How to Beat Messmer the Impaler in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree
Jun. 21, 2024Messmer is one of the strongest bosses in Elden Ring,not just in the DLC, and players must defeat him to get Messmer’s flame and burn the Shadow Tree to progress the story. However, Messmer is quite tricky to find and very difficult to defeat in the game. To make things easier for you, here is a complete guide on how to find and defeat Messmer the Impaler in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree.
Messmer the Impaler Location in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree
While locating this mega boss in the Elden Ring isn’t that hard, it does require a few steps.Messmer is located in the Shadow Keep, north of Scadu Altus. To enter Scadu Altus, you need to defeat Rellana in the Castle Ensis. After you have made your way into Scadu Altus, continue making your way north until you see a looming dark fortress.
You will be able to enter it without any issue and face theGolden Hippopotamusat the entrance. Keep reading to learnhow to find Messmerin the Shadow Keep.
Messmer’s position in the Shadow Keep is a bit tricky. First, you need to access the Shadow Keep Church district, which is a completely different route from normally entering Shadow Keep. Next, you need to make your way to the Specimen Store House Back section. From there, you need to activate a lever to move the specimen platforms.
After that, you will need to climb to the top using the Specimen platforms where you will find Messmer’s chambers. We have created a step-by-step guide on how to reach Messmer the Impaler in Elden Ring, so definitely check that out.
Messmer the Impaler has a couple of weaknesses that you can exploit to defeat him quickly. Here are all his weaknesses:
Messmer is a very strong boss with two phases and viscously fast attack combos that hit like a truck. However, I found his fight a bit easier and manageable compared to many of the other bosses in the game. Here is a complete guide on how to defeat Messmer.
Messmer is a very aggressive boss and will constantly attack you. However, he also provides ample healing windows but with very tight timing. The first thing you need to do isnot panic roll during the fight.Messmer has multiple attack patterns, both quick and delayed. So, panic rolling will quickly turn into despair.
Messmer uses theLunging Thrusts and Impaling Thrust attacks the most in the first phase.Both the attacks have very tight dodge frames, so follow as mentioned in the dodge guide given later in the article to not take damage. Messmer’s Assault, grab attack, and firebomb attacks do a ton of damage, mostly one-shotting if you are unable to dodge it.
During Messmer’s first phase,stay at a mid range distance from him and don’t be the first person to attack.Let Messmer finish his combo attacks as you dodge them and dash in to get a bit of damage every time. Sorcerers should also keep a mid-range distance as going to far away will make Messmer more aggressive, making him quickly close in the distance.
All of Messmer’s phase 1 attack patters:
After Messmer’s HP drops to 50% or lower,he will enter his second phasetransition cutscene.In the second phase, Messmer becomes faster and more aggressive. Hetakes on the form of a serpentto do many different lunging attacks, which are both quick and lethal. Messmer can also do many of his Phase 1 moves,some modified,in Phase 2 so stay on your toes at all times.
Most of Messmer’s serpent attacks havevery tight dodge timings,but they are easier to dodge if you follow the serpent’s head and time the dodge when it opens its mouth the widest for the bit.
During Messmer’s second phase, I recommend youuse a spirit summonto draw Messmer’s aggro from you.The second phase has very tight heal windows when playing without summons. With your summon taking Messmer’s attacks,close in and deal as much damage as you can.The mid-range rule still works in phase 2, giving you ample space and time to dodge and land attacks at the same.
All of Messmer’s Phase 2 attack patterns:
When Messmer’s HP drops to zero, you will finally beat Messmer the Impaler in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree. Once done you will receive theRemembrance of the Impaler and Messmer’s Kindling.
You can give Messmer’s Remembrance to the Finger Reader in the Roundtable Hold for the following items:
After defeating Messmer, you can also buy his armor set from the Roundtable Hold’s Finger Reader. It costs 45k runes to get all his armor pieces.Messmer’s Kindling is a main campaign item, required to burn the Sealing tree in the Ancient Ruins of Ruah. This will unlock Enir-Ilim, where you will find Miquella and the Final Boss in the game.
So, that’s it. If you are still having trouble defeating Messmer the Impaler in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree, ask your questions in the comments below and we will help you out!
An old soul who loves CRPGs and Souls-Like to death. Takes pleasure in simplifying “Complex and Hard” games for casual players with tailored guides and videos. He loves to explore new places, read fantasy fiction, watch anime, and create wacky character builds in his off time.
