Mastering Astel: Cheesing Strategies For Naturalborn Of The Void

how to cheese astel naturalborn of the void

Cheesing Astel, Naturalborn of the Void, in *Elden Ring* requires exploiting specific mechanics to simplify this otherwise challenging boss fight. One effective strategy involves using the terrain to your advantage by luring Astel into the narrow pathways near the arena's edges, limiting its mobility and making it easier to dodge its sweeping attacks. Additionally, summoning the NPC summon, Bloody Finger Hunter Yura, can distract Astel, allowing you to focus on dealing damage while the boss splits its attention. Equipping poison or scarlet rot weapons, such as the Rotten Stray Ashes or a poison-infused dagger, can also whittle down Astel's health over time, reducing the need for direct confrontation. Finally, using the Rivers of Blood katana or other high bleed-build weapons can quickly accumulate bleed procs, further streamlining the fight. By combining these tactics, players can minimize Astel's threat and secure victory with relative ease.

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Exploit Astel's Slow Start: Use ranged attacks to chip away at health before it becomes aggressive

Astel, Naturalborn of the Void, is notorious for its overwhelming aggression once fully engaged. However, its initial phase offers a window of vulnerability that savvy players can exploit. During the fight's opening moments, Astel moves deliberately, its attacks telegraphed and its defenses less formidable. This slow start is your opportunity to gain a significant advantage by using ranged attacks to chip away at its health before it shifts into high gear.

Step-by-Step Execution:

  • Positioning: Begin the fight by maintaining a medium distance from Astel. This allows you to dodge its initial slow-moving attacks while staying within range for your own strikes.
  • Weapon Choice: Equip a high-damage ranged weapon, such as a bow or crossbow, paired with arrows or bolts infused for maximum effectiveness. For magic users, spells like Great Glintstone Shard or Carian Slicer are ideal.
  • Attack Pattern: Focus on landing precise, high-damage shots during Astel’s wind-up animations. Aim for its core or limbs, as these areas are less likely to trigger immediate retaliation.
  • Resource Management: Conserve stamina and FP (Focus Points) by avoiding unnecessary dodges or spells. Prioritize consistent, calculated damage over flashy combos.

Cautions and Counterplay:

While this strategy is effective, it’s not without risks. Astel’s slow start doesn’t last long, and overcommitting to ranged attacks can leave you vulnerable to its sudden, devastating grabs or area-of-effect spells. Always keep an eye on its posture and be ready to disengage if it begins charging a powerful attack. Additionally, avoid getting greedy with damage—a single mistake during this phase can negate your progress.

Exploiting Astel’s slow start through ranged attacks is a high-reward tactic that requires precision, patience, and awareness. By chipping away at its health before it becomes aggressive, you reduce the overall difficulty of the fight and increase your chances of victory. Master this approach, and Astel’s void-born terror will crumble under your calculated assault.

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Abuse Pillar Strategy: Hide behind pillars to avoid attacks and regain stamina safely

The arena against Astel, Naturalborn of the Void, is a labyrinth of pillars, each one a potential shield against the boss's relentless assaults. These pillars aren't just decorative; they're your lifeline, offering a strategic advantage to outmaneuver and outlast this cosmic horror. By exploiting the arena's layout, you can transform these static structures into dynamic tools for survival and victory.

Harnessing the power of the pillars involves a delicate dance of positioning and timing. When Astel unleashes its devastating beam attack, a swift dodge behind a pillar can mean the difference between life and death. The beam's width is substantial, but the pillars provide a narrow yet effective window of safety. This tactic not least allows you to regain stamina, a crucial resource for both offense and defense in this high-stakes battle.

Mastering the Pillar Dance:

  • Identify Safe Zones: Memorize the positions of pillars that offer complete coverage from Astel's beam. These are your primary sanctuaries.
  • Timing is Key: Anticipate Astel's attack patterns. The beam has a noticeable wind-up, giving you precious seconds to reach a pillar.
  • Stamina Management: Use the cover to chug stamina-recovering items or simply wait for your stamina bar to replenish. Every point of stamina is a potential dodge or attack.

This strategy is particularly effective during the first phase of the battle, where Astel's attacks are more predictable. As the fight progresses, the boss becomes more aggressive, but the pillars remain a constant, reliable defense mechanism.

Advanced Techniques:

For seasoned players, combining pillar hiding with other tactics can further tip the scales in your favor. For instance, using the pillars to break line of sight during Astel's teleportation attack can prevent it from locking onto your position, giving you a momentary advantage. Additionally, certain pillar positions allow for backstabs, dealing significant damage when executed correctly.

