The Ultimate Guide to Spirit Summons Against the Elden Beast: Conquer the Final Boss!
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The Elden Beast. A cosmic horror, a final trial, and a shimmering embodiment of the Greater Will. Defeating it is the culmination of your Tarnished journey, and choosing the right Spirit Summon can dramatically impact your success. So, what is the best Spirit Summon for the Elden Beast? While no single summon guarantees victory, the Mimic Tear, when properly equipped and leveled, remains a top contender. However, its effectiveness is heavily reliant on your build. For players seeking alternative strategies or whose builds don’t synergize well with the Mimic Tear, Black Knife Tiche and, to a lesser extent, Ancient Dragon Knight Kristoff, offer viable options with their high mobility and evasiveness. Let’s dive deeper!
Why the Mimic Tear Still Reigns Supreme (Sometimes)
The Mimic Tear‘s allure is undeniable: a perfect copy of you, wielding your weapons, spells, and armor. This potential for immense damage output makes it a tempting choice. However, its strength is directly proportional to your own.
The Mimic Tear’s Strengths:
- Versatility: The Mimic Tear inherits your entire arsenal, adapting to your playstyle.
- High Damage Potential: If you’re built for damage, so is your Mimic Tear. Double the DPS can significantly shorten the fight.
- Tankiness: With sufficient health and armor, the Mimic Tear can withstand considerable punishment, drawing aggro and allowing you to heal or reposition.
The Mimic Tear’s Weaknesses:
- Build Dependency: A poorly optimized build translates to a weak Mimic Tear. If you’re struggling to deal damage yourself, your Mimic Tear will likely share the same fate.
- AI Imperfections: The Mimic Tear’s AI isn’t flawless. It can sometimes get stuck, use items inefficiently, or fail to dodge attacks.
- HP Cost: Summoning the Mimic Tear costs HP rather than FP, leaving you vulnerable at the start of the fight.
Black Knife Tiche: The Agile Assassin
Black Knife Tiche offers a different approach: speed and agility. This summon is a master of dodging and weaving, making it a difficult target for the Elden Beast’s sweeping attacks.
Black Knife Tiche’s Strengths:
- Exceptional Mobility: Tiche’s quick movements and dodges allow it to evade many of the Elden Beast’s attacks, maximizing its survivability.
- Black Flame Blade: Tiche’s unique weapon inflicts a percentage-based health drain, making it effective against enemies with large health pools like the Elden Beast.
- Aggro Diversion: While not as tanky as the Mimic Tear, Tiche can still draw aggro, giving you breathing room to cast spells or heal.
Black Knife Tiche’s Weaknesses:
- Lower Damage Output (Compared to Mimic Tear): Tiche’s damage is consistent but lower than a well-equipped Mimic Tear.
- Limited Stagger Potential: Tiche struggles to stagger the Elden Beast, making it less effective at creating openings for critical hits.
- Vulnerability to Holy Damage: Like many summons, Tiche is susceptible to the Elden Beast’s holy attacks.
Ancient Dragon Knight Kristoff: The Reliable (But Less Optimal) Choice
Ancient Dragon Knight Kristoff is a solid, if unspectacular, option. Kristoff is a reasonably durable summon that can take a beating.
Ancient Dragon Knight Kristoff’s Strengths:
- Decent Tankiness: Can absorb a decent amount of damage
- Lightning Damage: Kristoff deals lightning damage
Ancient Dragon Knight Kristoff’s Weaknesses:
- Lower mobility: Not the most mobile summon compared to Black Knife Tiche.
- Less Damage: Lower damage compared to Mimic Tear.
- Vulnerable: Vulnerable to Holy Damage
Key Considerations for Choosing Your Spirit Summon
Beyond the specific strengths and weaknesses of each summon, consider these factors:
- Your Build: Does your build focus on raw damage, status effects, or a specific damage type? Choose a summon that complements your strengths.
- Your Playstyle: Are you aggressive and prefer to be in the thick of the fight, or do you prefer to stay back and cast spells? Choose a summon that supports your preferred approach.
- Summon Upgrade Level: A +10 summon is significantly more effective than a +0 summon. Invest in upgrading your chosen summon to maximize its potential.
- Radagon’s Weaknesses: Remember that you must defeat Radagon before the Elden Beast. Consider a summon that works well against both phases, or be prepared to switch summons after defeating Radagon. Radagon is weak to fire damage, so summons that inflict fire may be effective.
Preparing for the Battle: Essential Tips
Regardless of your chosen summon, preparation is key:
- Level Up: Aim for at least level 120, preferably higher, to maximize your stats.
- Upgrade Your Weapons: Fully upgrade your primary weapon (+10 for Somber weapons, +25 for regular weapons).
