Applies to: ELDEN RING base game, version 1.16.1 (the current patch, live since August 21, 2025) with the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion (Steam AppID 2778580, released June 21, 2024). This is a base-game DLC boss guide — it has nothing to do with the separate standalone game ELDEN RING NIGHTREIGN.
Quick answer: how to beat Messmer the Impaler
Messmer the Impaler is the mandatory final boss of the Shadow Keep, and he is beaten the same way every FromSoftware demigod is: stay aggressive at close range, learn two or three punish windows, and out-scale him with Scadutree Blessing instead of your character level. The short version:
- Push your Scadutree Blessing to roughly level 8–10 before you fight him (community consensus, not an official number). DLC damage is controlled by Scadutree Fragments, not your rune level — a level-200 character at Blessing 0 still dies in two hits.
- Summon the Mimic Tear to split his aggression, then attack his legs while he's distracted.
- Bring Slash or Frostbite damage. Messmer resists Fire (he is fire), so leave your flame weapons at the grace.
- Stay close and to his side. Most of his spear thrusts go forward; hugging his flank turns his scariest combos into free hits.
- In phase 2 ("Base Serpent Messmer"), respect the snake. The serpent adds range and a screen-filling fire nova — bait it, roll late, and punish the recovery.
Beat him and you get 400,000 runes, Messmer's Kindling (a key item that burns open the sealed door deeper in Shadow Keep) and the Remembrance of the Impaler. The rest of this guide breaks down where to find him, exactly what to bring, and how each phase actually works.
More Elden Ring guides: stuck earlier in the run? Start with our walkthrough on how to access Shadow of the Erdtree, then browse the full library of Elden Ring guides on timesaver.gg.
Where do you find Messmer the Impaler?
"Those stripped of the Grace of Gold shall all meet death. In the embrace of Messmer's flame." — Messmer the Impaler (in-game)
Messmer is the final boss of the Shadow Keep Legacy Dungeon, fought at the top of the Specimen Storehouse. The closest Site of Grace is Dark Chamber Entrance — rest there and the fog wall is a short walk away, so you never lose much progress on a death. According to the Fextralife wiki, this is not an optional boss: you must defeat Messmer to burn open the sealed path and continue toward the DLC's later regions.
Two things to know before you walk in:
- You can summon. Spirit Ashes and multiplayer are both allowed. There are also two NPC summon signs inside the arena — Hornsent on the right (available if you advanced his questline into Shadow Keep) and Swordhand of Night Jolan on the left (tied to Ymir's Finger Ruins questline). Choosing one blocks the other for that attempt, and they do not lower Messmer's HP — they only split his attention.
- His stat block is fixed. On a first (NG) playthrough Messmer has 38,981 HP and a defense value of 124, per Fextralife's data page. That number balloons in NG+ cycles, but Scadutree Blessing scaling is what actually determines whether you can hurt him.
What is Messmer weak to?
This is the fight-defining question, and the answer surprises people because Messmer's whole theme is fire. Here is the verified damage profile from the Fextralife stat page:
| Damage / status | Effect on Messmer |
|---|---|
| Fire | Resistant — he takes reduced fire damage. Do not bring flame weapons. |
| Slash | Weak — physical slashing damage is his softest defense. |
| Holy | Weak, especially in phase 2 (Base Serpent Messmer) |
| Frostbite | Weak — the most reliable status to proc on him |
| Bleed / Poison / Scarlet Rot | Works, but resistance is moderate (~435 buildup) — slower than frost |
| Sleep / Madness | Immune — do not waste a build on these |
The practical takeaway: a Slash weapon with a Frost infusion or a Cold Ash of War is close to ideal. Frostbite procs chunk his health and lower his damage negation for a few seconds, so a frost proc followed by a heavy attack does far more than the raw numbers suggest. Bleed still works — several players in the community swear by power-stanced heavy weapons like Great Stars for the stance damage — but if you have to choose one status, choose frost.
What to bring (a quick loadout):
- Spirit Ash: Mimic Tear (copies your gear and soaks half his aggression).
- Physick: a defensive mix such as the Opaline Hardtear (flat cut to all incoming damage) plus the Greenspill Crystal Tear for stamina if you're rolling constantly — or a Cerulean Hidden Tear if you're a caster who needs the free FP window.
- Talisman: the Flamedrake Talisman +3 meaningfully cuts his fire damage, and it stacks with the Flame, Protect Me incantation.
- Buffs: Golden Vow and Flame, Protect Me are the two most-recommended pre-fight buffs — reapply Golden Vow whenever you get a safe window.
How do you beat Messmer phase 1?
In phase 1, Messmer fights with a fire-imbued greatspear and a snake coiled around his body that adds bite-and-lunge attacks. He has long reach and closes distance fast, so trading from range loses — you get chipped by spear pokes and fire the whole time.
The golden rule is to stay close and hug his left side. The majority of his thrusts and sweeps track forward, so his flank is the safest place to stand. From there:
- Bait the single spear thrust. It has a long wind-up; roll into him (toward the spear hand, not backward) and you'll end up beside him with time for one or two hits.
