Mastering Malenia: Sneaky Strategies To Cheese The Goddess Easily

Cheesing Malenia, the Goddess of Rot in *Elden Ring*, involves exploiting specific strategies to bypass her formidable combat mechanics and secure an easier victory. Players often rely on tactics such as summoning NPC allies like Lettuce the Black Knife or using the Rivers of Blood katana with its bleed buildup to overwhelm her quickly. Another popular method is to abuse her AI by staying at a distance and using ranged attacks or spells, forcing her into predictable patterns. Additionally, equipping items like the Flask of Crimson Tears or utilizing the Bloodhound Step Ash of War can create openings or evade her devastating attacks. While these methods may not align with traditional honorable combat, they offer a practical approach for players struggling to defeat her through conventional means.

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Use Rivers of Blood

Rivers of Blood, a katana with a unique blood loss buildup, is a popular choice for cheesing Malenia due to its ability to inflict rapid bleed procs. This weapon excels against Malenia’s aggressive, high-poise attacks, as it bypasses the need for staggering her and instead focuses on stacking bleed damage over time. To maximize its effectiveness, ensure your character has at least 18/18 dexterity and strength to wield it efficiently, though higher stats (27/18) will significantly boost its damage output. Pair it with the Bloody Slash Ash of War for additional bleed buildup, and consider using the Lord of Blood’s Exultation talisman to heal as you proc bleed, sustaining your health during the fight.

The strategy hinges on exploiting Malenia’s attack patterns. During her slower, more predictable combos, such as her spinning slash or waterfowl dance, dodge through her attacks and punish with light or heavy strikes from Rivers of Blood. Avoid greedily chaining attacks, as Malenia’s poise and counterattacks can punish overextension. Instead, focus on 2-3 strikes per opening, prioritizing bleed buildup over raw damage. Use the weapon’s innate bleed to whittle down her health bar while minimizing your exposure to her devastating combos.

One critical caution is managing your stamina and positioning. Rivers of Blood’s light attacks consume stamina quickly, and Malenia’s relentless pressure can leave you vulnerable if you run out. Practice timing your dodges and attacks to maintain a balance between aggression and defense. Additionally, be mindful of her Scarlet Aeonia phase, where she gains golden damage negation. During this phase, focus on survival rather than damage, using Rivers of Blood’s bleed to chip away at her health while avoiding risky trades.

In conclusion, Rivers of Blood is a high-reward weapon for cheesing Malenia, but it requires precision and patience. Its bleed buildup synergizes perfectly with her aggressive playstyle, allowing you to bypass her poise and stagger resistance. By optimizing your build, mastering her attack patterns, and managing stamina, you can turn this fight into a methodical dance of bleed procs and calculated strikes. While not foolproof, this strategy offers a reliable path to victory for players willing to invest in dexterity-focused builds and practice their timing.

Abuse Bloodhound Step

Bloodhound Step, a skill tied to the Rivers of Blood katana, is a game-changer for cheesing Malenia. Its unique ability to teleport you behind enemies while granting hyper armor makes it a potent tool for exploiting her AI. Here’s how to weaponize it effectively: pair the Rivers of Blood with a high bleed-build character (focus on Arcane and Dexterity), and time your Bloodhound Step activations to dodge her sweeping attacks while positioning yourself behind her. Malenia’s AI locks onto your previous location, giving you a window to unleash bleed procs or chip away at her health.

The key to abusing Bloodhound Step lies in understanding its timing and range. Activate the skill just as Malenia begins her wind-up for a heavy attack, ensuring you teleport behind her during her animation lockout. This minimizes the risk of her turning mid-attack and punishing you. Practice this timing in the first phase to build muscle memory, then replicate it in the second phase when her attacks become more aggressive. Note: Bloodhound Step has a cooldown, so use it sparingly but decisively.

A critical caution: over-reliance on Bloodhound Step can backfire if you’re predictable. Malenia’s AI adapts to repeated patterns, so mix in rolls or sprints to keep her guessing. Additionally, ensure your build prioritizes bleed damage—the Rivers of Blood’s innate bleed effect synergizes with Bloodhound Step’s positioning, allowing you to stack bleed procs while avoiding her deadly waterfowl dance. A well-timed Bloodhound Step followed by a light attack combo can trigger bleed faster than her healing can keep up.

In conclusion, abusing Bloodhound Step against Malenia is a high-reward strategy that hinges on precision, timing, and build synergy. Master its activation window, pair it with a bleed-focused build, and vary your approach to outmaneuver her AI. While not foolproof, this tactic can significantly reduce the fight’s difficulty, turning one of Elden Ring’s most feared bosses into a manageable—if still challenging—encounter.

Exploit Scarlet Rot

Scarlet Rot, a debilitating status effect in Elden Ring, can be a double-edged sword in the fight against Malenia. While it damages both you and her, its area-of-effect nature and lingering damage can be strategically exploited to tip the scales in your favor.

Step 1: Procure Scarlet Rot Sources

To weaponize Scarlet Rot, equip items or spells that inflict it. The Scarlet Aegis talisman passively applies rot to nearby enemies, while Rot Breath or Ekzykes’s Decay spells offer more direct control. Alternatively, infuse your weapon with Seppuku (Ash of War) to coat it in rot temporarily.

