There are 10 major bosses in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, and they all put up a substantial fight. Certain new encounters are among the hardest fights FromSoftware has ever designed. But like the base game, Shadow of the Erdtree is almost entirely non-linear—so what’s the best order to tackle the challenges ahead?
What order should you complete Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree’s bosses?
1) Divine Beast Dancing Lion
Divine Beast Dancing Lion is the first major boss in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree and the boss of the first Legacy Dungeon—Belurat, Tower Settlement. It’s technically an optional boss, but you shouldn’t skip it. It’s probably the most straightforward of all the new encounters, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy.
If it’s an optimal boss order you seek, you’re best off tackling Belurat and the Dancing Lion first. You can get there immediately after starting Shadow of the Erdtree.
2) Rellana, Twin Moon Knight
After clearing Belurat and beating the Dancing Lion, you might be wondering where to go next. Castle Ensis is just on the horizon: it’s a smaller-scale dungeon that blocks the way to the next major zone of the expansion, Scadu Altus. This is a mandatory dungeon with a boss at the end—Rellana, Twin Moon Knight.
She’s a dual-wielding knight who fights with a mixture of Fire and Magic. Make sure you watch out for her magic greatsword attacks as they cover a huge area of effect.
3) Golden Hippopotamus
The Golden Hippopotamus is the first big difficulty spike in Shadow of the Erdtree. It guards the entrance to Shadow Keep, Shadow of the Erdtree’s second Legacy Dungeon, and it’s non-optional if you want to progress via the main gate. After beating the Hippo, you’re free to explore the Legacy Dungeon that lies ahead.
The Hippo deals tons of damage and is tough to avoid, so if you’re struggling, check out our guide on how to beat the Golden Hippopotamus in Shadow of the Erdtree.
4) Messmer the Impaler
It’s Messmer himself—the face of the whole expansion. You encounter him surprisingly early, but he’s an epic fight worth remembering. If you continue through Shadow Keep after beating the Golden Hippopotamus, you’ll eventually reach another named area—the Specimen Storehouse, which is the second section of this Legacy Dungeon.
Messmer the Impaler is the boss of the area, so keep climbing up and you’ll eventually reach him. Messmer is the hardest fight yet, so if you’re having trouble, consider collecting more Scadutree Fragments. The Scadutree Blessing substantially increases your attack and defense in the Land of Shadow.
5) Putrescent Knight
After beating Messmer, you can progress the story and access the last few bits of Shadow of the Erdtree, but there’s plenty more to do in the meantime. Head to the southernmost point the Land of Shadow, at the very bottom of Cerulean Coast, and you’ll find a pit that leads to an expansive dungeon called Stone Coffin Fissure. At the bottom of the Fissure is another major boss—the Putrescent Knight. He guards the way to an important NPC, so continue onward after you beat him.
6) Romina, Saint of the Bud
Next, I recommend you continue exploring past the Specimen Storehouse. You’ll reach the Ancient Ruins of Rauh—a verdant, mossy ruin with lots to explore. The boss of this area is Romina, Saint of the Bud. She’s a human-centipede hybrid reminiscent of Dark Souls’ Quelaag, who was half-spider.
Many of Romina’s attacks inflict Scarlet Rot, so bring Boluses or the Flame, Cleanse Me Incantation. After beating her, as long as you’ve killed Messmer, you can progress the story in Shadow of the Erdtree and make a new area appear on the map.
7) Scadutree Avatar
But before heading to the final area, there are a few more major bosses you can tick off the list. It makes the most sense to kill the Scadutree Avatar next. You can reach this boss after clearing Shadow Keep, Church District. After draining the water, head to the lower level, then go through the northern exit and down an elevator. You’ll reach Tree-Worship Sanctum—continue through the tunnel until you reach the Scadutree Avatar’s boss arena.
8) Bayle the Dread
Bayle the Dread is definitely my favorite fight in the whole expansion, and it’s one of FromSoftware’s most epic dragon battles to-date. Bayle is a fearsome beast who leaps around the arena unleashing a barrage of Fire and Lightning attacks. Reach him by heading up Jagged Peak—you can get there by exploring the Dragon’s Pit mini-dungeon in Gravesite Plain, near the Suppressing Pillar.
9) Metyr, Mother of Fingers
Metyr, Mother of Fingers is a difficult optional boss locked behind a fairly hidden NPC questline. She’s a giant, grotesque hand similar to the Finger Creepers you encounter throughout Elden Ring and Shadow of the Erdtree. Unlocking her requires quite a few steps, so check out my guide on how to unlock the Metyr, Mother of Fingers secret boss to find out how.
10) Promised Consort Radahn
Yep, it’s Radahn—the final boss of Shadow of the Erdtree. After beating Romina, Saint of the Bud, you can use Messmer’s Flame to burn down the tree that’s hiding Enir-Ilim—the giant spiral tower above Belurat, Tower Settlement. This is the fabled Tower of Shadow that’s talked about so much throughout Shadow of the Erdtree. At the very top, you encounter Promised Consort Radahn, and he’s without doubt one of the hardest bosses FromSoftware has ever made.
