Starscourge Radahn is one of the most intimidating encounters in Elden Ring, but he is not an unfair fight if you understand his design. If your question is simple — how to beat Radahn, what is Radahn weak to, and how to survive his phases — the answer is equally clear: use the festival mechanics, respect his gravity damage, and exploit his extreme weakness to Scarlet Rot. This fight is less about raw skill and more about reading systems that FromSoftware intentionally built around General Radahn.
Radahn is an optional shardbearer, but defeating him unlocks Nokron, Eternal City, enables specific endings, and is required for Shadow of the Erdtree. For many players, this makes Starscourge Radahn one of the most important bosses in the entire game.
Who Is Starscourge Radahn and Why This Fight Is Unique
Starscourge Radahn, also known as General Radahn or the Red Lion General, is remembered as one of the strongest demigods of the Shattering. His battle with Malenia ended in a stalemate, but Scarlet Rot shattered his mind and reduced him to a feral war god roaming the sands of Caelid.
What makes Radahn Elden Ring unique is not just his scale, but the systems layered into the encounter:
- The fight takes place during the Radahn Festival
- Torrent is available in a shardbearer boss fight
- NPC summons are unlimited and do not reduce rune rewards
This is not a duel. It is a battlefield simulation, and the game expects you to treat it as such.
How to Access the Radahn Festival and Boss Arena
Starscourge Radahn can only be fought when the Radahn Festival is active. This occurs after progressing Ranni’s questline far enough or by reaching Altus Plateau and activating a Site of Grace there.
Once active, Redmane Castle changes completely. Instead of standard enemies, you’ll find festival NPCs and Castellan Jerren preparing the arena. Radahn himself is accessed through a portal at the far end of the castle.
Closest Site of Grace: Chamber Outside the Plaza
Multiplayer: Allowed
Spirit Ashes: Not allowed
Starscourge Radahn Combat Stats and Core Numbers
Understanding Radahn’s numbers explains why many players struggle without preparation.
| Attribute | Value |
| Health | 9,572 HP |
| Defense | 113 |
| Stance | 200 |
| Parryable | No |
| Critical after stance break | Yes |
| Rune Drop | 187,000 |
| Key Drops | Remembrance of the Starscourge, Radahn’s Great Rune |
Radahn’s holy damage negation is extremely high, while pierce damage goes through almost unmitigated. This already hints at optimal build choices.
What Is Radahn Weak To? Damage Types and Status Effects
If you only remember one thing from this guide, remember this: Starscourge Radahn is extremely weak to Scarlet Rot.
Once applied, Scarlet Rot drains his health rapidly and persists through phase transitions. Two full applications can kill Radahn with minimal direct combat.
Other important resistances:
- Poison: High resistance, but viable over time
- Hemorrhage (Bleed): Effective due to his large HP pool
- Frostbite: Works, but slower than rot
- Madness: Immune
This makes Rotten Breath, Antspur Rapier, and rot-inflicting projectiles some of the strongest tools in the fight.
How to Fight Radahn: Opening Phase and Battlefield Control
The opening of the fight is the most lethal part. Radahn begins by firing gravity-charged arrows that can kill most builds in one hit. These arrows track aggressively and are difficult to dodge without i-frames or Torrent.
A safe opening approach:
- Enter with a shield raised
- Move between debris to block arrows
- Summon every available NPC immediately
- Mount Torrent once Radahn switches to melee
An important mechanical trick is distance manipulation. If Radahn is forced into melee stance early, he stops using long-range arrow barrages entirely. Some players even unload the area by riding away, forcing Radahn to reappear already in melee mode.
This is intentional design, not an exploit.
Phase One Strategy: 100% to 75% HP
In phase one, Radahn remains mobile on horseback and chains wide sweeps with delayed slams. The safest approach is controlled aggression while NPCs draw aggro.
Effective tactics include:
- Fast bleed weapons like Uchigatana or Bloodhound’s Fang
- Hit-and-run strikes while mounted
- Letting summons absorb gravity pulls
At roughly 75% HP, Radahn enters a transition where he slams both greatswords into the ground and coats them in gravity-charged stone. This signals the end of pure phase one and introduces expanded AoE pressure.
Phase One-and-a-Half: 75% HP and Gravity Pressure
Once Radahn coats his blades in stone, the rhythm of the fight shifts. His gravity-enhanced attacks introduce delayed shockwaves that punish greedy melee play. This is the point where many players die because they keep attacking as if it were still early phase one.
