Facing the Crucible Knight in Elden Ring is a rite of passage for many players, marking an early but formidable challenge in the expansive Lands Between. Nestled within the Stormhill Evergaol, this knight is not just another boss; he embodies the relentless spirit of Godfrey’s ancient warriors, wielding devastating attacks that can catch even seasoned players off guard. With his unique blend of powerful melee strikes and aerial maneuvers, defeating the Crucible Knight requires not only skill but also strategic planning. Prepare to dive into a battle that tests your patience and prowess, as you learn how to outmaneuver this fierce opponent and claim victory against one of Elden Ring’s most iconic early-game foes.
The first version of it can be found in the Stormhill region – in the Stormhill Evergaol. The closest Site of Grace is Stormhill Shack – number 26 on this map. From there, go south-east. You can make the fight easier by using ashes or summoning an ally.
Crucible Knight Ordovis
You can fight the second enemy in Leyndell, Royal Capital – in the dungeon called Auriza Hero’s Grave. On this map , it will be the Site of Grace number 8. Auriza Hero’s Grave is one of the more difficult dungeons – at least in terms of traps. You have to deal here with “spiked machines” that move in a certain pattern. The structure of the location itself, however, is relatively simple – keep moving forward to get to the boss. There aren’t many side paths here.
Crucible Knight Siluria
Crucible Knight Siluria is located in the Deeproot Depths. The closest Site of Grace is The Nameless Eternal City. It will be number 4 on this map. You will find the enemy to the west of the Site of Grace, in front of the trunk of a huge tree. The easiest way to find this place is to go straight west of the Site of Grace and then jump down to the lake. There, by sticking to the edge on the left (and having the building on your right), you will reach the air “springboard”, which will take you straight to the boss.
Reward for defeating
Defeating the Crucible Knight in Elden Ring is not only a significant achievement but also comes with valuable rewards that enhance your gameplay experience. Upon vanquishing this formidable foe, players can expect to receive a substantial amount of Runes—28,000 in total—which can be used to level up and strengthen their character. Additionally, players will obtain unique armor pieces from the Crucible set, including the Crucible Axe Helm, Crucible Armor, Crucible Gauntlets, and Crucible Greaves. These items not only provide excellent protection but also improve the effectiveness of the Aspect of the Crucible Incantations, making them particularly beneficial for Faith-focused builds. Thus, overcoming the challenges posed by the Crucible Knight is well worth the effort for players seeking to enhance their arsenal and capabilities in the game.
For defeating the Crucible Knight, you will receive Runes (2,100) and Aspects of the Crucible: Tail.
For defeating Crucible Knight Ordovis, you’ll receive Runes (28,000) and a set. These are Ordovis’s Greatsword, Crucible Axe Helm, Crucible Axe Armor, Crucible Gauntlets and Crucible Greaves.
For defeating Crucible Knight Siluria, you will receive Runes (25,000) and a great spear called Siluria’s Tree. Behind the passage that the enemy was guarding, you will find a set of weapons.
General tips
To successfully defeat the Crucible Knight in Elden Ring, players should focus on a few essential strategies. Patience is key; understanding the knight’s attack patterns will allow you to time your dodges and counterattacks effectively. Equip a strong weapon and a reliable shield, as the knight’s powerful strikes can quickly deplete your health. It’s crucial to maintain a balance between offensive and defensive maneuvers—avoid getting greedy with attacks, as the Crucible Knight can retaliate swiftly. Utilizing Spirit Ashes for distractions can also be beneficial, especially in later encounters where multiple knights may appear. Finally, consider leveling up your character and equipment before attempting this challenging boss to improve your chances of success.
- You can’t summon any helpers during this fight, so don’t bother.
- The battle against the Crucible Knight has two phases. The second phase will start when the boss’s health drops below 60%.
- Crucible Knight usually attacks with very telegraphed regular attacks. However, he still has an AoE attack he uses by stomping the ground and conjuring an explosion. When you see the ground breaking, dodge or back away.
- You need to implement some special tactics to attack the Knight, as he stays hidden behind his shield most of the time. This blocks even the attacks aimed at its back, nullifying the damage dealt.
- You cannot summon anyone who can help you to fight in Stormhill Evergaol. You can do that in other figts.
- In the fight with Crucible Knight Ordovis, you should eliminate the enemy with the spear first. However, keep in mind that Ordovis will become more aggressive after this.
- Crucible Knight Ordovis and Crucible Knight Siluria are vulnerable to everything except bleeding and Death Blighted. The Crucible Knight, on the other hand, is completely immune to bleeding, Death Blighted and frostbite. Either way, they are highly resilient – it is very difficult to impose these statuses.
