How to Beat Malenia,
Blade of Miquella
The Waterfowl Dance dodge broken down stroke by stroke, Phase 2 Scarlet Rot survival, and the only summon worth bringing. Answer above the fold.
Last updated: May 2026 · Patch 1.12 · Elden Ring base game + DLC
⚡ Instant Answer
The Fix in 30 Seconds
Waterfowl Dance: When she lifts off, sprint directly toward her — not away. As she descends into the first flurry, roll forward-left twice. For the second flurry, roll backwards three times through the fan. Wait out the phantom fourth stroke before punishing. This is the whole fight.
Summon: Black Knife Tiche only. Do not use Mimic Tear — Malenia heals from all damage including your summon's. Tiche is fast enough to dodge Scarlet Aeonia in Phase 2. Nothing else survives this fight reliably.
Phase 2: The moment the Phase 2 cutscene plays, she leaps and crashes down blooming Scarlet Rot. Sprint away immediately — do not roll. The bloom lingers. Clear Scarlet Rot buildup with Preserving Boluses throughout Phase 2.
Recommended level: 120+. Below this range Phase 2 attacks two-shot through most armour.
Summon: Black Knife Tiche only. Do not use Mimic Tear — Malenia heals from all damage including your summon's. Tiche is fast enough to dodge Scarlet Aeonia in Phase 2. Nothing else survives this fight reliably.
Phase 2: The moment the Phase 2 cutscene plays, she leaps and crashes down blooming Scarlet Rot. Sprint away immediately — do not roll. The bloom lingers. Clear Scarlet Rot buildup with Preserving Boluses throughout Phase 2.
Recommended level: 120+. Below this range Phase 2 attacks two-shot through most armour.
Location
Haligtree, Elphael
Type
Optional Legend
Rune Reward
480,000
Difficulty
Extreme
01 — How to Reach Malenia
Malenia is an entirely optional boss — you can finish Elden Ring without fighting her. She sits at the end of Elphael, Brace of the Haligtree, which requires both halves of the Haligtree Medallion to access via the Grand Lift of Rold.
The left half is given by Latenna the Albinauric after completing her quest near the Village of the Albinaurics in Liurnia. The right half is found in Ordina, Liturgical Town in the Consecrated Snowfield, which itself requires both medallion halves to reach. If you are struggling to get there, follow the Haligtree Medallion quest line — it is the longest access route to any optional boss in the game.
📌 Recommended Preparation
Level 120 minimum — 130+ for comfort. Fully upgraded weapon (+10 somber or +25 regular). Black Knife Tiche at max upgrade (+10). At least 5 Preserving Boluses in your inventory — craft with Dewkissed Herba x2, Crystal Cave Moss, Sacramental Bud. Wear light armour for light roll distance. Heavy rolls shorten your dodge coverage significantly and will cause you to eat hits through Waterfowl Dance that a light roll would clear.
02 — Waterfowl Dance — Stroke by Stroke
Waterfowl Dance is the reason most players die to Malenia dozens of times. The dodge is counterintuitive — you run toward her, not away. Running away keeps you inside the hitbox and guarantees you eat most of the first flurry.
1
First Flurry — Sprint at her as she rises
The moment you see her lift into the air, sprint directly at her and close the gap. She hovers briefly before descending. As she starts descending into the first flurry, roll forward-left twice through the slashes. You are essentially rolling through her body — it feels wrong until you internalise it. The second roll should carry you clear of the last hit of the first flurry. Alternative if caught off guard: sprint far enough away and the first flurry physically cannot reach you, then deal with the second and third normally.
2
Second Flurry — Roll backwards through the fan
After the first flurry lands, she immediately fans out a wider arc of slashes at ground level. Roll backwards three times through this flurry. Do not roll sideways — the fan catches lateral movement. Diagonal forward-right is also viable if you have the spacing, but backwards is the safest and most consistent.
3
Third Flurry — She charges directly at you
The third stroke is a direct charge. Roll through it as she approaches — one roll, timed as she closes in. This is the easiest of the three to dodge in isolation but the most likely to kill you because players are usually shaken from the first two and panic roll early.
4
Phantom Fourth Stroke — Wait before punishing
After the three main flurries, Malenia does a phantom fourth stroke a moment after the sequence appears to end. This kills players who go in for the punish too early. Wait it out, then punish with a running jump attack. You may only get one hit in — check if she staggered before committing to a second.
