How to Defeat Flying Dragon Agheel

To complete the first location of Elden Ring entirely, you will need to know how to defeat Flying Dragon Agheel. This giant reptile might be the first Great Enemy boss you face and the first dragon you will encounter in the entire game.

If you found the Tree Sentinel to be a difficult first boss, you may want to be aware of some Flying Dragon Agheel tips before you square off against him. The dragon can hit like a truck and make short work of you, but he’s not impossible to beat even if it’s your first playthrough.

This dragon can be found in Agheel Lake, near the Dragon-Burnt Ruins. These are the same ruins that house the trap chest that teleports you to Caelid, so be aware of this when exploring.

There aren’t any notable enemies around the area, making this an easy area to explore. Northwest of the Ruins, you will spot a small island where several undead have gathered for a bonfire, an odd thing to happen in Elden Ring.

Approaching this island will trigger the appearance of Flying Dragon Agheel, who will swoop down from the skies and breathe fire on the island, incinerating anyone close by. But, before you make your way over to this location, it’s good to be prepared for the fight. If this is your first playthrough, you might not have too many resources at your disposal, but that doesn’t make this boss impossible.

For melee users, a weapon that does Pierce damage would be ideal, or a weapon that inflicts Bleed. All dragons, from the least imposing all the way to Bayle the Dread, are weak to Pierce damage. Bleed can come in clutch during the fight and lop off a good chunk of their health after a few hits. If you started as the Samurai or Prisoner, you have some good weapons on hand to face this beast.

Mage and Faith builds might find it a bit trickier to take down this boss. It’s recommended to use the teleporting chest in the Ruins to get to Caelid and then make your way through the swamp to get Rock Sling and the Meteorite Staff before facing Agheel.

Rock Sling has great stagger potential, and the Meteorite Staff can do decent early-game damage when you aim the rocks at Agheel’s head.

If you didn’t pick either of these as your starting class, you can make a little detour to Murkwater Cave and kill Patches there to get his +7 Spear. Be warned, this will lock you out of his quest line, which takes you through Volcano Manor.

Along the way to Patches, you’ll also be invaded by Bloody Finger Nerijus just before you enter the cave. While engaging him in combat, Bloody Finger Hunter Yura will also appear automatically to help you.

Once you’ve dealt with Nerijus, you can find Yura by the ruins on the Eastern side of Agheel Lake. If you speak to him before encountering the dragon, he will warn you of Agheel’s presence. If you speak to him after you have already died to Agheel once, his summon sign will be present by the Stake of Marika near the boss fight.

For armor, you might not have anything other than your starting set on you, but you can defeat the Beastmen of Farum Azula in the Groveside Cave in Limgrave to get the Flamedrake Talisman. This should improve your defenses against Fire attacks. The Erdtree’s Favor is another good choice but requires you to have completed the Fringefolk Hero’s Grave.

Speak with Ranni at the Church of Elleh to get the Spirit Calling Bell, along with the Lone Wolf Ashes. These might not do the most damage, but they can help take attention away from you to allow you to heal during this Elden Ring boss fight.

Torrent will also be of great help during this fight, as you can close the distance between yourself and Agheel very quickly and also use his double jump to clear some flame attacks. Now that you’ve got your kit together, it’s time to douse this dragon’s flame.

Agheel’s entrance itself can take you out if you’re standing too close to the bonfire, so hang back when you see your HUD elements appear and hear Agheel’s shriek. The moment he lands, start attacking his feet. Making his feet your primary attack target can lead to consistent DPS, as it’s not always possible to hit his head.

Rock Sling can help the player maintain some distance and more consistently attack the head. But you need to be wary of your FP usage, and you will have to balance your Crimson Flasks with your Cerulean Flasks, reducing the number of times you can heal yourself. Casting also slows you down, and you can’t roll mid-cast, so make sure you time your spells.

Just as was the case with the Furnace Golem in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree, Agheel’s attacks will hit hard but are also clearly telegraphed. The golden rule is to stay underneath him as much as possible if you’re attacking his feet, and this should keep you out of range of most of his attacks.

• Stomps: Agheel will raise his leg and bring it down to deal physical damage and create a small shockwave. Avoid this attack by jumping as the foot hits the ground, and you can also land a jumping attack.
• Bite: This will occur when you are in front of this Elden Ring boss, typically aiming for the head. Agheel will bend his neck in one direction, roar, and then snap it in the other direction to land the bite. If you are ahead of him when you see the wind-up, run beneath him and continue to attack the feet.
• Wing Slam: The dragon will raise its wing and then bring it down onto the player. Again, run underneath the body when you see the wing raised in the sky.
• Wing Sweep: Agheel will use his wing to do an arcing physical attack in front of him. Run forward or backward to avoid the attack.
• Charge: Agheel will rush forward and then swing his head upwards to hit you with his horn. Sprint underneath him to avoid the attack and hit his legs.
• Tail Whip: If you are closer to his hindquarters, Agheel will curl his tail and then sweep it against you. When you see the tail curling, sprint towards the torso.
• Spin Bite: Another attack used when you are positioned behind him. Agheel will swing his tail and also turn around to bite you. Run towards his feet when you see him raising his tail.
• Dive Bomb: Agheel will jump into the air, hold himself aloft for a second, and then crash down on top of you. Once you count three wingbeats, including the liftoff, dodge just as this Elden Ring boss comes crashing down and you can get a chance to hit his head.
• Sweeping Breath: This attack is used when you’re at a distance, and Agheel will release a jet of flames in a clockwise direction that spans a wide arc. Get onto Torrent when you see his neck arch backward and then sprint diagonally forward to the head, or in either direction.
• Tracking Breath: Similar to the previous breath attack, except this one will be spewed directly at you and even track the player. However, the evasion is similar to the previous attack.
• Strafe: Agheel will leap into the air and then fly forward while breathing fire down below him. You will need to mount Torrent and outrun the fire, then make your way back to the dragon once it lands.

Summoning Yura will help divide Agheel’s attention, and you’ll be able to learn his attack patterns when you aren’t always busy avoiding them. Once you understand how to kill Flying Dragon Agheel, you’ll have earned your first Dragon Heart in Elden Ring!

Which boss have you found to be the most challenging in the early-game areas? Let us know in the comments below and check out our other Elden Ring guides to become undefeated in the Lands Between!