Radagon of the Golden Order & the Elden Beast
Radagon of the Golden Order and the Elden Beast are the final bosses of Elden Ring, fought back to back at the Elden Throne in the Ashen Capital — no checkpoint, no pause, no flask refill between them. Radagon is a straight duel: a golden god-king with a hammer and the most delay-loaded combos in the game. The Elden Beast is something else entirely — a colossal creature that flies, dives into the shallow water, and hammers you with holy light from across the arena.
The good news: neither phase heals, and Radagon falls faster than most late-game bosses if you play aggressively. The fight is won on flask discipline — whatever you save in Phase 1 is what carries you through Phase 2.
Phase 1 — Radagon of the Golden Order
Radagon punishes two habits: rolling too early and fighting at arm's length. Almost every attack has a pause built in to bait your roll, so the golden rule is simple — wait for the hammer to actually start falling before you dodge.
| Attack | What It Looks Like | Counter |
|---|---|---|
| Delayed Hammer Slams | He lifts the hammer, holds it, then drops it — often several times in a row | Roll INTO the swing as it falls, not when he raises it. He's open for 1-2 hits between slams |
| Teleport Hammer Drop | He dissolves into gold light and slams down on your position | Sprint the moment he vanishes — don't wait for him to reappear |
| Ringed Light | Golden arcs ring outward from his body and explode | Stay close — the innermost gap is the safest spot. From range, roll through each arc |
| Wraiths | Spectral golden fists swirl around him, then chase you | Keep strafing; they track slowly. Roll the last one as it closes in |
| Elden Stars | A shower of golden stars rains across the arena | Sprint sideways throughout — rolling through one star parks you under the next |
Stay Close and Punish Whiffs
Even Radagon's longest combos leave a window after the final slam. Two quick hits per combo is a realistic pace — and staying in his face keeps him from teleporting, which he favors at mid-range.
Break His Poise
His stance bar breaks fast for a final boss. Two charged heavies will stagger him and open a critical hit — the biggest damage chunk of the phase. Save your strongest attack for the crit.
Summon Early, Not Late
If you use Spirit Ashes, summon the Mimic Tear (or Black Knife Tiche) as the fight starts. A tank in Phase 1 matters even more in Phase 2, where the Beast's ranged spam punishes solo players hardest.
The Transition — No Breather
When Radagon's health hits zero, the Elden Beast tears free immediately, rises as a giant golden sword, and plunges down. Sprint away from the impact the second the phase changes — players lose more flasks to this opening slam than to any other move. If your summon died, this is a safe moment to bring it back.
Phase 2 — The Elden Beast
The Beast has a huge health pool and one annoying habit: it keeps its distance. The phase revolves around closing space, staying under its body, and not chasing it around the arena. It also has enormous status resistance, so raw damage beats build-up effects here.
| Attack | What It Looks Like | Counter |
|---|---|---|
| Gold Wave | It sweeps a wave of golden light across the floor | Jump over it — rolling through often still clips you |
| Sword Plunge | It becomes a sword and crashes down, leaving a ring of light | Sprint out of the impact mark, then walk back in as it recovers |
| Ringed Light Barrage | Rings of light detonate in sequence around its body | Step away from the nearest ring, then back in behind the explosion |
| Elden Stars | A giant golden star trails smaller stars across the arena | Sprint perpendicular to its path until it fizzles out |
| Holy Barrage | It flies out of reach and rains tracking holy projectiles | Never stand still — zigzag and close the gap as it descends |
| Dive and Swim | It dives into the shallow water and circles before erupting | Don't chase. Face where it's heading and dodge as it surfaces |
| Close-Range Combo | Slow, delayed tail swipes when you're underneath it | Roll INTO the swipes, late — same delayed timing as Radagon |
Hug the Body
Your damage windows come from staying directly under the Beast, near its head. At point-blank range most big attacks sail over you, and its melee swings are slow enough to dodge on reaction.
Handle the Flight
When it flies away, either sprint toward its landing spot or punish with ranged damage — Night Comet and Stars of Ruin connect cleanly on a hovering target. What you should never do is stand around waiting.
Let It Come to You
The dive-and-swim looks scary but it's free time to heal or rebuff while it circles. Watch where it's heading, stand near that spot, and dodge the eruption — chasing just means arriving as it attacks.
Recommended Builds
| Build Type | Weapon | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|
| Strength / Quality | Blasphemous Blade +10 or a heavy Greatsword +25 | Stance damage staggers Radagon; reach and lifesteal stay useful in Phase 2 |
| Bleed | Rivers of Blood +10 | Shreds Radagon — but the Beast resists bleed, so Phase 2 is a slugfest |
| Mage | Dark Moon Greatsword or Lusat's Staff +10 | Ranged spells punish the Beast's flight phases like nothing else |
| Faith | Godslayer's Seal + Black Flame spells | Black Flame burns a percentage of HP — ideal against the Beast's 21,000 health |
Whatever you bring, equip the Haligdrake Talisman +2 — most of Phase 2's chip damage is holy, and this one slot cuts it dramatically. Add the Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman for Radagon's physical hits.
Common Mistakes
- Panic-rolling Radagon's delays. His combos are timed to catch early rolls — dodge when the hammer falls, not when it's raised.
- Spending flasks in Phase 1. Radagon is the easier half. A hit taken now is a flask saved for the Beast.
- Chasing the Elden Beast. Sprinting after it across the arena is how you end up inside a Gold Wave.
- Banking on bleed or rot. The Beast's status resistance is enormous — treat status as a bonus, not a plan.
- Forgetting to re-summon. If your spirit ash dies, bring it back during the next lull. There's no penalty.
Reward
| Reward | Details |
|---|---|
| 500,000 Runes | The largest single payout in the base game |
| Remembrance of the Elden Beast | Trade for the Sacred Relic Sword or the Elden Stars incantation |
| "Elden Lord" Achievement | Completes the main questline and unlocks an ending |
Frequently Asked Questions
What level should I be for Radagon and the Elden Beast?
Level 130-150 with a maxed weapon (+25 standard or +10 somber) and Vigor at 50 or higher. Because both phases share one attempt, underleveled runs mostly die to attrition — there's too much fight between flask refills.
Does bleed work on the Elden Beast?
Barely. The Beast has some of the highest status resistance in the game, so bleed, frost, and rot build up extremely slowly. Bleed builds still crush Radagon, but for Phase 2 plan around raw hits, spells, or Black Flame's percentage burn instead of waiting for a proc.
Is there a checkpoint between Radagon and the Elden Beast?
No — it's one continuous encounter. Die to the Elden Beast and you restart at Radagon with full flasks. That's why Phase 1 discipline matters: most failed runs arrive at the Beast with the flask belt already empty.