If you're struggling with Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree's final boss, don't worry – most of the OG bosses can't beat it even when they're scaled up
Malenia can do it, but are we really surprised about that?
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree's final boss is arguably the toughest foe in the entire action RPG, but it turns out there's a handful of OG bosses who can defeat them – at least when they're scaled up a bit. Warning, there are spoilers ahead for Shadow of the Erdtree's final boss.
In a new YouTube video, content creator BjornTheBear tested who's truly the strongest by pitting Consort Radahn against Elden Ring's original bosses, in what was largely a bloodbath in favor of Miquella's chosen one. However, to make things a little more fair, BjornTheBear gave every boss the same level scaling as Radahn, so it was a true test of how strong their moves and abilities are.
Even with these alterations, there weren't many victors, but perhaps the least surprising one is Malenia. The Blade of Miquella is easily the hardest boss of the base game, and has several large advantages over Consort Radahn in a one-on-one fight. Her second phase gives her a whole new health bar, she can heal herself when she deals damage, and she can inflict Scarlet Rot, which Radahn is weak to. She was still taken to her second phase, so it wasn't a total walk in the park for her, but still a very decisive victory.
Otherwise, we saw wins from Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy, as well as Maliketh, the Black Blade, who can significantly cut his foes' maximum HP and deal damage over time in a truly lethal combination. Mohg, Lord of Blood survived, too, which is quite appropriate given that when he wins against players, he proclaims that "Miquella is mine, and mine alone." While she didn't quite manage to secure a win, it's also worth noting that Rennala, who's usually considered one of the frailest bosses, barely lost – you can't even see any of Radahn's health remaining, but he just managed to hang in there.
Perhaps the most surprising win of all though was at the hands of Starscourge Radahn – the first version of Radahn you fight. Considering that this version is infected with Scarlet Rot and doesn't have Miquella hanging onto his shoulders in phase two to constantly fire out massive Holy attacks, you wouldn't expect him to win, but lo and behold, he did it – largely thanks to his massive meteor strike move obliterating the majority of Consort Radahn's health.
While a few original bosses do have what it takes, the amount who don't definitely help put into perspective how tough Consort Radahn is – if you're struggling with him at all, you're clearly not alone.
If you need any help with the Elden Ring DLC's toughest fight, be sure to check out our guide to beating Shadow of the Erdtree final boss Radahn.
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I'm one of GamesRadar+'s news writers, who works alongside the rest of the news team to deliver cool gaming stories that we love. After spending more hours than I can count filling The University of Sheffield's student newspaper with Pokemon and indie game content, and picking up a degree in Journalism Studies, I started my career at GAMINGbible where I worked as a journalist for over a year and a half. I then became TechRadar Gaming's news writer, where I sourced stories and wrote about all sorts of intriguing topics. In my spare time, you're sure to find me on my Nintendo Switch or PS5 playing through story-driven RPGs like Xenoblade Chronicles and Persona 5 Royal, nuzlocking old Pokemon games, or going for a Victory Royale in Fortnite.