How to Beat the Cemetery Shade - Elden Ring

Rewards:
- Weeping Peninsula – Lhutel the Headless, 2200
- Caelid – Kindred of Rot Ashes
Summons Available: Yes

Found at the end of the Tombsward Catacombs dungeon in Weeping Peninsula, this is your first encounter with the Cemetary Shade, a boss that shows up a few times throughout the game. It’s got fast attacks and can move around quickly, but fortunately, it doesn’t have much of a health bar and is weak to holy damage.

General Tips

While the boss is very slippery, it also has a low amount of health. Use any spirit summons to distract it, which will allow you to deal significant damage.

Melee Strategy

Not only is this boss able to chain several quick attacks in a row, some of them are also slightly delayed, which can make it difficult to find an opening to punish the boss. Luckily, there is one attack that leaves the boss vulnerable for a small window.

If you’re having trouble dodging the boss’s attacks, you could try to wait until they use the Flurry from the gif above, and just run around in front of them until they do. However, if you choose to try and dodge the boss’s attacks, be mindful of the delay on some of its swings.

If you use any summons, wait for the boss to be distracted before punishing them, which should end the fight relatively quickly, considering their meager hp pool.

Ranged Strategy

Considering this boss can teleport around, landing a spell might prove difficult. However, you can simply use a summon and kill the boss in just a few spells. However, stay vigilant, as if they’re not already trying to attack your summons, they could very quickly close the distance and punish you.

Moveset

Paralyzing Projectile: After a long cast time, the boss will throw a quick projectile that will make you unable to move, and leave you open for a grab dealing high damage.
Flurry: Flurry of blows while moving forward, ending with a slam.
Forward Lunge: The boss teleports towards the player, and lunges forward with both of its blades. Can be followed up with a vertical slash.
Delayed Circular Slashes: After a small delay, the boss initiates a series of circular blows.
Double Slash: Two slightly delayed slashes, that often come after the boss teleports towards the player.