Malenia is the hardest optional boss in Elden Ring for one reason: she breaks the rules players rely on. If you are asking how to beat Malenia, what makes Malenia Blade of Miquella so lethal, or why Elden Ring Malenia feels unfair, the answer is mechanical, not emotional. She heals on hit, punishes passive play, and forces precision under pressure. Once you understand those systems, Malenia becomes readable, if never easy.
Malenia, Blade of Miquella and her second phase, Malenia Goddess of Rot, form a two-phase demigod encounter that tests spacing, stamina control, and decision timing more than raw damage.
Who Malenia Is in Elden Ring and Why She Matters
Malenia is the Empyrean twin of Miquella and a central figure in Elden Ring’s mythos. Her legendary duel with Starscourge Radahn ended in a draw, but the release of Scarlet Rot destroyed Caelid and sealed her fate.
From a gameplay perspective, Malenia exists outside the main path. You do not need to defeat her to finish Elden Ring, which is precisely why she is tuned so aggressively. She is designed as a mastery check, not a progression gate.
Her arena lies at the base of Elphael, Brace of the Haligtree, accessed directly from the Haligtree Roots Site of Grace.
Core Combat Stats and What They Mean
Malenia’s numbers explain her reputation.
| Attribute | Value |
| Total HP | 33,251 |
| Phase 1 HP | 18,473 |
| Phase 2 HP | 14,778 |
| Defense | 123 |
| Stance | 80 |
| Parry Requirement | 3 parries |
| Rune Drop | 480,000 |
| Status Inflicted | Scarlet Rot (Phase 2) |
Her low stance value means she staggers easily, but her healing mechanic offsets that advantage if you play carelessly.
Malenia’s Healing Mechanic and Why Shields Fail
Every time Malenia lands a hit, she heals a fixed percentage of her maximum HP. This includes blocked hits. This single rule reshapes the entire fight.
What this means in practice:
- Blocking is often worse than dodging
- Tanky summons increase her healing potential
- Co-op and NG+ inflate her sustain
This is why passive, defensive builds struggle. Malenia rewards clean evasion and punishes attrition.
Damage Types, Resistances, and Exploitable Weaknesses
Malenia deals mostly physical damage in phase one and adds Scarlet Rot in phase two. Holy damage performs poorly against her, while Fire is neutral and Frost is effective.
Key resistance takeaways:
- Frostbite is one of the best tools against her
- Hemorrhage procs reliably due to her low bleed resistance
- Scarlet Rot and Poison are largely ineffective
Frostbite not only chunks her HP but also lowers her damage negation, making it one of the few ways to outpace her healing.
Phase One Behavior and Neutral Game Control
In phase one, Malenia is reactive rather than aggressive. She often mirrors player movement and waits for an opening. This creates false safety.
If you unlock your camera and stop advancing, Malenia will frequently pace sideways, giving you space to heal or rebuff. This is intentional design. The fight rewards players who manage tempo rather than rushing damage.
Her most dangerous early attacks include:
- A lunging grab that heals her massively
- A fast thrust used to punish mid-range healing
- Rapid prosthesis slashes that snowball damage
Staggering her after a combo is the safest window for offense.
Waterfowl Dance and the Psychological Wall
At roughly 75% HP, Malenia unlocks Waterfowl Dance. This move defines the fight.
Waterfowl Dance is not random. It is a spacing check. If you recognize the leap early and respond correctly, it is survivable. Panic is what kills most players.
The safest general response:
- Create distance immediately on lift-off
- Run through the first two flurries
- Roll toward her on the third
- Stay clear until the final AoE resolves
Ashes of War like Bloodhound Step trivialize this move, but it is still dodgeable without them.
Transition Rules Between Phases
Malenia cannot be pushed into phase two with a critical hit or damage-over-time effect. She will remain at one HP until struck by a normal attack.
Once phase two begins, she restores to 80% health and immediately uses Scarlet Aeonia. This transition is a reset, not a breather.
Prepare for it.
Phase Two: Malenia, Goddess of Rot and Area Denial
Phase two transforms the fight from a duel into controlled chaos. Malenia Goddess of Rot gains persistent area denial, delayed explosions, and Scarlet Rot on nearly every hit. The opening Scarlet Aeonia dive is guaranteed and sets the tone: mispositioning is lethal.