🔭 Advanced Bait Technique
You can force Malenia to trigger Waterfowl Dance at a safe distance. When she reaches roughly 50% health, back away and throw a Kukri knife or cast a ranged spell at her. She reacts to ranged hits at this threshold by triggering Waterfowl. With enough distance, the first two flurries whiff completely and you only need to dodge the third charge. This is legitimate strategy — the Souls community confirmed this mechanic extensively.
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03 — Full Attack Guide — Both Phases
| Attack | Read It By | Counter | Danger |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waterfowl Dance | She lifts slowly into the air with a wind-up pose | Sprint at her. Roll forward-left x2, backwards x3, through once. Wait for phantom 4th. | EXTREME |
| Lunging Stab | Dashes forward low and stabs into the ground | Roll sideways — never backwards. She heals from every hit she lands. One punish after recovery. | HIGH |
| Scarlet Aeonia (Phase 2 opener) | Phase 2 cutscene ends — she leaps immediately | Sprint away as far as possible. Do not roll. The bloom AOE lingers for several seconds. | EXTREME |
| Clone Slash (Phase 2) | Phantom copies of herself appear and mirror slashes | Focus Malenia herself. The clones signal her real attack direction. Dodge based on her movement. | HIGH |
| Rot Butterfly (Phase 2) | Slow-moving scarlet orbs float toward you | Dodge through them individually. They move slowly enough to read. Don't let multiple stack. | MED |
| Regal Roar (Phase 2) | She rears back and roars with wings spread | Roll backwards or use the gap to heal. The roar itself does no damage — it's a gap opener for her follow-up. | MED |
| Ground Swipe | Quick low horizontal single swipe | Jump over it and punish with a jump attack. Consistent opening. | LOW |
| Spinning Slash | Spins 360 degrees with blade extended | One backwards roll or run away. Single hit with clear recovery window. | LOW |
⚠ Malenia Heals From Every Hit
This is her defining mechanic and cannot be worked around. Every hit she lands — including hits on your shield and hits from your Spirit Ash — heals her. Mimic Tear actively heals her because it copies your build and hits her. This is not a rumour. Use Black Knife Tiche, who deals unavoidable damage without triggering large heal procs.
04 — Phase 2 — Goddess of Rot
Phase 2 triggers when Malenia's health reaches zero in Phase 1. She does not die. Instead she recovers, blooms Scarlet Aeonia, and enters her second phase with new attacks, scarlet rot mechanics, and significantly higher aggression.
The Phase 2 transition is the most dangerous moment in the fight. The Scarlet Aeonia bloom immediately after the cutscene catches players who roll rather than sprint. Sprint away, wait for the flower to fully bloom and the AOE to clear, then re-engage.
Throughout Phase 2, Malenia's blade attacks can build up Scarlet Rot status. Watch the orange buildup bar under your health. Use a Preserving Bolus the moment it fills — do not wait for it to proc. Full Scarlet Rot ticks for enough damage per second to kill you even after you stop taking hits from her.
🔥 Best Phase 2 Weapons
Rivers of Blood — bleed procs despite partial resistance in Phase 1, destroys Phase 2. Two procs often ends the phase. Blasphemous Blade — Taker's Flames ASH deals unblockable fire damage with lifesteal. Excellent sustain. Any +25 physical weapon — if you know the attack patterns, raw damage works. The fight is more about pattern recognition than optimised damage.
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05 — Why Black Knife Tiche and Nothing Else
The Spirit Ash question for Malenia has a definitive answer backed by thousands of community attempts. Black Knife Tiche at +10 is the only Spirit Ash that reliably survives this fight and maintains useful aggro throughout both phases.
| Spirit Ash | Phase 1 | Phase 2 | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Knife Tiche | Survives, maintains aggro | Dodges Scarlet Aeonia, survives Phase 2 bloom | USE THIS |
| Mimic Tear | Deals damage but heals Malenia | Heals Malenia significantly — net negative | NEVER USE |
| Black Knife Tiche (low upgrade) | Dies in Phase 1 if not +8 or higher | N/A | Upgrade first |
| Lhutel the Headless | Viable but low damage output | Often killed by Scarlet Aeonia bloom | Fallback only |
| Any other Ash | Variable survival | Almost all killed by Phase 2 AOE | Not recommended |
Tiche is found by defeating the Ringleader's Evergaol boss in the Mountaintops of the Giants. If you have not unlocked her yet, run through the Mountaintops before attempting Malenia — the improvement in survivability is dramatic enough to justify the detour.
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