As a seasoned Elden Ring gamer with hundreds of hours under my belt, I can confidently say that the battle against Romina, the Saint of Borne, was one of the most challenging encounters I’ve faced in this game. Her unique abilities and persistent AoE attacks made every second of the fight a nerve-wracking experience.
In Elden Ring’s Shadow of the Erdtree expansion, Romina is among the last bosses you’ll encounter. Here are some effective tactics and suggestions for defeating her and carrying your progress into the climax with confidence.
Boss breakdown
At the conclusion of the Ancient Ruins of Rauh lies the Church of the Bud, where you’ll encounter Romina for a battle. Completing the DLC requires defeating this mandatory boss. Typically, you’ll face her following your victory over Messmer in the Shadow Keep.
I’ve noticed that she goes through two different modes, and while they aren’t as clearly defined as other major bosses in the DLC, it’s her encounters with Scarlet Rot that truly ramp up the difficulty. Her assaults can inflict this debilitating status effect, which can turn an otherwise successful run sour if you find yourself affected by it.
In other words, she’s resistant to Scarlet Rot and the effects of Poison, Sleep, and Madness. However, be mindful that she can still be afflicted by Bleed and Frostbite, so those are the areas you need to target instead.
She is unfazed by Fire damage as well, making her an ideal companion when wielding potent weapons and Ash of War abilities from the expansion pack.
Strategy, tips & tricks
Before engaging in a fight with Romina, it’s crucial to maximize your Immunity level. This stat determines your resistance to Scarlet Rot, an essential factor when battling the Saint of the Bud.
Talismans and armour that help build this up are as follows:
- Talismans:
- Immunizing Horn Charm +2
- Mottled Necklace +2
- Kindred of Rot’s Exultation
- Armour:
- Mushroom set
- Verdigris set
An alternative option is using the Speckled Hardtear Crystal Tear in your Wonderous Physick to increase your Immunity by 90 for three minutes. However, I wouldn’t recommend it due to better available choices. Instead, consider opting for the Opaline Hardtear or one that enhances your particular damage type.
First phase
Romina’s attacks are predictable and can be easily dodged after learning her patterns. She usually attacks using her centipede-like front end. To dodge effectively, it’s best to remain to her left side and stay as close to her body as possible.
Among these actions, she’ll unexpectedly deliver rear stabs with her scorpion tail, a sign of which is the initial warning signal as it begins to move on its own. In addition, she’s capable of launching attacks using her halberd weapon. Be prepared to evade when you notice a purple glow surrounding it before the attack lands. These assaults usually come in pairs and have a relatively slow swing pace, making them simpler to dodge.
As a gamer, I can’t stress enough how important it is for you to be on high alert when this opponent curls up into a ball. Following a brief moment of stillness, she’ll quickly uncoil and launch three rapid-fire attacks in your direction. The third one can be particularly tricky to evade since it’s not a typical swing, but rather a sharp prod. Therefore, I strongly advise you to dodge sideways to minimize the risk of taking damage from this unexpected attack.
When encountering a Godskin Noble in combat, I find myself instinctively huddling into a protective ball and attempting to roll around the battlefield. This tactic was as effective for me as it is for the Noble. However, I must confess that this foe’s reach is extensive, making it quite challenging to dodge its attacks. My advice to you would be to maintain a safe distance from the Godskin Noble and avoid engaging in close quarters if at all possible. Should an encounter with the creature become unavoidable, I strongly suggest dodging sideways to evade its turning assaults.
Second phase
In the second stage, Romina will initiate the process by attracting butterflies to surround her – an occurrence that will consistently follow her metamorphosis.
As a gamer, I can tell you that these butterflies are more than just a nuisance in the game world. They repeatedly unleash an Area of Effect (AoE) attack that you need to watch out for. And here’s the catch: not long after, they transform into another AoE, which is purple this time around. You better be prepared to dodge both of them! The damage these attacks deal is substantial, and they also cause Scarlet Rot buildup if you’re unfortunate enough to get hit. So my advice? Keep your guard up and maintain a safe distance from these elusive butterflies.
During this latest stage, she’ll leap high into the sky and then tuck into a ball. Next, she’ll perform a powerful dive, inflicting substantial harm. Be aware that this move resembles her rolling maneuver, so brace yourself for either action.
As a gamer, I’ve discovered an exhilarating new move from my opponent. When she leaps into the sky, she readies her halberd for a deadly combination. First comes two swift swipes in mid-air, followed by a breathtaking spinning assault. The final blow is accompanied by a trail of beautiful butterflies. To dodge this attack effectively, it’s crucial that I move sideways instead of directly away from the impact zone. This tactic increases my chances of evading not only the primary strike but also the area-of-effect butterfly swarm.
Rewards
- 380,000 Runes
- Remembrance of the Saint of the Bud
- Poleblade of the Bud (Halberd)
- Rotten Butterflies (Incantation)
As a big fan of the game, I have to admit that I’ve enjoyed the challenges presented by both the Remembrance rewards. However, it’s quite frustrating for me as a player to notice that there aren’t enough bosses who are effectively weakened by Scarlet Rot. Additionally, the weapon skill for the Poleblade could use some improvement in my opinion.
Read More
Sorry. No data so far.
2024-07-18 15:44