How to Beat Maliketh, the Black Blade in Elden Ring
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Elden Ring
How to Beat Maliketh, the Black Blade in Elden Ring
Phase 2 — Maliketh, the Black Blade
Tips
Maliketh is one of the most mechanically demanding bosses in Elden Ring because Phase 2 turns every mistake into a health and tempo problem. The max HP reduction forces you to play decisively, which is why fast damage strategies tend to work better here than slow defensive ones.
The fight also has one of the most important optional tools in the late game: the Blasphemous Claw. If you have it, several of Maliketh’s glowing gold Phase 2 attacks become punish windows instead of panic moments.
And because this boss sits near the end of Crumbling Farum Azula, this guide connects naturally with How to get to Farum Azula before the fight and with How to beat Godfrey after it, since Maliketh is part of the late-game boss chain.
⚡ Quick Answer
Phase 1 — Beast Clergyman
Maliketh has two phases. In Phase 1 he is the Beast Clergyman — stay aggressive and attack constantly to interrupt his combos. In Phase 2 his Black Blade attacks reduce your maximum HP temporarily — play fast and end the fight quickly before the HP reduction stacks. Bleed can work very well here, especially for ending Phase 2 quickly. Use the Blasphemous Claw item found in Farum Azula to parry his most dangerous Phase 2 attacks. Recommended level: 110–120. If you still need to reach the zone, see How to get to Farum Azula.
1
Stay in his face and attack constantly. The Beast Clergyman is most dangerous when you give him space — he throws bone fragments and ground-slam projectiles at range. Staying close limits his options to melee attacks which are more readable. Hit him 2–3 times after each of his swings.
2
Watch for the ground slam projectile burst. He slams the ground and sends out a fan of bone shards — dodge sideways through them. After the burst he pauses briefly before resuming — use this pause for 2–3 quick hits before he recovers into the next attack string.
3
Phase 2 triggers at around 50% HP. He leaps into the air dramatically and transforms — this transition is cinematic but does not deal damage. Use the transformation time to heal and reposition before Phase 2 begins.
4
His Black Blade attacks reduce your max HP. Any hit from his sword or its projectiles applies a debuff that temporarily lowers your maximum health bar — repeated hits stack this effect. This is the defining pressure of Phase 2: you must end the fight quickly before your effective HP drops too low to survive his hits.
5
Dodge toward him through his leaping attacks. Maliketh frequently leaps across the arena and slashes mid-air. Dodge toward his landing point rather than away — the hitbox trails behind his movement, so moving into him clears the attack entirely. Backing away puts you exactly where the hitbox travels.
6
Use the Blasphemous Claw to parry his glowing gold attacks. When Maliketh’s blade flashes gold in Phase 2, the Blasphemous Claw can deflect specific attacks and stagger him for a huge punish window. The item is not found in a chest — it is dropped by Recusant Bernahl in Farum Azula if his questline conditions are met.
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Black Knife Tiche is the best summon for this fight — she is extremely mobile and dodges most of Maliketh’s attacks naturally, surviving far longer than tank summons like Mimic Tear. Her damage output is also strong enough to meaningfully shorten the fight.
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Bleed builds can end Phase 2 very fast — fast bleed weapons are a strong option if you want to shorten the fight before the max HP reduction becomes a problem. If you prefer a safer route, compare with Best Strength build.
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Use pillars for cover — the Farum Azula arena has stone pillars scattered around it. In Phase 2 running around a pillar resets his positioning and gives you a moment to heal safely, especially after taking a Black Blade hit that reduced your max HP.
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Defeating Maliketh transforms Leyndell permanently into the Ashen Capital — several NPCs, quests, and items in the original city become inaccessible after this fight. Complete all Leyndell business before entering Farum Azula.