How to beat Ghostflame Dragons in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree DLC

Fighting against the Ghostflame Dragon in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree can be intense.

You could say it’s all about patience, but keeping your cool when a massive skeletal dragon is trying to roast you alive is no walk in the park, especially in Elden Ring. The Ghostflame Dragon isn’t as tough as your Bayle the Dread or Divine Beast Dancing Lion, but it still packs quite a punch. After all, it only takes one wrong move to find yourself flattened under the dragon’s belly and, before you know it, you’ll be kneeling at your latest Site of Grace. In this guide, I’ll show you how to beat the Ghostflame Dragon boss in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree.

Ghostflame Dragon location in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree

The Ghostflame Dragon resides in the center of the lake on the Gravesite Plain in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree. This is a dark, secluded area just east of the Abandoned Ailing Village.

Make sure you activate the Great Bridge North Site of Grace as it’s the closest respawn point. Trust me, you’ll be using it a lot.

Best setup for Ghostflame Dragon in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree

Here are a couple of tips to prepare for the battle against the Ghostflame Dragon in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree:

• Be level 150 or more
• Equip a +10 enhanced melee weapon
• Get at least 50 points of Vigor
• Summon a Spirit Ash to act as a decoy
• Frostbite helps, but this is mostly a physical challenge

I suggest going into this battle with a level 150-ish character and a +10-enhanced melee weapon. Boost your Vigor stat significantly, aiming for at least 50 points to withstand powerful attacks.

Before approaching the dragon, drink your Wonderous Physik mix and summon a Spirit Ash to distract the dragon. You can use Torrent to get close quickly, but dismount when the battle starts so you can maneuver your character with ease.

I also coated my weapon with Frostbite to have an advantage against the Ghostflame Dragon’s breath. That said, focus on dealing physical damage as much as you can.

Strategy to beat Ghostflame Dragon in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree

Here’s a breakdown of what works against the Ghostflame Dragon in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree:

• Stick close to the Dragon to avoid sweeping attacks.
• Roll toward its attacks to avoid damage.
• Deal damage until the Ghostflame Dragon is staggered. Then, target its glowing eye.

Stay under the dragon as much as possible. From under his belly, it’s easier to dodge attacks and land hits on its feet, belly, and when it plummets to the ground, its head.

You can avoid most of the dragon’s attacks by rolling towards it. This is particularly effective against the foot stomp it performs to lure you out from under its belly and the sweeping breath attacks that burn anything in front of it.

If you stray too far, the dragon’s fast head, tail, and wing sweeps can deal devastating damage. Sure, you can avoid these, but it’s safer to prevent these attacks from triggering in the first place. Stick close to minimize these threats.

The goal of this dance is to deal enough damage until the Ghostflame Dragon stands on two feet, staggers, and falls. When you see it rise on two feet, run away from the immediate area to avoid damage from its inevitable body slam. Then, approach the glowing eye weak point on its head. It’s time to unleash as much damage as you can.

Ghostflame Dragon’s moveset and how to counter in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree

• Ghostflame Foot Stomp: Ghostflame Dragon raises its foot before stomping you. Prepare to roll into the stomp. Because the fire expands radially, lateral dodges don’t work.
• Fire Breath: Ghostflame Dragon starts to breathe fire. Rush towards it and roll through the fire to avoid damage. This fire-breathing sweeping move is hard to dodge sideways.
• Aerial Dive: Ghostflame Dragon takes to the air. Run towards it to avoid its diving attacks.

Rewards for beating Ghostflame Dragon in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree

When you defeat the Ghost Dragon in Elden Ring, you receive the following rewards:

• 120000 Runes: A must for leveling up and upgrading your gear.
• Dragon Heart: You can use it to acquire powerful dragon-based incantations.
• Sombre Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone: A rare and valuable item previously limited in the game. You can use it to upgrade special weapons to their highest level.