Elden Ring: How to Defeat Messmer the Impaler in Shadow of the Erdtree

Elden Ring's Shadow of the Erdtree DLC introduces new content, challenges, and some of the toughest bosses players have ever faced. One of the most formidable enemies in the DLC is Messmer the Impaler, a central character in the story. As a major antagonist, defeating Messmer is crucial to advancing the narrative, and players will need to bring their best strategies to overcome this challenging foe.

Who Is Messmer the Impaler

Messmer is prominently featured on the cover art of Shadow of the Erdtree and plays a pivotal role in the Elden Ring lore. He was stationed in the Land of Shadow by Queen Marika to guard the territory, which had been conquered by the Golden Order. This demi-god is one of the most difficult bosses in the game, offering players a battle that requires both skill and preparation.

Preparation: Setting Yourself Up for Success

In Elden Ring, proper preparation is key to surviving challenging encounters, and this is especially true for Messmer. Before entering the arena, players should focus on crafting a build that maximizes their strengths. Gathering powerful Elden Ring Items and enhancing their Elden Ring Runes will significantly improve a player's chances in battle.

Building the Perfect Setup

A well-optimized build is essential when facing bosses like Messmer. Players should focus on upgrading their weapons, armor, and abilities to suit their playstyle. While Elden Ring allows for various builds, it's important to note that Messmer is resistant to many types of damage, particularly fire and holy damage. In his first phase, he has a 40% resistance to both. However, in his second phase, he loses his holy damage resistance, making it a better option for players during this stage of the fight.

Additionally, magic and lightning damage are decent choices throughout the battle, as Messmer only has a 20% resistance to those elements. Players relying on fire-based builds may want to switch strategies to avoid being at a disadvantage.

Boosting Your Chances with Buffs and Tears

Buffs play a crucial role in enhancing survivability during boss fights. The Flask of Wondrous Physick, a core item in Elden Ring, allows players to apply two buffs that can dramatically impact the outcome of a fight. Choosing the right combination of tears—whether they boost damage output or add resistances to certain attack types—can turn the tide in a difficult encounter.

Experimenting with different physick tears is essential. For example, players facing Messmer may benefit from tears that increase resistance to fire or lightning damage or enhance stamina and defense.

Collecting Scadutree Fragments

Another key to success in the Land of Shadow is finding and using Scadutree Fragments. Unlike the main game, the DLC employs a different scaling system that ignores player levels, focusing instead on these fragments. When consumed, Scadutree Fragments provide both a damage boost and damage negation, giving players a significant advantage against enemies, including Messmer.

There are 20 Scadutree Fragments scattered throughout the Land of Shadow, although not all will be accessible before encountering Messmer. However, obtaining as many as possible before the fight can greatly improve the chances of survival. If the battle feels overwhelming, it may be worth exploring and gathering more fragments before attempting to defeat Messmer.

Messmer's Phase One: Understanding His Attack Patterns

Messmer's first phase introduces players to a wide range of melee and ranged attacks. Upon entering the arena, Messmer will quickly rush the player, initiating the fight with either sweeping spear attacks or ranged pokes. Players can choose to fight from a distance or stay close to dodge his attacks, but keeping too much distance may trigger his orb spell or ranged flame attacks, making the battle more difficult.

Key Attacks to Watch For

    Messmer's Assault: This is one of his more dangerous moves, involving a flurry of spear stabs followed by a spear thrust into the ground, summoning spears that shoot up from the floor. While difficult to avoid, players can follow a specific rolling pattern: first, roll right, then roll into him twice to avoid the stabs and the slam, and finally roll once more before the spears erupt.

After this attack, Messmer is vulnerable for a brief moment, allowing players to land powerful blows. Timing is crucial—landing strong hits can break his stance, staggering him and leaving him open to a critical hit.