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Can You Inflict Scarlet Rot on Radagon in Elden Ring?

Yes, you can inflict Scarlet Rot on Radagon in Elden Ring. However, it’s a challenging task that requires careful planning, specific builds, and a decent amount of patience. Radagon has high resistance to status effects, including Scarlet Rot, making the process slow and potentially frustrating. This article will delve into the intricacies of inflicting Scarlet Rot on Radagon, along with frequently asked questions to help you succeed in this endeavor.

Understanding Radagon’s Resistances

Radagon, the first phase of the final boss fight in Elden Ring, is designed to be a formidable opponent. One of the key factors contributing to his difficulty is his substantial resistance to status ailments. He possesses high immunity to:

Scarlet Rot: Although possible to inflict, it takes significant effort and multiple applications.
Poison: Similar to Scarlet Rot, very resistant.
Bleed: He is resistant to Blood Loss buildup.
Frostbite: Fairly resistant to Frostbite.
Madness: High resistance to Frenzy buildup.
Sleep: Largely resistant to Sleep.

Understanding these resistances is crucial when formulating your strategy. Simply relying on a single application of a Scarlet Rot-inducing weapon or incantation likely won’t be enough.

Methods to Inflict Scarlet Rot

Several methods can be employed to attempt to inflict Scarlet Rot on Radagon. These include:

Rotten Breath: This incantation is a popular choice due to its wide area of effect.
Ekzykes’s Decay: A more powerful version of Rotten Breath, offering faster buildup.
Antspur Rapier: A thrusting sword that inherently builds up Scarlet Rot.
Rotten Battle Hammer: A great hammer that inflicts Scarlet Rot with each hit.
Rot Pot: Crafted throwable items that inflict Scarlet Rot upon impact.

The effectiveness of each method depends on your build, playstyle, and Radagon’s attack patterns.

Optimizing Your Build

Maximizing your build’s effectiveness is key to overcoming Radagon’s resistance. Here are some considerations:

Faith Scaling: For incantations like Rotten Breath and Ekzykes’s Decay, invest heavily in Faith to increase their potency.
Arcane Scaling: While less direct, Arcane can influence status buildup in some instances, especially when utilizing weapons with inherent status effects.
Talismans: Equip talismans that boost your attack power, such as the Ritual Sword Talisman (increases attack power at full HP) or the Godfrey Icon (enhances charged spells and skills, useful for Rotten Breath’s charged variant).
Armor: Consider armor that provides poise, allowing you to cast incantations or attack without being staggered easily.
Buffs: Utilize buffs like Golden Vow or Flame, Grant Me Strength to increase your damage output and survivability.

Strategic Execution

Even with an optimized build, strategic execution is vital.

Timing: Learn Radagon’s attack patterns and identify openings to cast incantations or land attacks.
Positioning: Maintain a safe distance to avoid being hit by his powerful attacks while still being close enough to apply Scarlet Rot.
Patience: Be prepared for a prolonged fight, as it may take multiple attempts to inflict Scarlet Rot.
Conserve FP: Manage your Focus Points (FP) carefully to avoid running out of the resources required for casting incantations. Consider using the Cerulean Amber Medallion to increase your FP or the Carian Filigreed Crest to reduce the FP cost of skills.

Utilizing Summons

Summons can significantly assist in distracting Radagon and creating openings for you to inflict Scarlet Rot.

Black Knife Tiche: Highly aggressive and deals percentage-based health damage.
Mimic Tear: Copies your character, effectively doubling your damage output and status buildup potential.
Lhutel the Headless: A durable summon that can withstand significant damage.

Choose a summon that complements your playstyle and provides the most utility in the fight against Radagon. Be aware that summons also increase Radagon’s HP pool.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are 15 frequently asked questions related to inflicting Scarlet Rot on Radagon:

Does Radagon take damage from Scarlet Rot? Yes, he takes damage over time when afflicted with Scarlet Rot. However, the damage is not exceptionally high, so it is mostly a supplementary strategy rather than the primary method of defeating him.
Is it worth trying to inflict Scarlet Rot on Radagon? It can be, especially if you are struggling with the fight. While not a guaranteed win, it provides a consistent source of damage that can chip away at his health while you focus on dodging and attacking.
Which is better for inflicting Scarlet Rot: Rotten Breath or Ekzykes’s Decay? Ekzykes’s Decay generally builds up Scarlet Rot faster, but it consumes more FP. Rotten Breath is more FP-efficient, making it suitable for longer engagements.
Does Radagon’s resistance to Scarlet Rot increase with each application? While some bosses exhibit increasing resistance, Radagon’s resistance seems to be fairly static. However, the duration of Scarlet Rot might decrease with repeated applications.
Can I use the Antspur Rapier effectively against Radagon? Yes, the Antspur Rapier is a viable option, especially when paired with the Seppuku Ash of War to boost bleed and rot buildup. Just be mindful of Radagon’s range and attack patterns.
How many Rot Pots do I need to inflict Scarlet Rot on Radagon? The number varies depending on your Arcane stat and Radagon’s current resistance level, but expect to use at least 5-10 Rot Pots.
Does equipping armor with high Immunity help inflict Scarlet Rot on Radagon? No, your own Immunity stat does not affect your ability to inflict status effects on enemies. It only affects your resistance to those status effects.
Are there any specific talismans that increase the speed of Scarlet Rot buildup? No, there aren’t talismans that directly increase the speed of Scarlet Rot buildup. Focus on talismans that boost your attack power or reduce FP costs.
Does summoning a cooperator make it easier or harder to inflict Scarlet Rot? It can make it easier by distracting Radagon, but it also increases his health, potentially requiring more applications of Scarlet Rot.
What happens if Radagon is already affected by another status effect, like Frostbite? Status effects generally don’t stack in Elden Ring. Applying Scarlet Rot will often overwrite the existing status effect.
Can I use a weapon buff (e.g., grease) to add Scarlet Rot to a weapon that doesn’t have it? No, you cannot add Scarlet Rot to a weapon that does not inherently inflict it through greases or spells.
Is it possible to stunlock Radagon while he is afflicted with Scarlet Rot? Radagon is generally resistant to being stunlocked, regardless of whether he is affected by Scarlet Rot.
Does the type of damage (physical, magical, etc.) influence the buildup of Scarlet Rot? No, the type of damage does not directly influence Scarlet Rot buildup. The rate of buildup is primarily determined by the specific weapon or incantation used and your stats.
If I die and return to the fight, will Radagon’s Scarlet Rot resistance reset? Yes, upon death and returning to the fight, Radagon’s resistance and current status effects are reset.
Is there a known glitch or exploit to easily inflict Scarlet Rot on Radagon? While glitches are occasionally discovered in Elden Ring, there is no consistently reliable and widely known exploit to easily inflict Scarlet Rot on Radagon. The methods described above are the most common and legitimate approaches.

Conclusion

Inflicting Scarlet Rot on Radagon is a viable, though challenging, strategy. By understanding his resistances, optimizing your build, strategically executing your attacks, and potentially utilizing summons, you can increase your chances of success. Remember to be patient and persistent, and don’t be discouraged if it takes multiple attempts. Good luck, Tarnished!

Can you inflict Scarlet Rot on radagon?