In the mystical realm of Elden Ring’s Shadow of the Erdtree, one formidable foe stands tall: the Divine Beast Dancing Lion. This enigmatic creature, with its mesmerizing dance-like movements and elemental fury, guards the heart of Belurat, Tower Settlement. To conquer this majestic beast, players must master a delicate balance of agility, strategy, and raw power. Dive into our comprehensive guide to uncover the secrets of defeating the Divine Beast Dancing Lion and claim victory in this epic showdown.
Rewards for defeating
Defeating the Divine Beast Dancing Lion in Elden Ring’s Shadow of the Erdtree expansion yields several valuable rewards. Upon victory, players receive His Remembrance, which can be exchanged with Finger Reader Enia for either the Divine Beast Frost Stomp Ash of War or the Engraved Divine Beast Talisman. Alternatively, it can be consumed for a substantial amount of runes. Additionally, players obtain the Divine Beast Head, a unique helmet that boosts Strength, Dexterity, and Storm incantation intensity by 5%, though it reduces the healing effect of flasks.
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For defeating the boss in Belurat, you will receive 120,000 runes, the Divine Beast Head helmet and the Remembrance of the Dancing Lion, which you can exchange for:
- Enraged Divine Beast – talisman, increases the power of storms (Spells and Incantations, Ashes of War, everything with a storm in its name);
- Divine Beast Frost Stomp – ash of war, large frosty area attack.
For defeating the boss in the Ruins of Rauh, you will receive 180,000 runes and the Divine Beast Tornado incantation.
The Divine Beast Dancing Lion in a nutshell
The Divine Beast Dancing Lion is a formidable boss in the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion of Elden Ring, located at the end of the Belurat legacy dungeon. This boss is mandatory to defeat to progress through the DLC. It is known for its aggressive and unpredictable movements, switching between wind, electricity, and ice elements. The fight requires strategic positioning, as staying in the center of the arena is crucial to avoid camera issues and wall presses. The Dancing Lion’s attacks often come in combos, and its grab can inflict significant damage and a status effect that heals the boss when you heal yourself. Defeating it rewards players with 120,000 runes, the Divine Beast Head helmet, and the Remembrance of the Dancing Lion, which can be exchanged for powerful items like the Enraged Divine Beast talisman and the Divine Beast Frost Stomp Ash of War.
- Stay in the center of the arena – don’t let the boss press you against the wall.
- The boss almost always attacks several times in a row – don’t stop defending yourself too early.
- The boss’s melee combos almost always consist of two or four hits.
- Avoid the grab – the grab attack deals massive damage and puts a status on you that will heal the boss if you heal yourself.
- After attacking with the head from above, there is no follow up – this is a good opportunity to attack the enemy.
- The boss switches between three elements – wind, electricity and ice.
- In wind mode, the boss only deals physical damage, which can be fully blocked with a shield.
- When blocking attacks in electric or ice mode, make sure you have plenty of health as some of the damage will go through your block.
- The key in this fight is positioning – avoid being pressed against the wall and the area effects left by the boss’s attacks in electricity and ice modes.
How to fight the Dancing Lion?
To defeat the Divine Beast Dancing Lion, focus on dodging its physical attacks during the first phase. Use roll maneuvers to avoid its bites and slams, positioning yourself for counterattacks. As the fight progresses into Phase 2, the Dancing Lion cycles through elemental powers—lightning, storm, and frost—each introducing unique challenges. For lightning attacks, dodge the lightning spear by moving to the side. In the storm phase, avoid the tornado by running away and then dodging to the side. During the frost phase, back away from ice attacks and jump to avoid ice shards. Utilize Spirit Ashes or summon allies if needed, and be cautious of its breath attacks and grabs, which can leave you vulnerable. Keep an aggressive stance in Phase 1 but become more cautious as the fight progresses.
The Dancing Lion is the first main boss of the expansion and can pose quite a challenge due to its aggressiveness and strange movements. The most important piece of advice in this fight is not to get pressed against the wall. The boss is very mobile, forcing you to be on the move. If you and the boss are near any of the walls, the camera will go crazy — you may have problems with controlling your character, which will result in a quick death. Stay in the center of the arena, return there whenever you can, and if the beast corners you, break the lock-on and run back to the center.
The boss almost always attacks several times in a row, and his melee combos usually consist of two or four strikes. Don’t break your defense too early and wait for the boss’s combo to end. Be especially wary of the grab attack, which you’ll recognize by beast the snapping its jaw. The grab cannot be blocked (you have to dodge it), it deals huge damage and inflicts a status effect on you that will heal the boss when you drink a healing potion. Also watch out for an attack from above – if the boss hovers above you, he is about to slam his head on the ground. If you avoid this move, you will have a moment to attack the boss while he is trying to recover.
