How to defeat Death Knight in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree

The Death Knight is easily the toughest optional dungeon boss you will face in the early parts of Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree. Although the Remembrance bosses are the highlight of the expansion, optional overworld bosses like the Death Knight, as well as the Blackgaol Knight, offer enough challenge to make you rethink your build and combat strategies.

What makes the boss genuinely a formidable threat is his aggression and weapon of choice - the Death Knight's Twin Axes, which not only deal physical damage but also reduce poise if imbued with lightning. Additionally, the Death Knight can chain multiple attacks in a single combo, which can technically one-shot you.

Here's a comprehensive guide on how to defeat the Death Knight in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree.

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How to easily defeat the Death Knight in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree?

The Fog Rift Catacomb location in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree (Image via FromSoftware)

The Death Knight can be encountered fairly early in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree, towards the south of Gravesite Plains within the Fog Rift Catacombs. The Fog Rift Catacombs is one of the bigger dungeons in the DLC, with multiple pathways and enemy ambushes. Once you complete the dungeon, you will eventually reach the boss arena of the Death Knight.

Although the battle starts fairly easy, once you deplete the Death Knight's health to 75%, he imbues his weapons with lightning, which significantly increases his strength as well as robustness. What makes the Death Knight a terrifying opponent is his grab attack, which can one-shot you if you don't have a Great Rune active.

However, much like any other humanoid boss in Elden Ring, the Death Knight is very susceptible to poise-break and critical hits. Here are a few tips that should help you defeat the Death Knight in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree:

• The Death Knight always starts the fight with a spin-slash attack, which he can combo into a grab attack if you either don't dodge it in time or get staggered by it. The best way to avoid this attack is to roll sideways as soon as you enter the fog door.
• Additionally, using the Opaline Bubbletear makes it so that you're safe from the initial flurry of attacks. This also gives you enough time to summon your Mimic Tear.
• I highly recommend using a Colossal weapon against the Death Knight since that gives you the best chance at staggering the boss and dealing a critical attack.
• Once the Death Knight transitions into the second phase of the battle, step away from him and either use a Greatshield (Fingerprint Shield or Erdtree Shield) or simply roll through his lightning attacks. Remember to delay your rolls since Death Knight's lightning combo is very delayed and can catch you off-guard if you roll a bit too quickly.
• Do note that during the lightning attack combo, the Death Knight gains hyper-armor, making it invulnerable to stagger. However, you can interrupt its charged grab or lighting storm attacks with a weapon art or charged heavy attack.
• I highly recommend using the pillars in the boss arena to avoid the boss when you either need to heal or use an Incantation.

The Death Knight's Twin Axes (Image via FromSoftware)

Defeating the Death Knight might take a bit of practice, but it's not impossible, even without any of the Scadutree Blessings. Once you defeat the Death Knight, you will be rewarded with what is easily one of the best Strength-Faith weapons in the DLC, Death Knight's Twin Axes, as well as the Crimson Amber Medallion +3.