How to Beat Lichdragon Fortissax in Elden Ring
Home → Elden Ring → How to Beat Lichdragon Fortissax in Elden Ring
Elden Ring
How to Beat Lichdragon Fortissax in Elden Ring
Fortissax Tips
Lichdragon Fortissax is one of Elden Ring’s most visually striking optional bosses — a decaying ancient dragon wreathed in death lightning, fought in a dreamlike golden void. The fight rewards the same close-range approach that works against all dragon bosses in the game, but his death lightning AoE ground attack requires learning a new dodge pattern since rolling into it does not work the way rolling through most attacks does. Once you understand that sprinting away from his body clears the rings, the fight becomes much more approachable. Completing it is required for Fia’s questline ending — the Age of Duskborn ending — making him worth defeating even if you find the fight challenging.
FAQ
⚡ Quick Answer
How to Beat Lichdragon Fortissax
Stay close to Fortissax’s body at all times — the majority of his lightning attacks target at range. Position yourself near his front legs and attack his head when it lowers. His most dangerous attack is the Death Lightning AoE — sprint away from the expanding rings the moment they appear on the ground.
1
Access him through Fia’s questline. Fortissax is a hidden optional boss — to fight him you must complete Fia’s questline in the Deeproot Depths. Give Fia the Cursemark of Death, exhaust her dialogue, then interact with her sleeping form to enter the dream where Fortissax resides. He cannot be accessed any other way.
2
Stay glued to his body throughout the fight. Fortissax uses lightning lances, diving attacks, and sweeping breath at range — all of which largely miss if you stay directly underneath him near his chest and front legs. Sprint under him immediately on entering the arena and maintain that position for the entire fight, repositioning after each attack.
3
Attack his head during low-swoop windows. Fortissax periodically lowers his head to the ground for bite attacks and breath moves — these are your primary damage windows. Land 2–3 charged R2 hits directly on his head during each window. His head is the weak point and takes significantly more damage than his body or limbs.
4
Dodge the Death Lightning ground rings. His most distinctive attack creates expanding rings of death lightning on the ground around him. The moment you see the golden rings forming, sprint outward away from his body — the rings expand from his position outward, so moving away from him clears them. Do not roll in place — the rings track your roll position.
5
Handle the dual lightning lance dive. Fortissax rears up and dives with two massive lightning lances aimed at your position. Roll sideways at the last moment — the lances hit where you were standing, not where you are rolling to. After landing he is briefly stationary — sprint to his head immediately and land your hardest attacks during this extended punish window.
→
He is weak to Scarlet Rot: like most dragons in Elden Ring, Fortissax takes significant damage from Scarlet Rot. Apply it with Rot Pots or Rotten Breath incantation — two full applications deal roughly 15–20% of his health passively. A high Arcane build with Rotten Breath can apply Rot repeatedly, trivialising his large health pool.
→
Recommended level 90–100: Fortissax is a mid-to-late optional boss found in the Deeproot Depths area. Arrive at Soul Level 90+ with a +20 or higher weapon. His death lightning attacks hit hard but his health pool is moderate compared to main story bosses at the same progression point.
→
Lightning resistance helps significantly: equip the Pearldrake Talisman and any armor with good lightning resistance to reduce his lightning lance damage. The Dragonscale set and Bull-Goat armor both have solid lightning resistance — reducing the damage from his primary attack type makes the fight much more forgiving.
→
Spirit summons are effective: Mimic Tear or Black Knife Tiche both perform well — Tiche in particular excels against dragons since her mobility lets her stay out of AoE range while dealing consistent damage. Summon immediately on entry and let your spirit draw his attention while you attack from the safe zone under his body.
→
Drops the Remembrance of the Lichdragon: defeating Fortissax rewards the Remembrance of the Lichdragon — trade it with Enia at the Roundtable Hold for either Dragon’s Heirbloom (a Sacred Seal scaling with Faith) or Fortissax’s Lightning Spear — a powerful incantation that fires a lightning lance identical to his signature attack.
How do you access Lichdragon Fortissax in Elden Ring?
Complete Fia’s questline in the Deeproot Depths — give her the Cursemark of Death obtained from the Divine Tower of Liurnia, exhaust all her dialogue, then interact with her sleeping form to enter the Deathbed Dream where Fortissax resides. He cannot be accessed by any other route.
What is Lichdragon Fortissax weak to?
Fortissax is weak to Scarlet Rot — applying it deals passive damage equal to a percentage of his maximum health. He is also moderately weak to physical damage. He resists lightning significantly, so avoid lightning-infused weapons despite his own lightning-based attacks.
Is Lichdragon Fortissax required to beat Elden Ring?
Fortissax is not required for most endings but is required specifically for Fia’s questline and the Age of Duskborn ending. Defeating him also rewards the Remembrance of the Lichdragon which can be exchanged for Fortissax’s Lightning Spear — one of the strongest lightning incantations available.
How do I dodge the Death Lightning rings from Fortissax?
Sprint away from his body the moment the golden rings appear on the ground — the rings expand outward from his position, so moving away from him clears them. Do not roll in place as the rings track and hit within their radius. Sprinting perpendicular to the rings or directly away from Fortissax consistently avoids the attack.