'Elden Ring': How To Beat Praetor Rykard

Praetor Rykard and the God-Devouring Serpent is one of “Elden Ring’s” more interesting boss fights. As one of the five Shardbearers, Rykard poses a unique threat to the players that might feel overwhelming at first.

Upon arriving at Volcano Manor, players can either carry out Tanith’s assassination missions or explore the manor manually to reach Rykard’s boss room. Inside, players will find the gigantic God-Devouring Serpent sitting on a pool of lava.

The only way to damage the boss is to use the Serpent Hunter spear, conveniently found after players enter the arena. This weapon is specially-designed to be used in this boss fight; its reach extends when fighting the serpent, allowing players to deal damage without touching the lava.

Serpent Hunter’s Ash of War launches a powerful strike that can be followed up by an even stronger uppercut to deal immense damage to the boss. It also staggers the boss with each hit, canceling some attacks or giving players some time to breathe.

Defeating the serpent will trigger the second phase against Rykard. The boss will gain an entirely new moveset that can destroy players outright if they are not careful. However, the fight will still rely heavily on how well players can use the Serpent Hunter to deal damage and stagger the boss.

One way to abuse the stagger effect is by only using the first hit of the Ash of War instead of following up with the uppercut. This will technically result in less damage overall, but it can stunlock both the serpent and Rykard, trivializing this boss encounter.

Cast the first hit of the Ash of War and take two quick steps to the sides. Do this properly and the next hit should stagger the boss again. Repeat until out of FP or until the boss is dead.

Defeating Rykard will reward players with his Remembrance that can be used to obtain the Blasphemous Blade. His Great Rune can be activated at the Divine Tower of West Altus, accessed via the Sealed Tunnel near Leyndell.