The correct response to Scarlet Aeonia is simple but precise. Run toward her, pass underneath as she dives, and end up behind her. She cannot steer sharply during the charge. After the bloom fades, you gain a long punish window of five to seven seconds. This is one of the safest damage opportunities in the entire fight.
She repeats Scarlet Aeonia roughly every three minutes. Treat it as a damage cycle, not a panic moment.
Managing Scarlet Rot and Environmental Modifiers
Every phase-two engagement assumes you are prepared for Scarlet Rot. Preserving Boluses are mandatory, not optional.
One subtle mechanic matters here: the shallow water in the arena alters damage negation. Standing in it gives both you and Malenia reduced fire resistance and increased lightning vulnerability. This shifts spell and Ash of War choices slightly in phase two.
If your build relies on fire damage, reposition off the water before committing. If you use lightning, lean into it deliberately.
New Phase Two Attacks and How to Read Them
Phase two adds layered follow-ups rather than entirely new strings. The danger comes from delayed explosions and aerial pressure.
Key additions include:
- Scarlet Explosion follow-ups after slams
- Flying sweep into thrust chains at long range
- Phantom Spirits, a multi-stage illusion assault
The Phantom Spirits attack looks overwhelming but follows a fixed rhythm. Once learned, it becomes consistent to dodge. Treat it like a pattern, not a reaction test.
The most common mistake here is attacking twice in neutral. Malenia’s counter kick exists specifically to punish greed.
Summons That Help and Summons That Hurt
Summons change Malenia’s behavior more than most bosses. She becomes less predictable but more punishable.
Effective summons include:
- Black Knife Tiche, who dodges well and limits healing
- Redmane Knight Ogha, whose arrows stagger reliably
- Latenna, if positioned safely at the arena entrance
Avoid pure tank summons. They feed Malenia free health without controlling her movement.
If you summon, your role shifts from primary damage dealer to threat manager. Keep her attention when needed, then let the summon work.
Melee Strategy: Controlled Pressure Over Burst
Melee builds succeed against Malenia by staggering her between combos, not trading hits. Her low stance value rewards well-timed aggression.
Best practices:
- Attack only after full combos
- Stop immediately when she side-steps
- Keep the arena center clear for Waterfowl escape routes
Bleed builds perform well because hemorrhage can outpace her healing. Dual curved swords, Rivers of Blood, and Mohgwyn’s Sacred Spear all work when used with restraint.
Never rely on a shield. Blocking heals her faster than you can damage her.
Magic and Ranged Strategy: Beating Input Reading
Malenia dodges visible projectiles. This is why many spells feel useless.
The solution is indirect pressure:
- Night sorceries like Night Comet, which she cannot see
- Swarm of Flies for bleed buildup while she targets summons
- Ranni’s Dark Moon to apply frostbite and reduce resistance
Scarlet Aeonia recovery windows are ideal for heavy casts like Comet Azur or Giantsflame Take Thee. Do not force damage outside those moments.
Waterfowl Dance Revisited: Advanced Consistency
If Waterfowl Dance still kills you, the issue is usually spacing, not timing. Running away early avoids most of the attack. Rolling toward her during the third flurry is counterintuitive but correct.
Ashes of War such as Bloodhound Step or Golden Parry reduce execution strain, but mastery comes from recognition, not equipment.
Once Waterfowl stops being a panic trigger, the entire fight slows down mentally.
Why Malenia Is Designed This Way
Malenia is not unfair. She is uncompromising.
Her healing punishes defensive habits learned elsewhere. Her aggression punishes greed. Her spectacle punishes loss of composure. Every system exists to test clarity under pressure.
This is why Malenia Blade of Miquella remains the most discussed boss in Elden Ring. She is a mechanical exam disguised as a duel.
How to Beat Malenia Reliably
If you are stuck, simplify:
- Dodge instead of block
- Commit to one damage plan
- Respect Waterfowl spacing
- Treat Scarlet Aeonia as opportunity
Malenia Goddess of Rot is not meant to be rushed. She is meant to be read. Once you stop fighting her pace and start controlling your own, victory becomes inevitable.
