The Divine Beast Dancing Lion is an early boss in Elden Ring’s Shadow of the Erdtree expansion that can present a significant challenge. Many players, myself included, have found themselves struggling against this agile and powerful creature on their first encounter. Fortunately, with the right strategies and a bit of patience, this ancient being can be overcome. This guide will provide you with a detailed breakdown of the fight, ensuring you’re well-prepared to face the Dancing Beast and emerge victorious.
Decoding the Dancing Lion’s Initial Assault: Phase One
Dancing Beast Elden Ring Phase One combat encounter, showcasing the boss in its initial form.
The first phase of the Divine Beast Dancing Lion fight typically lasts until you’ve depleted roughly one-third to one-half of its health bar. This initial stage is your prime opportunity to inflict substantial damage and establish control. During phase one, the Dancing Lion is notably vulnerable to staggering, opening it up for critical hits. Aggressive tactics are encouraged here. Employ jump attacks and potent Ashes of War like Transient Moonlight from Moonveil or Bloodblade Dance from Eleonara’s Poleblade to maximize your damage output. While Bleed and Frost are less effective in this fight compared to some other Elden Ring encounters, consistent physical damage and stagger are key.
The Dancing Lion possesses several aerial attacks in this phase, including dive bombs. One particular dive attack is a command grab, which, while punishing if it connects, is not usually fatal like some of the grab attacks from bosses in the base Elden Ring game, such as Malenia or Astel.
One of the Dancing Lion’s most deceptive moves, and a frequent source of frustration, occurs at the end of its longer combos. It will rear up on its hind legs, seemingly presenting an opening for attack, before unleashing a breath attack in a circular area around itself. This animation can be misleading. When you see the Dancing Lion rear up, it’s crucial to back away immediately to avoid being caught in the breath attack’s area of effect. Resist the urge to attack during this wind-up, as it almost always leads to taking damage.
Navigating the Elemental Onslaught: Phase Two
Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree Dancing Beast in Phase Two, empowered with elemental abilities.
Phase two of the Dancing Beast Elden Ring encounter begins when the boss reaches approximately two-thirds to one-half health. This phase is marked by the Dancing Lion cycling through three elemental power-ups, typically starting with lightning. While its core moveset remains largely consistent, each element introduces unique challenges and attack variations that you must be prepared to counter:
Lightning Phase
Drawing inspiration from Ancient Dragon fights in the base game, during the Lightning phase, the Dancing Lion will periodically trigger an ability where the ground glows briefly before lightning strikes the indicated areas. This phase demands careful positioning and timing. Avoid staying in one place for too long, especially when you see the ground begin to glow, as you’ll likely be punished for attempting to trade damage during these lightning strikes.
Frost Phase
The Frost phase is arguably the most dangerous. In this mode, all of the Dancing Lion’s attacks inflict frost buildup, most notably its breath weapon. Additionally, it gains a Hoarfrost Stomp-style AOE move. This AOE attack can be jumped or dodged through, but the pervasive frost buildup requires you to be constantly aware of your Frostbite meter. Quick dodges and strategic retreats are essential to avoid being Frostbitten, which can significantly hamper your movement and damage output.
Air Phase
The Air phase is often considered the safest phase within phase two. However, the Dancing Lion gains a homing tornado move that can be challenging to evade. While it might feel safer compared to the Frost phase, you still need to be vigilant and learn to dodge or outrun the homing tornado to avoid taking unnecessary damage.
Seeking Aid: Summoning Redmane Freyja
If the Dancing Beast Elden Ring fight proves too overwhelming, you have the option to summon Redmane Freyja for assistance before entering the boss room. Freyja can provide valuable support, drawing aggro and dealing significant damage. To ensure Freyja is available for summoning, you should speak to her at the Three Path Cross site of grace in the Gravesite Plain. Engaging with Freyja’s questline is recommended regardless, as it progresses her storyline and may offer further benefits.
Triumph Over the Beast
Persistence is key in Elden Ring, and the Dancing Lion is no exception. By understanding its attack patterns, exploiting its weaknesses in phase one, and adapting to the elemental shifts in phase two, you will eventually conquer this formidable foe. Upon defeating the Dancing Beast, remember to explore the area thoroughly. Proceed through the door and take the elevator located on the northern wall of the boss room (to your right when facing away from the entrance). This area contains crucial context and story progression elements within Shadow of the Erdtree that are easily missed if you don’t explore beyond the immediate boss arena.
