How to Beat Every Mandatory Boss in Elden Ring (2026 Complete Strategy Guide)

Want to beat every mandatory boss in Elden Ring first try, without relying on cheese or spirit ashes that break the game? This 2026 updated complete guide gives you exact HP values, frame data, punish windows, and tested boss strategy for every required boss, optimized for current patch 1.10. We cut through the generic advice from Fandom and IGN to give you actionable steps you can execute right now.

We only cover mandatory bosses required to beat the game (any% ending), so you don't waste time reading about optional fights you'll never fight. This guide works for new players and veterans: new players get step-by-step walkthroughs, veterans get frame data to min-max your punish windows.

Boss Overview: All Mandatory Elden Ring Bosses By Area

To beat Elden Ring, you need to defeat 12 mandatory bosses across 6 main areas. Below is a full list with base game (new game) exact HP values and damage ranges at +0/+25 weapon upgrade levels, pulled directly from the 2026 community decompile:

Note: Malenia is optional and not required to beat the game, but we've included a full bonus strategy for her at the end of this guide. Jump to Malenia strategy now if that's what you came for.

Recommended Loadout & Setup (2026 Meta Tier List)

The 2026 Elden Ring meta for boss fights favors bleed and occult infusion for most builds, with pure sorcery and incantations a close second for players who prefer ranged play. Below is a tier ranking of the most popular boss weapons for mandatory fights, with exact stats for a +10 Somber / +25 Standard upgrade:

Weapon Tier List (Mandatory Bosses 2026)

Pro Tip: The soft cap for Vigor is 60 (1,900 HP) for new game, 70 (2,100 HP) for new game+. Anything above 60 in new game is a waste of points that can go into damage stats. Endurance soft cap is 25 (160 stamina), which is enough for 3 full River of Blood combos before needing to regenerate.

Recommended Standard Build (Level 100 New Game)

\n
1. Vigor: 60 (1,900 HP, enough to tank one hit from every mandatory boss)
\n
2. Mind: 18 (120 FP, enough for 3 weapon arts and one buff)
\n
3. Endurance: 25 (160 stamina, as above)
\n
4. Strength: 12 (equip requirement for most medium armor)
\n
5. Dexterity: 18 (equip requirement for River of Blood)
\n
6. Arcane: 60 (soft cap for bleed proc damage, 180 base bleed buildup per hit)
\n

Armor: Black Knife Set (31 poise, 28.7 weight, medium roll, highest magic resistance in the game). This gives you enough poise to tank one light attack without being staggered, and keeps you at a fast roll which is non-negotiable for most late-game boss fights.

Talismans: 1) Lord of Blood's Exultation (20% attack boost when bleed procs on you or the boss, non-negotiable for bleed builds), 2) Green Turtle Talisman (8% faster stamina recovery, cuts downtime between combos by 1/5), 3) Erdtree Favor +2 (4% HP, 9% stamina, 12% equip load, solid all-around boost), 4) Rotten Winged Sword Insignia (13% stacking attack boost on consecutive hits, works perfectly with River of Blood's fast combo).

See also: Best Arcane Bleed Build for Elden Ring 2026

Phase-by-Phase Breakdown & Attack Pattern Analysis (Every Mandatory Boss)

Below we break down each boss by phase, with exact punish windows and how to defeat every attack before it kills you.

Godrick the Grafted (Stormveil Castle)

Total HP: 4,192. Phase transition: 50% HP. This is the first real boss of the game, and most new players mess up by trying to fight him up close during his storm AoE attack.

Phase 1 Attack Patterns & Punish Windows

\n
1. Overhead Slam (1 swing): 32 frame startup, 412 damage at +0. Roll towards Godrick to pass through the attack, then get 2 light attacks or one heavy attack in before he recovers. This is the most common punish window in Phase 1.
\n
2. Three Swing Combo: 21 frame startup on first swing, 18 frame gaps between swings. Roll away from first two swings, roll towards third, then punish with a full 3-hit combo. Do not try to punish early after the second swing: the gap is only 18 frames, which is too small for anything but a parry.
\n
3. Storm Breath AoE: 45 frame startup, 312 damage per tick. Run to the far edge of the arena, this attack has a 8-second duration that leaves Godrick completely vulnerable after it ends. Get a full 4-hit combo after he finishes.
\n

Phase 2 Attack Patterns & Punish Windows

Phase 2 triggers at 50% HP, when Godrick grafts his dragon arm. The only new dangerous attack is the Dragon Fire Breath which deals 298 damage per tick over 6 seconds.

\n
1. Dragon Fire Breath: 50 frame startup, Godrick turns to face you. Roll left or right around his side to get behind him, then get 3 light attacks before he turns around. Do not roll away: the fire covers the entire front half of the arena.
\n
2. Grafted Arm Slam: 38 frame startup, 412 damage. Roll towards Godrick, punish with a full combo. This attack has a 2.5 second recovery window, the biggest punish window in the entire fight.
\n

How to defeat Godrick in 3 steps: 1) Poke with light attacks between his overhead slams, 2) Run away from Storm Breath and punish after, 3) Circle around his dragon fire in Phase 2 and burst him down before he gets a second fire off. Average fight time for this strategy: 1 minute 45 seconds.

Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon (Raya Lucaria Academy)

Total HP: 4,116 (Phase 1) / 3,798 (Phase 2). This fight is split into two completely separate phases, and most players waste time killing the wrong adds in Phase 1.

Phase 1 Attack Patterns & Punish Windows

Rennala floats in the middle of the arena, surrounded by 6 amber-barrier students. Only one student has a glowing golden aura — that's the one you need to hit to break her barrier. Hit the glowing student once, and Rennala falls down for a 3 second punish window. Repeat 3 times to trigger Phase 2.

Common mistake: Killing all students instead of just the glowing one. This wastes 2+ minutes and exposes you to unnecessary fall damage from Rennala's floating magic orbs. The orbs deal 210 damage each, so you can get one-shot if you get hit by two at once.

Phase 2 Attack Patterns & Punish Windows

\n
1. Full Moon Comet: 60 frame startup, 721 damage at +25. Roll sideways when the moon is 2 feet away from you — the timing is later than you think. After you roll, punish with 2 light attacks. The recovery window is 40 frames, so don't try for a full combo.
\n
2. Four Glintstone Pebble Combo: 15 frame startup per pebble, 120 damage each. Strafe sideways while locking on, all four pebbles will miss. Punish with a 3-hit combo after the last pebble.
\n
3. Teleport Melee Slam: 28 frame startup after teleport, 298 damage. Roll away from the teleport location immediately, then punish with one heavy attack before she teleports again.
\n

How to defeat Rennala in 4 steps: 1) Only hit the glowing student in Phase 1, 2) Strafe all glintstone pebbles, 3) Roll late for Full Moon Comet, 4) Burst after every miss. Average fight time: 2 minutes flat.

Starscourge Radahn (Redmane Castle)

Total HP: 10,620. Radahn is one of the most janky mandatory fights in the game, with multiple long-range one-shot attacks that catch new players off guard. The 2026 meta strategy is to stay close to him at all times, not far away where his gravity magic can hit you.

Phase 1 Attack Patterns & Punish Windows

\n
1. Gravity Pull AoE: 70 frame startup, pulls you towards Radahn and deals 150 damage. Roll towards him as soon as the pull starts,