Mastering Godfrey: Cheesing Strategies For The First Elden Lord Spirit

how to cheese godfrey the first elden lord spirit

Cheesing Godfrey, the First Elden Lord Spirit, in *Elden Ring* requires exploiting specific mechanics to simplify the fight. One effective strategy involves using the Rancor or Golden Vow incantations to boost your damage output, combined with a high Poise build to trade blows effectively. Positioning is key; stay close to Godfrey to avoid his wide-ranging attacks and punish him during his slower combos. Additionally, summoning Latenna the Albinauric can distract Godfrey, allowing you to focus on dealing damage. For melee builds, the Rivers of Blood katana or a bleed-focused weapon can quickly whittle down his health. Magic users can spam Carian Slicer or Glintstone Pebble from a safe distance, while ranged players can use the Erdsteel Arrow to chip away at his health. Patience and timing are crucial, as Godfrey’s aggressive phase transitions demand adaptability. By combining these tactics, you can cheese the fight and claim victory with minimal risk.

Characteristics Values
Boss Name Godfrey, First Elden Lord (Spirit)
Location Crumbling Farum Azula
Cheese Strategy Core Concept Exploit the arena and summon's AI to minimize direct confrontation
Recommended Summon Black Knife Tiche (Ashen Remains found in Nokron, Eternal City)
Arena Feature Large platform with a narrow ledge on the right side
Cheese Position Stand on the narrow ledge near the fog gate
Summon Position Black Knife Tiche will aggro Godfrey and tank most attacks
Player Role Primarily focus on dodging and healing, letting Tiche deal damage
Godfrey's AI Behavior Often gets stuck trying to reach the player on the ledge
Phase Transition Cheese works for both phases, but phase 2 requires more careful positioning
Damage Output Tiche's bleed buildup can significantly weaken Godfrey
Risk Factor Requires precise timing and knowledge of Godfrey's attack patterns
Recommended Level 100-125 (for optimal summon effectiveness)
Equipment Suggestion Flask of Crimson Tears, Golden Vow (optional for damage boost)
Success Rate High with practice and proper execution
Alternative Summons Mimic Tear (less effective due to lower bleed damage)
Patch Relevance Effective as of patch 1.06 (latest data)

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Exploit Godfrey's Slow Start

Godfrey, the First Elden Lord, is notorious for his relentless aggression and punishing combos, but his fight begins with a deliberate, almost ceremonial pace. This slow start is your window of opportunity to gain a decisive advantage. By exploiting this brief vulnerability, you can dictate the flow of the battle and significantly reduce its overall difficulty.

Here’s how to capitalize on Godfrey’s initial hesitation:

Step 1: Positioning and Baiting

As the fight begins, Godfrey stands motionless for a few seconds, his weapon lowered. Use this moment to position yourself directly in front of him, just out of his attack range. Avoid circling or retreating, as this can trigger his faster, more aggressive behavior prematurely. Instead, bait him into his first attack—a slow, telegraphed overhead strike. This initial move is easily dodged with a well-timed roll, leaving him momentarily exposed.

Step 2: Punish with Precision

After dodging his overhead strike, Godfrey enters a brief recovery animation. This is your cue to strike. Aim for 2-3 light attacks or a single heavy attack, depending on your weapon’s speed and damage output. Avoid greedily extending your combo, as Godfrey’s poise is high, and overcommitting can leave you vulnerable to his counterattacks. The goal here is to chip away at his health while maintaining a defensive posture.

Step 3: Maintain Pressure, But Don’t Overcommit

Godfrey’s slow start lasts only for the first 10-15 seconds of the fight. Once he enters his second phase, his attacks become faster and more unpredictable. To maximize your advantage, continue to bait and punish his slower attacks, but prioritize survival over damage. Use this phase to familiarize yourself with his attack patterns and identify openings for safer, more consistent damage.

Cautions and Considerations

While exploiting Godfrey’s slow start is effective, it’s not without risks. Avoid using slow or heavy weapons during this phase, as they can leave you exposed to his follow-up attacks. Additionally, be mindful of your stamina management—dodging and attacking recklessly can leave you defenseless against his relentless combos. Finally, if you’re using a summon or spirit ash, position them to draw Godfrey’s aggro while you focus on precise, calculated strikes.

By capitalizing on Godfrey’s slow start, you can gain a significant health advantage and establish control over the fight’s rhythm. This strategy requires patience, precision, and a deep understanding of his attack patterns. While it’s not a guaranteed victory, it’s a reliable method to tilt the odds in your favor and make the battle more manageable. Remember, the key is to strike when he’s vulnerable and retreat when he’s not—a balance that, when mastered, can turn one of Elden Ring’s most daunting bosses into a calculated dance.

