Oh no, Elden Ring's new update makes Malenia even harder
Update 1.04 made it so Malenia's lifesteal work even when she misses
Elden Ring's new update apparently includes a bug that makes the Malenia boss fight even tougher than it already was - and it's worth noting that it's already considered one of the hardest bosses not just in Elden Ring, but in Souls games more generally.
Before Elden Ring patch 1.04, Malenia would gain some of her health back every time she landed a hit on you, but now, she's healing even when she misses. It's an optional boss fight, thank the Elden Lord, but if you are brave enough to take on The Blade of Miquella, be prepared to deal with another frustrating obstacle, at least until FromSoftware patches this pesky big out.
malenia_is_healing_without_actually_hitting_the from r/Eldenring
Fortunately, patch 1.04 isn't just a big ol' buggy buff for Malenia; it also has some goodies for Tarnished brandishing Colossal swords and magic attacks. Most notably, Colossal swords' weapon attack speed and two-handed attack damage have been increased, while recovery time for this weapon class has been reduced, allowing you to get back into the action more quickly after an attack.
As for magic buffs, the following spells have had their casting speed increased and recovery time decreased: Crystal Barrage, Grave of Haima, Shatter Earth, Ranni's Dark Moon, and Rennala's Full Moon. While the Malenia boss fight seems pretty broken right now, at least these nerfs can help give you an edge, no matter how tiny.
We've reached out to Bandai Namco to ask about the Malenia glitch and we'll update this article if we hear back.
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After scoring a degree in English from ASU, I worked as a copy editor while freelancing for places like SFX Magazine, Screen Rant, Game Revolution, and MMORPG on the side. Now, as GamesRadar's west coast Staff Writer, I'm responsible for managing the site's western regional executive branch, AKA my apartment, and writing about whatever horror game I'm too afraid to finish.