- Crucible Knight and Crucible Knight Ordovis also use attacks based on holy magic – so you should have armor that protect against physical and holy magic attacks. Siluria only uses physical attacks.
- When fighting in close combat, it is better to parry than to avoid them. By parrying, you will interrupt a series of attacks and have time to counterattack.
- Each of the Crucible Knights (with the exception of Ordovis’ sidekick) uses a greatshield. Therefore, it is difficult to make a frontal attack. Due to this, it is a good idea to dodge towards them and keep jumping behind their backs.
Mage build – how to fight?
To effectively combat the Crucible Knight as a mage in Elden Ring, it’s essential to leverage your ranged capabilities while maintaining strategic positioning. Utilize spells that can deal significant damage from a distance, such as Carian Slicer or Rock Sling, to chip away at the knight’s health without putting yourself in harm’s way. It’s crucial to manage your FP wisely, ensuring you have enough for critical moments. Additionally, consider using summons to distract the knight, allowing you to cast spells safely. Remember to dodge frequently and use terrain to your advantage, creating opportunities for counterattacks while minimizing direct confrontations.
The duel against the Crucible Knight can be quite challenging for players using sorcery. This is mostly due to how the Knight almost always guards himself with his shield while approaching you. This blocks the damage even if you hit him in the back!
You can prepare for this fight by equipping the Magic Glintblade spell. It takes a few seconds for its projectile to fly towards the enemy. You should conjure three or four such projectiles from a safe distance, than approach the boss and bait an attack.
By using this tactic the projectiles will fly towards the enemy and deal serious damage, as provoking the Crucible Knight will cause him to attack instead of defending himself.
His attacks aren’t fast so don’t spam dodges when provoking him – after a successful dodge wait for another attack, then dodge again. The Crucible Knight often delays his attacks and doesn’t strike twice in a short time.
Then, after you successfully dodge, move to a safe distance and start conjuring Glintblades again, repeating the same tactic until the second phase begins.
The second phase slightly changes how the battle works, as now the boss is dangerous at medium range as well. He’ll start flying high up with his wings, then charging towards you in a straight line. Dodge to the front when he gets close and then cast your spells.
The Crucible Knight can also attack with his tail. He can occasionally strike twice with the tail after landing. The first strike is short-ranged but he follows it up with a second one, which reaches much further. Be prepared to dodge .
The same goes for his regular attacks. If you dodge to the side or behind him while he’s attacking you with his sword, be ready to dodge again as he can try and strike you with the tail.
Melee build – how to fight?
To effectively engage the Crucible Knight in Elden Ring, a melee build should focus on a combination of timing and positioning. The Crucible Knight is known for its powerful, telegraphed attacks that can be dodged or parried, making it crucial for players to learn the timing of these moves. Utilize a shield that can parry to mitigate damage and create openings for counterattacks. It’s advisable to maintain a close distance to exploit the knight’s slower movements while being ready to dodge its aerial and tail swipe attacks. Additionally, managing stamina is vital, as the knight’s rapid retaliatory strikes can quickly deplete your resources. By balancing aggression with careful defense, melee builds can capitalize on the knight’s vulnerabilities and secure victory in this challenging encounter.
Crucible Knights are tough opponents. They almost always use a shield and are only exposed when attacking. So you should encourage them to go into the offensive by approaching them and then dodging towards them – while trying to get behind their backs.
If you feel more confident, you can parry their attacks – this will break their combinations and, in addition, may throw them off balance, giving you the opportunity to perform a critical hit. However, this tactic requires a good timing.
Crucible Knights fight very aggressively, most often using a sword. These attacks are easy to read (or parry). The stomp is a bigger problem – it damages the area in front of the boss. If you are hit by it, your character will be thrown up and be exposed to further attacks.
If you defend yourself with a shield, you will most likely be stunned and unable to do anything for a short time. So it is better to avoid this move by rolling towards the opponent. However, keep in mind that after a stomp, the opponent often follows it with other attacks. In such a situation, you can either parry or do more dodges.
If you deplete more than half of their HP, it will go into the second phase. When you are at a medium distance from the boss, it will most likely take off and try to attack you by diving down. In this case, it’s a good idea to dodge towards it.
After the flight, the enemy will probably be relatively far away from you. In such a situation, the boss usually uses up to two magic tail attacks, increasing the range of the second attack.
Therefore, do not try to avoid the tail by rolling backwards. You will probably end up moving away from the boss unnecessarily and make it go up again. There is a short pause between subsequent attacks, so do not dodge again and again – wait a fraction of a second.
