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Mastering Malenia: The Essential Talismans for Victory

Malenia, Blade of Miquella, stands as one of the most formidable challenges in Elden Ring, a testament to FromSoftware’s penchant for creating notoriously difficult bosses. Her relentless aggression, coupled with her life-stealing attacks, demands meticulous preparation and a finely tuned build. Crucially, selecting the right talismans can be the difference between triumph and utter defeat. So, what talismans are good for Malenia? The best talismans to equip for the Malenia fight focus on maximizing your damage output, mitigating incoming damage, and improving your overall survivability. Key contenders include the Ritual Sword Talisman for increased attack power at full health, the Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman for substantial physical damage reduction, the Green Turtle Talisman to significantly increase your stamina recovery speed, and the Erdtree’s Favor to boost HP, Stamina, and Equip Load. Depending on your build, other situational talismans can offer further advantages, such as talismans that boost specific damage types (Fire Scorpion Charm if using fire damage) or ones that enhance your chosen weapon skills (like the Godfrey Icon for charged spells and skills).

Essential Talismans Explained

Let’s delve deeper into why these talismans are crucial for the Malenia encounter.

Damage Mitigation: Staying Alive

Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman: Malenia deals predominantly physical damage, making this talisman an invaluable asset. The +2 version offers the highest physical damage negation, greatly increasing your chances of surviving her flurries. While it won’t make you invincible to her Waterfowl Dance, it will lessen the impact of other attacks, providing more breathing room.
Ritual Shield Talisman: This talisman grants a significant damage reduction when you’re at full HP. Ideally, you’ll want to avoid getting hit at all, especially during her devastating combos. This is best used when combined with the Ritual Sword Talisman and a build that can one-shot her.

Offensive Power: Ending the Fight Faster

Ritual Sword Talisman: This talisman complements the Ritual Shield Talisman. When you are at full health, this increases your attack power. The damage buff is substantial and can help you stagger Malenia more consistently.
Lord of Blood’s Exultation: If you’re utilizing a bleed build (which is highly effective against Malenia), this talisman is a must-have. It significantly boosts your attack power when bleed is inflicted on a nearby enemy, including Malenia. Pair this with weapons like the Bloodhound’s Fang or dual katanas with bleed buildup.
Rotten Winged Sword Insignia / Millicent’s Prosthesis: These talismans boost your attack power with successive attacks. Malenia’s vulnerability to staggering makes these talismans potentially valuable, especially if you can consistently land multiple hits. However, maintaining the buff can be challenging due to her aggression.

Utility and Survivability: Gaining the Edge

Green Turtle Talisman: Stamina is crucial for dodging Malenia’s attacks and executing your own. The Green Turtle Talisman’s increased stamina recovery rate can provide the necessary edge, especially if you’re using heavier weapons or relying heavily on dodging.
Erdtree’s Favor: This talisman offers a well-rounded boost to HP, stamina, and equip load. The extra health can be life-saving, the stamina allows for more dodges and attacks, and the increased equip load lets you wear heavier armor without sacrificing mobility. The +2 version provides the most significant benefits.
Great-Jar’s Arsenal: If you’re committed to wearing heavier armor for increased poise and defense, this talisman significantly increases your equip load. This allows you to maintain a medium roll while maximizing your armor’s protective capabilities.

FAQs: Tackling Malenia’s Challenge

1. Is a shield really viable against Malenia?

Yes, but with caveats. Shields with 100% physical damage negation are essential. The Barricade Shield Ash of War can be extremely effective at blocking her attacks, including parts of Waterfowl Dance. However, be mindful that blocking still consumes stamina, and Malenia heals even when her attacks are blocked. Parrying is possible, but extremely high-risk.

2. What about elemental damage talismans?

If your build heavily relies on a specific element, such as fire, using a talisman like the Fire Scorpion Charm can boost your damage output. However, Malenia has decent elemental resistances, so prioritize physical damage and bleed buildup first.

3. Does Malenia heal from hitting my Spirit Ashes?

Yes, unfortunately. Malenia heals from any hit she lands, including on summons. This can make Spirit Ashes a double-edged sword. However, a well-chosen summon like Black Knife Tiche can offset this by dealing significant damage and dodging effectively, reducing the amount of healing Malenia receives.

4. What level should my talismans be?

Always aim for the highest available version of each talisman. The “+1” or “+2” versions offer significantly better stats than their base counterparts. Farming for these upgraded versions is well worth the effort.

5. Are there any talismans that are actively detrimental against Malenia?

Talismans that significantly reduce your defenses in exchange for increased attack power (like Marika’s Soreseal) are generally not recommended. Malenia’s high damage output means that taking extra damage is a major liability.

6. What armor is best to wear for Malenia?

Armor that offers high physical resistance and good poise is ideal. Consider armor sets like the Bull-Goat Set for maximum poise, allowing you to withstand more of Malenia’s attacks without being staggered. However, prioritize maintaining a medium roll to effectively dodge her attacks. Malenia’s set also offers some good protection.

7. Is Malenia weak to any specific status effect?

Malenia is highly susceptible to bleed. Building your character around bleed damage is a very effective strategy. She is also weak to Frostbite. While she has high resistance to Poison and Scarlet Rot, bleed is generally the superior choice.

8. What weapon is best to use against Malenia?

Weapons with innate bleed buildup, such as the Bloodhound’s Fang and dual katanas (like the Uchigatana and Nagakiba), are excellent choices. Weapons with high stagger potential, like colossal swords, can also be effective, provided you can manage your stamina effectively.

9. Should I use summons or fight Malenia solo?

Summons can be helpful, but they also increase Malenia’s healing. A strong summon like Black Knife Tiche or the Mimic Tear can distract her and deal significant damage, but be prepared for her to heal more frequently. The Mimic Tear can be very helpful for Malenia.

10. How important is my character level?

Aim to be at least level 120-150 before facing Malenia. This will ensure you have sufficient health, stamina, and damage output to survive her onslaught. Upgrade your weapons to their maximum level as well.

11. Does Malenia heal on parry?

Yes, Malenia heals even if you parry her attacks successfully. This makes parrying a very high-risk, high-reward strategy. While it’s possible to defeat her using only parries, it requires immense skill and precise timing.

12. Can Malenia be staggered?

Yes, Malenia is susceptible to staggering. Utilizing weapons with high stagger potential and consistently landing heavy attacks can disrupt her combos and create openings for further attacks.

13. What stats should I prioritize for the Malenia fight?

Prioritize Vigor (for HP), Endurance (for stamina and equip load), and the stats required for your chosen weapon. If you’re using a bleed build, Arcane can also be beneficial for increasing bleed buildup.

14. Are there any consumables that are particularly useful?

Consumables that boost your attack power, such as the Flame, Grant Me Strength incantation or the Exalted Flesh, can be helpful. Also, consumables that restore HP and stamina, like the Crimson Flask and Cerulean Flask, are essential.

15. Where can I find more information and strategies for Elden Ring?

There are countless online resources, including wikis, forums, and video guides, dedicated to Elden Ring. Experiment with different strategies and builds to find what works best for you. Furthermore, if you’re interested in exploring the educational aspects of gaming and game design, visit the website of the Games Learning Society at https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/ for insightful research and resources. The Games Learning Society has lots of great game information.

By carefully selecting your talismans and preparing your build, you can significantly increase your chances of defeating Malenia, Blade of Miquella. Remember, persistence and adaptation are key to overcoming this challenging boss!

What talismans are good for Malenia?