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Use Poison or Bleed Buildup

Poison and bleed buildup offer a cunning way to dismantle Godfrey, Spirit of the First Elden Lord, by exploiting his massive health pool and relentless aggression. Unlike direct damage strategies, this approach relies on cumulative effects, whittling him down over time while you focus on survival.

The Mechanics:

Poison and bleed are status ailments that deal damage over time once their respective meters fill. Godfrey’s large health bar makes him an ideal target for these tactics, as even modest buildup translates to significant damage. Poison inflicts steady, continuous harm, while bleed deals burst damage when triggered. Both bypass his defenses, making them effective against his high physical resistance.

Weapon and Build Optimization:

To maximize buildup, equip weapons with innate poison or bleed properties, such as the Rivers of Blood katana or Misericorde dagger. Pair these with talismans like the Lord of Blood’s Exultation to heal on bleed procs, sustaining your survivability. For poison, the Snake-Eye or Poison Moth Knife can apply the status quickly. Use Seppuku or Ekzykes’s Rise ashes for additional buildup when Godfrey is staggered or during openings.

Execution Strategy:

Engage Godfrey from medium range, baiting his sweeping attacks to create opportunities for strikes. Focus on landing 1-2 hits at a time to avoid overextending, as his combos can be devastating. Once poison or bleed meters fill, disengage momentarily to let the damage tick while you reposition. Repeat this cycle, prioritizing dodging over greed for damage.

Cautions and Counterplay:

Godfrey’s second phase introduces a golden aura that reduces status buildup, so time your poison or bleed procs for phase one. Avoid overcommitting to attacks, as his poise and hyperarmor make trading blows risky. If using bleed, monitor your health closely, as the Lord of Blood’s Exultation talisman’s healing scales with damage dealt, potentially saving you from fatal mistakes.

Poison and bleed buildup transform Godfrey’s fight from a test of brute force to a game of patience and precision. By leveraging status ailments, you can bypass his formidable defenses and chip away at his health while minimizing direct confrontation. This strategy rewards adaptability and resource management, making it a satisfying and effective cheese tactic for this challenging boss.

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Abuse Roll Catch Attacks

Roll catch attacks are a cornerstone of exploiting Godfrey, the First Elden Lord Spirit, in *Elden Ring*. These attacks, triggered when an enemy predicts and punishes your roll, can be manipulated to create openings in Godfrey’s otherwise relentless assault. By intentionally rolling into his attacks, you force him into a predictable roll catch animation, often a heavy strike with significant recovery time. This window is your opportunity to strike back.

To execute this strategy, time your rolls to coincide with Godfrey’s wind-ups, particularly during his slower, more telegraphed attacks. For example, his sweeping greatsword combo often leaves him vulnerable after the second strike. Roll directly into the second swing, ensuring you’re within range for his roll catch. Immediately after his attack connects, he’ll pause briefly—this is your cue to unleash a light, fast combo or a single heavy strike. Aim for 2-3 hits to maximize damage without overcommitting.

Caution is key. Roll catch attacks deal massive damage, but Godfrey’s tracking is exceptional. If your roll is mistimed, you’ll eat a full combo instead of baiting the catch. Practice in the first phase, where his speed is manageable, before attempting this in the more chaotic second phase. Additionally, monitor your stamina; rolling unnecessarily or failing to capitalize on the opening will leave you defenseless.

The beauty of this tactic lies in its simplicity and reliability. Unlike parrying or exploiting AI bugs, roll catch abuse leverages core game mechanics, making it consistent across playstyles and builds. For melee characters, pair this with a shield to block or deflect non-catchable attacks. Casters can use the opening to land a single, high-damage spell like *Comet Azur* or *Ancient Death Rancor*. With patience and precision, roll catch attacks transform Godfrey’s aggression into your greatest advantage.

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Summon Spirits for Distraction

One effective strategy to cheese Godfrey, the First Elden Lord Spirit, involves leveraging summoned spirits as a distraction, allowing you to focus on dealing damage while the boss is preoccupied. This tactic hinges on positioning, timing, and understanding the AI behavior of both the boss and the summoned allies. By placing your spirits in strategic locations, you can manipulate Godfrey’s aggro, forcing him to target them instead of you. This method is particularly useful for players struggling with the boss’s aggressive combos or those seeking to minimize damage taken.

