Elden Ring Radahn weakness tips

Overview

Starscourge Radahn, also known as the Red Lion General, is the shardbearer of Caelid and one of the toughest fights in Elden Ring. You meet him at Redmane Castle in southeastern Caelid, during the Radahn Festival. Witch-Hunter Jerren hosts the festival, and once it’s active, you can take the lift down to the Wailing Dunes and challenge Radahn. If the festival isn’t active yet, you’ll instead find the Misbegotten Warrior and Crucible Knight in the castle; progress to Altus Plateau and return to trigger the festival.

Radahn’s biggest weakness is Scarlet Rot. He is already afflicted by it in lore, and the status effect chews through his health bar. Rotten Breath, Rot Grease, and Rotten Pots are all fantastic. Bleed and frostbite are strong secondary options, especially with weapons like Bloodhound’s Fang, Uchigatana with Bloody Slash, Reduvia, or a cold-infused weapon. He’s also huge, so ranged magic like Rock Sling and Loretta’s Greatbow can land reliably.

You can ride Torrent in this fight, and you can summon NPC allies. Key signs include Blaidd, Iron Fist Alexander, Great Horned Tragoth, Finger Maiden Therolina, Okina, and Lionel the Lionhearted. There’s even a sign for Patches, though he tends to leave. Defeating Radahn gives 70,000 runes, the Remembrance of the Starscourge, and the Great Rune of Radahn. The stars fall, opening the path to Nokron, and you can activate the Great Rune at the Divine Tower of Caelid.

Step-by-Step Walkthrough

1. Prep before the festival. Aim for level 60–80 with at least 30–40 Vigor. Upgrade your main weapon to around +15 normal or +6 somber. Bring a source of Scarlet Rot: Rotten Breath (15 Faith, 12 Arcane) is ideal, but Rot Grease or Rotten Pots work. Pack bleed or frostbite as backup. For defense, Boiled Crab and an Opaline Hardtear in your Flask of Wondrous Physick help a lot. Talismans like Dragoncrest Shield, Green Turtle, and Radagon’s Soreseal (if you’re comfortable) are useful.

2. Reach Redmane Castle and start the fight. Redmane Castle is in southeastern Caelid. During the Radahn Festival, the castle is peaceful. Talk to Witch-Hunter Jerren in the chapel, then take the lift down to the Wailing Dunes. Before charging in, look along the starting area for glowing summon signs. Summon as many NPCs as you can. They draw aggro, deal damage, and can be re-summoned after they fall, so keep an eye out for their signs reappearing. Summon Torrent, too.

3. Phase 1: close the gap and apply rot. Radahn opens with great arrows and arrow rain. On Torrent, sprint diagonally toward him and use the double jump if needed. If you’re on foot, dodge sideways and use any cover. Once you’re close, immediately apply Scarlet Rot with Rotten Breath or a Rotten Pot. Then switch to bleed or frostbite. Stay behind or to his side, punish after his combos, and don’t get greedy. His horse, Leonard, makes him mobile, so chase carefully. Let the NPCs take the heat.

4. Phase 2: survive the meteor and reapply rot. Around 50% HP, Radahn vanishes and crashes down as a meteor. Sprint away on Torrent the moment he disappears. When he lands, reapply Scarlet Rot if it’s worn off. He now uses gravity pull, rock throws, arrow rain, and longer spinning combos. The gravity pull is the dangerous one: sprint away or roll away from the purple aura. Keep re-summoning NPCs, use Torrent to reposition, and punish only after his big combos. Bleed procs and rot ticks will do the heavy lifting.

5. Finish and claim rewards. Once Radahn falls, you get 70,000 runes, the Remembrance of the Starscourge, and the Great Rune of Radahn. A cutscene shows the stars falling, which opens the crater in Limgrave that leads to Nokron. Exchange the Remembrance for the Starscourge Greatsword or Lion Greatbow if you want. Activate the Great Rune at the Divine Tower of Caelid to gain its HP, FP, and Stamina boost.

