To the north of the Shadow Keep in Elden Ring, Commander Gaius is waiting for you. Here’s how to beat Gaius in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree.
How to Defeat Commander Gaius in Elden Ring
Commander Gaius can be fought on foot or with Torrent, which makes him unique compared to the other major bosses in the DLC. Utilizing Torrent can give you a lot more space on the battlefield, but you’re also prone to getting stunned over and over again. For that reason, I don’t recommend actually using your mount. Get in the Commander’s face and start tracking the attack patterns he has. For the first part of the fight, he relies on combos from his spear when you get close, along with attacks from his mount.
When Commander Gaius isn’t using the spear to poke damage, he will use the boar to charge at you. After each charge, he has the potential to swing again and keep moving. In some cases, he can even have his mount kick you as you try to attack from behind. The goal is to wait for an opening in this fight and get safe damage rather than attempting aggressive combos. Strength builds are going to feel the best here.
Related: Where to Find Midra, Lord of Frenzied Flame in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
Tips to Beat Commander Gaius in Elden Ring
- Fight the boss on foot instead of with Torrent.
- Watch for tusk charges.
- Wait for the spear combos to end to deal damage.
- In phase 2, wait for the delay on the gravity slam.
- Prepare for projectile attacks and continue evading gravity attacks.
In phase 2, Gaius starts using gravity magic. He floats into the air and slams back down, causing thorns to erupt. Don’t dodge the slam right away because there is a slight delay. But if you evade the right way, then you can avoid the thorns. The boss will continue to use projectiles and gravity magic attacks on his spear, combined with attacks from the previous phase. Just like before, you want massive damage in small windows to continue defending. Before you know it, the fight will be over and you can claim your Scadutree Fragments up ahead.
Elden Ring is available now on PC, Xbox, and PlayStation.