To execute this strategy, begin by summoning your spirits just outside the boss arena. Position them slightly off-center, ensuring they engage Godfrey immediately upon entering the fight. The key is to time your summon so that the spirits draw aggro before you approach. Once Godfrey is locked onto the spirits, circle around the arena perimeter, staying just out of his immediate range. Use this window to chip away at his health with ranged attacks or high-damage spells, prioritizing consistent, safe damage over risky melee strikes.

While this approach is effective, it’s not without risks. Godfrey’s AI is designed to switch targets if he loses sight of his primary enemy or if the spirits are defeated too quickly. To counter this, ensure your summoned spirits have sufficient health and damage output to withstand his attacks for at least 20-30 seconds. Spirits like the Black Knife Tiche or the River Spirit Latenna are excellent choices due to their durability and ability to deal sustained damage. Additionally, keep a healing flask ready in case Godfrey breaks from the spirits and targets you unexpectedly.

A critical aspect of this strategy is maintaining distance and avoiding greed. While it’s tempting to rush in for high damage, doing so can disrupt the aggro and cause Godfrey to refocus on you. Instead, adopt a patient playstyle, striking only when safe and retreating immediately afterward. If the spirits are defeated, quickly resummon them or use the opportunity to heal and reposition. This method requires practice but can significantly reduce the fight’s difficulty once mastered.

In conclusion, summoning spirits for distraction is a viable cheese tactic against Godfrey, the First Elden Lord Spirit, provided you understand its mechanics and limitations. By strategically placing and managing your spirits, you can control the boss’s aggro, minimize damage, and create opportunities for safe, consistent attacks. While it demands precision and patience, this approach can turn an otherwise daunting fight into a manageable encounter, making it an invaluable tool for players aiming to overcome this challenging boss.

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Focus on Phase 1 Weaknesses

Godfrey, the First Elden Lord, is a formidable foe in *Elden Ring*, but his Phase 1 has exploitable weaknesses that can turn the tide in your favor. By understanding his attack patterns and capitalizing on his vulnerabilities, you can "cheese" this phase with relative ease. The key lies in recognizing his slower, more predictable moveset and using it to your advantage.

One of the most effective strategies is to focus on his heavy, telegraphed attacks. Godfrey’s Phase 1 relies heavily on slow, sweeping strikes that leave him open for extended periods. For example, his two-handed overhead slam has a long wind-up, giving you ample time to dodge and punish. Position yourself at mid-range, bait this attack, and then sprint in for a few strikes during his recovery. Repeat this process, and you’ll whittle down his health bar efficiently. Pro tip: Use a shield with high poise or a fast weapon like a dagger to maximize your counter-attacks without risking punishment.

Another weakness to exploit is his lack of mobility during certain combos. Godfrey often commits to multi-hit sequences that lock him into animations. For instance, his three-hit spear combo leaves him stationary for several seconds. During this window, circle around him and strike his back, where his defenses are weaker. Caution: Avoid greediness—limit your attacks to 2-3 hits to ensure you can disengage before he recovers.

Magic and ranged users can also capitalize on Phase 1’s predictability. Godfrey’s slow movements make him an easy target for high-damage spells like Comet Azure or Carian Slicer. Cast from a distance, and time your spells to coincide with his long recovery animations. For bow users, aim for his head during his overhead slam for critical damage. Practical tip: Equip the Magic Scorpion Charm to increase your spell damage and reduce the number of casts needed.

Finally, don’t underestimate the power of summons and flask management. Summoning spirits like the Black Knife Tiche can distract Godfrey, allowing you to focus on punishing his mistakes. Additionally, use Golden Vow and Flask of Crimson Tears to boost your damage and survivability. Takeaway: By combining these tactics, you can turn Phase 1 into a methodical, low-risk process, setting the stage for a smoother transition into Phase 2.

Frequently asked questions

The most effective method is to use a combination of ranged attacks and poison or rot damage. Summon a spirit ash like the Black Knife Tiche to distract Godfrey while you attack from afar with a poisoned or rotted weapon.

Weapons with innate poison or rot damage, such as the Fanged Imp’s Crossbow or the Rotten Stray Ash of War, work well. Alternatively, use a high-damage ranged weapon like the Pulley Crossbow with poison bolts.

Yes, using spells like Carian Slicer or Golden Vow combined with a summon can help. Stay at a distance and cast spells while your summon tanks Godfrey’s attacks.

Black Knife Tiche is highly recommended due to her agility and ability to deal consistent damage. Other summons like the River of Blood Spirit Ash can also work well.

In Phase 1, focus on ranged attacks and let your summon handle aggro. In Phase 2, maintain distance and dodge his sweeping attacks while continuing to chip away at his health with poison or rot damage.

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