How to beat Maliketh the Black Blade and finish Elden Ring

Maliketh the Black Blade is an important figure in both Elden Ring lore and in the game itself, but how do you beat him?

Maliketh kicks off the sprint that is the endgame boss rush. Players need to topple a number of key figures from the background lore and their own journey to finally reach the Elden Ring. But just because he’s the first step on that push doesn’t mean he’s an easy foe.

Gurranq the Beast Clergyman and Maliketh the Black Blade are among the toughest bosses in Elden Ring. So how can players beat the faithful fluffball?

How to easily beat Maliketh the Black Blade in Elden Ring

Players can beat Maliketh by combining strong long-range and short-range attacks.

The first phase of the fight is against Gurranq, simply referred to as “Beast Clergyman.” This fight is tough due to his high damage output and well-rounded attack options. He has long cooldowns after each attack, allowing for safe counters from a distance.

For intelligence characters, the ideal weapon is the Moonveil since its charged R2 attacks can break Gurranq’s posture. For everyone else, it’s just a matter of picking the best option available whether it’s spells, bows, pots, or anything else.

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After losing about 40% of his health bar, the Beast Clergyman will transform into Maliketh, the Black Blade. This sees his moveset change radically, going from a grounded bruiser to a high-flying acrobat.

Maliketh has a straightforward moveset, but there are two particularly tricky attacks that are difficult to punish. 

One sees him do three flips that fire magical blades at the player, followed by a spinning attack that flies at the player. The other is a large horizontal attack followed by a series of rotating vertical attacks, ending with a slam. In both cases, these attacks are tough to dodge and basically impossible to punish safely outside a quick spell for casters.

Maliketh has two attacks where he stabs his sword into the ground and lets out a burst of damage. These are the only attacks that can be reliably countered by the player, with the best option being jumping heavy attacks to deal maximum HP and posture damage.

While offensive options are limited for some builds, the good news is that the arena gives players many defensive options. The pillars offer cover from the magical blades and a barrier to hide behind for healing. Playing it safe on offense and focusing on defense is the best option Elden Ring players have when it comes to dealing with Maliketh the Black Blade.