- Watch the overhead slam. When he raises the spear high, roll late and toward him — rolling early or away gets you clipped by the fire that trails the weapon.
- Respect the fire projectiles. He'll periodically throw ranged flame; strafe rather than roll, because the projectiles are easy to walk out of and rolling early into the next one is how runs end.
- Don't greed. One or two hits per window, then reset. Messmer punishes the third swing almost every time.
Let the Mimic Tear hold aggro for a beat, get your damage in on his back and legs, and heal only when he's recovering or locked onto your summon. Phase 1 ends and the real fight begins at roughly 50% HP.
How do you beat Messmer phase 2 (Base Serpent Messmer)?
At half health Messmer transforms into Base Serpent Messmer — a giant serpent erupts from his torso, adding reach, tracking, and one of the most dangerous area attacks in the DLC. The camera gets busy, so lock-off can sometimes read the fight better than lock-on during his biggest moves.
Key additions to watch for:
- The serpent bite combos. The snake extends his effective range, so the "stay close" rule matters even more — distance is where the serpent hits hardest.
- The fire nova / eruption. His signature phase-2 move plants the spear and blooms fire outward. When you see the big wind-up, create space early and roll on the flame's expansion, not on the animation start.
- The spear-storm finisher (the same idea as his weapon's Ash of War): he thrusts down and spears sprout across the arena. Keep moving laterally and roll through the wave nearest you.
Phase 2 is where Holy damage and Frostbite pull ahead — the serpent form is noticeably weaker to Holy, so a Sacred-infused Slash weapon or a Holy incantation on your Mimic build closes the fight quickly. Keep your buffs up, keep punishing small, and don't panic-heal mid-combo; wait for the recovery frames. Whittle the last third of his health and the DLC's poster boss finally goes down.
What Scadutree Blessing level should you be for Messmer?
There is no official recommended level — FromSoftware never publishes one — but Steam and Reddit community consensus lands around Scadutree Blessing level 8–10 for a comfortable fight. This is the single biggest lever in the whole DLC:
- Scadutree Fragments raise DLC-only damage and defense. Your rune level (Vigor, Strength, etc.) barely moves the needle inside the Realm of Shadow; the Blessing does.
- At Blessing 0, even a level-200 character gets two-shot. Players routinely report bouncing off Messmer at Blessing 4–6 and then walking through him after grabbing a few more fragments.
- If he's dropping you in two hits, the answer is almost always "more Scadutree Fragments," not "more Vigor." Go explore Scadu Altus and the Shadow Keep before re-challenging him.
What do you get for beating Messmer?
Defeating Messmer drops three things: 400,000 runes (on a first playthrough), Messmer's Kindling, and the Remembrance of the Impaler.
- Messmer's Kindling is a key item — it lets you burn away the sealed door deeper in Shadow Keep so you can continue the DLC. Don't sell it.
- The Remembrance of the Impaler goes to Finger Reader Enia at the Roundtable Hold, where you exchange it for one of two rewards: the Spear of the Impaler (a Faith/Dex greatspear whose unique skill, Messmer's Assault, ends in a ground-thrust that summons a field of spears — pictured above) or Messmer's Orb (a fire incantation). As with every Remembrance, you can only get one per playthrough unless you duplicate it at a Walking Mausoleum, so pick the one that fits your build.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Messmer the Impaler optional in Elden Ring? No. Messmer is the final boss of the Shadow Keep and a mandatory Remembrance boss — you have to defeat him to burn open the sealed path and reach the DLC's later areas, including the route toward the final boss. You cannot skip him.
What is Messmer weak to? Physical Slash damage and Frostbite are his most reliable weaknesses, and he takes extra Holy damage in his phase-2 serpent form. He is resistant to Fire and immune to Sleep and Madness, so leave flame weapons and sleep pots at home. A frost-infused slashing weapon is close to the ideal pick.
What Scadutree Blessing level do I need to beat Messmer? There's no official number, but the community generally recommends Scadutree Blessing level 8–10. In Shadow of the Erdtree, the Blessing — not your character level — controls how much damage you deal and take, so if Messmer is two-shotting you, collect more Scadutree Fragments before trying again.
Can you summon help for the Messmer fight? Yes. Spirit Ashes (the Mimic Tear is the top pick), online co-op, and two in-arena NPC signs — Hornsent and Swordhand of Night Jolan — are all available, though the two NPCs are tied to their own questlines and you can only pick one per attempt.
What are the phase 2 attacks — what is "Base Serpent Messmer"? At about 50% health Messmer transforms into Base Serpent Messmer: a serpent erupts from his body, extending his range and adding a screen-filling fire nova and a spear-storm finisher. Create space early on the big wind-ups, roll on the fire's expansion rather than the animation start, and lean on Holy/Frost damage to close it out.
Should I take the Spear of the Impaler or Messmer's Orb? Take the Spear of the Impaler if you run Strength/Faith or Dexterity/Faith melee — its Messmer's Assault skill hits hard and the thrown attack is great for spacing. Take Messmer's Orb if you're a caster who wants another fire incantation. You only get one per playthrough, so choose for your build.
