Elden Ring is a game full of dragons. There are 25 dragons in Elden Ring to defeat. Many of them are optional. One such dragon is Lichdragon Fortissax, a dragon corrupted by the Deathblight curse that also afflicts Godwyn the Golden.
A ferocious and mysterious boss, Lichdragon Fortissax, will fly across the arena and hurl stakes of Deathblight lighting at you. However, as intimidating as Lichdragon Fortissax is, he is not without solutions. We will delve into the best strategy to beat the dragon Legend himself.
Lichdragon Fortissax Overview
No longer the proud dragon who befriended the Golden Order, Lichdragon Fortissax now lives in Godwyn the Golden’s dreams. The dragon can be found in the Deeproot Depths, far below the Lands Between.
Weaknesses: Lichdragon Fortissax is weak to Pierce damage and Bleed. The dragon also takes 2x normal damage when hitting his head.
Elden Ring Lichdragon Fortissax Location: Lichdragon Fortissax can be found in the Deeproot Depths. This is the same arena where you fought Fia’s Champions during Fia’s questline. You must defeat Fia’s Champions and exhaust Fia’s dialogue to enter the dream where Lichdragon Fortissax is located.
You have also progressed Snow Witch Ranni’s quest to the point where you received her Cursemark of Death.
Navigating your way down the dangerous Deeproot Depths will be just as tricky as defeating Lichdragon Fortissax. First, go down to the Siofra Aqueduct and the Great Waterfall Basin site of grace. There will be a coffin here that you will need to ride down to the Deeproot Depths. Here is the coffin’s location on the map.
Once in the Deeproot Depths, start to head north toward the Fia’s Champions arena. Exhausting her dialogue will teleport you to the Lichdragon Fortissax boss fight.
Is Lichdragon Fortissax Optional?
Yes, Lichdragon Fortissax is optional and does not have to be defeated to progress the story of Elden Ring. Beating Lichdragon Fortissax is the only way to obtain his remembrance.
Pre-Fight Preparation
There is much to prepare for in the coming battle against Lichdragon Fortissax. With both melee attacks and lighting spells, you must ensure you have enough levels and the right equipment not to be killed outright.
What level should you face Lichdragon Fortissax?
Before going down to the Deeproot Depths, you must be at least level 80. This will ensure you have the damage and defense to stand up to Lichdragon Fortissax’s onslaught. We recommend your gear be at least +15 (or +6 for unique equipment).
Can you summon for the battle against Lichdragon Fortissax?
You can summon spirit ashes for the coming battle. The spirit ashes’ will be an excellent way to make sure not all the lightning lands on you. Due to this boss’s AoE attacks and swiftness, we highly recommend the Mimic Tear spirit ash.
The ash summons a mimic that copies all your characters’ equipment, save for flasks and items. The Mimic Tear will double our DPS against Lichdragon Fortissax by mimicking your build. Let us dip deeper into how we will build for the boss battle ahead.
Equip Lighting resistance armor
We chose to go with the Banished Knight set for the upcoming battle. Lichdragon Fortissax loves his lighting and will throw lightning spears out in spades. This heavy armor set has 28.2 lighting defense and 40.7 physical resistance.
The Banished Knight set is dropped by all Banished Knights scattered across the Lands Between. Head over to Stormveil Castle if you want to farm one early.
Our range of users can obtain the Astrologers’ set. This set gives you 28.7 lighting resistance and will be given to you automatically with the Astrologer character start. If you did not start as Astrologer, do not fret, as the Queen of the Full Moon set has 27.7 lighting resistance and is also very light.
Get the Boltdrake Talisman
As we mentioned, lightning damage is a major threat in Lichdragon Fortissax’s boss battle. We will be supplementing our gear with the Boltdrake Talisman.
Head over to the Old Altus Tunnel dungeon to obtain this Talisman. It will be in a storage shed within the tunnels.
Melee should get Nagakiba and Blood Blade.
PvP players have a love/hate relationship with katanas. However, PvE players might love this weapon after this boss fight. Lichdragon Fortissax is a difficult boss for melee builds to fight. You will be fighting the camera as opposed to the dragon most of the time. Nagakiba has a long-range, Pierce damage, and Bleed build-up. These traits will make it easier to make each hit count.
You must finish Bloody Finger Hunter Yura’s questline to obtain the katana. Alternatively, you can kill Yura to obtain the weapon.
We will be pairing the weapon with the Blood Blade Ash of War, which fires a medium-ranged blade of blood at your targets at the cost of HP. We will be using the weapon art for its range and Bleed build-up as Lichdragon Fortissax tends to move around a lot.
To obtain the Blood Blade, head northeast of the Erdtree-Gazing Hill site of grace in Altus Plateau. There will be a Teardrop Scarab flying above a pond. Kill it to obtain the ash of war. Here is the location on the map.
Ranged builds should get Rock Sling and Meteorite Staff
Ranged will have a far easier time with Lichdragon Fortissax. For this build, we went with Rock Sling. Rock Sling has a very long range and can be aimed directly at Lichdragon Fortissax’s head for double damage.
