Elden Ring: How To Find (& Defeat) Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy (2024)

One of the toughest bosses in Elden Ring, The God-Devouring Serpent boss, Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy , is an optional boss you can encounter beneath the Volcano Manor. Much like other challenging boss fights, Rykard also has two phases and can be defeated in two ways. One of the ways will require you to complete a quest given by the Volcano Manor's headmistress, Tanith .

You must first head towards Mt. Glemir in the Altus Plataue to reach the Volcano Manor in the Elden Ring. You can either climb up the dangerous mountain or complete one of Rya's requests in Liurnia. Once you reach the manor, speak to Tanith, who will be at the Manor's Site of Grace. You will be assigned a few contracts that you must complete to encounter Rykard.

To reach the Mountaintops of the Giants in Elden Ring, Tarnished adventurers must first find and defeat Morgott, the Omen King of Leyndell.

Rykard's Location in Elden Ring

Volcano Manor

Elden Ring: How To Find (& Defeat) Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy (4)

If you do not want to complete Tanith's contracts, you can encounter Rykard by entering the room on the right in the Manor's side corridor. This door will open with the key given to you by Tanith. Upon entering the room, you will notice an Illusory Wall, which hides a passage that leads to the inner exterior of the Manor.

Following along the main pathway should lead you to the Temple of Eiglay, where you will face a Godskin Noble (Volcano Manor) , an optional mini-boss in Elden Ring. This temple sits across to the southeast from the Prison Town Church.

Once you defeat the noble, you can exit the area and notice a magma river. Cross this Magma river to reach a portal that will teleport you to the Audience Pathway. You can rest in this area as it serves as a precursor to an area where you will face Rykard.

You can cross the lava river while gulping down HP Flasks or take the heavily guarded route through the overpass. Players should eat Fireproof Dried Liver, a consumable that can ward off the effects of Fire-based damage, which will help you fight Rykard in the lava pool more efficiently.

How To Prepare For Rykard In Elden Ring

Bring Frost-based Items & Consumables

While Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy, looks menacing, he will still have a set of weaknesses that players can exploit, as with all the hardest bosses in Elden Ring. The table below showcases all his stats that players can overview to see how to best prepare for the fight:

Rykard Features	Stats
Health	30,493 HP (Serpent) 59,174 HP (Rykard)
Defense	115
Stance	120
Damage	Standard Fire Pierce Inflicts Poison (God-Devouring Serpent)
Resistance	Fire Poison Scarlet Rot Hemorrhage Sleep
Immunity	Critical Attacks Madness
Weakness	Frostbite Slash Pierce
Rewards	130,000 Runes in Elden Ring Rykard's Great Rune Remembrance of the Blasphemous

While he has many resistances, players should note a few weaknesses to help get an extra edge in battle. Due to his weakness against Frost-based damage, ensure to bring items or throwables to inflict Frostbite, a status effect that deals damage over time.

Items like a Freezing Pot, which causes 380 Frost buildup, or a Roped Freezing Pot are very useful. Additionally, Mage players can utilize Sorceries like Adula's Moonblade or Incantations such as Frozen Lightning Spear . 猫矢ゆみ〔YumiNyan〕 on YouTube utilizes a full Frost build to showcase how effective it is against the fiery Serpent.

Players can utilize the DLC-exclusive Perfume Weapon Build in Shadow of the Erdtree to deal high amounts of Frost-based AoE damage, specifically the Chilling Perfume Bottle. Aside from this option, do not equip other weapons for the battle. Upon entering the arena, you will find the most effective melee-based armament specifically designed to slay Rykard.

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree - How To Beat Rugalea The Great Red Bear (Boss Guide)

To defeat Rugalea The Great Red Bear in Elden Ring, go to the Ancient Ruins of Rauh, equipped with gear and items that the field boss is weak against.

How To Beat Rykard in Elden Ring

Boss Skills & Moveset

Elden Ring: How To Find (& Defeat) Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy (9)

Before entering the battlefield, take some time to analyze Rykard's attack roster, which will help you strategize the best moments to counter and which attacks are best to dodge in Elden Ring. The table below details his key attacks and what safety precautions players should take:

Attack	Description	How To Counter
Snake Bite	Rykard lunges from one side towards you, following up with another lunge from the other side.	When you see the direction the lunge is coming from, dodge in that direction.
Grab Attack	Rykard will tower above players before lunging forward. If he hits you, he will grab and slam you down twice (only counts as one tick of damage).	Players have a small window to dodge the grab; if you dodge too early, you will get caught.
Poison Spit	Deals elemental AOE damage by spitting Poison, spreading out in different directions. This leaves a pool of Poison on the ground for a short time. If you walk into it, you will take Poison damage.	You can prevent Rykard from using this attack by staying within medium range. Avoid walking into the poison puddles, minding your steps until they disappear.
Magma Slam	Rykard will raise his head and throw it back, slamming his chin onto the ground. This sends magma flying outwards.	Either roll and dodge through the magma or use a shield to block it, reducing your damage intake.
Magma Upheaval	The boss will raise and twist his head on his left before burying his face into the ground. Shortly after, he will pull his head out, causing wide AOE damage, with magma erupting from the ground.	Players can block it with a shield to reduce damage. Otherwise, when you see Rykard's face in Elden Ring plunge into the ground, dodge backward to create a wide distance between you.
Magma Thrash	Rykard raises his head high and sideways with his jaw wide open. He will then thrash about, sending magma splashing around you in all directions while spinning 360 degrees, sweeping his head and tail around.	This move prevents players from being able to attack him effectively. Simply maintain distance to avoid being caught by his sweeping tail and evade the flying magma.

Boss Fight Combat Strategy

Once you reach Rykard's fight, he will be dormant in the room's center. On the way, you will notice a lootable Great Spear held by a corpse. Collect the Serpent-Hunter spear, which can be used against the God-Devouring Serpent . This spear also has several special attacks that are highly effective against Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy.

Furthermore, the Serpent Hunter has no stat requirements, meaning any build can use the Great Spear to defeat the boss. Nevertheless, some players, such as spellcasters, might not realize this when they enter the fight.

Equip the Serpent Hunter and continuously use the staggering, slamming-stab ability on the giant serpent. Make sure to time the attacks properly to give Rykard a chance to retaliate. When fighting the Lord of Blasphemy with an ally wielding the Serpent-Hunter, this Elden Ring boss fight becomes even easier. Once the second phase begins, continue the exact attack as before to defeat Rykard.

Rykard is not parryable and is immune to Critical Hits, even with the Serpent Hunter spear. This means that players will have a hard time attempting to break his stance. Even if you succeed, it will only stun him briefly.

Source: 猫矢ゆみ〔YumiNyan〕/YouTube