Tips and Strategies

Scarlet Rot is the main event. Rotten Breath is the easiest way to apply it. Cast it early, then focus on survival. Reapply after phase transition. Rot Grease on a fast weapon works if you don’t have Faith. Rotten Pots are great for ranged application. The status does a huge chunk of Radahn’s health over time.

Use bleed and frostbite. Bleed procs deal percentage damage and Radahn has enough HP for it to matter. Bloodhound’s Fang, Uchigatana with Bloody Slash, Reduvia, and Okina’s summon are all solid. Frostbite also works and can be applied with cold infusion or Icerind Hatchet. Combining rot with bleed is a classic cheese.

Ride Torrent. Torrent makes dodging arrows and the phase 2 meteor much easier. Sprint in circles, close distance, and disengage when needed. Free camera is better than lock-on while riding. Don’t try to face-tank Radahn on foot unless you’re very confident.

Summon NPCs constantly. The NPC signs reappear after a cooldown. Let Alexander and Tragoth tank, let Blaidd and Okina deal damage, and let Therolina heal. When a summon dies, check the arena for their sign again. They won’t solo the boss, but they buy you windows to cast rot or heal.

Respect phase 2. The meteor crash is not a joke. Run immediately. The gravity pull can yank you into a combo, so sprint away as soon as you see purple. His arrow rain in phase 2 tracks better, so keep moving. Use the Opaline Hardtear and Boiled Crab to survive mistakes.

Ranged options are viable. Rock Sling, Loretta’s Greatbow, and Great Glintstone Shard hit him easily. If you’re a mage, stay at mid-range and let summons hold aggro. Just be ready to dodge when he closes distance.

Common Mistakes

Fighting without the NPC summons. Radahn is a festival boss; the game gives you allies for a reason. Use them. Trying to solo him on a low-level character is one of the hardest ways to play.

Ignoring Scarlet Rot. If you’re not using rot, you’re making the fight much longer. Rotten Breath alone can carry the damage side of the fight.

Staying on foot the whole time. Torrent is allowed for a reason. Not using him makes arrow rain and the meteor much harder to avoid.

Greeding after combos. Radahn has long combos and roll catches. Hit once or twice, then back off. If you get greedy, you’ll eat a spin or a gravity slam.

Forgetting to reapply rot. Scarlet Rot expires. When phase 2 starts, reapply it. Otherwise you lose your best damage source.

Not triggering the festival. If Redmane Castle is full of enemies and you fight the Misbegotten Warrior and Crucible Knight, the festival isn’t active. Progress to Altus Plateau and return.

Low Vigor. Radahn hits like a truck. 30 Vigor is the minimum; 40 is safer. No amount of damage makes up for getting one-shot.

Locking on while on Torrent. Lock-on can make Torrent’s movement awkward. Use free camera to steer and dodge. Lock on only when you’re attacking.

Expecting Patches to help. If you summon Patches, he may flee. Don’t rely on him.

FAQ

Q: What is Radahn weakest to? A: Scarlet Rot, by far. Rotten Breath, Rot Grease, and Rotten Pots are the best ways to apply it. Bleed and frostbite are strong secondary weaknesses. Holy damage is not the answer here.

Q: Can I use Torrent and NPC summons in the Radahn fight? A: Yes. Torrent is allowed, and NPC summon signs appear around the arena. You can summon Blaidd, Iron Fist Alexander, Great Horned Tragoth, Finger Maiden Therolina, Okina, and Lionel the Lionhearted. Their signs can reappear after they die, so re-summon them. Patches may also appear, but he often leaves.

Q: Where do I fight Radahn and what does he drop? A: You fight Starscourge Radahn in the Wailing Dunes beneath Redmane Castle in Caelid, during the Radahn Festival. He drops 70,000 runes, the Remembrance of the Starscourge, and the Great Rune of Radahn. The stars fall afterward, opening the path to Nokron. Activate his Great Rune at the Divine Tower of Caelid.