Cautions and Considerations:

While the pillar strategy is powerful, it's not without risks. Over-reliance on this tactic can lead to stagnation, especially if Astel adapts its attack patterns. The boss may start targeting pillars, destroying them and leaving you exposed. Therefore, it's crucial to vary your approach, using the pillars as one tool in a diverse arsenal of strategies.

In the battle against Astel, Naturalborn of the Void, the pillars are more than just obstacles—they're strategic assets. By mastering the art of pillar hiding, you gain a powerful method to control the flow of combat, turning the arena's architecture into a weapon against this otherworldly foe. This tactic, when combined with adaptability and a deep understanding of Astel's behavior, can significantly increase your chances of emerging victorious from this cosmic showdown.

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Summon Overload Tactic: Bring multiple summons to distract Astel, focusing on damage during openings

Astel, Naturalborn of the Void, is a formidable boss in Elden Ring, known for its relentless attacks and ability to teleport, making it a challenging encounter for even the most seasoned players. One effective strategy to cheese this boss is the Summon Overload Tactic, which involves bringing multiple summons to distract Astel, allowing you to focus on dealing damage during openings. This approach leverages the game's mechanics to create a numerical advantage, turning the tide of battle in your favor.

To execute this tactic, start by summoning as many allies as possible before engaging Astel. This includes NPC summons like the Black Knife Tiche or the River-raiding Karoll, as well as spirit ashes such as the Ancient Dragon Knights or the War Dogs. The key is to maximize the number of active combatants to overwhelm Astel's aggro management. Position your summons strategically around the arena to ensure they engage the boss from multiple angles, forcing Astel to divide its attention. This constant harassment will create frequent openings for you to strike.

During the fight, prioritize staying mobile and observing Astel's attack patterns. When the boss focuses on your summons, use this opportunity to unleash high-damage combos or charged attacks. Be mindful of Astel's teleportation ability, as it can quickly close the distance or reposition itself to target you. If you're using a melee build, aim for 2-3 hits during each opening to maximize damage without overextending. For ranged builds, pepper the boss with arrows or spells while keeping a safe distance. The goal is to maintain consistent pressure while minimizing your exposure to damage.

One practical tip is to equip items that enhance your summons' durability or damage output, such as the Summoning Pool or the Golden Vow incantation. Additionally, ensure your summons have sufficient health by using the Larval Tear to reset their stats if necessary. Keep a healing flask handy for yourself, as Astel's attacks can be devastating if they connect. Patience is crucial; avoid greedily pursuing damage when the boss is actively targeting you, as this often leads to unnecessary hits.

In conclusion, the Summon Overload Tactic is a highly effective way to cheese Astel, Naturalborn of the Void, by leveraging multiple summons to create distractions and capitalize on openings. By strategically positioning your allies, staying mobile, and focusing on efficient damage output, you can significantly reduce the boss's health while minimizing your risk. This method not only simplifies the fight but also allows players of various builds and skill levels to overcome this challenging encounter.

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Poison Build Advantage: Apply poison consistently to drain health over time with minimal risk

In the relentless battle against Astel, Naturalborn of the Void, a poison build emerges as a cunning strategy, leveraging the insidious nature of toxins to whittle down the boss's health with minimal exposure to danger. The key lies in consistent application, ensuring that the poison’s damage-over-time effect becomes a relentless drain on Astel’s vitality. Unlike direct combat, which often leaves players vulnerable to devastating counterattacks, a poison build allows you to maintain distance and control the flow of the fight. By focusing on this approach, you transform the encounter from a test of brute force to a calculated exercise in attrition.

To execute this strategy effectively, equip weapons or tools that inherently inflict poison or enhance them with poison-infused materials. The Fanged Cleaver or Poison Dart are excellent choices, as they deliver poison with each strike. Pair these with the Poison Knife for ranged application, ensuring you can maintain a safe distance while still contributing to the poison buildup. For a more aggressive approach, the Rivers of Blood katana, when infused with poison, offers both high damage and poison buildup in close quarters. Remember, the goal is not to land a single, decisive blow but to accumulate poison stacks steadily, forcing Astel to contend with a constant health drain.

One of the most significant advantages of a poison build is its synergy with Astel’s attack patterns. During phases where the boss becomes aggressive and unpredictable, such as when it summons void tendrils or performs sweeping attacks, you can retreat and rely on the poison’s damage-over-time effect to continue wearing it down. This minimizes the risk of taking fatal damage while still contributing to the boss’s demise. Additionally, poison scales with the number of stacks applied, meaning consistent, repeated applications are more effective than sporadic, high-damage strikes. Aim for a rhythm of attack and retreat, ensuring poison stacks accumulate steadily without overextending yourself.

