How to Beat Godfrey, First Elden Lord in Elden Ring
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Elden Ring
How to Beat Godfrey, First Elden Lord in Elden Ring
Phase 2 — Hoarah Loux, Warrior
Tips
Godfrey is one of the clearest “skill check” bosses in Elden Ring because both phases ask for a different kind of discipline. Phase 1 rewards patience, spacing, and clean punishes after axe combos. Phase 2 demands confidence at close range, especially against grabs and repeated shockwave pressure.
This guide also works best as part of the late-game boss chain. Godfrey comes after Farum Azula and directly before the final sequence, so the strongest internal connections here are How to beat Maliketh before this fight and How to beat Radagon after it.
That makes this page stronger as a progression article, not just a standalone boss guide.
⚡ Quick Answer
Phase 1 — Godfrey and Serosh
Godfrey has two phases. In Phase 1 he fights with his greataxe Axe of Godfrey — stay close to his left side and punish after his combo endings. In Phase 2 he becomes Hoarah Loux and switches to brutal grapple attacks — dodge toward him through his grab attempts and punish immediately after. Bleed and frostbite can be strong options, especially if you want to shorten Phase 2 quickly. Recommended level: 110–120.
1
Stay close and hug his left flank. Godfrey’s axe attacks swing rightward heavily — staying to his left avoids the main arc of most swings. His stomp attacks create shockwaves along the ground — jump over them or dodge sideways at the moment of impact to avoid the shockwave entirely.
2
Watch for the axe slam shockwave. He frequently raises his axe high and slams it into the ground, sending a shockwave forward. Dodge sideways rather than backward — the shockwave travels in a straight line and a lateral dodge clears it cleanly. After the slam he pauses briefly — this is your best consistent damage window.
3
Punish after his three-hit combo. His most common Phase 1 pattern is a three-swing axe combo ending with a downward slam. The slam has a long recovery — get in 2–3 hits immediately after it lands. This is the most reliable damage opportunity throughout Phase 1.
4
Phase 2 opens with a dramatic transition. At around 50% HP Godfrey rips Serosh from his back and becomes Hoarah Loux — a far more aggressive grappler. His moveset changes completely. He drops his axe and fights with his bare hands, adding slam combos, ground stomps, and dangerous grab attacks.
5
Dodge into his grab attempts. Hoarah Loux’s grabs are his most dangerous moves — they deal massive damage if they connect. The key is to dodge toward him through the grab rather than away. Dodging backward puts you in range of the grab’s hitbox, while dodging forward moves you past it entirely.
6
Punish after his ground slam flurry. He frequently performs a series of rapid ground slams creating shockwaves — jump over each shockwave and attack only when you are sure the sequence is ending. After the final slam he has one of his best recovery windows in Phase 2, giving you time for a strong punish before resetting position.
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Jump attacks counter his ground shockwaves — a jumping heavy attack clears the shockwave and deals bonus damage simultaneously. A weapon with high jump attack damage like the Greatsword or Giant-Crusher is particularly effective in this fight.
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Fast bleed builds can end the fight quickly — bleed is one of the better aggressive options if your setup already supports it, especially in Phase 2 when shortening the fight matters more than trading safely. If you prefer a heavier setup, compare with Best Strength build.
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Spirit Ashes are available here — Mimic Tear and Black Knife Tiche are both strong choices, and Tiche is especially useful because her mobility helps her survive longer in Phase 2.
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Godfrey is a mandatory story boss — he guards the path to the Elden Throne. Defeating him is required to access the final area of the game and trigger the endgame sequence.