Summary
Most gamers will be all too familiar with the award-winning behemoth that isElden Ring. For those who need a refresher, though,Elden Ringis an action-packed soulsborne RPG with a vast and breathtaking open world. Few soulsbornes have ever come close to the sheer size and complexity ofElden Ring. It’s unlikely any will either, at least not for many years to come.
Now that the hotly anticipatedco-op adventure ofElden Ring: Nightreignhas been released, it’s time for players to recruit their friends to the monster-slaying cause.Elden Ringis the perfect playground for friends to learn the basics of the game before jumping intoNightreign. There are few better ways to do that than having them face off against some of its morepunishing early-game bosses.
7Omenkiller (Village Of The Albinaurics)
A Ruthless Hard Hitter
ThisOmenkilleris not a boss to be taken on lightly. Despite wielding two hefty axes, they’re surprisingly light on their feet, being able to close the gap between themselves and the player in a matter of moments. This makes finding an opening for healing, regenerating stamina, or casting spells a real challenge. The Omenkiller is not alone in this battle either. At his side are several loyal hounds that players should dispatch as quickly as possible, lest they be overrun.
This is a challenging boss for sure, but with some strategy and carefully timed dodges, this Omenkiller can be defeated without too many deaths. It helps that, despite their stature, they aren’t too tanky of a boss.
6Red Wolf Of Radagon
A Fast And Ever-Changing Battle
TheRed Wolf of Radagonis a lightning-fast giant with the ferocity and agility to match. Wielding a blade in its mouth and withan unlimited supply of glintblade sorceriesat its disposal, landing more than a couple of blows on this giant is incredibly challenging. When it’s not countering the player’s combos with its own, it’s jumping out of melee range. Patience and restraint are key in this battle. It might be tempting to try and get an extra hit with such an evasive foe, but getting greedy will leave the player completely exposed.
Thankfully, this beast’s speed and agility are counterbalanced by its relatively low health. So long as players can consistently get hits on it without taking too much damage in return, victory is all but guaranteed.
5Glintstone Dragon Smarag
A Fearsome And Dynamic Foe
The toweringGlintstone Dragon Smaragis a ferocious, glintstone-imbued, sorcerer-devouring dragon. With their powerful limbs and deadly glintstone breath, Smarag will quickly make the player into yet another meal. Likemost dragons inElden Ring, Smarag has a mountain of health and an array of melee and ranged moves at their disposal. They will also frequently take to the skies, scorching the player with their magic glintstone breath either in flight or once they’ve landed. As with all dragon fights, Torrent is vital for closing the distance and avoiding any breath attacks.
Smarag does, however, share the same weakness as their kin. Their melee attacks certainly do pack a punch, but they’re well-telegraphed and relatively easy to dodge. They also give players ample time to attack and heal.
4Margit, The Fell Omen
Fast, Powerful, And Unpredictable
Despite his size,Margit, the Fell Omenis an agile and fast-attacking foe. In the open expanses of the Lands Between, this may not put players at too much of a disadvantage, but in the narrow confines of this arena, players are constantly being harried by Margit. Disengaging to heal is particularly challenging, as Margit can traverse the entire arena in a matter of seconds. When he’s not speeding towards a vulnerable player, he’s instead throwing conjured daggers at them, further punishing disengagement.
Players struggling to overcome Margit should invest some time inleveling up and upgrading their weapons. While this will of course make most boss fights easier, the decrease in difficulty is particularly noticeable with this fight.
3Godrick The Grafted
A Two-Phased Behemoth Of A Boss
Facing off againstthe fearsome ruler of Limgraveis no simple feat.Godrick the Graftedis one of the first true tests of skill that players will face inElden Ring, a foe where panic dodging and attack spamming will only end in death.
Despite his size, Godrick is incredibly agile and fast-hitting. In this fight, almost more than any other early-game one, keeping out of his attack range is a real challenge, as he can traverse the length of the arena in a matter of seconds. Unless he’s already mid-combo, players stand little hope of using a crimson tear flask before being struck by him. Godrick’s second phase ups the ante even further, giving him access to some truly deadly attacks like his dragon head grab.
2Tree Sentinel
Tanky, Agile, And Strong
Despite being one of the first bosses most players will encounter, theTree Sentinelis among the most punishing early-game bosses thatElden Ringhas to offer. The Tree Sentinel is a tanky foe, and thanks to its trusty steed, it is also incredibly agile despite its heft, being able to rush into and out of melee range at a moment’s notice. It’s a foe best avoided by most until they have gained some levels and weapon upgrades. Even so, it is far from an easy battle.
Players looking to take on the Tree Sentinel at the start of their playthrough are in for a truly brutal time. The high health of the sentinel, paired with the player’s low damage, health, and number of flasks, makes for a legendary battle of attrition where even a single misplay could spell death.
1Royal Knight Loretta
A Powerful And Adaptive Boss
Few early-game bosses can strike fear into the hearts of players quite likeRoyal Knight Loretta. She may not be a grotesque eldritch horror, but her combat prowess more than makes up for it in the scary department. Players who struggled with the Tree Sentinel are in for a particular fright with this one, as Royal Knight Loretta is visually and mechanically similar, but this foe has glintstone sorceries at her disposal.
Mounted on top of a mighty steed and with a lengthy polearm in hand, Loretta is even harder to get melee hits on than the Tree Sentinel. When she’s not riding out of range, she is keeping the player’s attacks at bay with her magic. Getting enough space to heal is also a nightmare, as Loretta will ruthlessly hunt down the player or otherwise snipe them with one of her many ranged attacks.
