Radagon is a dauntingly tall god who wields a hammer that had destroyed the Elden Ring, the same hammer seen in the game’s intro cutscene. Radagon is a non-optional, godly boss that will challenge your capabilities of being prepared for battle. Radagon is also one of the final bosses in Elden Ring, his place in the game’s lore holds considerable weight. Moreover, Radagon is the first phase of the final boss fight, followed up by the Elden Beast for phase 2. This epic showdown feels complete having two separate bosses for each phase. However, this guide will specifically go over Radagon of the Golden Order in particular, as this fight has its varied and distinct characteristics and attack strategies.

Overall Tips

• Protection – Radagon will inflict both Holy and Physical damage, so equipping the Haligdrake Talisman (reduces Holy Damage), the Dragoncreast Greatshield Talisman (reduces physical damage), as well as the Pearldrake Talisman (reduces non-physical damage) can aid you throughout the fight in preventing further damage.
• Be aware of Holy Damage – this fight will test your ability to mitigate Holy Damage as well as utilize Faith Builds. Divine Fortification, Holyproof Dried Livers, and Lord’s Divine Fortification vary in their significance against the boss, however, they’re all useful in alleviating and negating a lot of that Holy Damage.
• Resistance – Radagon is resistant to Holy Damage and completely immune to Bleed. The boss is somewhat resistant to every kind of damage apart from Fire, so plan accordingly for your attack strategy.

Radagon’s Attack Strategies

Before jumping into this epic endgame fight, it’s important to note Radagon’s powerful and unpredictable moves in preparation for the battle. Keeping a keen eye on his movements and understanding his cues can save your life.

• Hammer wind-up – One of Radagon’s attacks will begin with him winding up his hammer to emit a swing, which conceives an explosive aura of Holy substance aimed at dealing AoE damage. This is unavoidable unless players dodge inward to the attack. The best way to understand his cues while simultaneously knowing when to dodge is right as he begins to swing the hammer.
• Lightning – Radagon will generate a lightning bolt within his palm and hurl it toward the player. This specific attack is more challenging for ranged-combat players, but it’s avoidable by dodging either to the right or left of the lightning bolt.
• Uppercut – Radagon will lift his hammer and he’ll have it accumulate Holy power. Then, he’ll smash it downward, creating a bursting explosion within that area. The best way to counter this attack is to roll towards him while maneuvering to get behind him. Be careful timing this right.
• Stunning – Radagon will make a dramatic lunge-like leap, his knee will collapse to stun the player so he can attack by stomping. This attack is unpredictable and can happen very quickly. Having a shield ready will enable players to create a barrier between the force of the attack while giving slight room for dodging afterward.
• Smash Combo – If you haven’t already noticed, Radagon does a lot of slamming and smashing to his advantage. One of these smash attacks is an elaborate combo, in which Radagon will stomp on the ground and quickly ricochet himself into the air. He’ll come crashing down a couple of seconds after leaping, so dodge as fast as you can. Dodging away in any direction or simply sprinting away will suffice, but you’ll need to dodge two times in 2-second intervals due to his attack delay.
• Teleportation – Radagon will quickly shift to a different area via teleporting, every time he swiftly moves, he’ll leave an explosion every time he does this. Even though the explosion itself is relatively small, it deals a decent amount of damage, but not a considerably large amount either. Note where he is at all times and be cautious not to get in the way of his teleport route.
• Iconic Combo – Radagon’s most notable combo occurs when he stands upright, moves the hammer skyward, and swiftly smashes it into the ground to emit Holy Damage within a very large perimeter. He’ll do that move twice, followed by him smashing it down once more to create a symbol of the Elden Ring on the ground below, this final smash-down emits an even further damage perimeter. Even though this combo is devastating, it won’t be difficult to plan accordingly due to its more obvious anticipation.

Melee Players

For melee players, using Colossal weapons to disturb Radagon’s flow is the best bet. However, whenever Radagon ricochets into the air or is about to apply an airborne attack, players will not be able to disrupt his movements. Keep in mind that despite Radagon’s many resistances and immunities, he takes full damage from Fire Damage. No matter if you try defeating him through the melee, spellcaster, or ranged attacks, Fire Damage is your best friend. Try using Fire Grease or Flame scaling on your weapon choices. Position yourself accordingly to Radagon and keep his attack cues in mind. All-in-all, Radagon will be a smoother fight if players stick to melee combat. Moreover, the closer the player is to him the easier the fight will be overall. Even though the fight leaves room for opportunities, try not to get greedy because these opportunities also rely on a narrow amount of time.

Ranged Players

Equipping the most damage-inflicting arrows is recommended. When in ranged combat, Radagon will make an effort to close the gap between himself and the player. Shooting him with the most devastating arrows possible before he’s able to close the gap completely will allow players to get some damage in. Nonetheless, even if players decide to go the ranged-combat route, dodging Radagon’s attacks is still a necessary step in avoiding death.

Spellcast Players

Unleashing the strongest spell, you have right as you enter the arena is key in the beginning because Radagon will automatically and naturally have a larger gap to close. Summoning a Spirit Ash to divert his energy away will be helpful. When Radagon leaps into the air, the safest bet is to dodge, even if it seems like a good opportunity to cast a spell.