
Malenia, Blade of Miquella, is one of the toughest bosses in Elden Ring. She is fast, relentless, and heals herself with every hit. Her signature moves, Waterfowl Dance and Scarlet Aeonia, are both powerful gap closers that strike fear into the hearts of players. Given her difficulty, players are always on the lookout for strategies to defeat her, including the use of Sleep. Sleep is a useful status effect in Elden Ring that can be inflicted on enemies and bosses through various methods, such as Sleep Pots. However, some bosses, like Malenia, are immune to Sleep, while others are only resistant and will stagger if affected by it.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Sleep effect on Malenia | Resistant to Sleep |
| Sleep effect on other bosses | Some are immune, some are resistant |
| Sleep effect on enemies | Works on a lot of enemies |
| Sleep effect on players | Eternal Sleep puts players to sleep until they get hit |
| Sleep effect on PvE | Enemies and bosses take more damage |
| Sleep effect on PvP | Eternal Sleep puts opponents to sleep until they get hit |
| Sleep effect on NPCs | Frenzy works on NPC invaders |
| Sleep effect on Fia's Champions | Immune to Sleep |
| Malenia's difficulty level | Hard |
| Malenia's boss status | Optional |
| Malenia's location | Haligtree Roots Site of Grace |
| Malenia's signature moves | Waterfowl Dance, Scarlet Aeonia |
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What You'll Learn

Sleep is a useful weapon in Elden Ring
Sleep can be used to your advantage in a variety of ways. Firstly, it can be employed as a strategic tool to temporarily stun bosses and prevent them from performing critical attacks. This is particularly useful against bosses that are resistant to Sleep but will still stagger when it is used on them. Additionally, Sleep can be used to knock enemies off their mounts, such as those riding horses or ants. This can create an opportunity for you to attack them more easily.
Sleep is also effective in PvP, where it can fully trigger Sleep in just one or two hits, stunning your opponent and giving you an advantage. Eternal Sleep, a stronger variant introduced in the Shadow of the Erdtree, puts targets into an everlasting sleep from which they won't awaken, even when attacked. This can be especially useful against certain enemies, such as the caged albinaurics in Volcano Manor.
However, it is important to note that Sleep has its limitations. Some bosses and enemies are completely immune to Sleep, while others have very high resistance. Additionally, there is a limited number of methods to inflict Sleep, and there are currently no spells in the game that can inflict it. Nevertheless, Sleep remains a valuable tool in your arsenal when used strategically and against the right opponents.
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Malenia is resistant to Sleep
Malenia, Blade of Miquella, is one of the hardest bosses in Elden Ring. She is fast, relentless, and heals herself with every hit. Her Waterfowl Dance move is particularly deadly, and her Scarlet Aeonia move is also a reliable gap closer.
One strategy to beat Malenia is to gang up on her with three players, stunning her constantly. This strategy can be effective because it may prevent Malenia from even getting a chance to do her killer attack. Another option is to pass aggression between two players, constantly hitting her and trading aggro between you. Since Malenia is easily stun-locked in her first phase, this can be a successful strategy.
If you are facing Malenia alone, there are still ways to beat her. One simple counter to her Waterfowl Dance move is to equip a greatshield in your off-hand and quickly switch when she jumps into the air to tank the blows. Keep moving backward and make sure you're not directly below her, as this will likely result in death. Another strategy is to stay close to Malenia and dodge or block her attacks to avoid her Jumping Lunge move, which she only tends to use when she is far away.
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Strategies to defeat Malenia
Malenia, Blade of Miquella, is a formidable opponent in Elden Ring, with her rapid moves, healing abilities, and two-phase approach. While she is not a mandatory boss, she is certainly a challenging one. Here are some strategies to help you defeat her:
Understand Her Moveset:
Malenia has two signature moves, Waterfowl Dance and Scarlet Aeonia, which are both used to close the distance between her and her target. Waterfowl Dance, in particular, is a lethal flurry of attacks in three bursts that can be extremely difficult to dodge. Memorizing this move will help you anticipate and avoid it more effectively. When Malenia leaps into the air to perform Waterfowl Dance, you can interrupt her by using a craftable Freezing Pot, which will inflict Frostbite Status and momentarily stun her. Additionally, keeping your distance and rolling to the side can help you dodge the first two bursts of Waterfowl Dance.
Use Heavy Weapons:
Malenia's poise, or her ability to withstand attacks without flinching, is relatively low. Employing heavier, harder-hitting weapons can increase your chances of interrupting her attacks and causing her to flinch. During her second phase, her poise decreases even further, so continue to play aggressively.
