What Does Beating Malenia Unlock in Elden Ring? A Deep Dive
So, you’ve finally managed to topple the seemingly insurmountable wall that is Malenia, Blade of Miquella? Congratulations, Tarnished! You’ve earned bragging rights, a significant ego boost, and, most importantly, some tangible in-game rewards. Defeating Malenia unlocks a wealth of opportunities:
- Remembrance of the Rot Goddess: This key item can be exchanged at Roundtable Hold with Enia for either the Hand of Malenia Katana or the Scarlet Aeonia Incantation. Alternatively, you can consume it for 50,000 Runes.
- Malenia’s Great Rune: Equipping this Great Rune grants you the ability to recover HP upon attacking after taking damage, offering a powerful retaliatory healing effect.
- 480,000 Runes: A substantial sum that, at the late stage of the game where Malenia resides, provides a significant boost to leveling up your character.
- Access to New Builds: The Hand of Malenia Katana enables unique and devastating builds focused on dexterity and bleed buildup. The Scarlet Aeonia incantation offers devastating area-of-effect damage for faith-based builds.
- Completion and Satisfaction: Let’s be honest, overcoming one of the hardest bosses FromSoftware has ever created is a reward in itself. The sense of accomplishment is immense.
Beyond the immediate rewards, defeating Malenia often signifies that you’ve mastered core gameplay mechanics, experimented with various builds, and honed your skills, preparing you for the challenges that lie ahead in the endgame and New Game Plus.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Malenia and Her Rewards
Who is Malenia, Blade of Miquella?
Malenia is one of the demigod children of Queen Marika the Eternal and Radagon, making her a sibling to other prominent figures in the Elden Ring lore, such as Ranni, Radahn, and Godrick. She is known for her immense power, her affliction with Scarlet Rot, and her signature move, Waterfowl Dance.
Is Malenia the hardest boss in Elden Ring?
While difficulty is subjective, Malenia is widely considered the most challenging boss in Elden Ring by a significant margin. Her relentless aggression, healing-on-hit mechanic, and the devastating Waterfowl Dance contribute to her reputation.
What level should I be to fight Malenia?
It’s recommended to be at least level 120, but ideally closer to level 150. Your weapons should also be fully upgraded to maximize your damage output.
Can Malenia be staggered?
Yes, Malenia can be staggered, but it requires significant poise damage. Weapons with heavy attacks, jumping heavy attacks, and certain weapon skills are effective for staggering her.
Is Malenia immune to status effects?
Malenia is not immune to status effects, but she has very high resistance. Bleed and frostbite are particularly effective, while scarlet rot and poison are harder to inflict due to her inherent resistance to them.
What is the best Spirit Ash to use against Malenia?
The Mimic Tear remains a strong option, even after nerfs. Other effective Spirit Ashes include Black Knife Tiche, known for its dodging ability and HP-reducing special attack, and high-HP summons that can distract her, like the Lhutel the Headless. The key is to have a summon that can survive her onslaught and draw her aggro.
How do I dodge Waterfowl Dance?
Dodging Waterfowl Dance is notoriously difficult. The most reliable method involves dodging into the first flurry, then running away from the subsequent attacks. Some players find success with using a shield with high stability or utilizing specific Ashes of War like Bloodhound’s Step to create distance.
Is the Hand of Malenia a good weapon?
The Hand of Malenia is a strong katana that scales primarily with dexterity. Its weapon skill, Waterfowl Dance, is a potent offensive tool, albeit risky to use. It’s a viable weapon for both PvE and PvP, especially in builds focused on bleed buildup.
What is the Scarlet Aeonia incantation?
The Scarlet Aeonia incantation allows the caster to leap into the air and create a massive explosion of scarlet rot upon landing. It deals significant damage over a wide area and inflicts scarlet rot, but it leaves the caster vulnerable during the animation.
What does Malenia’s Great Rune do?
When equipped, Malenia’s Great Rune allows you to regain HP immediately after taking damage whenever you land attacks. This effect persists for a short duration and can be a lifesaver in prolonged battles. It requires a Rune Arc to activate.
How do I activate Malenia’s Great Rune?
To activate Malenia’s Great Rune, you must first restore its power at the Isolated Divine Tower in Caelid. This tower is accessible via a teleportation chest located at the bottom of the Divine Tower of Limgrave.
What is the lore behind Malenia’s Scarlet Rot?
Malenia was born with the affliction of Scarlet Rot, a destructive force that gradually consumes her body. She has the ability to unleash this rot upon her enemies, transforming into a monstrous form during her second phase as the Goddess of Rot. This is linked to an Outer God of Rot, highlighting the corrupting influences within the Lands Between.
Did Malenia ever defeat Radahn?
While they fought each other to a standstill, the battle was never decisively won by either party. However, Malenia’s Scarlet Rot ultimately contaminated Caelid, impacting Radahn and the surrounding environment. So, while she didn’t defeat him outright, she effectively neutralized him as a threat.
Why does Malenia say “I am Malenia, Blade of Miquella”?
This iconic line is a declaration of her identity and her devotion to her twin brother, Miquella. She sees herself as his protector and his sword, willing to do anything to ensure his safety and well-being.
Is there a point to replaying Elden Ring after beating Malenia?
Absolutely! New Game Plus allows you to carry over your character’s stats, weapons, and items, allowing you to experiment with different builds, fight bosses again with increased difficulty, and uncover more of the game’s lore and secrets. You can also explore areas you might have missed the first time around. Considering how impactful games like Elden Ring can be on cognitive development and learning, as supported by research presented by organizations like the Games Learning Society at GamesLearningSociety.org, replaying the game with different approaches can further enhance your problem-solving and strategic thinking skills.