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Among the plethora of knightly adversaries inElden Ring, Black Knight Garrew stands out as one of the most formidable foes in theShadow of the ErdtreeDLC. Distinguished by his tanky armor, which enhances his menacing presence, and imposing Greatshield, he wields a devastating mace capable of smashing players to the ground, making for an exceptionally tough and challenging encounter.
This boss is especially daunting for magic users due to his robust defensive capabilities and stagger-inducing attacks. However, he presents a thrilling challenge for Strength-based melee fighters, who may have their eye on his formidable Greatshield, which can be acquired as a reward for their victory. Confronting this intimidating knight requires a carefully curated strategy and effective weapons, skills, and items to help bring him down.
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With five unique Perfume Bottles available in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree, players can create powerful builds based on each weapon’s damage type.
Where To Find Black Knight Garrew
Fog Rift Fort Dungeon
Black Knight Garrew can be found patrolling insideFog Rift Fort, a dungeon situated in Scadu Altus, the second area players explore in the Land of Shadow. To reach Scadu Altus, players must first navigate throughCastle Ensis inElden Ring, clearing the dungeon and defeating Rellana, the Twin Moon Knight.
Upon entering Scadu Altus, head to the’Scadu Altus, West' Site of Graceto find the most straightforward path to Fog Rift Fort. You must complete a jumping puzzle using your Spectral Steed from the cliff edge in front of the Site of Grace. Carefully descend onto each rocky platform until you reach the top of the fort’s tower.
Conveniently, you will find a Summoning Pool statue here to assist with this encounter and a Stake of Marika. This allows you to respawn and continue from this point upon death, eliminating the need to return to the Site of Grace and drop down the platforms again.
Dismount fromElden Ring’s horse, Torrent, and eitherclimb or slide down the ladder. At the bottom, you will encounter two spear-wielding soldiers directly in front of you, surrounded by explosive barrels. Additionally, be cautious of two more armed soldiers concealed behind the barrels, waiting to ambush.
It may be best to confront and eliminate these enemies first, as they may otherwise follow you into the boss fight, significantly increasing the difficulty. You can shoot the exploding barrels from a distance to inflict serious damage on all of them, making the encounter more manageable.
After clearing theenemies inElden Ring, cross the bridge and proceed straight through the small stone archway. Then,make the next left to cross another small bridge. In the following area, you will find Black Knight Garrew patrolling the grounds and guarding the entryway behind him.
How To Defeat Black Knight Garrew
Boss Fight Preparation
Examining Black Knight Garrew’s combat features and abilities in the table below will aid players in devising effective strategies and preparations to defeat him:
9,792 HP
123
65
Weakness
A key feature that players should note is that Black Knight Garrew can be parried. Those equipped with amelee build inElden Ringmust time their hits precisely to collide with his formidable mace,breaking his stance through successful parries.
Once his stance is broken or successfully parried, he becomes vulnerable to a Critical Hit. This can be a game-changer in the battle, allowing players to deal significant damage and gain the upper hand.
Melee fighters may face challenges as Black Knight Garrew resists Slash attacks, makingweapons like Katanas less effective. However, he is vulnerable to various damage types inElden Ring, offering players several weapon choices.
Be sure toapply an affinity to your weapon with one of the elements the boss is weak in. Alternatively, consider using aLightning Perfume Bottle build inElden Ring, known as one of the strongest Perfumer builds, to maximize your damage output against him.
Bringing items or weapons that inflict the status effects of these effective damage types mentioned in the table can also be very useful against Black Knight Garrew. Avoid Madness altogether, as he is immune to this effect, making it entirely ineffective and harmful to players with no real benefit.
Utilizing throwable items like Sleep orRot Potsor coating your armament with Poison Grease are effective strategies for gaining an extra edge in the battle.
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In Elden Ring, Scadu Atlus is the secondary region in the Shadow Realm, with many Grace Sites that players can activate, gaining more rest points.
Boss Fight Strategy & Moveset
Black Knight Garrew possesses a variety of attacks in his roster, which players can effectively counter with the right skills and moves. Below is an overview of hiskey attacks and potential counterstrategies:
The main purpose of Black Knight Garrew’s Shield Bash weapon skill is to deplete your Stamina bar. If you block this attack, it inflicts substantial Stamina damage and will likely break your stance unless you have a very high Endurancestat inElden Ring.
In addition to his heavy-melee attacks, Black Knight Garrew also has ranged options using his Incantation-bolstered mace. Stay close to him during the fight to prevent him from using these ranged attacks. Be aware that his attacks areextremely slow and deliberate, which can be deceptive and catch players off guard.
To better manage this,SweetJohnnyCage - Narrated Guides & Walkthroughssuggests paying close attention to the hand that wields the mace.Roll as soon as his hand starts moving toward you, as rolling even a tick too early can result in you moving directly into the attack he is winding up.
Players can also use his delayed attacks to their advantage. Although it may seem counter-intuitive and daunting, staying close to him and sprinting around to his back can create opportunities for backstabs. By exploiting his slow wind-up animations, you canchain together successive backstabs, dealing significant damage.
Use heavier weapons that can stagger Garrew due to his low poise and build that facilitate easy backstabbing. Magic users may find this fight particularly challenging because Garrew frequently keeps his shield up. Using any bulky weapon will help you counter his Shield Blam effectively.
Black Knight Garrew consistently maintains his guard and responds with shield attacks or powerful guard counters. Employing techniques that bypass his guard will significantly ease the battle. For example, using aColossal weapon inElden Ringcaneffectively stun-lock him, making the encounter much more manageable.
One of the more unusual and unique attacks in Black Knight Garrew’s moveset is his frog-like tongue attack, which pulls players into his melee range. This move isalways followed by another attack, so be prepared to dodge, block, or parry it. Successfully doing so will prevent him from landing additional hits on you.
Rewards For Beating The Black Knight Grew Boss
Black Steel Greatshield
Upon successfully defeating Black Knight Garrew, you will receive 80,000Runes inElden Ring, along with the formidable Black Steel Greatshield he used in battle. Additionally,inside the chest of the towerhe guards, you will find aSmithing Stone [7].
TheBlack Steel Greatshield, as demonstrated by Black Knight Garrew, is an excellent defensive weapon to own, boasting significant offensive capabilities. With the ability tofuse it with various Ashes of War, it is one of the best and most powerful Greatshields available, especially when upgraded to its maximum level:
FP 10
Passive
-
Since it’s aStrength scaling weapon inElden Ring, the Black Steel Greatshield is ideal for Strength-based players, particularly those who favor a tank-based strategy with a heavy build. The skill’s mana usage is also relatively low, and its upgrade materials are affordable and easy to find throughout the landscape.
