Messmer the Impaler is one of the toughest bosses in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, but we’re here to help. With his speedy spear, a slew of fire attacks, and two slithering snakes, the Impaler is no joke, but with good setup and the right dodge timing, he’s a piece of cake.

First things first: defense. Like all bosses in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, Messmer the Impaler deals a ton of damage, most of which is Fire Damage. The Flamedrake Talisman+2 reduces your damage taken by 20 percent, and there’s a +3 version in the Fort of Reprimand in southern Scadu Altus. This Talisman makes a huge difference against Messmer.

You should go into battle with as much health as possible for the best chance of survival. With the Crimson Amber Medallion+3 from the Death Knight boss in the Fog Rift Catacombs plus 60 Vigor and Morgott's Great Rune, you'll have almost 2600 health, which is enough to survive one of Messmer's combos and still recover.

Collect as many Scadutree Fragments as possible—your Scadutree Blessing goes a long way toward increasing your power, and the higher your Scadutree level, the easier the fight against Messmer will be. Check out my comprehensive guide for all of the Scadutree Fragment locations in Elden Ring's DLC—they're easy to find with my detailed directions.