Messmer the Impaler is one of the main bosses in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree that players will get to encounter at the top of the Shadow Keep Legacy Dungeon almost halfway through the DLC. He isn’t the final boss of the DLC but defeating him is mandatory to progress ahead in the story to reach the final area of the Realm of Shadow.
Messmer the Impaler has a wide variety of attacks including flame, explosions, spear thrusts and swipes, AOEs, and snake transformations. Moreover, he has a swift attack pattern that gives you little room to punish him and if you over-push the limit, you might face an unfortunate fate. However, there are some ways through which you can make this fight easy for yourself and get more openings on him to deal great damage.
This guide will help you how to defeat Messmer the Impaler in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree.
Where to Find Messmer the Impaler in Shadow of the Erdtree
Messmer the Impaler is the final boss of the Shadow Keep Legacy Dungeon located in the Scadu Altus region. He can be found at the top of the Shadow Keep behind the door to the Dark Chamber Entrance Site of Grace. However, reaching the Dark Chamber will require you to reach the Specimen Storehouse and then start moving up to the higher floors.
Read our detailed guide on how to find Messmer the Impaler for more information.
How to Defeat Messmer the Impaler in Shadow of the Erdtree | Best Strategy
Messmer the Impaler is probably the most relentless foe you will encounter at this point of the DLC as he gives you very little room for breathing. His thrusting and slashing attacks combined in combos with AOE attacks force you to roll away for most of the fight but if you stay close to him instead of keeping a distance, he will do the basic spear attacks and combos for most of the time which are easy to dodge by either rolling to the side and in forward direction. Moreover, to make this easier for yourself, you can use the summon in the boss room on the right side. Interact with the golden message on the floor to summon Hornsent to assist you in the fight.
Furthermore, you can even use the Spirit Ashes or the Mimic Tear as well to assist you in the fight. Fully maxed Mimic Tear will stand its ground until the end of the fight giving you all the openings to attack Messmer from behind with your special attacks, charged attacks, and even ranged attacks while he is fighting the Tear and the summon.
Messmer the Impaler is weak against bleed so using a Dex/Arcane build will help you a lot in this fight. Moreover, since the Mimic Tear uses the same weapon and incantations as yours, equipping yourself with the best bleed weapons and incantations will allow Mimic Tear to deal extensive damage to him.
Messmer the Impaler Fight Strategy
Buff yourself and the weapons with the incantations and then enter the room to summon Mimic Tear. You will have enough time to heal yourself and dodge the incoming explosion attack of Messmer, but it is better to roll to the side at the impact and then roll forward or to the side to dodge the after-explosion. Now, run away to heal yourself and let Mimic Tear attack him. In the meantime, you can summon Hornsent at the arena.
While Messmer is fighting the summon and Mimic Tear, use the special on him from behind. Moreover, follow the dodging pattern mentioned below to take advantage of his following attacks.
Spear Ground Thrust: He will sweep his spear backward and then slide the spear along the ground to thrust in the forward direction. Dodge the sweep by rolling to the side and then rolling to the side or in the forward direction to dodge the thrust. After dodging the thrust, you will be able to get a couple of quick hits on him or even a heavy strike.
Spear Throw: Messmer jumps in the air and throws the spear at your location. Roll in the forward direction to dodge the spear and get close to Messmer to get a couple of quick hits on him.
Flaming Spear Thrust: He will thrust the spear in the forward direction four times. After the first thrust, he will do two thrusts quickly and then a fourth thrust with a delay. Dodge the attack by rolling into him and then attack him with a few quick hits.
Flame Spell and Spear Thrust Combo: He will use a flame spell and then do a double flaming spear thrust and end the attack with another flame spell. Roll backward for the first flame spell and then roll to the side for the thrusts and then roll in the forward direction for the final flame spell. After dodging the attack you can attack him with your special.
Grab Attack: Messmer will lift up his right arm with a fire burning on his hand and he will chase after you. You need to dodge as soon as his arm moves to dodge the attack. If you get caught by it, he will most probably kill you in one hit.
In addition to these normal attacks, he will also use the Flame Spell with Spear Sweep combo where he will use the spear for a sweep attack in between the flame spells. You can easily dodge this attack with the same roll pattern and punish him afterward. Alongside his basic attacks, he also uses a couple of special attacks that you should learn how to dodge and use to your advantage.
Aerial Flaming Spinning Sweep and Thrust: Messmer will coat his spear in flame and then launch himself towards you while spinning and then do an upward thrust to launch himself up and then to the ground. Dodge this attack by rolling to the forward direction first then backward, and then forward. After the attack, you can hit him with your special or heavy attack.
Aerial Flaming Spinning Thrust and Ground Spears: Similar to the previous special attack, Messmer will coat his spear with flame and launch himself into the air to do a spinning sweep, and then follow it up with swift flaming thrusts and then strike on the ground which spawns several spears on the ground after a few moments. You can dodge this attack by rolling in the forward direction for all sweeps, thrusts, and ground spears. It will allow you to get close to Messmer as soon as he finishes the attack and hit him with your heavy attack or special.
Once you have depleted half of Messmer’s HP, he will turn into Base Serpent Messmer. Similar to the starting attack of the fight, he will strike down with an explosive attack as a snake. Dodge this attack by rolling at the impact and then for the after-explosion. After dodging the attack, you can get a quick hit on him.
During the second phase, he will do all of his basic attacks and special attacks as in the previous phase but he will have a few additional attacks.
Quick Dash Thrust: Messmer will dash toward you with a thrusting spear either at the end of one of his basic combo attacks or if you are far from him. Roll to the side to dodge the dash thrust attack.
Three-Hit Snake Bites: Messmer will turn into a snake and do a three-hit snake bite at your position. Roll in any direction to dodge the attack and after dodging the third bite, he will take a moment to transform back. In the meantime, get a couple of swift hits on him.
Charged Snake Bite: Messmer will create a dark aura on the floor and charge a snake at you. Dodge in any direction to dodge the snake.
Charged Snake Bites and Ground Spears: Messmer will create a dark aura on the floor and scream. He will throw four snakes at you two of them in regular timing whereas, the third and the fourth one will come one after the other in a quick succession. Right after the fourth snake bite, he will lunge towards you and strike the flaming spear into the ground spawning several spears on the ground. Dodge the snakes by rolling in any direction and then roll forward to dodge the ground spears to get a hit on him.
However, be aware that if you stay in the aura while he is charging the snakes, it can kill you immediately. Make sure to run out of the aura to be safe and then dodge the incoming attacks.
Rewards
Defeating Messmer the Impaler will give you the following rewards.
400,000 Runes
Remembrance of the Impaler
Messmer’s Kindling
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