Want to Know How to Beat Putrescent Knight in Shadow of the Erdtree?

Elden Ring’s long-awaited Shadow of the Erdtree DLC is finally here, bringing new challenges for you to face. One of these is the Putrescent Knight. Here’s everything you need to know to defeat this tough enemy.

The Putrescent Knight is a formidable opponent in Shadow of the Erdtree, equipped with a variety of attacks.

Sometimes, he even fights on his warhorse, making him even more challenging. You’ll need to stay alert and look for the right moments to attack.

While you don’t have to fight the Putrescent Knight to progress in the game, why not take on the challenge?

In this article, I will show you How to Beat Putrescent Knight in Shadow of the Erdtree.

How to Prepare for Putrescent Knight Boss Fight in Shadow of the Erdtree?

You can find the Putrescent Knight at the end of the underground Stone Coffin Fissure area, near the Site of Grace called “Fissure Depths.” To reach there, you’ll need to jump off a high cliff and fall deep into the depths.

Stone Coffin Fissure is located in the south of Cerulean Coast. However, the path is sealed until you break Miquella’s Great Rune as part of the main story.

So, you’ll need to progress in the Shadow of the Erdtree storyline before you can face this boss.

Since the Putrescent Knight deals a lot of damage, it’s best to fight it after upgrading your Scadutree Fragment blessings.

Make sure you have armor with high defense, a shield that blocks 100% physical damage, and enough endurance to carry them without becoming too heavy.

The boss also uses frost attacks, so wearing frost-resistant armor or using items that improve frost resistance will help.

You can summon Thiollier as a cooperator for this fight once you’re in the arena.

Summoning Spirit Ashes is also recommended to make the fight easier, as you’ll be dealing with both the knight and his undead horse.

Remember, this is an optional boss, so you don’t need to fight it to progress the story.

Feel free to come back later, especially after defeating other bosses like Messmer the Impaler.

The main reason to fight the Putrescent Knight is to progress Thiollier’s questline. Make sure to beat the Putrescent Knight before opening the path to Enir-Ilim.

How to Beat Putrescent Knight in Shadow of the Erdtree?

After jumping into the Fissure Depths, you’ll encounter the Putrescent Knight on its undead horse.

It approaches from a distance, giving you time to use a Flask of Wondrous Physick or summon spirit ash before the fight starts.

The Putrescent Knight uses a large skeletal curved blade. It swings the blade down with both hands or uses one hand for combo swings.

These physical attacks can be blocked with a shield that has 100% physical damage reduction and enough stamina.

However, the fight is more complex than it seems. The Putrescent Knight can dismount its horse, performing a dive attack from the air before continuing its assault on the ground with double-handed charging spin attacks.

Meanwhile, the horse also poses a threat. It may be stuck in decaying sludge, but it’s still very fast and can knock you down while you’re focused on the knight.

This is why summoning a Spirit Ash can be very helpful, giving you some breathing room.

Focus on attacking the knight rather than the horse. The horse doesn’t take damage and will sink into the ground after charging, only to resurface and attack again.

If it doesn’t attack, it usually means it’s about to remount the knight, restarting the attack cycle.

Given the strength of its attacks, it’s best to fight defensively. Block the knight’s attacks with your shield and dodge the horse’s charges.

After the knight attacks, counter with your strongest moves while it recovers. Be cautious, as the knight can throw its curved blade like a boomerang.

When the horse’s sludge lifts the knight high up, get away immediately. The knight will unleash a deadly attack, firing sludge projectiles that burst into blue flames, dealing frost damage.

These are hard to dodge and can still hurt even when blocked.

Alternatively, the knight might spread sludge in an area-of-effect (AOE) attack that ignites into frost flames, signaling you to move away.

Stay defensive, using openings to attack or heal. Avoid healing while the boss is in a combo or attacking with consecutive waves like the frost flame barrage.

The Putrescent Knight is susceptible to bleed damage and can be staggered, so seize opportunities to land extra hits. With Spirit Ash’s help, you can defeat this challenging boss more quickly than expected.

Rewards After Beating Putrescent Knight in Shadow of the Erdtree

When you defeat the Putrescent Knight and its horse, you’ll earn 220,000 Runes and receive the Remembrance of Putrescence.

You can either consume this for more runes or exchange it with Finger Reader Enia at the Roundtable Hold for new items.

After the battle, you can explore further into the depths, leading to a garden that houses St. Trina.

This area is significant if you’re looking to progress Thiollier’s questline. The ultimate question you’ll face there is: will you “imbibe of the nectar”?