In most FromSoftware games, your strategy for fighting bosses is to be patient, wait for the perfect moment and get your hits in when you can. And when all that fails, you roll and dodge, hoping to find a way out. The Lord of Blasphemy can pose a challenge for those who aren’t quite catching on to his new battle style. Rykard is known as one of the more odd bosses in the game, and his fight is a bit different from your standard Souls-type game plan.
Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy Overview
Using only one weapon that’s been given to you, you’ll take on the God-Devouring Serpent/Lord of Blasphemy in a massive arena littered with the bodies and skeletons of Tarnished who attempted the same task as you. The serpent is the first one you’ll challenge in the first phase, then Rykard in the second phase. The weapon you’re looking for is the Serpent-Hunter Great Spear, which is located just inside his area, but before you walk far enough to trigger the fight.
Although the fight against the serpent and Rykard isn’t as difficult as other bosses, it shouldn’t be underestimated. The surrounding area and other basic enemies to even get to Rykard can give you a hard time if you’re not properly prepared. This guide will help you learn how to navigate Mt. Gelmir; equip yourself with the right fittings; and ultimately, win the battle against Rykard.
Elden Ring Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy Location
Rykard is located just outside of Volcano Manor on the Altus Plateau. There are two different ways to get to Volcano Manor: following Rya’s questline and obtaining the invitation, or going through Ruin-Strewn Precipice and battling your way through there.
Option One: An invitation to the Manor
The way to obtain the invite is to find Rya in a stone structure in Liurnia of the Lakes, directly east of the “Scenic Isle” Site of Grace. She will ask you to retrieve a precious necklace for her, from a man in a shack not too far from her current location. This decrepit house shows up as “Boilprawn Shack” on the map once you find it, and will have its own Site of Grace.
You have the option to either buy it off him or kill him to obtain the necklace. Once you have it, bring it back to Rya and she will give you the invitation to Volcano Manor. She will mention getting there by finding and using the Dectus Medallion.
There are two halves to this medallion: one is located in Fort Haight in Limgrave, southeast of the “Mistwood Outskirts” Site of Grace; the other one is found in Fort Faroth in Caelid, south of the “Dragonbarrow Fork” Site of Grace. Bring these halves to northern Liurnia, to the Grand Lift of Dectus. The easiest way to get there is fast travel to the “Bellum Church” Site of Grace and follow the path northwest to the lift. Use the medallion at the lift and travel northwest to Volcano Manor.
Option Two: Battling your way in
This second option is the more difficult one, requiring you to make your way up scaffolding along a cliffside.
First, you’ll need to fast travel to the “Testu’s Rise” Site of Grace, located north of Raya Lucaria Academy in the lake.
From there, you’ll travel north/northwest through a small canyon until you reach the end. You’ll see what looks like a deck with ladders and a Site of Grace called “Ravine-Veiled Village.” Climb the ladders leading into the Miners’ Cave and out onto the Ruin-Strewn Precipice. You’ll have to win against Giant Bats and a few Chanting Winged Dame on your way up with no sites of grace along the way, so be on your toes.
Once you reach the top, there will be a fog door with a Magma Wyrm behind it. Take advantage of the NPC summons just outside the door. Defeat it to gain access to a way out, leading to a lift that will bring you to Altus Plateu. From there, travel north to Volcano Manor.
Once inside Volcano Manor, you have two options to get to Rykard.
- Volcano Manor Quest Line: You can choose to talk to Tanith, the lady of Volcano Manor, and follow a series of assignments she gives you that involve invading and killing NPC Tarnished. Once you’ve finished with the last one, talk to Tanith and you will be teleported right outside Rykard’s boss room.
- Option Two: Discovering secrets: To the right of where Tanith sits, there’s a hallway with varying rooms. Enter the room next to Rya and you’ll see a crooked painting on the wall. There is an illusory wall there, so roll into it or hit it to dispel it and reveal a dark passageway. Make your way through the rest of the area and you’ll eventually find yourself at the “Audience Pathway” Site of Grace. You’ll see the fog door just ahead.
Pre-Fight Strategy
Invest in your stats
Before jumping right into the thick of it, you’ll want to make sure your Vigor and Endurance levels are around 40. This gives you a boost for more dodges during the fight and of course, more health to sustain yourself. If you’re going down the Faith route, some self-healing spells would be beneficial. Alternatively, setting more flasks to your Crimson Tears rather than Cerulean Tears would help, too. This can be done by resting at a Site of Grace and selecting “Allocate Flasks.”
The spear you’ll use for this fight also scales with Strength and Dexterity, so make sure you have both of those at a decent level.
Equip the right gear
Rykard uses many fire attacks, so find some gear that negates fire damage like the “Fire Prelate Set” or “Scaled Set.” Another idea is to use talismans such as “Flamedrake Talisman,” and even better if it’s a plus 1 or more.
Consider using summons
Most people call on summoned spirits to fight alongside them in battle. If you’re one of those people, some of the best summonses to use are “Mimic Tear” and “Latenna the Albinauric.” You can always take your summons to Roderika at Roundtable Hold to upgrade them. If you decide to use the “Mimic Tear” summon, un-equip all other weapons and shields except the spear, so it doesn’t use anything else.
Fight Strategy
Don’t put too much energy into the serpent fight
The serpent is the least of your worries. You’ll need all the HP (and FP if you plan on using healing incantations) you can get for Rykard. The main idea for this part is to not take too many risks, so you don’t get hit as much. Dodge and roll the attacks, and get your hits in when you can. The spear has range, so there’s no need to get up and close.
Use the spear and only the spear
A common mistake is thinking you only use the spear on the serpent. Use the spear even with Rykard, keeping your distance and using the reach of your weapon to your advantage. The best thing to do here is to ditch your shield – if you use one – and two-hand the spear. That way, you’re not tempted to try to parry attacks and risk losing more HP than if you didn’t. It also offers different abilities to try.
Use charge attacks when you can
Although it costs a chunk of FP, using charge attacks against Rykard will help diminish his health bar faster. Use it wisely, since it takes a moment to release the attack. The best time to use a charge attack is before he does, with the goal of knocking him out of his attack and allowing you a hit or two more. Try not to use this against the serpent, but more so on Rykard.
Rewards
For an overall simple and optional battle, the rewards for defeating The God-Devouring Serpent/Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy, are a pretty great payout.
You get:
- 1,30,000 Runes
- Rykard’s Great Rune
- Remembrance of the Blasphemous: You can either sell it, consume it for a whopping 50000 Runes, or take it to Enia at Roundtable Hold.
On top of the winnings he gives you, you also get to keep the spear! Overall, it’s a great weapon that can still be upgraded long after the fight. If you’re into learning a bit more about Tanith and her lore, you can reload into the area to find her there and have the ability to talk to her.
We hope that this lengthy but detailed guide will help you best Rykard in Elden Ring. Please drop by our comments section to share your thoughts.
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