Malenia, Blade of Miquella, is widely considered one of the toughest bosses in Elden Ring. Found deep in Elphael, Brace of the Haligtree, she is infamous for her lightning-fast combos, lifesteal mechanic, and Elden Ring Runes devastating special attacks. Many players regard her as the ultimate skill check in the game. This guide will give you everything you need—preparation, tactics, and strategies—to finally bring her down.

Where to Find Malenia

Malenia is the final boss of Elphael, which is located beneath the Consecrated Snowfield. To access her arena:

Unlock the Haligtree Medallion – Collect both halves of the Haligtree Secret Medallion.

Access the Consecrated Snowfield – Use the medallion at the Grand Lift of Rold.

Enter Miquella’s Haligtree – Fight through multiple layers of enemies and platforms until you reach Elphael.

Progress through Elphael – At the very bottom, behind a fog wall, Malenia waits.

Prepare before entering—once you’re inside, there’s no going back.

Understanding Malenia’s Mechanics

Lifesteal on Every Hit

Malenia heals a small portion of her health with every successful hit, even if you block. This means trading damage recklessly or relying heavily on shields is risky. Avoiding her attacks is key.

Phase One – Blade of Miquella

Quick combos: Malenia strings together long, unpredictable sword combos.

Grab attack: She can impale you and toss you aside for massive damage.

Waterfowl Dance: Her signature flurry of aerial slashes, capable of one-shotting unprepared players.

Phase Two – Goddess of Rot

Once you deplete her health bar, she transforms:

Rot bloom explosion: A massive Scarlet Rot AoE upon transformation.

Spirit summons: Rot spirits can chase you down.

Enhanced Waterfowl Dance: Even deadlier and harder to dodge.

Best Builds and Loadouts

Melee Builds

Fast weapons (katanas, curved swords, spears) let you hit and retreat before her counterattacks.

Colossal weapons are riskier, but a well-timed heavy strike or jump attack can stagger her.

Status effects: Bleed is especially effective—Rivers of Blood or Bloodhound’s Fang can chunk her health bar.

Ranged / Magic Builds

Comet Azur can deal massive damage if you find a safe opening.

Rock Sling and Stars of Ruin are reliable for stagger potential.

Scarlet Rot immunity is important—equip Immunizing Horn Charm and use Preserving Boluses.

Spirit Ashes

Mimic Tear remains the best choice, mirroring your build and drawing aggro.

Black Knife Tiche is excellent for dodging and dealing %HP damage.

Latenna the Albinauric can chip away from a distance if you can keep her safe.

Strategies for Phase One

Patience is everything – Malenia punishes greedy attacks. Stick to one or two hits, then dodge.

Watch for the grab – She crouches briefly before lunging forward. Roll diagonally to escape.

Handling Waterfowl Dance:

Run away as soon as she leaps into the air.

Dodge toward her last flurry of strikes, not away.

A shield with high stability can block part of it, but it’s safer to learn the dodge timing.

Pro tip: Jump attacks and guard counters can stagger her fairly quickly if timed correctly. A critical hit after a stagger removes a huge chunk of her health.

Strategies for Phase Two

Phase Two is where most players struggle. Stay calm, don’t panic, and keep your healing items ready.

Opening explosion – Sprint away when her second phase begins to avoid the Scarlet Rot blast.

Rot buildup – Use items like Preserving Boluses, Flame, Cleanse Me incantation, or equip armor with high Immunity stats.

Avoid spirit summons – Roll through or sprint away from her phantom clones; they deal high damage and can interrupt healing.

Play defensive – Her combos are longer and more unpredictable. Only punish when you’re sure she’s finished.

Patience here is even more critical than Phase One. Over-aggression leads to her healing back the progress you’ve made.

Co-op and Summoning Tips

Summon friends – Co-op makes the fight more manageable by splitting her attention.

Coordinate roles – One player tanks, another does ranged damage.

Spirit Ash positioning – Place summons carefully so they distract without instantly dying.

Helpful Items and Buffs

Bloodhound’s Step Ash of War: Helps dodge Waterfowl Dance consistently.

Mohgwyn’s Sacred Spear or other bleed weapons: Stack Hemorrhage for huge bursts.

Rot resistance gear: Mushroom Set, Cleanrot Knight’s gear.

Physick Flask: Combine Opaline Bubbletear (damage negation) with Greenburst Crystal Tear (stamina recovery).

Mental Tips for the Fight

Malenia is designed to test your patience and consistency. Don’t get tilted after repeated deaths. Each attempt teaches you her timings. Many players take 20, 50, or even 100 tries before finally beating her. That’s normal. The victory is all the sweeter because of the struggle.

Final Rewards

Defeating Malenia rewards you with:

Remembrance of the Rot Goddess – Can be exchanged for her katana, Hand of Malenia, or the Scarlet Aeonia incantation.

Great Rune of Malenia – When activated with a Rune Arc, it restores HP when you land attacks, a perfect reward considering her lifesteal mechanic.

Closing Thoughts

Malenia isn’t just a boss fight—she’s a rite of passage for Elden Ring players. Her combination of speed, power, and lifesteal forces you to refine every skill the game has taught you. Preparation, patience, and buy Elden Ring Runes persistence are your greatest weapons. With the right build, the right mindset, and enough practice, you’ll finally watch her fall and feel the satisfaction of conquering FromSoftware’s most legendary foe.