MALIKETH, THE BLACK BLADE

Phase Strategy

Maliketh is a two-phase gauntlet that rewards persistence more than perfection. The first phase against the Beast Clergyman is a gatekeeper — slow, manageable, and designed to drain your resources. The second phase is the real fight: Maliketh unleashes Destined Death and becomes one of the fastest bosses in the game. Most players die to phase 2 before they learn its rhythm. That is intentional design.

The arena is circular and elevated. There is no cover and nowhere to hide. Maliketh's aggression in phase 2 will pin you against pillars if you panic-roll backward. Stay centered and fight on your terms.

Phase I — The Beast Clergyman

Critical: The Beast Clergyman has 12,108 HP split across both phases. Phase 1 ends at roughly 50% total HP (~6,000 damage). Do not waste flasks learning this phase — it is a warmup.

The Clergyman fights like a wounded animal: erratic swipes, rock throws, and lunging bites. His most dangerous attack is the boulder barrage — he hurls four massive stone projectiles in sequence. Sprint perpendicular to him during the windup. Do not roll; the rocks track mid-flight.

His other patterns worth memorizing:

• Claw swipe combo (3-hit) — He drags claws left, right, overhead. Roll into him on the third hit for a guaranteed punish window.
• Ground slam — Telegraphed by him rearing back on hind legs. The shockwave has a 4-meter radius. Roll backward twice.
• Leaping bite — He lunges forward with jaws open. Sidestep left. His recovery is long; punish with jumping R2.

Phase 1 teaches spacing. Stay mid-range (6-8 meters). Too close and he spams swipes. Too far and he throws boulders. Find the sweet spot where he commits to lunges.

Phase II — Destined Death

At 50% HP, the cinematic triggers. Maliketh tears through the Clergyman's flesh and emerges wielding the Black Blade. Every attack in this phase inflicts Destined Death — a red debuff that reduces your maximum HP by 10% and drains 5% of current HP per second for 8 seconds. Stack damage and you will die with flasks remaining.

Maliketh moves faster than any boss you have fought so far. His attacks chain instantly, his aerial mobility is unpredictable, and his combos extend mid-string based on your positioning. The tells are minimal. You must memorize his patterns by dying to them.

The opening seconds of phase 2 are the safest window in the entire fight. Maliketh always performs his pillar leap slash first — he vaults onto a pillar, pauses, then dive-slashes toward you. Sprint perpendicular during the pause. He lands in recovery. This is your best punish window in the phase. Do not waste it.

Attacks & Counters

| Attack | Counter | |--------|---------| | Boulder barrage (P1) | Sprint perpendicular for 3 seconds. Do not roll — they track. | | Claw swipe combo (P1) | Roll into him on hit 3. Punish with 2 R1s. | | Ground slam (P1) | Roll backward twice. Shockwave lingers. | | Pillar leap slash (P2 opener) | Sprint perpendicular during pause. He recovers for 2 seconds — punish heavily. | | Black Blade sweep (P2) | He swings horizontally at head-height. Duck (crouch) or roll toward him. | | Triple aerial slash (P2) | Three consecutive dive-slashes from above. Roll forward on frames 1 and 3, backward on frame 2. | | Death claw spin (P2) | He spins 360° with claws extended. Roll into the spin, not away. Inner radius is safe. | | Destined Death projectile (P2) | He slams blade into ground, fires tracking wave. Jump over it or roll-spam forward through. |

Recommended Loadout

Maliketh's speed in phase 2 demands a specific toolkit. Bleed does not work — he is immune. Holy damage is reduced by 40%. Your best bet is raw physical damage or fire.

• Spirit Ash: Mimic Tear +10. This fight is balanced around summon usage. The Mimic splits Maliketh's target priority and survives long enough in phase 2 to matter. Solo is possible but exponentially harder.
• Weapon: Blasphemous Blade (fire + HP regen on kills), Greatsword (colossal poise-break), or Bloodhound's Fang (bleed immunity but high physical AR). Avoid slow weapons — Maliketh punishes recovery frames.
• Talismans:
  • Pearldrake Talisman +2 (non-physical damage reduction — mitigates Destined Death ticks)
  • Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman (physical damage reduction)
  • Crimson Amber Medallion +2 (extra HP cushion against Destined Death drain)
  • Green Turtle Talisman (stamina regen — you will be rolling constantly)
• Items: Boiled Crab (physical damage negation consumable, stacks with talismans). Holyproof Dried Liver does nothing — Destined Death bypasses holy resistance.

Equip your heaviest armor while maintaining medium roll. Maliketh clips through attacks even when you dodge correctly. Poise matters.

The Destined Death Mechanic

Understanding the debuff changes the fight:

• Destined Death stacks. Two hits = 20% max HP reduction + 10% current HP drain per second.
• The drain cannot kill you directly — it stops at 1 HP.
• Healing flasks are less efficient while debuffed. A +12 flask heals for ~1,100 HP normally; with Destined Death active, you effectively heal ~900 HP due to the drain.

Do not heal immediately after being hit. Wait 2-3 seconds for the DoT to tick, then flask. Healing into active drain wastes resources. If you are at 40% HP with Destined Death active, the drain will stop around 35% — flask at that threshold, not before.

Lore Pause

Maliketh is Marika's shadow, the keeper of Destined Death — the Rune of Death that Marika removed from the Elden Ring to grant immortality to the Golden Order. By sealing it inside his blade, Maliketh became the most dangerous being in the Lands Between. Gurranq (the Beast Clergyman) is his mortal disguise, exiled to Caelid to atone for losing a fragment of the Rune to Ranni on the Night of Black Knives.

When you kill Maliketh, you are not just defeating a demigod. You are returning death itself to the world.

"Marika... why... wouldst thou... gull me? Why... shamed me... so?" — His final words are not for you. They are for the god who betrayed him.

Strategy Mindset

Phase 2 is a stamina management test disguised as a speed test. You cannot out-damage Maliketh's aggression. You must out-patient him. Every combo he throws has an end. Every aerial slash has a landing recovery. Wait for those windows. Do not chase.

Most players die because they try to hit him during neutral moments when he is circling. Those moments are bait. Maliketh can cancel into attacks faster than your recovery frames allow. Only punish committed attacks with visible recovery — pillar leaps, ground slams, failed grabs.

If you are struggling after 20 attempts, the issue is not your build. It is your dodge timing. Record a fight and watch it back. You are rolling too early. Maliketh's tells are shorter than every boss before him. Delay your inputs by a quarter-second and the fight will click.

Related Bosses

Defeating Maliketh unlocks the endgame. You gain access to Leyndell, Ashen Capital — the burned version of the Royal Capital. The next mandatory fight is Gideon Ofnir followed by Godfrey, First Elden Lord (golden shade, then true form). After Maliketh, those fights will feel slow in comparison.