How to Defeat Messmer The Impaler

Being one of the most relevant and challenging final bosses in Shadow of the Erdtree, Messmer The Impaler will be a true test even for the most veteran Elden Ring players.

Despite having few weaknesses or openings during the fight, a determined strategy can still defeat this boss. Messmer deals significant fire damage, so preparing several items to counter this is essential.

Additionally, it’s almost necessary to summon a Spirit Ash to distract him, allowing you to land more hits. This is a guide on how to defeat Messmer The Impaler.

Messmer The Impaler is one of the mandatory final bosses you must face to complete all the content in Shadow of the Erdtree. To find this spectacular final boss, you’ll need to go to the Shadow Keep, located in the central Scadu Altus area.

Three zones divide the Shadow Keep: Main Plaza, Church District, and Specimen Storehouse. These areas are full of secrets and items to gather; it is recommended to discover everything before entering this battle.

At the highest point of the Specimen Storeroom in the Dark Chamber, this final boss awaits to start the epic battle.

If for any reason you’re not ready to face this boss but want to keep exploring the area, you can leave using the Watering Hole.

Once you’re ready to face him, be cautious because as soon as you enter the area, Messmer will attack without hesitation, so you’ll need to have a solid strategy prepared. You can also check, how to defeat Omenkiller in Elden Ring.

You can approach this battle, one of the most challenging in Shadow of the Erdtree, in various ways. First and foremost, the most valuable tool in your arsenal is the Mimic Tear, which summons a spirit to assist in combat.

It’s highly recommended that this item be fully upgraded, as it will be crucial for hitting Messmer a ton of times and distracting from his real target, which is you. This ally will make a real difference in battle.

One of Messmer’s weaknesses is frost, so it’s important to equip an Ash of War that adds frost damage to your weapons. Recommended items include Divine Beast Frost Stomp or Ghostflame Call.

Another useful spell to consider during this battle is Glintstone Icecrag. In addition to focusing on frost, it’s also advisable to have a secondary weapon for physical damage to maximize the damage output.

Use items and weapons that can cause bleeding, in addition to frost damage, to deal even more damage. Regular weapons won’t deal much damage, so it’s best to use special weapons for this fight.

Although frost-related spells can be effective, it’s not advisable to rely solely on them. Items that summon Ashes to distract the boss will be particularly effective in forcing Messmer to waste his combos on a target, giving you the opportunity to land several hits.

Another useful item for breaking Messmer The Impaler’s stance is the Stonebarb Cracked Tear. This effect won’t last long, but it will be enough to land numerous effective hits.

Many spells can deal significant damage to this enemy, but unfortunately, they require close casting. Timing will be key when casting these powerful spells, and you’ll need to be mindful of Messmer’s attacks in the middle of your incantations.

To avoid unnecessary burn damage due to the fire-based nature of this boss, it’s also a beneficial idea to consume a Fireproof Pickled Liver before the battle.

Messmer’s fighting style is difficult to predict—practically impossible. His attacks are extremely powerful, but they leave him with little awareness of what’s happening outside his primary target.

This is why it’s essential to summon Ashes of War or the Mimic Tear right after dodging the second phase of his initial attack. You must carefully dodge the two stages of this first attack to prevent damage.

After evading the direct hit with force and speed, you must dodge just before the fire explosion. Doing this will finally allow you to use your Ashes to summon the NPC.

If done correctly, you’ll avoid a lot of damage while allowing Messmer to focus on finishing his combos on the NPC until it disappears. If you can catch him as he’s finishing a combo, you’ll be able to land several hits without taking damage, but you’ll need to back away quickly to avoid the fire explosions.

One of the characteristics of this Elden Ring boss is his ability to create various unpredictable combos with his fiery spear, sometimes chaining numerous hits together without warning. Pay close attention to when he finishes a combo and finds the right moment to land hits.

Most of his attacks in the first phase are direct. He has one forward strike and one backward strike, and you’ll need to move accordingly to dodge either or minimize the damage.

His most lethal combo in this phase is one where he jumps into the air surrounded by flames—this can deal massive damage if it hits. After this attack, he may summon countless smaller spears that increase his range, so you’ll need to back away at the right moment.

Breaking his stance won’t be easy, and you’ll need to be patient, waiting for openings between combos to land the necessary blows to progress to the next phase.

A key sign that he’s about to grab you is when he holds his spear behind him, glowing with flames. The best strategy in this first phase is to learn his combos and avoid taking unnecessary damage. Another attack to watch out for is when he throws fire from his hand, which is almost immediately followed by a spear strike.

To continue chipping away at his health without dying, land a few hits at a time and retreat until he finishes another combo. Don’t get too greedy, as one hit could kill you.

Once you’ve taken a bit more than half of his health, Messmer will transform into a giant fire serpent. His first attack in this phase will be similar to the first, but with a much larger explosive range and significantly more damage.

Messmer will alternate between serpent attacks and his regular spear attacks. The spear attacks will remain the same as in the first phase, so it’s beneficial to memorize some of them for this second phase.

He will also add a new attack where he spins in the air and then performs a long-range fire strike against the ground. In his new serpent form, this Elden Ring boss will always target you, even if you’ve summoned an ally for help.

The serpent attacks will be the most frequent throughout Messmer’s second phase. In general, there will be a sequence of two or more serpent strikes, and you’ll need to be alert and dodge both consecutive hits.

Another attack he performs involves turning into a massive shadow beneath you, eventually emerging from the ground in serpent form. After that, he will try to attack you from above with a significant strike to the ground.

Fortunately, this combo is relatively simple to dodge. Despite the fact that all of Messmer’s attacks in this second phase are more lethal than ever, his serpent form makes him easier to hit.

Your main objective is to dodge as many attacks as possible and deal heavy damage when he switches to his humanoid form, which will give you a second or two to land hits.

The Remembrance of the Impaler, which enables you to summon his massive fire orb in battle to use against other enemies, will be your reward once you finally defeat Messmer The Impaler.

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