The beast switches between three elements. The default element is wind – the boss is the least dangerous in this form because he only deals physical damage, which can be fully blocked with many available shields. When the enemy drops to half health, his attacks will gain new properties – he can, for example, create tornadoes or shoot streams of air. However, all wind attacks still deal physical damage. The other two elemental modes give the boss one new move and modify his current attacks with a specific effect.
The Lion becomes much more dangerous in electric mode, gaining access to lightning bolts that require perfectly timed dodges. All of his attacks also trigger lightning strikes from the sky, forcing you to move constantly. You can’t fully block electric damage, so focus on dodging or making sure you have plenty of health before blocking.
Ice mode is more dangerous than wind mode, but not as destructive as electric mode. The boss gains a ground stomp attack that covers the floor in ice. All of his attacks also slowly increase your frostbite meter, which when filled will deal high damage to you and increase the damage you take from subsequent attacks.
The key to defeating the Lion is positioning. Staying away from walls and avoiding lightning will help you defeat this boss.
How to fight the second Dancing Lion?
To fight the second Divine Beast Dancing Lion, located in the Ancient Ruins of Rauh, you’ll need to adapt your strategy to the challenging environment. This fight is particularly difficult due to the presence of Death Basilisks, which can inflict Death Blight. Focus on eliminating these threats first to minimize distractions. Use an armor set with balanced defenses, especially against physical attacks, as the Dancing Lion’s elemental weaknesses are not pronounced. Employ Spirit Ashes or other summons to help manage the battlefield. Keep mobile to avoid the Lion’s wide-ranging attacks, and capitalize on any openings to deal significant damage. Be prepared for the Lion’s elemental phases, which include lightning and frost, and stay alert to avoid its powerful whirlwind and breath attacks.
In the Ancient Ruins of Rauh, you may face the second Dancing Lion while exploring the location. This fight is optional and almost identical to the previous one except for one aspect – in addition to wind, electricity and frost, the boss also has access to Death Blight.
Death Blight is a status effect that results in instant death when the bar is filled. Additionally, when the Lion switches to Death Blight, he also summons four basilisks, which can also breathe gas that inflicts this effect. The fight may turn out to be extremely frustrating – you may need one of Prince of Death’s Pustule talismans, which increase resistance to this status. You will find them in Stormveil Castle and the Fissure Depths (after defeating the huge bear there), locations from the base game.
What are the best weapons to use against the Divine Beast Dancing Lion
When facing the Divine Beast Dancing Lion in Elden Ring, choosing the right weapons can significantly enhance your chances of success. Here are some of the best weapons to consider:
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Greatswords and Hammers: These are effective for breaking poise and dealing significant damage. The Blackgaol Knight’s sword and the Anvil Hammer are strong options if you have a strength or dexterity build.
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Thrusting and Straight Swords: These weapons are agile and can quickly close the distance, making them suitable for the Dancing Lion’s fast-paced combat.
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Faith-Scaled Weapons: The Blasphemous Blade is particularly useful due to its fire damage, which the Divine Beast is weak to. Additionally, the Golden Order Greatsword is another viable option for faith builds6.
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Intelligence-Scaled Weapons: For magic users, weapons like the Darkmoon Greatsword, Onyx Lord’s Greatsword, Death’s Poker, and Royal Greatsword are solid choices.
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Colossal Weapons: Using an extremely heavy colossal weapon can also be effective, especially when combined with jumping attacks and guard counters, aiming for the face.
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Rellana’s Swords: These have been noted to make the fight easier due to their fire damage6.
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Backhand Blade: Some players find this weapon effective for a fast kill strategy7.
Overall, the key is to use weapons that can either break poise quickly or exploit the beast’s weakness to fire.
What are the best incantations to use against the Divine Beast Dancing Lion
When facing the Divine Beast Dancing Lion in Elden Ring, using the right incantations can significantly enhance your combat strategy. Here are some of the best incantations to consider:
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Fire Incantations: The Dancing Lion is weak to fire damage, making incantations like Fireball and Fire’s Deadly Sin effective. Additionally, Fire Knight and Messmer incantations are highly recommended for their fire damage.
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Rock Sling: This incantation is particularly useful for breaking the Dancing Lion’s poise and setting up for critical hits. It’s easy to cast and can be used effectively even with faith builds.
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Dragon Communion Incantations: If you have access to these, using them with a Dragon Communion Seal can buff their effectiveness. Incantations like Decaying Breath can be potent if used correctly6.
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General Magic: For intelligence builds, focusing on spells that can be cast from a distance is beneficial, as they allow you to attack while maintaining a safe distance from the Dancing Lion’s attacks.
Overall, the key is to use incantations that exploit the Dancing Lion’s weaknesses or provide a safe way to deal damage from a distance.
