Is There a Summon for Beast Clergyman in Elden Ring? A Comprehensive Guide
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Yes, you can summon help for the Beast Clergyman fight in Elden Ring. Both multiplayer and Spirit Ashes are permitted, offering Tarnished players various strategies to overcome this challenging encounter. This guide will delve deep into summoning options, best practices, and everything you need to know to conquer this formidable boss.
Understanding the Beast Clergyman/Maliketh Fight
The Beast Clergyman, later revealed to be Maliketh, the Black Blade, is a pivotal boss in Elden Ring. Found at the end of Crumbling Farum Azula, this dual-phase fight tests players with aggressive attacks, devastating area-of-effect abilities, and the unique Rune of Death. Properly utilizing summons can significantly improve your chances of survival and victory.
Multiplayer Assistance
Elden Ring allows players to summon other Tarnished for co-operative play. Bringing in another player can drastically alter the dynamic of the fight. With two (or even three, with the right item) players, the boss’s aggro becomes more manageable, allowing for strategic positioning, flanking attacks, and dedicated support roles.
Benefits of Multiplayer:
- Shared Aggro: The boss’s attention is divided, allowing for breathers and opportunities to heal or deal damage.
- Synergistic Builds: Players can coordinate builds for maximum effectiveness (e.g., one focusing on damage, the other on healing and support).
- Increased Survivability: The added bodies on the battlefield naturally increase the team’s overall health pool.
Spirit Ashes: Your Lone Wolf Companions
For those preferring a solo approach, Spirit Ashes offer a powerful alternative. These spectral companions can be summoned using FP, providing additional damage, distraction, and support. Some Spirit Ashes are particularly effective against the Beast Clergyman and Maliketh, offering a distinct advantage.
Recommended Spirit Ashes:
- Mimic Tear: Universally considered one of the best Spirit Ashes, the Mimic Tear creates a copy of your character, complete with your equipped weapons, armor, and spells. At a +10 upgrade, it becomes a formidable ally. Its ability to mimic your build allows for seamless synergy and doubled damage output. This is highly recommended.
- Black Knife Tiche: This legendary Spirit Ash possesses high mobility, evasiveness, and a unique ability to inflict percentage-based health damage. Her agile movements make her difficult to hit, while her attacks chip away at the boss’s health bar.
- Ancient Dragon Knight Kristoff: A resilient tank with decent damage output, Kristoff can withstand a significant amount of punishment, drawing the boss’s attention away from the player. His lightning attacks also provide additional crowd control.
Strategies for Summoning During the Fight
- Summon Timing: Choose your moment carefully. Summoning during a lull in the boss’s attacks is ideal to avoid being interrupted.
- Positioning: Position yourself strategically to maximize the effectiveness of your summons. For example, summon melee-focused Spirit Ashes near the boss and ranged-focused ones at a distance.
- Resource Management: Monitor your FP and health throughout the fight. Summoning consumes FP, and you’ll need to maintain your own survivability to support your summons.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are 15 frequently asked questions about the Beast Clergyman and Maliketh, addressing common concerns and providing additional insight.
1. What is the best Spirit Ash for the Maliketh fight?
The Mimic Tear, ideally at a +10 upgrade, is widely considered the best Spirit Ash due to its ability to mirror your build and significantly increase damage output. However, Black Knife Tiche and Ancient Dragon Knight Kristoff are also excellent options, depending on your playstyle and build.
2. What level should I be when fighting Maliketh?
Aim to be at least level 120, ideally closer to level 150, with at least 40 points invested into Vigor. Max out your weapon level as well.
3. Is Maliketh weak to anything?
Yes, Maliketh is incredibly weak to frost. Applying frost to a faster weapon can significantly increase your damage output.
4. What is the best weapon for the Beast Clergyman fight?
The Cinquedea dagger, wielded by the Beast Clergyman himself, boosts the power of Bestial Incantations. It’s an excellent choice for builds focused on Strength, Dexterity, and Faith, particularly those using spells like Beast Claw or Stone of Gurranq.
5. Is the Deathroot guy Maliketh?
Yes, the Beast Clergyman (Gurranq) is later revealed to be Maliketh, the Black Blade.
6. Why does Gurranq eat Deathroot?
Gurranq/Maliketh’s hunger for Deathroot is likely a result of the Rune of Death being embedded in his body. These roots, spread after Godwyn’s death, symbolize the tragedy and are a consequence of the Rune of Death. His hunger could be interpreted as a desire to become complete.
7. What happens if you turn in all the Deathroot to Gurranq?
Turning in all nine Deathroot rewards you with an Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone, one of the two Smithing Stones that cannot be farmed, and leads to the completion of his questline, ultimately causing him to disappear.
8. What teleporter takes you to the Beast Clergyman initially?
A teleporter in East Limgrave, near the Third Church of Marika, will take you to the Bestial Sanctum in Caelid to meet Gurranq.
9. Is Malekith a demi-god?
Yes, Maliketh is considered a demi-god, being Marika’s shadow-bound beast and half-brother.
10. Why does Gurranq become hostile?
Gurranq becomes hostile after receiving a certain number of Deathroot (around four or five). Reducing his health will cause him to regain his composure.
11. How many Deathroot are there in Elden Ring?
There are a total of nine Deathroot to collect throughout the Lands Between.
12. Is the Beast Clergyman a mandatory boss?
Yes, defeating Maliketh is mandatory to progress through the main story of Elden Ring.
13. What are Bestial Incantations?
Bestial Incantations are a type of magic focused on raw, primal power, often involving claw-like attacks and stone projectiles. They scale well with Strength and Faith.
14. Does Gurranq disappear after killing Maliketh?
Gameplay-wise, Gurranq can still be around after defeating Maliketh, allowing you to finish giving him Deathroot and complete his questline. Completing the questline makes him disappear, so the Maliketh fight will be the last time you see him.
15. Can I cheese the Maliketh fight?
While there aren’t any straightforward “cheese” methods, utilizing his weakness to frost and employing effective summons can greatly simplify the fight. Mastering the Blasphemous Claw to parry his black blade attacks is another advanced technique for experienced players.
The End of the Journey
Ultimately, the Beast Clergyman/Maliketh fight is a challenging but rewarding experience in Elden Ring. By understanding the boss’s attack patterns, utilizing appropriate summons, and leveraging his weaknesses, you can overcome this obstacle and continue your journey to become Elden Lord. Remember to experiment with different strategies and find what works best for your playstyle.
The strategic depth of games like Elden Ring goes beyond mere entertainment. It encourages problem-solving, resource management, and collaborative thinking, all valuable skills in real-world contexts. To learn more about the educational benefits of gaming, visit the Games Learning Society at GamesLearningSociety.org. You can also use this anchor text: Games Learning Society.