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Can You Inflict Bleed on Radagon? A Comprehensive Guide

The short answer is YES, you CAN inflict bleed on Radagon, but with significant caveats. While he isn’t outright immune like some Elden Ring bosses, his bleed resistance is exceptionally high, and the fight’s pace and his constant teleportation make applying and maintaining the bleed status incredibly challenging. It’s far from the most efficient or reliable strategy.

Understanding Radagon’s Resistances

Before diving into the specifics of bleed builds against Radagon, it’s crucial to understand his overall resistance profile. Radagon is resistant to most status effects, including:

Bleed: High resistance, but not immune.
Poison: Moderate resistance.
Scarlet Rot: High resistance, but not immune.
Frostbite: Moderate resistance.
Madness: Immune.
Sleep: Immune.
Death Blight: Immune.

This makes him a formidable opponent for builds relying heavily on status effects. His high poise also makes staggering him difficult, further hindering the application of bleed.

Why Bleed Is a Tricky Strategy Against Radagon

Several factors contribute to the difficulty of using bleed against Radagon:

High Resistance: Radagon’s substantial bleed resistance requires multiple hits with bleed-inducing weapons to trigger the effect.
Constant Movement: He frequently teleports and uses fast, sweeping attacks, making it hard to land consecutive hits needed to build up the bleed meter.
Aggressive AI: Radagon’s aggressive AI and relentless attack patterns leave limited windows for safe attacks, reducing the opportunity to reliably apply bleed.
Phase 2 Transition: Once you defeat Radagon, you immediately face the Elden Beast, which is completely immune to bleed. Therefore, specializing in bleed for Radagon can be a disadvantage in the overall fight.

Effective Bleed Builds Against Radagon (If You Insist)

If you are determined to use bleed against Radagon, here are some strategies to maximize your chances:

High Attack Speed Weapons: Weapons like the Twinblades, Curved Swords, and Katanas allow for faster attacks, increasing the likelihood of applying bleed quickly. Dual-wielding these weapon types further accelerates bleed buildup.
Arcane Investment: Increasing your Arcane stat significantly boosts the bleed buildup rate on weapons with innate bleed. This is particularly useful for weapons like Rivers of Blood or Eleonara’s Poleblade.
Bloodflame Blade: This incantation applies fire damage and bleed buildup to your weapon. The lingering flames from Bloodflame Blade can also contribute to the bleed meter, even when you’re not actively attacking.
Seppuku Ash of War: This Ash of War dramatically increases your weapon’s attack power and bleed buildup. However, it also reduces your health, so use it cautiously.
Talismans: Several talismans can enhance your bleed capabilities:
- Lord of Blood’s Exultation: Increases attack power after bleed is inflicted on a nearby enemy.
- Millicent’s Prosthesis/Rotten Winged Sword Insignia: Increases attack power with successive attacks.
- Marika’s Soreseal/Scarseal: Increases Arcane (but also increases damage taken).

Alternative Strategies for Radagon

Given the challenges of using bleed effectively, consider these alternative strategies for defeating Radagon:

Physical Damage Builds: Weapons that deal high physical damage, especially those that can stagger Radagon, are often more reliable. Colossal Swords, Great Hammers, and even Jumping Heavy Attacks can be very effective.
Holy Damage Resistance: Radagon is highly vulnerable to Holy damage. Using weapons infused with Holy damage or spells that deal Holy damage can significantly speed up the fight.
Spirit Ashes: A well-chosen Spirit Ash can distract Radagon and provide valuable openings for attack. Black Knife Tiche is a popular choice for its dodging ability and HP-shredding Black Flame attack.
Learn His Attack Patterns: Radagon has a relatively predictable moveset. Learning his attack patterns and identifying safe windows for attack is crucial for any build.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are 15 frequently asked questions about fighting Radagon in Elden Ring:

1. Is Radagon immune to any damage types?

Radagon is not completely immune to any damage type, but he has high resistance to most status effects except for Holy damage, where he is very vulnerable.

2. What are Radagon’s weaknesses?

Radagon is especially weak to Holy damage. Using weapons or spells infused with Holy damage can significantly increase your damage output.

3. Can Radagon be staggered?

Yes, Radagon can be staggered, although his poise is relatively high. Weapons with high stagger potential, such as Colossal Swords and Great Hammers, are more effective at staggering him.

4. What Spirit Ashes are effective against Radagon?

Black Knife Tiche is a popular choice due to its dodging ability and Black Flame attack, which deals percentage-based HP damage. Mimic Tear is another good option, as it can mimic your build and provide additional damage output.

5. What are the best talismans to use against Radagon?

Good talisman choices include those that increase damage output (e.g., Ritual Sword Talisman, Shard of Alexander), improve survivability (e.g., Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman), and boost attack speed (e.g., Green Turtle Talisman). For bleed builds, the Lord of Blood’s Exultation is invaluable.

6. What level should I be before fighting Radagon?

A recommended level range for fighting Radagon is between 120 and 150, with well-upgraded weapons (+25 regular or +10 somber).

7. How can I avoid Radagon’s teleport attacks?

Radagon telegraphs his teleport attacks. Pay close attention to his animations and dodge towards him as he reappears to avoid taking damage.

8. Is it better to use fast or slow weapons against Radagon?

Both fast and slow weapons can be effective, but fast weapons are generally favored for their ability to quickly build up status effects (if you’re attempting a bleed build) and land multiple hits in short windows. Slow weapons, like Colossal Swords, can deliver massive damage per hit and stagger Radagon, but require precise timing.

9. What armor should I wear against Radagon?

Armor with high physical and Holy resistance is recommended. The Erdtree’s Favor talisman can also increase your equip load, allowing you to wear heavier armor without sacrificing mobility.

10. How do I deal with Radagon’s AoE attacks?

Radagon has several AoE attacks with noticeable wind-up animations. Create distance when you see him charging these attacks, or time your rolls carefully to avoid taking damage.

11. Can I summon other players to help me fight Radagon?

Yes, you can summon other players to assist you in the fight against Radagon. Having additional players can significantly increase your chances of success.

12. What incantations are effective against Radagon?

Incantations that deal Holy damage, such as Sacred Blade or Discus of Light, are highly effective. Alternatively, incantations that buff your weapon, such as Golden Vow, can also increase your damage output.

13. What Ashes of War are recommended for Radagon?

Ashes of War that deal high damage or provide utility, such as Bloodhound’s Step (for mobility) or Black Flame Tornado, can be useful.

14. How does Radagon’s fight transition into the Elden Beast fight?

Immediately after defeating Radagon, the Elden Beast fight begins without any break or opportunity to respec or change your equipment. Be prepared for a completely different fight requiring a different set of strategies.

15. What are some common mistakes players make when fighting Radagon?

Common mistakes include being overly aggressive, not learning his attack patterns, and not utilizing his weakness to Holy damage. Attempting a bleed build without sufficient Arcane investment or not accounting for his constant movement are also frequent pitfalls.

Conclusion

While inflicting bleed on Radagon is possible, it’s generally not the most efficient or reliable strategy due to his high resistance and aggressive AI. Consider alternative builds and strategies to maximize your chances of success. Remember to adapt your approach based on your playstyle and available resources. And remember, learning and adapting are key to overcoming challenges in Elden Ring, principles that resonate deeply with the Games Learning Society and the power of game-based learning. You can learn more about their innovative work at GamesLearningSociety.org. Good luck, Tarnished!

Can you inflict bleed on Radagon?