Elden Ring Rennala weakness tips

Overview

Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon, is the shardbearer waiting at the top of the Academy of Raya Lucaria in Liurnia of the Lakes. You'll find her in the Grand Library, past the Red Wolf of Radagon in the Debate Parlor. She's not just a boss; she's also the key to respeccing your character, so most players end up fighting her sooner or later. The fight has two distinct phases: a puzzle-like first phase where you break her golden barrier, and a full-on sorcery duel in phase two. Her weakness? Magic is a terrible idea. She's highly resistant to it (around 80%), so bring physical damage, bleed, frostbite, and plenty of stagger. If you're a pure mage, grab Rock Sling from the Street of Sages Ruins in Caelid and the Meteorite Staff—it deals physical damage and will carry you. Otherwise, a decent upgraded weapon, a good Spirit Ash, and a bit of patience will do the trick.

Step-by-Step Walkthrough

Preparation before the fight. First, you need the Academy Glintstone Key. Head to the Temple Quarter in Liurnia and look for a sleeping dragon guarding a chest. Open it, grab the key, and use it at the South Raya Lucaria Gate. Inside the academy, fight your way to the Red Wolf of Radagon and defeat it. Rest at the Debate Parlor grace. Before you head up to Rennala, set up your build. Aim for level 40–50 and a weapon at +5 or +6 (somber weapons +2 or +3). Equip the Spelldrake Talisman and Pearldrake Talisman to reduce magic damage. If you have faith, cast Magic Fortification or Barrier of Gold. Your Wondrous Physick should mix Magic-Shrouding Cracked Tear and Opaline Bubbletear. Summon a Spirit Ash that can tank—Mimic Tear, Lhutel the Headless, or Banished Knight Oleg are all solid.

Phase 1: The Sweetings. Rennala starts behind a golden barrier, singing. She summons Juvenile Scholars—her "sweetings"—who crawl around the library. Three of them glow with a golden aura and sing. Those are your targets. Ignore the others; they just throw books and die easily. Kill the three glowing scholars (they die in one hit, so throwing knives or a quick ranged attack like Glintstone Pebble works). When all three are dead, Rennala's barrier breaks and she falls to the floor. Go nuts on her. She has low health here. After a few seconds, she'll float back up and summon more sweetings. Repeat the process two or three times. Don't attack her while the barrier is up—you'll just bounce off.

Phase 2: Rennala of the Full Moon. She transforms, the arena shifts to a moonlit version of the Grand Library, and she gets a full health bar. Now she's aggressive. She floats and casts spells: Rennala's Full Moon (a giant moon that deals magic damage and lowers your magic resistance), Comet Azur (a huge beam), Star Shower (a barrage of glintstone stars), and Magic Glintblade (delayed daggers). She also summons Spirit Ashes: a Bloodhound Knight, a Page, and a Giant Rat. You can ignore the summons and rush her, or kill them quickly if they're annoying. Your goal is to stay close, dodge her spells, and punish her after she finishes a cast. She has low poise, so jump attacks, charged heavies, and skills like Lion's Claw or Giant Hunt will stagger her. When she falls, wail on her. Repeat until she's dead. If you're using a summon, let them draw aggro while you attack from behind.

Tips and Strategies

• Physical damage is king. Rennala takes normal physical damage and is weak to bleed and frostbite. Bloodhound's Fang, Uchigatana with Bloodflame Blade, or any greatsword with Blood Grease will shred her. Frost Grease or Hoarfrost Stomp (even after nerfs) works too.
• Rock Sling for mages. If you're a sorcerer, don't bother with Comet. Rock Sling deals physical damage and can stagger her from range. Get the Meteorite Staff from the Street of Sages Ruins in Caelid—it boosts Rock Sling and requires no upgrade.
• Stagger is your friend. Rennala has very low poise. Jump attacks, Lion's Claw, Giant Hunt, and even a heavy attack from a colossal weapon will knock her down. Once she's down, stay aggressive.
• Use the pillars? Actually, the phase 2 arena is mostly open, but you can use distance to bait her spells. However, staying at range lets her spam Comet Azur. Close the gap instead.
• Dodge Rennala's Full Moon. When she raises her staff and a giant moon forms, dodge sideways or run behind her. If it hits, you'll take heavy magic damage and your magic resistance will drop, making her next spells hurt more.
• Summons help a lot. Mimic Tear with a physical weapon is fantastic. Black Knife Tiche can dodge and deal damage. Lhutel the Headless tanks well. Let your summon take aggro while you hit her from behind.
• Talismans and buffs. Spelldrake Talisman +1 or +2, Pearldrake Talisman, and the Magic-Shrouding Cracked Tear are great. Golden Vow and Flame, Grant Me Strength boost your damage. If you have faith, Barrier of Gold is a massive magic resistance buff.
• Don't forget your Wondrous Physick. Opaline Bubbletear lets you survive one big hit. Magic-Shrouding Cracked Tear reduces magic damage. Use it right before phase 2 starts.

Common Mistakes

• Using magic damage. This is the biggest one. Rennala has around 80% magic resistance. Your Glintstone Pebble will tickle her. Switch to physical, bleed, or frost.
• Ignoring the singing scholars. In phase 1, if you don't kill the three glowing ones, her barrier never breaks. Don't waste time attacking the non-glowing scholars or Rennala herself.
• Getting greedy in phase 2. She can chain spells quickly. Attack once or twice after a dodge, then back off. If you try to combo her while she's casting, you'll eat a Comet Azur.
• Not using a summon. You don't have to, but a Spirit Ash makes the fight much easier. It splits her aggro and gives you free windows to attack.
• Forgetting to heal between phases. Phase 1 ends, and phase 2 starts immediately. Top off your HP before you kill her in phase 1, or you'll start phase 2 at low health.
• Staying at range. She's a sorceress. At range, she has every advantage. Close the distance and force her to teleport away. Chase her down.
• Not equipping magic resistance. Spelldrake Talisman is easy to get and makes a huge difference. If you have no magic resistance, her spells will two-shot you.

FAQ

Q: What is Rennala weak to? A: Rennala is weak to physical damage, bleed, and frostbite. She has extremely high magic resistance (around 80%), so avoid sorceries and magic-scaling weapons. If you're a mage, use Rock Sling, which deals physical damage. She's also very easy to stagger, so jump attacks and heavy weapons work wonders.

Q: How do I beat Rennala's first phase quickly? A: Kill the three Juvenile Scholars that glow with a golden aura and are singing. They die in one hit, so use throwing knives, a quick bow, or a fast weapon. Once all three are dead, Rennala's barrier breaks and she falls. Attack her until she floats back up, then repeat. You only need to do this two or three times. Don't waste time on the other scholars.

Q: Can I summon help for Rennala? A: Yes. You can summon other players using a Furlcalling Finger Remedy if you're online. You can also summon Spirit Ashes. Mimic Tear is excellent if you have a physical build. Black Knife Tiche, Lhutel the Headless, and Banished Knight Oleg are all great choices. There is no NPC summon sign for Rennala, so Spirit Ashes or co-op are your options.