How to beat the Tibia Mariner in Elden Ring

The Lands Between in Elden Ring are full of deadly enemies and bosses ready to kill you at a moment’s notice. Almost every boss has a unique gimmick or ability that makes them difficult to deal with, especially if it’s your first try. A notable boss players can encounter early on in the game is the Tibia Mariner, which is an aquatic foe sitting in a boat. 

Players can find the Tibia Mariner in Summonwater Village to the east of Stormville Castle. Players can encounter this boss at other bodies of water in Elden Ring, but this is likely the location where most players will first find the deadly enemy. While other bosses rely on their attacks to defeat players, the Tibia Mariner heavily relies on summoning skeletons. 

Each time you approach the Tibia Mariner, it will summon a handful of skeletons from the shallow water. These are relatively easy enemies to defeat, but they will reanimate until you destroy their glowing blue bones on the ground. Hit them one more time after they are destroyed to prevent them from respawning. 

To make the fight easier, melee players should deal with the skeletons before fighting the Tibia Mariner. The boss has a few attacks, but they’re all easy to dodge. The Tibia Mariner telegraphs each attack, like lifting its boat to slam into the ground or swinging its horn. Take a few seconds to recognize each attack and easily dodge them to avoid damage. 

After hitting the Tibia Mariner a few times, it will disappear and spawn in a different part of the river. Look for the glowing purple light to find its new location and get ready to fight a few more skeletons. Repeat the same tactic until the enemy is defeated and avoid being overwhelmed by the skeletons. 

This fight is even easier when riding Torrent as you can avoid the skeletons altogether. Just ride in a land a few hits before retreating to avoid the attacks. Ranged players should also take out the skeletons before focusing on the boss. 

Defeating the Tibia Mariner rewards players with Runes and the Skeletal Bandit Ashes. This is an optional boss fight but is worth completing for these valuable items.