Can you one-shot the final boss in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree?

It's no secret that the final boss of Elden Ring's Shadow of the Erdtree expansion is one of, if not the most difficult encounters in the entire game, with some players even putting it ahead of Malenia. While there have been a few builds that have proven quite effective against the final boss of Shadow of the Erdtree, they still don't make the encounter any easier.

However, there have been rumors and videos floating around social media platforms like Reddit, X, and Instagram that show some players obliterating the final boss with just a single attack. This admittedly has piqued the curiosity of many players, especially those who have been struggling against the boss.

However, is it really possible to "one-shot" Promised Consort Radahn, aka the final boss of Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree? Let's find out.

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Is it possible to defeat the final boss of Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree with a single attack?

Although it isn't possible to "one-shot" the final boss of Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree anymore, it used to be. Back when the DLC was originally released, there used to be a way to deal roughly 50,000 damage in a single attack. This was admittedly enough to one-shot some of the bosses in the game, including Promised Consort Radahn.

Firespark Perfume Bottle (Image via FromSoftware)

This was achieved with the use of the newly added Perfume Bottle weapons, as well as the Rolling Sparks or Wall of Sparks Ash of War. The Perfume Bottles are unique in the way they deal damage. Basically, a single attack using the Perfume consists of multiple simultaneous hits.

This results in a single attack packing the punch of a hundred consecutive hits, without any downtime. This, coupled with the Perfumer's Talisman, Golden Vow, and Flame, Grant Me Strength, makes for an incredibly powerful combo. This, in theory, is capable of technically "one-shotting" Promised Consort Radahn, and any other boss in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree.

Rolling Sparks Ash of War (Image via FromSoftware)

Naturally, this isn't how these weapons are supposed to work, especially considering the effectiveness of the Perfume Bottles not only against bosses in PvE but also in PvP. As such, FromSoftware was quick to address the 50K+ damage output exploit of the Perfume Bottles as well as the Rolling Sparks Ash of War.

There was another trick that players used to essentially melt the final boss of Shadow of the Erdtree. This was the Impenetrable Thorns Sorcery. Impenetrable Thorns are the easiest and most efficient way of inflicting Bleed (Hemorrhage) to enemies.

A single cast of this spell inflicts Bleed multiple times, dealing upwards of 10-20K damage. And much like the Perfume Bottles, Impenetrable Thorns have also undergone nerfs post-release, decreasing their effectiveness. However, both the Perfume Bottles and Impenetrable Thorns are still quite powerful, despite the nerfs, just not enough to one-shot bosses.

Impenetrable Thorns Sorcery (Image via FromSoftware)

Thankfully, there are ways to get around and "cheese" the final boss of Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree. Promised Consort Radhan is incredibly challenging, especially in his second phase. While "cheesing" is never the ideal way to play these games, it's still something to consider if you're struggling against the boss.