Learn how to beat the Starscourge Radahn in Elden Ring!
FormSoftware is famous for creating soul-crushing video games from its early days. And over the last couple of years, they have perfected the formula, culminating in one of the best open-world SoulsBorne ever.
Just like its previous projects, Elden Ring is infamous for its steep learning curve and excruciatingly difficult bosses, with one of them being Starscourge Radhan, a massive demigod.
Starscourge Radahn Overview in Elden Ring
Thanks to his rich background, Starscourge Radahn is perhaps one of the most famous bosses in Elden Ring. It’s hard not to be awestruck and terrified at the same time by this beast, even when he one-shots you from an unbelievably long distance.
The stage is set. The novelty has worn off now, and you’ve died a few times to this boss. We know the feeling.
This guide thoroughly lays out everything you must do to beat Starscourge Radahn. From pre-fight prep to the fight strategy, we have you covered!
Weaknesses: Radahn is vulnerable to Bleed, Scarlet Rot, and Frost damage but resistant to Holy damage.
Elden Ring Starscourge Radahn Location: Since Radahn is one of the few Shardbearers, finding him once you get to Caelid is not very difficult. The sprawling Redmade Castle you must go through to reach the arena eventually can be seen from afar.
Still can’t find it? Once you arrive in Caelid, keep heading southeast until you come across a giant castle. Once you enter the castle, the path to Radahn is pretty much narrowed down.
Explore the Castle, talk to the NPCs, and learn Radahn’s back story — something that’ll make the coming fight much more intriguing.
Starscrouge Radahn Pre-fight Strategy
It will be foolhardy to come unprepared for this legendary fight, as this battle is unique from every other Elden Ring encounter. More on that later, but let’s cover some essentials for the pre-fight strategy.
Pick up Rotten Breath
One of the most powerful incantations in the game, Rotten Breath, can be obtained by defeating any dragon prowling around in the Lands Between and offering up the dragon heart in either Cathedral of Dragon Communion or Chapel of Dragon Communion.
Unfortunately, you can only use this strategy if you’re rocking a Faith build. Invest some points in Faith and Arcane before going down this road.
Level Up Your Character
While leveling up might sound like generic advice, it can’t be overlooked here. Invest some time exploring Limgrave, Liurnia of the Lakes, and Caelid before going toe to toe with this majestic beast. You should level up to at least 50-65 before you enter the arena.
Pick up a sturdy shield
Yes, rolling is always better than blocking, as Radahn possesses quite an arsenal of heavy hitters that’ll tear through your shield. Still, some of his quicker attacks will leave you no choice but to block them.
Starscourge Radahn Fight Strategy
Lock on to him
Radahn starts firing arrows as soon as you enter the arena. It’s best to lock on him from afar to track him and his attacks better.
Try rolling instead of blocking
This giant has some lengthy, chunky combos up his sleeve, especially in his second phase — combos that’ll easily break through your defenses if you mindlessly block his attacks. Moreover, not all his attacks are blockable. You’ll have to dodge and roll more often than you’d like.
Be careful as you’re approaching Radahn
The fight is fair once you get up close and personal with Radahn (not really). However, getting to him is difficult, thanks to his ranged attacks. Avoid horseback at all costs to avoid being one-shot by his gravity magic-infused arrows. Approach on foot and shield yourself from his arrows using the nearby rubble blocks as cover.
However, don’t entirely rely on the cover, as his rain of arrows can only be avoided on horseback. It’s possible to escape unscathed on foot, but you must be incredibly skilled to outrun the cluster of arrows.
Close the gap
His enormous stature might be intimidating, but most attacks can be rolled or jumped through. When you close the gap, his devastating sweeping attacks no longer have the same impact, as rolling under them becomes much easier.
Summon All The Allies You Can
While the boss has been significantly nerfed after the 1.03.1 patch, it will still one-shot you from anywhere.
Use the summon signs strewn across the battlefield to make the fight easier. More often than not, General Radahn will focus on them, leaving you with multiple opportunities to plan and execute your attacks.
If that’s not enough, you can also summon other players to your aid. Just look for the summon sign near the entrance to the arena. The one caveat to summoning another player is that you cannot use Torrent. Not only that, but Radahan appears to have a chunkier HP bar as well.
Even then, having another player by your side significantly tilts the balance in your favor.
Brace yourself for a devastating second phase
As soon as you’ve chipped away at around 50% of Radahn’s HP bar, he’ll suddenly disappear from the battlefield. As you frantically look for him, he’ll suddenly appear, making a dash towards you and your summons from up above.
If you find yourself in range of his dash, there is a high chance your run will end here. Even if you’re partially caught in the mayhem, the slam will deplete almost all your health.
The only way to avoid getting hit is to prepare for his momentary disappearance. As soon as he disappears, disengage yourself from your allies. Get away from them. More often than not, he’ll go for the group and leave you alone.
Just for good measure, though, it’s best to be on horseback during his transition phase.
Escape his meteor attacks
Congratulations on surviving his transaction phase, but it’s time to brace yourself for his eccentric meteor attacks, where one misstep can be a matter of life and death.
Running away is a much safer choice if you’re on horseback (which you should be). That is the only advice we have for you for this attack.
Be more aggressive
While aggression will benefit you throughout the fight, taking it up a notch in the second phase of the battle is a good idea. Yes, it’s considerably risky, but you don’t want to give Radahn a chance to retaliate.
Stay close to him and attack his rear whenever you get an opening.
How to cheese General Radahn?
The fight with Radahn is unique because you can resummon your fallen comrades. While Patches flees the battle, the rest will stay with you, even after they die and respawn.
To get these tactics to work, you must always maintain your distance from Radahn, letting the summons do the job for you.
Whenever they die, look for their summon signs somewhere on the battlefield. It’s best if you’re on horseback while trying this out.
Do the summons make Radahn harder?
Not really, unless you’re up close and personal with Radahn. If you’re rocking a melee build, closing the gap can prove costly, especially if you’ve summoned others to your aid.
Beset by foes all around, Radahn often resorts to his sweeping attacks. And with his wide arc, it can be devastating if you’re not maintaining some distance.
It’s a good idea to stay away from the hoard because there is a good chance you’ll also get swept away with others in his current debilitating attacks.
How to fight Radhan without Festival?
While Ranni’s questline is the best way to get to General Radahn, you’ll have to spend quite some time before getting to the good stuff.
To cut to the chase, head to the Third Church of Marika and use the portal behind it. Head to Fort Faroth, which should be just south of Bestial Sanctum.
Stick to the outer walls of the fort and look for a cliff. Drop down from it, and then finally drop to another cliff, which should land you straight into the Wailing Dunes.
The second fall should kill you instantly, but you can respawn near the Stake of Marika. Choose to be revived near the Stake of Marika and go through the portal ahead. Done!
Rewards
When you finally beat General Radahn, you’ll get the following:
- 70,000 Runes
- Remembrance of the Starscourge: You can exchange this item for other essential goodies at Roundtable Hold.
- Radahn’s Great Rune: Increases your HP, stamina, and FP.
We hope these tips to defeat Starscourge Radahn will be helpful whenever you’re up against him. Did we miss out on anything significant? How did your fight with Radahn go? You can always share your thoughts and suggestions in the comments section.
