Elden Ring: How to beat Dragonlord Placidusax? Elden Ring guide, walkthrough
On this page of the Elden Ring guide you will learn how to defeat the boss in the Crumbling Farum Azula region. We are talking about a boss named Placidusax, the Dragonlord Placidusax.
Last update: 05 March 2024
This page of our Elden Ring guide is dedicated to Dragonlord Placidusax, an optional boss encounter taking place in Cursed Farum Azula region. This enemy is optional - you can skip the encounter and still finish the game.
To get to the boss, start by traveling to Beside the Great Bridge site of grace. Once you're at the site, turn back and use the elevator that will lead you down. From the elevator, move to the small church next to the stairs. You will find 3 aggressive beasts here. Use the western exit and when you get outside, go to the edge - the cliff is directly opposite the mentioned exit. From there you will see rock ledges that you can follow.
Eventually, you will get to a construction fragment, where you can lie down in one of the places (in front of the tornado) by interacting. After that, a cutscene will be activated and you will be transferred to the boss encounter.
Reward for defeating
Defeating Placidusax is rewarded with Runes (280,000) and Rememberance of the Dragonlord.
General tips
- Placidusax, the Dragon Lord, is vulnerable to bleeding, scarlet rot, poison, and frostbite . Feel free to place these statuses, however, it will take some time thanks to the boss's high resistance.
- When it comes to equipment, we recommend armor and amulets that protect from fire, lightning and physical damage.
- During the fight, remember to maintain distance, and be ready to get closer and farther away alternatively. During the first phase, it is best to stay close, while in the second one, there are several sequences where you'll need to get away as far as possible.
- Sometimes the opponent deliberately increases the distance . In such situations, try to get closer as fast as possible.
- In the first phase of the fight, it's best to stick to the part of his body where the tail meets his hind legs . This way you will avoid many attacks - although sometimes you will have to move away a bit.
- In the second phase, the enemy will start to teleport . Most of the time, he will teleport to melee range in order to attack. However, sometimes he teleports away from you to perform a devastating long-range attack - when that happens, get away as far as possible, or run behind him.
- In the final moments of the fight, the enemy will fly up and throw lightning bolts over a large area. In such a situation, you must observe the sky to know where he is and avoid the lightning bolts.
- In the last moments of the fight, the Placidusax will become enraged , firing lasers that stay active until they are joined into a single beam. Each laser generates an explosion and fire damage and is therefore highly dangerous. The safest way is to get far away from him and avoid the last attack.
- The laser attack starts horizontally on both sides of the dragon, then intersects in the center and finally fires in a straight line. Therefore, if you do not have time to run away, in the early stages of this sequence, you may risk going behind the enemy and landing a few attacks. Lasers can be avoided with a well-performed dodge.
- You can always make the battle easier by utilizing Ashes or other players' help. A high-endurance melee fighter is the best choice.
How to defeat?
Once you're in the boss arena, you'll have plenty of time to prepare. He will remain inactive until you get close to him. Use the opportunity and use Ashes or items that will help you in battle.
When you start approaching an enemy, it will wake up and start throwing lightning over a very large area. Observe the arena and try to avoid places where red lightning accumulates. This way you will avoid taking damage.
Once you're in the melee range of the opponent, it is best to run to his hindlegs. This way you will avoid attacks with the wing, front paws and tail swing. However, you have to watch out for lightning, which must be avoided with a timed dodge. Be prepared to dodge when you see lightning piling nearby .
It may also happen that the enemy moves away from you, because it sometimes deliberately increases the distance and then uses an area of effect lightning attack or breathing fire over a relatively long distance. You have to avoid the fire attack even when you are near the Placidusax's hind legs - fire can reach you there as well .
Placidusax will make it difficult for you to stay at its rear, especially when no one distracts him from the front. Therefore, when you notice that it is lifting the tail up, get ready to avoid the attack and then move to the back of your opponent as quickly as possible. At the same time, watch out for the fire attack that he can perform when you are directly in front of the dragon.
When you're in melee range, watch out for the moment when the enemy starts to glow red. This means that there is going to be a powerful explosion soon. At such a moment, it is best to escape the vicinity of the dragon. After this (and after any other attack) you have a moment to get close again.
Halfway through the fight, the Placidusax will fly up and disappear, then materialize in the distance . After that, it will start flying towards you, ready to attack with his paw. Prepare to dodge on impact - this way you avoid taking damage. If you've summoned an ally, the enemy may focus on the second hero - presumably based on who attacked last.
From now on, the enemy will teleport and attack you immediately after reappearing. However, unlike, for example, Astel, Naturalborn of the Void Placidusax teleports to your vicinity to attack. Apart from that, he also can materialize at a distance, but only to perform a strong attack - same as at the beginning of the second phase.
In the second phase of the fight, the opponent can also generate an area of effect lightning attack while airborne. In such a situation, you will have to observe the sky and the immediate surroundings. On the one hand, you have to avoid lightning, and on the other hand, get ready for the incoming dragon, which will land on you with impact and attack with a claw. Once the attack passes, expect him to fly away from you and start firing lasers, which is a long-range attack. At this point, it's best to get as far away as possible. However, beware of lasers as they can reach even the other end of this large arena. If possible, try to get behind the dragon and wait out the attack there.
If you can see that the enemy is going to fire the laser in a straight line, it means that the worst attack is about to end . After that, all you have to do is get closer to the enemy, preferably behind his back and go on the offensive. At the end of the fight, Placidusax can also place a lightning into the ground, temporarily making your hero deaf - this is a signal to get away as far as possible you have a few seconds to do that.