his phase airborne and unable to be struck with melee and most magic. Most windows to attack him are negated by him AoE nuking his vicinity or screeching at you and sending you flying across the arena.

Malenia's difficulty tones down by a lot when you learn how to dodge waterfowl dance.

[FIRE]

Originally posted by Crystal:

I believe your first death is to gravity at Chapel of Anticipation.

If you somehow beat the Scion yeah but it's close to impossible for any new player to beat.

[Name]

Well it depends on your build. I just beat Milenia first try with Reduvia but ive had a tough time vs her with other builds that were strong for most of the game. Can confirm that Makelith can be a sob but again it depends on the build. I killed him first try on a greatsword build no claw. None were overleveled.

[Hanlon Lavelle]

bro clearly hasn't fought the dual-wielding red-eyed Banished Knight at Castle Sol, that guy right there is unquestionably the true Elden Lord

[königplatzen]

Originally posted by Pan Filuta:

the hardest boss is the knight in front of Maliketh's fog gate

That's a Draconic Tree Sentinel. Maybe he has a bit more health, than the one before Leyndell, but it's not really harder, because you already should have max weapon at this point.

[Kha]

Clearly the strongest boss is Soldier of God, Rick.

[Amanita]

Finished the game maybe 10 times with different builds. Maliketh always died under 20 seconds. Maleina however....

[MegaClaus]

Sorry OP, but no. He is a joke with a way too small hp pool. I like the boss fight but it never lasts long enough because his second phase, where the boss fight gets good, is far too short as both phases share the same hp unlike malenia.

[MegaClaus]

Originally posted by CourtesyFlush90:

Originally posted by Blackraptor:

The majority of my deaths, yeah. That move is such pure BS, if you have to watch youtube tutorials to follow the exact dodge steps and equip specific ashes/gear to cheese the fight, maybe its objectively poor design.

It's because she's a discarded Sekiro boss - straight up. She can even cancel her own attacks mid-animation to deflect yours (which no other enemy can, effectively breaking the game's rules).

Months later and people STILL are salty about malenia. Also what rules? That sounds like yet another excuse to call her "bad designed" because she clapped you so that your ego fell apart. I see you in various Elden Ring threads ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ on the game and i have one question: do you even leave your house? Is ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ on Elden Ring your hobby or something? I bet now that ER won the GOTY it reignited your hate for the game as you were hoping for GOWR to win. Come tf on, dude. 🤣🍿

[Kha]

Originally posted by MegaClaus:

Originally posted by CourtesyFlush90:

It's because she's a discarded Sekiro boss - straight up. She can even cancel her own attacks mid-animation to deflect yours (which no other enemy can, effectively breaking the game's rules).

Months later and people STILL are salty about malenia. Also what rules? That sounds like yet another excuse to call her "bad designed" because she clapped you so that your ego fell apart. I see you in various Elden Ring threads ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ on the game and i have one question: do you even leave your house? Is ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ on Elden Ring your hobby or something? I bet now that ER won the GOTY it reignited your hate for the game as you were hoping for GOWR to win. Come tf on, dude. 🤣🍿

I don't know nothing about no rules, but one thing's for sure: Malenia is a gimmick boss fight. Could've had something good with her, they decided to make the fight about 1 move.

[MegaClaus]

Originally posted by Kha:

Originally posted by MegaClaus:

Months later and people STILL are salty about malenia. Also what rules? That sounds like yet another excuse to call her "bad designed" because she clapped you so that your ego fell apart. I see you in various Elden Ring threads ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ on the game and i have one question: do you even leave your house? Is ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ on Elden Ring your hobby or something? I bet now that ER won the GOTY it reignited your hate for the game as you were hoping for GOWR to win. Come tf on, dude. 🤣🍿

I don't know nothing about no rules, but one thing's for sure: Malenia is a gimmick boss fight. Could've had something good with her, they decided to make the fight about 1 move.

the move is dodgeable like the rest of her moves. people who are salty about her move are just too stubborn to learn to dodge it.

here, an example of how to dodge it even up close

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbBSfJyfdkM

some people really dislike to memorize moves of bosses and want to mash their way through the game. sorry, but this is not GOWR.

people who call her "badly designed" have no idea what they're doing in the game or are way too stubborn/impatient to learn/memorize attack patterns.