Step 2: Positioning and Timing

Malenia’s aggressive combos and waterfowl dance leave her vulnerable to prolonged damage. During phase 1, bait her into tight spaces or corners where the rot’s area effect maximizes contact. In phase 2, time your rot application just before her waterfowl dance, forcing her to endure damage while recovering from her own attack.

Caution: Manage Your Own Rot

Scarlet Rot ticks damage over time, so monitor your health closely. Equip the Antspur Rapier or Radagon’s Soreseal to reduce rot buildup, or use Preserving Boluses to negate it temporarily. Avoid overcommitting to rot strategies if your build lacks resistance.

Exploiting Scarlet Rot against Malenia requires precision and adaptability. While it won’t single-handedly win the fight, it adds a layer of pressure that can force mistakes or whittle her health during openings. Pair it with bleed or poison for maximum effect, and always prioritize your survival in this deadly dance.

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Summon Mimic Tear

The Mimic Tear Ash Summon is a game-changer for cheesing Malenia, Goddess of Rot. This summon creates a copy of your character, complete with your equipped gear, skills, and even your flasks. By leveraging this, you can effectively double your damage output, distract Malenia, and create openings for devastating combos.

To maximize the Mimic Tear's effectiveness, ensure your character build is optimized for damage. Focus on scaling your primary damage stat (Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, or Faith) and equip your most powerful weapon. Infuse it with the appropriate Ash of War for added utility, such as Rivers of Blood for bleed buildup or Golden Vow for buffing both you and your Mimic. Use Flask of Crimson Tears to heal both you and your summon, extending its survival time.

Timing is critical when summoning the Mimic Tear. Activate it during Malenia's slower, more predictable attacks, such as her Waterfowl Dance, to ensure it has time to engage. Position yourself and the Mimic to flank Malenia, forcing her to split her attention. If she targets the Mimic, use this opportunity to unleash high-damage combos. If she targets you, the Mimic will continue to deal damage, potentially staggering her.

While the Mimic Tear is powerful, it’s not invincible. Malenia’s Scarlet Aeoniae and Rot attacks can quickly deplete its health. Keep a Flask of Crimson Tears ready to heal it, and avoid summoning it during her Scarlet Flare, as the AoE damage can instantly kill it. Additionally, the Mimic’s AI is not perfect—it may occasionally get stuck or fail to dodge attacks. Be prepared to intervene if it falters.

The Mimic Tear’s true strength lies in its ability to replicate your playstyle. If you’re a melee build, both you and the Mimic can stagger Malenia with heavy attacks. If you’re a spellcaster, dual casting spells like Comet Azur or Carian Slicer can melt her health bar. Experiment with different builds and strategies to find the most effective synergy between you and your Mimic.

In conclusion, the Mimic Tear is a reliable and versatile tool for cheesing Malenia. By optimizing your build, timing your summon, and managing its health, you can turn this fight into a manageable—even trivial—encounter. With practice, you’ll learn to coordinate with your Mimic to exploit Malenia’s weaknesses, making her once-dreaded Waterfowl Dance a mere inconvenience.

Stunlock with Colossal Weapons

Malenia, Blade of Miquella, is a formidable boss in *Elden Ring*, known for her relentless combos and devastating Scarlet Aeonia attack. One of the most effective cheese strategies to defeat her involves exploiting stunlock with colossal weapons. These heavy, slow-striking weapons can interrupt her attacks and keep her staggered, minimizing the risk of taking damage. The key lies in understanding the timing and positioning required to maximize the stunlock effect.

To execute this strategy, equip a colossal weapon like the Starscourge Greatsword or the Prelate’s Inferno Crozier. These weapons have high poise damage and long hyperarmor frames, allowing you to trade blows effectively. Position yourself at mid-range, just outside her initial attack range, and wait for her to commit to a combo. As soon as she begins her first swing, sprint in and unleash a fully charged heavy attack. The goal is to land the strike during her attack animation, interrupting her and initiating the stunlock. Repeat this process, focusing on timing your attacks to coincide with her recovery frames.

While this method is powerful, it’s not without risks. Malenia’s Waterfowl Dance is particularly dangerous, as it cannot be interrupted once started. To avoid this, monitor her posture and stamina bars closely. If she begins charging the dance, create distance immediately and prepare to dodge. Additionally, ensure your weapon is upgraded to +10 or higher to maximize damage output and reduce the number of strikes needed to stagger her. Using a Flask of Crimson Tears between attempts is also crucial to maintain health and stamina.

Comparing this strategy to others, such as poison or bleed builds, stunlock with colossal weapons offers a more direct and aggressive approach. It requires less reliance on status effects and more on precise timing and positioning. However, it demands higher investment in strength and endurance stats, as well as familiarity with Malenia’s attack patterns. For players who prefer a brute-force solution, this method is both satisfying and effective.

In conclusion, stunlocking Malenia with colossal weapons is a high-risk, high-reward strategy that can trivialize the fight when executed correctly. By mastering the timing, positioning, and weapon choice, players can turn one of the game’s most challenging encounters into a manageable—even predictable—battle. Practice makes perfect, so don’t be discouraged by initial failures. With persistence and precision, you’ll soon be claiming victory over the Goddess of Rot.

Frequently asked questions