- Optimize Your Talismans: Equip talismans that boost your damage, survivability, or resource management.
- Learn the Elden Beast’s Attack Patterns: Understanding the Elden Beast’s attacks is crucial for dodging and creating opportunities to attack.
- Manage Your FP and Stamina: Conserve your resources and avoid unnecessary risks.
- Use Buffs Strategically: Apply buffs like Golden Vow and Flame, Grant Me Strength to increase your damage output.
Final Thoughts
The Elden Beast is a challenging but ultimately rewarding encounter. By carefully selecting and preparing your Spirit Summon, you can significantly increase your chances of victory. Remember to experiment, adapt, and don’t be afraid to try different strategies until you find what works best for you. Good luck, Tarnished!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Is the Mimic Tear always the best summon for the Elden Beast?
No. While incredibly powerful, the Mimic Tear‘s effectiveness is directly tied to your build. If you have a poorly optimized build, the Mimic Tear will inherit those weaknesses. Summons like Black Knife Tiche, which focuses on mobility and percentage-based damage, can be more effective for certain builds and playstyles.
2. What level should my Spirit Summon be before fighting the Elden Beast?
Ideally, your chosen Spirit Summon should be fully upgraded (+10 for unique summons, +25 for regular summons). A higher level significantly increases their health, damage, and overall effectiveness.
3. Does the Elden Beast have any specific weaknesses to exploit?
Unlike Radagon, the Elden Beast doesn’t have any glaring weaknesses. It’s immune to all status effects (bleed, poison, scarlet rot, frostbite, and sleep) and resists most elemental damage types. However, it is weak to Black Flame incantations, which deal percentage-based health damage.
4. Can I use summons against Radagon?
Yes, you can and should use summons against Radagon. Since you have to defeat him before facing the Elden Beast, it’s crucial to have a summon that can handle both fights. Some players choose a tanky summon for Radagon and then switch to a more damage-oriented summon for the Elden Beast, although this requires careful planning.
5. What are some good talismans to use when fighting the Elden Beast?
Consider using talismans that boost your damage output (e.g., Ritual Sword Talisman, Marika’s Soreseal), survivability (e.g., Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman, Crimson Amber Medallion), or resource management (e.g., Cerulean Amber Medallion, Carian Filigreed Crest).
6. Is it possible to cheese the Elden Beast fight?
Yes, there are strategies that can be considered “cheesing” the Elden Beast. One popular method involves using the Mimic Tear and focusing on ranged attacks, allowing the Mimic Tear to draw aggro while you deal damage from a distance.
7. Does holy damage work against the Elden Beast?
No. The Elden Beast is highly resistant to holy damage and can even heal from it. Avoid using weapons or spells that primarily deal holy damage.
8. Are there any specific incantations that are effective against the Elden Beast?
Pest Threads and Meteorite of Astel are excellent choices. Pest Threads deal significant damage to the Elden Beast due to its large size, while Meteorite of Astel can stagger it, creating opportunities for critical hits. Black Flame spells are effective as well.
9. What weapons are effective against the Elden Beast?
Weapons that deal physical damage or non-holy elemental damage (fire, lightning, magic) are generally effective. Weapons with high attack power and the ability to stagger the Elden Beast are particularly useful.
10. How important is my character level when fighting the Elden Beast?
Your character level is crucial. Aim for at least level 120, preferably higher, to ensure you have sufficient health, stamina, and damage output.
11. Can I heal my Spirit Summon during the fight?
No, you cannot directly heal your Spirit Summon. However, some summons have self-healing abilities, and you can indirectly support them by drawing aggro and preventing them from taking damage. Early versions of the game did allow this, but it was patched.
12. Should I prioritize upgrading my weapons or my Spirit Summon?
Ideally, you should upgrade both. However, if you have limited resources, prioritize upgrading your primary weapon, as this will directly increase your damage output and make you more effective in the fight.
13. What stats should I focus on when building a character to fight the Elden Beast?
Focus on stats that support your chosen build. Generally, Vigor (for health), Endurance (for stamina), and your primary damage stat (Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, Faith, or Arcane) are the most important.
14. Is it better to use a tanky summon or a damage-dealing summon against the Elden Beast?
The best choice depends on your playstyle and build. A tanky summon can draw aggro and allow you to deal damage from a safe distance, while a damage-dealing summon can help you shorten the fight and stagger the Elden Beast.
15. Where can I learn more about Elden Ring strategies and builds?
There are many online resources available, including wikis, forums, and YouTube channels. Consider exploring these resources to find builds and strategies that suit your playstyle. Additionally, understanding the underlying game mechanics and principles of game-based learning can enhance your enjoyment and mastery. You can delve deeper into this by visiting the Games Learning Society at https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/.