Elden Ring: How To Beat Demi-Human Chiefs

Players undertaking a journey though the Lands Between will encounter a wide variety of enemies and bosses, some even capable of taking on Malenia and coming out on top. In true Soulsborne fashion, select bosses players go up against earlier in the title will come back to haunt them as common enemies in later areas of the game. While none of these foes should be taken lightly, the erratic and terrifying Demi-Human Chief is sure to hamper players making for Limgrave's Church of Dragon Communion. 

Players don't have to take on this optional boss, but between access to Dragon magic and an item required for a certain Seamster's quest, many will find themselves making the trek toward Coastal Cave to fell the adversary. On top of this, a little practice early on will make future encounters with the enemy all the easier. Here's what players need to know to take down Demi-Human Chiefs, regardless of build.

Melee characters are likely the first to discover that the boss fight against the Demi-Human Chief is actually an encounter against two of the foes and a handful of smaller Demi-Human enemies. Rushing into the fight and treading too far into the cave will grab the attention of all enemies present, quickly creating a nightmare scenario for players. Though the smaller Demi-Humans don't hit too hard and go down after only an attack or two, there are enough of them where getting surrounded and overwhelmed is a real danger.

As illustrated by SweetJohnnyCage, players using a melee build can lure out a few adds before taking on the first Demi-Human Chief by the room's entrance. The boss' attacks initially appear wild and unpredictable, but use of a shield will block incoming swipes or open up the option for powerful parries. The Demi-Human Chiefs have low poise, so jump attacks and stance-breaking works to great effect during the encounter. Once the first boss has been dealt with, players can move towards the back of the room to attract the attention of the second and repeat the process to victory.

Those going into the fight against the Demi-Human Chiefs armed with either a bow or magic will undoubtedly have a little more trouble with the encounter than melee characters, but many of the same principles will still apply. Using either a bow or spells, players will want to eliminate as many lesser Demi-Humans as possible before the Demi-Human Chief's onslaught begins. 

If possible, Fextralife recommends magic-user bring a shield, using a staff or catalyst in their other hand. If that's not possible players will just need to stay on their toes and be prepared to create distance between themselves and the boss at a moments notice — paying special attention not to head too deep into the room and aggro the second Demi-Human Chief. In particular, players will find a nice window to cast or shoot after the boss slams its weapons into the ground. With a little intention going into the fight, and a watchful eye during, players will be able to lay the Demi-Human Chiefs to rest and claim their spoils.