[1100011]

Originally posted by MegaClaus:

the move is dodgeable like the rest of her moves. people who are salty about her move are just too stubborn to learn to dodge it.

here, an example of how to dodge it even up close

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbBSfJyfdkM

Apparently that move is not easy to learn, and you don't get a lot of occasions to do so in the fight. Youtube user Tomax Hunter found an alternative, which may be easier, quickstep left:

Close Range Quickstep Dodge Of Malenia`s Waterfowl Dance

You can block the first flurry, too, of course but the shield adds to your weight, just now the light roll has improved.

[MegaClaus]

Originally posted by 1100011:

Originally posted by MegaClaus:

the move is dodgeable like the rest of her moves. people who are salty about her move are just too stubborn to learn to dodge it.

here, an example of how to dodge it even up close

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbBSfJyfdkM

Apparently that move is not easy to learn, and you don't get a lot of occasions to do so in the fight. Youtube user Tomax Hunter found an alternative, which may be easier, quickstep left:

Close Range Quickstep Dodge Of Malenia`s Waterfowl Dance

You can block the first flurry, too, of course but the shield adds to your weight, just now the light roll has improved.

well, as i said, its an example (without quickstep or BHS). but yes this one is easier if you're willing to use quickstep. :)

[CourtesyFlush09]

Originally posted by GOLDCHAD:

bro clearly hasn't fought the dual-wielding red-eyed Banished Knight at Castle Sol, that guy right there is unquestionably the true Elden Lord

Yup. Him and Malenia exemplify everything wrong with Elden Ring's enemy design.

[CourtesyFlush09]

Originally posted by MegaClaus:

Originally posted by CourtesyFlush90:

It's because she's a discarded Sekiro boss - straight up. She can even cancel her own attacks mid-animation to deflect yours (which no other enemy can, effectively breaking the game's rules).

Months later and people STILL are salty about malenia. Also what rules? That sounds like yet another excuse to call her "bad designed" because she clapped you so that your ego fell apart. I see you in various Elden Ring threads ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ on the game and i have one question: do you even leave your house? Is ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ on Elden Ring your hobby or something? I bet now that ER won the GOTY it reignited your hate for the game as you were hoping for GOWR to win. Come tf on, dude. 🤣🍿

*Writes an entire, unhinged paragraph.

*Randomly brings up Gow:R

Yup, this is a totally sane person.

[Kha]

Originally posted by MegaClaus:

Originally posted by Kha:

I don't know nothing about no rules, but one thing's for sure: Malenia is a gimmick boss fight. Could've had something good with her, they decided to make the fight about 1 move.

the move is dodgeable like the rest of her moves. people who are salty about her move are just too stubborn to learn to dodge it.

here, an example of how to dodge it even up close

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbBSfJyfdkM

some people really dislike to memorize moves of bosses and want to mash their way through the game. sorry, but this is not GOWR.

people who call her "badly designed" have no idea what they're doing in the game or are way too stubborn/impatient to learn/memorize attack patterns.

Epic, now show yourself dodging waterfowl consistently.

Waterfowl literally requires you to abuse Malenia's tracking in order to dodge it, not to mention that in the video the guy is specifically fishing out Waterfowl, me? i used a heavy, slow ass spear, she uses waterfowl in the middle of my attack? there go my chances of dodging it.

No one is saying it's IMPOSSIBLE to dodge it, that's not the point, the point is that it's extremely hard to dodge it, and to dodge it in the first place you need to do very, VERY specific movements. Tell me, how exactly are you supposed to learn how to dodge a move that requires you to abuse tracking on your own? It's extremely unrealistic to assume that people have the time for that ♥♥♥♥.

But this is all besides the point, you responded to me with all this...when i wasn't saying anything about dodging waterfowl in response to you, i was talking about how the entire fight revolves around waterfowl for the most part, how she's a gimmick boss relying on ONE MOVE, you completely failed to address this. She absolutely is badly designed if her fight has to hinge on one move. Like, what do you think causes the majority of deaths to Malenia? is it 99% of her kit, or is it the one move you see everyone dying to? is it the one move that is ridiculously hard to dodge? is it the ONE MOVE that requires you to point to ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ TUTORIALS to learn how to dodge?

But again, let me reiterate, since if i don't, apparently people just mysteriously forget the point every time i ever dare to say anything...the issue is that the fight's difficulty hinges on this one move.