How to beat Golden Hippopotamus in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree

The Golden Hippopotamus is a boss in Elden Ring’s Shadow of the Erdtree DLC with fewer strikes than bosses like Divine Beast Dancing Lion and Rellana, Twin Moon Knight. However easy doesn’t imply innocent. One unsuitable transfer will land you in serious trouble.

Our Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree information covers tips on how to beat the Golden Hippopotamus, together with its weaknesses and one of the best methods to arrange your self for the problem.

Golden Hippopotamus location in Elden Ring DLC

The Golden Hippopotamus sits within the central courtyard of Shadow Maintain, and it’s the primary enemy you’ll discover within the dungeon when you strategy it from the southern entrance in Scadu Altus. The boss is technically non-compulsory, since it’s also possible to enter Shadow Maintain from the east, however defeating it offers you two Scadutree Fragments to assist improve your fight skills. Taking the Hippo on is price it for that alone.

No NPC allies are right here to assist with the Golden Hippopotamus battle, however you may summon your Spirit Ash companion.

Golden Hippopotamus weaknesses and tips on how to put together

Picture: FromSoftware/Bandai Namco by way of gamerjive

I wasn’t capable of finding any standing ailment weaknesses with the Golden Hippopotamus, although the monstrosity does appear to be weak in opposition to slashing harm. It additionally has low poise, so a couple of casts of gravity magic — Rock Sling is, as ever, a powerful alternative for this battle — or 4 or 5 sturdy assaults needs to be sufficient to interrupt its poise. Even when you miss the hitbox for touchdown a important hit whereas the Golden Hippopotamus’ stance is damaged, attacking its head offers heavy harm.

Swords, greatswords, and daggers are stable choices for this combat. The Backhand Blade won’t have the best scaling, however its swift strikes and distinctive Ash of Battle that permits you to dodge round your goal make it a very good possibility. The Blackgaol Knight’s sword can be a wonderful decide, and when you’re operating a magic construct, any late-game weapon that scales with religion or intelligence works effectively.

Picture: FromSoftware/Bandai Namco by way of gamerjive

For those who’re having an excessive amount of hassle, don’t hesitate to let your Spirit Ash summon do the work, particularly when you have a Mimic Tear. A Tear that’s +6 or larger, with a Revered Spirit Ash degree of 4 or larger, can take down the Golden Hippopotamus nearly fully by itself. Black Knife Tiche, the Nightmaiden and Swordmistress Puppets, and Swordmaster Yosh are sturdy options able to maintaining the Hippo busy when you assault it.

Make certain to improve your weapon as effectively. For those who’ve run out of Smithing Stones or Glovewort, take a detour again to The Lands Between to select up some Bell Bearings for the Maiden Husks.

Learn how to beat Golden Hippopotamus in Elden Ring DLC

The Golden Hippopotamus behaves in a fashion much like Ulcerated Tree Spirits. Most of its deadliest assaults come from its head and mouth, and it makes use of its lengthy physique and neck to achieve far and block you from getting round on. On the brilliant facet, the Hippopotamus’ large dimension and reliance on frontal harm means you will have extra protected spots to strike than regular with main bosses, particularly if a Spirit Ash summon is distracting the Hippo for you.

Golden Hippopotamus boss combat part 1

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The Golden Hippopotamus solely has a couple of assaults in its preliminary part. That will sound comparatively easy to take care of, but it surely tends to chain them collectively and transfer extra shortly than you would possibly anticipate. It’s simple to get caught and flattened earlier than you actually have a probability to react.

The Golden Hippopotamus will in all probability greet you with a gaping maw, because it rushes towards you with mouth broad open. The assault knocks you to the facet and leaves you susceptible to its follow-up, the place the Hippo smashes its head and neck into the bottom a few times. Getting hit by each assaults is sufficient to finish the battle, even when you have excessive vigor and robust armor, so dodge ahead or to the facet once you see it coming.

You will get away from its head slams that method as effectively, although when you see it lunge towards you with its mouth open, roll ahead. It tends to whip its head to the facet after biting, and a sideways dodge would put you in peril.

Picture: FromSoftware/Bandai Namco by way of gamerjive

That’s just about all of the Golden Hippopotamus does on this opening act. Keep away from its mouth, and assault its facet and rear to shortly whittle its HP down.

Golden Hippopotamus boss combat part 2

As soon as the Golden Hippopotamus’ HP drops to the midway level, it stops for a second and sprouts golden, branch-like spines all down its again. You possibly can benefit from this temporary lull to land some extra hits, however don’t linger too lengthy earlier than retreating slightly. The newly coiffed Hippo sends a bathe of holy-infused spikes raining down round it to have fun its new model. It can often repeat this assault once more when you keep near it for an prolonged time period, and it telegraphs it by shaking its physique throughout.

Picture: FromSoftware/Bandai Namco by way of gamerjive

The vary of this assault is roughly two dodge-rolls again from the Hippo, so that you don’t must retreat too far earlier than shifting in for one more strike.

The Golden Hippopotamus might also perform a little spin and ship spikes out in a circle throughout it. Dodging this assault is generally a matter of luck, because the spike unfold is random with a good bit of area between every spike. Rolling sideways is more likely to put you in hurt’s method, so one of the simplest ways to deal with it’s both dodging ahead towards the Hippo — useful, because you’ll be in vary for a couple of assaults afterward whereas the Hippo finishes — or holding up your defend when you have one.

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Probably the most harmful assault occurs when the Hippo leaps into the air. After lingering there for a couple of seconds, it crashes down and rolls ahead. This transfer is exceptionally highly effective and might wipe you out in a single hit in case your HP isn’t full. Given the Hippo’s girth, your finest wager for staying alive is to dodge ahead when it crashes down, or, when you’re positioned farther from the purpose of influence, when it rolls at you.

Picture: FromSoftware/Bandai Namco by way of gamerjive

In my expertise, the Golden Hippopotamus trades its head flops for aggressive bites on this part. It’ll lunge ahead, chew, and jerk its head to 1 facet afterward, so be sure that to maintain staying away from its face when you may. It’ll additionally proceed utilizing the gaping rush assault, which is unchanged.

Each of those assaults offer you an opportunity to get beside or behind the Hippo and use your melee strikes to whittle its well being down shortly. Use sturdy or charged assaults and highly effective weapon expertise to interrupt its poise and deal much more harm.

When you defeat the Hippo, you get the Side of the Crucible: Thorns incantation, impressed by the Hippo’s spines, and two Scadutree Fragments.

In search of extra Shadow of the Erdtree guides? Take a look at our guides on new Elden Ring DLC weapons, armor, map fragments, websites of grace, and talismans. We’ve additionally acquired location guides on the place to search out Scadutree Fragments and Revered Spirit Ashes, and an interactive Elden Ring DLC map.