Shardbearer Malenia is the toughest enemy in From Software’s Elden Ring. Many players in the community struggled to defeat her. This is a repost of an achievement guide I originally published on True Achievements shortly after the game released. There are additional guides that were posted on that link by others in the community.
This guide was written before the first patch was released. I was able to confirm after the first patch updated that the Blasphemous Blade method still worked. I haven’t tried with the more recent changes.
Getting to Malenia
Malenia can be found at the bottom of Ephael. To unlock the zone, you first need to progress the story to the point where you have access to and defeated Commander Naill in Castle Sol, and unlocked the western part of the Mountaintop of the Giants.
Once there, head to the northern most section of the map and you will find a site of grace, Ordina, just outside a ruined town north of the frozen river. You will need to use the Evergaol located in the northern part of the ruins. In the Evergaol, you need to light 4 braziers. They can all be found outside the Evergaol, so you can map out your route safely. Each lit brazier will remain lit, so you can focus on the missing ones. I found that running while on the ground kept me from dying to the assassins. Using a shield flask helped get to the ladder next to the magic archer on the rooftops (the hardest to reach). After that, head to the newly opened gate at the northern edge of the town and proceed to the new zones.
Work your way through the Haligtree, defeating Loretta, and navigate through Ephael.
Fighting Malenia: Phase 1
Malenia is fast. She heals every time she hits something with her sword, even if it is blocked. Bleed and Frost appear to work best on her, or anything that can knock her down. If you get her backed up against the wall in this phase, you can stun lock her and keep her from attacking. When she jumps into the air, put up your shield, run, or get ready to dodge. She will unleash a flurry of attacks in 3 sets with a small knock-back at the end.
Fighting Malenia: Phase 2
Phase 2 has all the mechanics of phase 1, but adds a few new twists. She will start with her big opening move, jumping in the air and hurling herself at your location. After landing, she looks like a flower that is pure rot and will explode shortly after impact. The impact, explosion, and rot will all do massive damage or one-shot you. Shielding through the move while locked on an backing away is the easiest method to survive. You will get knocked back from the explosion, but should live. She has another new move that also spreads rot near her. In general, when she goes in the air, move back a ways and put up your shield just in case.
Methods that Worked
I found the following methods worked best for me and a friend.
Blasphemous Blade
A Faith build with the Blasphemous Blade +9 (from the old woman next to the two fingers at the roundtable) worked best for me. I spammed the special attack (LT) while using a shield that did not have an ash (Brass Shield in my build). The Mimic Tear +10 was the best summon since they will also use the special attack. The sword’s attack unleashes a cone of fire on the ground in front of you, knocking down Malenia on the first or second hit. Timing is key, so alternate with your mimic and have time to flask if you need more FP. If she is in the air or dodges (frequently a problem), the attack will miss.
Bleed
I had some luck with bleed applied to dual wielding katanas (both +9) in a Dexterity build and the Mimic Tear +10. I also tried bleed on the main hand and frost on the off-hand. Unfortunately, I couldn’t consistently dodge and survive the big attacks that I mentioned shielding through earlier. I even tried summoning my Mimic while wielding both swords, then swapping the off-hand for a shield. This ended up being a pain to remember doing repeatedly and I couldn’t attack fast enough to drain her health. The first and second methods both have the advantage of covering a large area with distance.
Hoarfrost Stomp
Update: Hoarfrost Stomp was severely nerfed with the first patch. This method is no longer a viable option.
My friend used his Intelligence/Strength build with the Hoarfrost Stomp ash of war (his go-to close attack), a shield for blocking, and Black Knife Tiche +10 for the summon. The combination of spamming the frost stomp with Tiche’s speed and bleed attacks did the trick. He also tried with the Mimic Tear +10, but had more success with Tiche.
Bear in mind that none of these options are easy wins. You still need to learn the fight and recognize the mechanics to survive. Hopefully those tips are clear and help someone in the community save some time and frustration. Thanks.