You will need to head to the north of the Aeonia Swamp shore site of Grace in Caelid. You will find this spell located in the Street of Sages Ruins. Just look for an opening that leads down into the small area.
Our weapon of choice will be the Meteorite Staff. This magic weapon has S Intelligence scaling right at level 1. This, along with the passive boosting gravity magic, will ensure your Rock Sling spell is hitting Lichdragon Fortissax extremely hard.
This weapon can be found on a body adjacent to the Street of Sages Ruins. Look for an item on a body hanging out of a broken window. Here is the location on the map.
Stock up on Flask charges
Lichdragon Fortissax can damage you from unexpected angles, especially as a melee user fighting under his feet. For this reason, we cannot stress enough that you go into the battle with as many flask charges as you can find. Now is a good time to scour the Lands Between for Golden Seeds or back to churches for Sacred Tears.
Now let us look at the strategy you will use to beat Lichdragon Fortissax. Melee will want to bring 2 Flask of Cerulean Tears, and the rest portioned out for Flask of Crimson Tears. Ranged will need to bring a couple extra to ensure you can keep casting Rock Sling throughout the battle.
Fight Strategy
Lichdragon Fortissax is a spectacle of a boss fight. You will need to strategically position yourself around the boss to ensure his melee and lighting do not damage you. The dragon does have two phases, so we will prepare you for what is ahead.
Remember that Lichdragon Fortissax’s head can be hit for double damage if you will be prioritizing this weakness more as a ranged user. That said, take the shot if you see the opportunity to hit the dragon in the head as melee.
Summon Mimic Tear and heal yourself
When you enter the boss arena immediately, summon your Mimic Tear and use a flask. Once you have healed up, you will rush the boss as melee or start casting your Rock Sling spell as a ranged user. You do not want to be summoning the Mimic Tear mid-battle as it does use a hefty amount of HP to cast.
Phase 1
Lightning Barrier
This is mostly a passive component of Lichdragon Fortissax. A barrier of red lightning surrounds this boss. Standing in the barrier for extended periods will charge you with red lightning. If you are exposed long enough, the charge is consumed, and the lightning will fall off your body and explodes after a brief delay.
This will be mostly an issue with your melee users as ranged users can avoid the Lightning Barrier entirely—alternate between hitting Lichdragon Fortissax’s legs and tail to avoid being charged with electricity.
Should you become charged enough, dodge or sprint away before the lightning explodes to avoid damage. These explosions can stagger and leave you vulnerable to the dragon’s other attacks. If you choose to attack the dragon at the tail, keep an eye out for a tail swipe that comes out clockwise. Run back under the dragon or dodge toward the rear legs to avoid getting hit.
Repositioning Leap
This is one attack that Lichdragon Fortissax can use after any of his moves. It will deal massive damage and knock you down if this hits you. The dragon will hop forward and glide a short distance before turning around as he lands.
You will want to chase Lichdragon Fortissax during this move and get ready to dodge roll if you see he will land on you. Melee will want to stay close as he uses this leap to reposition himself if you are under him. Ranged can fire a Rock Sling at his head while he recovers from his landing.
Repositioning Lightning Claw
Lichdragon Fortissax will mostly use this attack if you are located on his left (your right). The dragon will raise his left arm and swipe from the left to right while turning his body toward you. This attack will also be leaving a delayed path of lighting in its wake.
When you see Lichdragon Fortissax raise his left arm, you will need to run backward out of range of the attack. If you see you cannot get away fast enough, dodge once for the swipe and again for the follow-up lighting.
Right Arm swipe
This is much like Lichdragon Fortissax’s Repositioning claw attack. The boss will raise his right arm instead and swipe from right to left. You will quickly dodge this move to avoid the claws and the subsequent lightning following it.
Dodge into the Divebomb
Another ariel-type attack, Lichdragon Fortissax, will launch himself into the air before hovering a moment. The dragon will dive at you, causing damage and knocking you down if it connects. You will dodge forward through the Divebomb and start attacking his legs. The move is easy to telegraph as he takes a moment to take to the sky.
Ranged will want to wait for the dragon to land before committing to a Rock Sling to the head.
Melee users watch out for the Lightning Slam/Arm Slam
This move is used if the player is directly beneath the player. Thus, melee users must watch for this attack, though the difficult camera angles can make it tricky to see it coming. Lichdragon Fortissax will rear up on his hind legs and bring his arms crashing down beneath him. This causes a dissipating lightning shockwave that will knock you down.
When you see the boss rear upwards, you will want to run out from under him to avoid the slam. Roll back towards the boss when you dodge the shockwave. Lichdragon Fortissax will have a long recovery after this move so getting back under the boss as melee is key. If you are uncomfortable rolling back under the boss, stay away from the boss during the slam and fire your weapon art at range.
