A skilled Elden Ring player has recreated the elements of an Avatar build to defeat the notoriously difficult boss Malenia in a flawless, three-minute, hitless run, utilizing the game’s expansive weapon and spell systems introduced in the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion.
Building the Four Elements in the Lands Between
The player’s setup centers around the Dryleaf Arts, a hand-to-hand combat weapon introduced in the expansion, infused with a cold affinity to simulate elemental mastery. According to gameplay breakdowns, the build relies on the Golden Order Seal for prayer scaling alongside a specific vortex spell obtained by defeating the second Divine Beast Dancing Lion boss in the downloadable content. While this vortex spell visually mimics an Ash of War, it functions as a full Faith incantation.
Creating viable themed builds in FromSoftware titles often requires balancing aesthetic choices against punishing boss mechanics. In this instance, the combination of hand-to-hand martial arts and specific incantations allowed the player to mimic a bending master from animated media while maintaining high offensive output against one of the game’s hardest encounters.
Neutralizing Malenia’s Waterfowl Dance
The standout moment of the recorded fight involves the player standing firm against Malenia’s signature multi-hit attack, the Waterfowl Dance, without dodging away. This is achieved through the Deflecting Hardtear, a component for the Physick Flask added in the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion.
The Deflecting Hardtear permits players to parry incoming strikes using melee weapons and staves, deflecting individual hits through precise guard inputs. For rapid attack strings such as Malenia’s dance, holding the block button suffices for certain segments, though other multi-hit sequences demand timed inputs for each individual strike. Furthermore, Malenia possesses a lifesteal mechanic that restores her health even when attacks are blocked. The player countered this health recovery by utilizing guard counters, which deal enough posture and physical damage to render her recovered health statistically negligible.
FAQ
What weapons and items are required for the Elden Ring Avatar build?
The build requires the Dryleaf Arts hand-to-hand weapon with a cold affinity, the Golden Order Seal, the vortex incantation from the Divine Beast Dancing Lion, and the Deflecting Hardtear in the Wondrous Physick.
How does the Deflecting Hardtear work against boss attacks?
The Deflecting Hardtear allows players to use melee weapons to block and deflect incoming enemy strikes, reducing stamina damage and enabling guard counters when timed or held correctly against specific combos.
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