However, a poison build is not without its challenges. Astel’s massive health pool requires patience, as the poison’s damage-over-time effect may seem slow at first. To accelerate the process, combine poison with other status effects like bleed or scarlet rot, creating a multi-layered assault that maximizes damage output. For instance, the Bloodhound Step ash of war can be used to close the distance for a quick poison strike before retreating, while the Rotten Stray summon distracts Astel, allowing you to apply poison uninterrupted. This layered approach ensures that even if poison alone feels insufficient, the combined effects of multiple status ailments become overwhelming.

In conclusion, a poison build against Astel, Naturalborn of the Void, is a testament to the power of persistence over power. By prioritizing consistent poison application and leveraging the damage-over-time mechanic, you can drain Astel’s health while minimizing your exposure to risk. Equip the right tools, maintain a strategic distance, and combine poison with other status effects to maximize efficiency. This approach may require patience, but the payoff is a victory achieved through cunning rather than brute force, proving that sometimes the slowest blade is the deadliest.

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Magic Spam Technique: Use high-damage spells like Comet Azure during its long recovery phases

Astel, Naturalborn of the Void, is a formidable foe in Elden Ring, known for its erratic movements and devastating attacks. However, its long recovery phases after certain moves provide a golden opportunity for players to exploit. The Magic Spam Technique, which involves using high-damage spells like Comet Azure during these vulnerable moments, can turn the tide of battle in your favor. This strategy hinges on timing, positioning, and a deep understanding of Astel’s attack patterns.

To execute this technique effectively, begin by observing Astel’s behavior. After it performs a sweeping tentacle attack or its signature void-summoning move, it often enters a prolonged recovery phase. This is your cue to act. Equip Comet Azure, a spell renowned for its massive damage output and wide area of effect. Position yourself at a medium distance—close enough to ensure the spell hits, but far enough to avoid any unexpected counterattacks. Cast Comet Azure as soon as Astel’s recovery animation begins, ensuring the spell connects during its most vulnerable moment. Repeat this process whenever Astel enters another long recovery phase, chipping away at its health bar with each successful cast.

While the Magic Spam Technique is powerful, it’s not without risks. Astel’s arena is fraught with hazards, including void tendrils that can deal significant damage if you’re caught off guard. Additionally, over-reliance on this strategy can deplete your FP (Focus Points) quickly, leaving you vulnerable if the fight drags on. To mitigate these risks, ensure you have sufficient FP-restoring items like Cerulean Flasks and manage your resources carefully. Pairing this technique with occasional melee attacks or other spells can also keep Astel guessing and reduce the strain on your FP.

Comparing this approach to more traditional strategies, such as dodging and punishing with melee attacks, the Magic Spam Technique offers a higher damage-per-second output but requires more precise timing and resource management. It’s particularly effective for players who have invested heavily in Intelligence and have access to powerful spells like Comet Azure. For those with lower Intelligence builds, consider using other high-damage spells like Carian Slicer or Glintstone Pebble, though their effectiveness may vary. Ultimately, the key to success lies in adaptability—know when to spam spells and when to fall back on other tactics.

In conclusion, the Magic Spam Technique is a high-reward strategy for defeating Astel, Naturalborn of the Void. By capitalizing on its long recovery phases with spells like Comet Azure, players can deal massive damage while minimizing risk. However, success depends on careful timing, resource management, and awareness of the battlefield. Master this technique, and Astel’s void-born terror will crumble under the weight of your magical onslaught.

Frequently asked questions

The most common method involves using the Rivers of Blood katana with the Bloody Slash Ash of War. This weapon’s bleed buildup can quickly stagger and defeat Astel, especially when paired with the Sepppi’s or White Mask buffs for increased bleed damage.

Yes, using ranged attacks like the Greatbow or spells like Carian Slicer can be effective. Stay at a distance, dodge Astel’s attacks, and chip away at its health. The Magic Scorpion Charm talisman can also reduce incoming damage, making this strategy safer.

While summons can distract Astel, they often struggle to deal significant damage. However, using a summon like Black Knife Tiche or Lettuce can draw Aggro, allowing you to focus on dealing damage from a safe distance.

Equip the Crimson Amber Medallion to reduce incoming damage and use the Magic Scorpion Charm to negate chip damage. Additionally, stay near the edges of the arena to avoid Astel’s sweeping attacks and focus on punishing after its slower moves.

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