There is a variation of this attack where the dragon rears back and lifts his left arm before slamming it back down. This causes a small lightning shockwave at his hand. You will need to roll to the bosses’ right (your left). You will be beside the dragon’s head for follow-up attacks if done correctly.
There are Multiple Claw Combos
Lichdragon Fortissax has a claw combo in which he will raise his left arm and slam it down. This will lead to a knockdown if both attacks connect. After the impact, the boss will drag his arm across the ground, leaving a delayed trail of exploding lightning in its’ wake.
You will want to dodge backward from the initial slam and immediately dodge again to avoid the swipe. Make sure to roll early on the second dodge to avoid the lightning trail Lichdragon Fortissax leaves behind. This move is especially deadly as the dragon can follow this move up with one of the earlier mentioned swipe attacks or fire breath attacks.
Bite attacks
Lichdragon Fortissax has two variations of his bite. The first will see the dragon arch his neck before snapping at the player. The second attack is another bite. Only this attack gives him a small lunge forward. Time to dodge backward through the bite animation to avoid the single bite. You should be next to the dragon’s head after rolling, allowing melee users an opportunity to damage him.
The double bite is dodged similarly. You will dodge backward and wait at a distance for the second bite. If you are far away, you will avoid the second hit while still being close enough for melee damage or even a heavy attack. Though both moves have a quick start-up, they have poor recovery.
Sprint away from Fire breath attacks
There are three fire breath moves that Lichdragon Fortissax will perform. First is a Standing FIrebreath where the dragon will rear back on his legs and breathe fire directly below his feet before raising his head and breathing fire in a line before him. This attack should be avoided by sprinting toward Lichdragon Fortissax’s tail and either attacking the tail or firing your Blood Blade at range.
The second Fire Breath attack is when the boss breaths fire straight along a path ahead of him. This move does not track, so you should sprint diagonally to your right. He will mostly use this version if you are in front of him, so ranged users should be wary and ready to run when he uses it.
The third and final breath attack is one that Lichdragon Fortissax uses if you are standing under his torso. The boss will first crouch down before leaping back into the air. While airborne, the dragon will shoot out his fire breath where the player stands before repositioning. You will need to run back to avoid the fire breath, then reposition yourself but run back to the dragon.
Death Lightning
Lichdragon Fortissax has a nasty lightning attack that summons bolts of lightning. However, this lightning is different as it causes Deathblight build-up. Lichdragon Fortissax will rear his head and roar, summoning black and gold fog clouds across the battlefield. After a moment, black and gold lightning will strike these clouds, turning them into lingering fogs of Deathblight.
Watch for Lichdragon Fortissax to roar and watch where the lighting is falling. Once you see the initial fog banks, reposition yourself to avoid the bolts and subsequent Deathblight fogs. You can sprint to another part of the arena if you find your current space too congested to fight him safely.
Watch out for the Ancient Dragons’ Lightning spear
Lichdragon Fortissax will stand tall on his rear legs, conjuring forked bolts of red lightning in his left hand. After a delay, he slams the spear into the ground. The spear causes red lightning to streak across the ground in a chaotic pattern. Should these connect, you will be knocked down and vulnerable.
When you see Lichdragon Fortissax rear up and conjure the lightning, you should sprint away from the dragon to avoid the lightning. Once the lightning is avoided, you should run back as a melee user as the dragon’s head will be close to the ground for a moment. If you are confident in dodging, you can stay under the dragon and roll as the strike gives you a longer window to beat on the dragon’s head.
Phase 2
Once Lichdragon Fortissax’s health reaches about 60%, he will have new moves, a variation of his Ancient Dragons’ Lightning Spear, and a lightning blade attack. Other than the minor change, the pace of the battle will still follow as above. Here are the new attacks to watch out for.
Fortissax’s Ancient Dragons’ Lightning Spear
Lichdragon Fortissax’s Ancient Dragon’s Lightning Spear changes slightly compared to the first phase. The dragon will summon a red lightning spear with one in each hand. He will slam them down one after another with a delay in between. You will dodge this move just like the Phase 1 version, making sure you dodge the second spear that lands.
Fortissax’s Lighting Blade
Lichdragon Fortissax will summon a long, red lightning blade in his hands. After conjuring the blade, the dragon will take to the air before diving at the player with two spin attacks. The roll timing during this attack is tricky, so you should roll left as the lighting blade comes at you.
Alternatively, you can sprint backward as Lichdragon Fortissax takes to the air. The attack will miss at longer ranges, giving you a moment to use a flask or pause before reengaging the boss.
Rewards
After a shocking and spectacular boss battle, Lichdragon Fortissax is dead, and you can claim your rewards. Here is the breakdown of your rewards for this fight.
- 90,000 Runes
- Remembrance of the Lichdragon: A consumable item that can be given to Enia in the Roundtable Hold for one of two spells. You can trade it for Fortissax’s Lightning Spear or Death Lightning. Both are solid spells for Faith builds.
We hope that this lengthy guide will help you conquer this gargantuan boss. If you have any thoughts and suggestions, please share them in the comments section below.