Exploit Her Vulnerabilities:
Malenia is susceptible to Bleed, so consider using weapons or builds that can trigger this status effect. Additionally, she cannot see Night Sorceries, so take advantage of spells like Night Comet and Greatblade Phalanx to deal significant damage. Other useful sorceries include Carian Piercer, Cannon of Haima, and Ancient Death Rancor.
Summon with Caution:
While summoning another player can provide assistance, it may not always be effective against Malenia. Summoning increases the boss's health, and with more players, Malenia has more opportunities to heal herself. Unless you can get the famous "Let Me Solo Her," summoning may do more harm than good.
Use Sleep Strategically:
While Malenia is resistant to Sleep and will only stagger when affected by it, you can still use this to your advantage. The Sleep effect can temporarily stun her, preventing her from performing critical attacks. Take this opportunity to strike or set up your next move.
Phase One Strategy:
Malenia is easily staggerable in the first phase, so take advantage of this to land critical hits. If you're using a melee build, consider employing the Bloodhound's Step Ash of War to phase through her rapid moveset, including Waterfowl Dance. Spirit Summons, such as the Greatshield Soldier Ashes, can also be useful for distracting her and guarding against melee attacks.
Remember that defeating Malenia requires patience and adaptability. Learn from each attempt, adjust your strategies, and keep trying. Good luck, Tarnished!
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Malenia's signature moves
Malenia, Blade of Miquella, is one of the toughest bosses in Elden Ring and has a unique lifesteal ability. She claims to have never known defeat. While there is no particular weakness that players can take advantage of, there are some strategies that can be employed to counter her moves.
Malenia's signature move is the Waterfowl Dance, a powerful attack that players fear and find challenging to dodge. When her health drops to 75%, she starts using this move. She dodges to the side and then charges at the player, and even heals a bit during the attack. Players can interrupt this move by throwing a Freezing Pot, which creates an opportunity to strike back. Another strategy is to use ranged attacks, spells, or incantations that can follow her movements when she dodges to the side. Summons can also be used to distract her, allowing for safe ranged attacks from a distance.
Another one of Malenia's unique special attacks is Scarlet Aeonia, which can be obtained by players after defeating her and exchanging the remembrance at the Roundtable Hold. One player used this move to defeat Malenia, employing it to deplete the last bit of her HP.
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Using Sleep Pots
Sleep is a useful weapon in Elden Ring, but it is not effective on all bosses. Some are immune to sleep, while others are resistant and will only stagger when you use sleep on them. Malenia, Blade of Miquella, is one of the bosses that is resistant to sleep.
- Create a large number of Sleep Pots and use them as your only ranged attack. This will allow you to stun Malenia temporarily and prevent her from performing critical attacks.
- Summon your mimic to assist you in battle. They will spam the Sleep Pots, providing you with more opportunities to attack Malenia.
- Be prepared for Malenia's aggressive combat style and signature moves, such as Waterfowl Dance and Scarlet Aeonia. She is a fast boss who can quickly close the distance on her targets, and she heals herself with every hit.
- Consider using other strategies in combination with Sleep Pots, such as summoning additional players to help stun-lock Malenia or trading aggro with another player.
- Upgrade your weapons and level up your character if you are having difficulty defeating Malenia. She is located in the far north of the region, which can be accessed using the Elden Ring Haligtree Medallion.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Malenia is resistant to the Sleep effect. However, you can take advantage of this mechanic to temporarily stun her and prevent her from performing a critical attack.
Malenia is considered one of the hardest bosses in Elden Ring, so you may want to come back to her after levelling up. There are a few tactics that can help you beat her:
- Gang up on her with three people, stunning her constantly.
- Use one other player and trade her aggro between you.
- Use a greatshield to tank the blows when she jumps into the air.
- Keep moving backward and make sure you're not directly below her when she performs her Waterfowl Dance move.
- Dodge toward her at the last second to avoid her Jumping Lunge and Impaling Grab attacks.
Here are a few more strategies to try:
- Use Sleep Pots to stun her and create opportunities for attacks.
- Incorporate the Bloodhound Step Ash of War and the Flame Cleanse Me Incantation into your build to counter Malenia's worst attacks.
- Be careful to only dodge when Malenia starts her upward swing for her Uppercut Combo, as she will delay the attack.
- Dodge both the initial charge and the slam afterward for her Charge Attack.










