When you fight Ordovis, first eliminate the minion with the spear. It’s good to have a companion in this fight – this will give you many opportunities to attack from somewhere else rather than from the front. Watch out for the spear fired from the second Crucible Knight. It usually does it when you go far away. For this fight, it is also worth using gear that can protect you well against both physical attacks and those based on holy magic.
During the new attack, Siluria spins her sword over her head and then performs a jump, which she ends with hitting the ground and causing an explosion. It is better to avoid it by rolling towards the opponent. Get behind the enemy’s back and attack several times.
Both opponents also like to use a dagger. Normally, in such situations, your companion will not help you, because the opponent is invulnerable during a stabbing animation. To protect yourself from this, you can either perform a perfect dodge or sprint.
When you eliminate the Crucible Knight, Ordovis will become more aggressive. You can use here all the tactics known to you, because apart from the attacks mentioned above, the rest is similar.
What are the best strategies to counter the Crucible Knight’s airborne attacks
To effectively counter the Crucible Knight’s airborne attacks in Elden Ring, players should adopt a combination of dodging techniques and strategic positioning. Here are some key strategies:
1. Timing Your Dodges
- Dodge to the Side: When the Crucible Knight takes to the air, he often performs a swooping attack. As he descends, roll to either side just before he lands to avoid the damage entirely. This requires good timing, so practice is essential.
- Roll into Attacks: For many of his melee attacks, especially during his initial phase, rolling into the attack rather than away can position you for a counterattack immediately after dodging.
2. Anticipate and React
- Watch for Wing Activation: When the knight sprouts wings, it signals that aerial attacks are imminent. Be prepared to dodge as soon as you see him lift off.
- Tail Swipes: After he gains wings, the knight will incorporate tail swipes into his combos. Always be on guard for this additional attack and dodge accordingly to avoid being stunned or knocked down.
3. Utilize Spirit Ashes and Buffs
- Summon Tanky Spirit Ashes: Using summons like Lhutel the Headless can help distract the knight, allowing you to focus on dodging and countering his attacks without taking direct hits.
- Buff Your Defense: Consider using items like the Opaline Bubbletear to enhance your damage resistance during the fight, especially when facing multiple attacks in quick succession.
4. Maintain Distance and Bait Attacks
- Keep Your Distance: Ranged players should maintain a safe distance to avoid getting caught in his melee range. Use throwing knives or spells from afar to bait him into using his thrust or shield charge attacks, creating openings for damage.
- Bait with Items: If you’re playing ranged, throw items to lure him into attacking, then capitalize on his recovery time with ranged strikes or spells.
By mastering these strategies, you’ll increase your chances of successfully countering the Crucible Knight’s airborne assaults and ultimately securing victory in this challenging encounter.
What are the best ways to dodge the Crucible Knight’s airborne swooping attack
To effectively dodge the Crucible Knight’s airborne swooping attack in Elden Ring, players can employ several strategies that focus on timing and positioning. Here are the best ways to avoid this powerful move:
1. Timing Your Dodges
- Dodge to the Side: As the Crucible Knight prepares to swoop down, roll to either side just before he lands. This lateral movement allows you to evade the attack while positioning yourself for a counterattack afterward.
- Mid-Dodge for Area Attacks: If the knight raises his leg, indicating an area-of-effect attack, be mid-dodge by the time his foot hits the ground. This is crucial to avoid getting caught in his follow-up combo.
2. Anticipate His Movements
- Watch for Wing Activation: When the knight sprouts wings, it signals that he will launch into the air. Stay alert and prepare to dodge as he ascends.
- Recognize Attack Patterns: After his aerial swoop, he often follows up with a tail swipe. Be ready to dodge again immediately after avoiding the swoop, as this can leave you vulnerable if not anticipated4.
3. Maintain Close Proximity
- Stay Close During Attacks: Ironically, staying close to the knight can help you avoid his swooping attack. By positioning yourself near him, you can dodge through his attack as he descends, minimizing your hitbox exposure4.
- Roll Towards Him: Instead of rolling away from his attacks, rolling towards him can often allow you to evade damage while also setting up for a quick counterattack once he finishes his combo.
4. Use Spirit Ashes and Buffs
- Summon Spirit Ashes: Utilizing tanky Spirit Ashes like Lhutel the Headless can help distract the knight, allowing you more opportunities to dodge and counter without taking direct hits.
- Defensive Buffs: Consider using items or spells that enhance your defense, such as the Opaline Bubbletear, which can help absorb damage during this challenging fight.
By mastering these strategies, players can significantly increase their chances of successfully dodging the Crucible Knight’s airborne swooping attacks and ultimately triumphing in this formidable encounter.