At this stage, Radahn gains access to Starcaller Cry, a wide-range gravity pull that drags everything toward him. If you are on Torrent, this can knock you down and leave you exposed. On foot, it can be dodged cleanly with proper timing.
The safest approach here is discipline:
- Limit yourself to one or two hits per opening
- Let summons control Radahn’s facing
- Heal only while mounted and at distance
If you plan to apply Scarlet Rot, this phase offers excellent windows. Radahn often pauses after chaining attacks, especially when distracted by multiple NPCs.
Phase Two: Meteor Crash and Endgame Chaos
At 50% HP, Starscourge Radahn exits the arena entirely. This is not a victory lap — it is a reset designed to punish tunnel vision.
You have time here. Use it.
- Heal to full
- Re-summon fallen NPCs
- Reposition your camera upward
Radahn re-enters the arena as a flaming meteor. If you are standing still, you die. If you ride Torrent perpendicular to his entry path, you live.
After landing, Radahn summons four orbiting meteors. These are lethal if ignored. They launch with curved trajectories designed to catch panic rolls, not straight-line movement.
From this point forward, Radahn becomes a pressure boss rather than a damage check.
Surviving Phase Two Without Greed
In phase two, Radahn’s melee damage is extreme, and many attacks chain into gravity waves. This is not the time for prolonged engagement.
The optimal strategy is indirect damage:
- Re-summon NPCs constantly
- Stay at mid-range on Torrent
- Apply status effects rather than trading hits
Radahn’s AoE toolkit now includes:
- Gravitas Pull with follow-up explosions
- Gravity Waves after chained attacks
- Drill Blades that track aggressively
Trying to out-DPS Radahn here is unnecessary. Let systems work for you.
Magic and Ranged Builds: Controlled Distance
Magic users often struggle early but excel late if played patiently. Rock Sling with the Meteorite Staff can stagger Radahn reliably, especially while NPCs hold aggro.
Effective spell choices include:
- Rock Sling for stance pressure
- Loretta’s Greatbow for mounted sniping
- Magic Glintblade for safer casts
One important warning: do not overcast. Radahn closes distance faster than most bosses in Elden Ring, and getting locked into a casting animation is often fatal.
Avoid Thops’ Barrier. While it reduces damage, it leaves you prone — and Radahn punishes knockdowns instantly.
Alternative Strategies: Rotten Breath and Festival Cheese
If your goal is consistency rather than style, Rotten Breath trivializes this fight.
Two fully charged casts will drain Radahn’s entire HP bar. The key is timing:
- Cast only when Radahn is focused on a summon
- Apply rot once per phase
- Let the damage tick while you disengage
This strategy works because Scarlet Rot persists through phase transitions. The fight effectively defeats itself if you remain patient.
Another valid approach is full festival play. Because NPC summons are unlimited and Torrent is allowed, you can defeat Radahn without landing a single melee hit. Ride wide arcs, apply poison or bleed projectiles, and resummon allies as they fall.
This is not an exploit. It is the intended fantasy of the Radahn Festival.
Festival NPC Summons and Their Roles
Each summon fills a tactical niche rather than raw DPS.
- Blaidd is fast, aggressive, and surprisingly durable
- Alexander absorbs damage but always dies in phase two
- Okina applies bleed but falls quickly
- Therolina provides healing but requires proximity
- Jerren offers balanced damage with low survivability
Understanding these roles helps you decide who to resummon first. In most runs, Blaidd and Alexander provide the best value early, while Okina accelerates bleed procs if protected.
Lore, Design Intent, and Why Radahn Matters
Starscourge Radahn was heavily criticized at launch for unfair hitboxes and damage. Patch 1.03 corrected those hitboxes, while later adjustments restored his intended lethality.
From a design standpoint, Radahn is not meant to be a traditional duel. He is a spectacle boss — a collapsing demigod whose strength exceeds his sanity. His gravity magic exists for one reason: to keep riding his horse Leonard despite his massive size.
That detail alone explains the entire fight.
How to Beat Radahn Reliably
If you are stuck, simplify your approach:
- Use summons without guilt
- Apply Scarlet Rot deliberately
- Stay mobile, not aggressive
Starscourge Radahn rewards players who read systems, not animations. Treat the fight as a battlefield, not a duel, and it becomes one of the most memorable victories in Elden Ring.
