Elden Ring: Ghostflame Dragon (Cerulean Coast) Boss Fight (SOTE)

As you probably know, bosses in Elden Ring are divided into three tiers. From lowest to highest: Field Bosses, Greater Enemy Bosses and finally Demigods and Legends.

Ghostflame Dragon is in the middle tier, Greater Enemy Bosses, and is found outdoors in the Cerulean Coast area of the Land of Shadow. It is an optional boss in the sense that it is not required to defeat it in order to progress the main story of the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion.

So. Another seemingly peaceful grassy field. Another beautiful day in the Land of Shadow. All is good, all is well. Or it would be, if it wasn’t for the huge evil dragon making surprisingly imaginative and elaborate plans to make me its next meal.

Or at least that’s what I think dragons are generally doing, judging entirely by their actions. But maybe they’re really not. Maybe, just maybe, they’re actually trying to pick me up and carry me off to a land of fluffy pillows, rainbows and unicorns where I can dance and laugh and sing forever. But not only does that sound horrible – and if you don’t think so, you clearly haven’t heard my singing – it also seems to me that the dragons are biting way too hard if that’s really what they’re trying to do, so I’m sticking with believing they’re just trying to have me for dinner, and not as a guest.

At sight of the scaly monstrosity, I called in Black Knife Tiche for some stabby goodness and distraction competences while I prepared my favorite dragon attitude readjustment tool, the Bolt of Gransax. Unfortunately, I wasn’t wearing the talismans that boost its damage and in the middle of all the excitement about being just about to adjust yet another dragon’s attitude, I once again forgot to swap talismans, so I did the fight with the ones I use for exploring.

I ended up doing the fight partially ranged and partially melee. Without the mentioned talismans, the Bolt of Gransax didn’t do great damage, and I didn’t have enough focus to keep nuking all the time, so when opportunity presented itself, I made big fat holes in the air with my katanas when the dragon moved away just as I was swinging. Good times and not at all frustrating.

As if having a giant ghostflame-breathing and very grumpy lizard to deal with wasn’t bad enough, several undead warriors decided to join the fight and of course they didn’t side with me. Nobody ever does. I’m starting to wonder if I’m actually the villain in the story. Everybody seems dead set on killing me and surely, they wouldn’t treat the hero like that? Well, unless they’re wrong. Yes, that must be it. I’m obviously the hero, so they’re obviously wrong. I love it when logic and not at all jumping to conclusions makes the truth the only possibility like that.

But I digress. I was talking about the undead warriors. Yes, they obviously sided with the dragon. They’re the annoying kind that are reluctant to stay dead unless you hit them again when they’re down and glowing blue-ish. Or unless you kill them with Holy damage, which is highly effective against them. I actually miss my old Swordspear with Sacred Blade in these situations, but katanas are just more fun.

And now for the usual boring details about my character. I play as a mostly Dexterity build. My melee weapons are the Hand of Malenia and the Uchigatana with Keen affinity. I was level 199 and Scadutree Blessing 10 when this video was recorded, which I think is reasonable for this boss. I’m always looking for the sweet spot where it’s not mind-numbing easy mode, but also not so difficult that I will be stuck on the same boss for hours ;-)

Fan art inspired by this boss fight

Tarnished in Black Knife armor seen from behind facing the Ghostflame Dragon on the Cerulean Coast just before combat. Click or tap the image for more information.

Tarnished in Black Knife armor seen from behind confronting a massive Ghostflame Dragon on the Cerulean Coast. Click or tap the image for more information.

Wide view of the Tarnished in Black Knife armor facing a towering Ghostflame Dragon on the Cerulean Coast before battle. Click or tap the image for more information.

Wide view of the Tarnished in Black Knife armor facing an enormous Ghostflame Dragon on the misty Cerulean Coast. Click or tap the image for more information.

Realistic fantasy view of the Tarnished in Black Knife armor facing a massive Ghostflame Dragon on the Cerulean Coast. Click or tap the image for more information.

Isometric view of the Tarnished in Black Knife armor facing a colossal Ghostflame Dragon on the misty Cerulean Coast. Click or tap the image for more information.

Further Reading

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• Elden Ring: Flying Dragon Agheel (Lake Agheel/Dragon-Burnt Ruins) Boss Fight
• Elden Ring: Bloodhound Knight Darriwil (Forlorn Hound Evergaol) Boss Fight
• Elden Ring: Death Rite Bird (Consecrated Snowfield) Boss Fight