Skeletons are major enemies in open world medieval games like the Elder Scrolls, Dark Souls, and Elden Ring. However, the skeletons in Elden Ring are very different from the rest. For instance, these weaker enemies die like any other in Skyrim, but in Elden Ring, you have to deal with each enemy according to its nature. The skeletons in Elden Ring belong to the undead class, who will keep resurrecting unless you kill them the proper way. As a result, numerous new players are irritated with the ever-arising ability of these weaker enemies.
Fortunately, FromSoftware Inc was kind enough to offer a wide array of ways to kill the undead enemies. This article provides a complete guide about how to kill Skeletons in Elden Ring once and for all. Moreover, the guide also includes a few tips and tricks to quickly kill them and be on with your quests.
Table of Contents
How to kill Skeletons in Elden Ring?
The Skeletons in Elden Ring are very different from anything that you have faced in other games. Firstly, they are fierce beasts who attack you at first glance. So, there will be times when you can’t even know why the war music is triggered, giving the advantage of surprise to your enemies. Moreover, being undead in Elden Ring means that you can’t kill them with an ordinary weapon. So, even if you manage to drain your opponent’s HP bar, it will arise from the dead and hunt you down. This cycle continues till you have figured out the proper way to kill them.
The Holy Damage Method
The basic concept behind killing any undead enemy is to attack them with Holy damage. There are numerous weapons in the game, like The Golden Epitaph Straight Sword, The Inseparable Sword, and The Golden Order Greatsword. All these weapons inflict Holy damage on your opponents. Moreover, you can also use Ashes of War like the Sacred Blade and other Weapon Arts that buff your weapons with Holy damage. So, killing the Skeletons becomes very easy if you manage to get your hands on any of these options. Once you have the right gear, all you need is to swing your sword, and the Skeletons will fall to the ground like any other enemy.
The Standard Method
The problem with such weapons and Ashes of War is that you don’t get access to them till the middle phase of Elden Ring. So, what if you find a Skeleton before that, say in Limgrave? Well, in that case, your goal is to prevent the fallen Skeleton from completing its resurrection animation. Once you fully drain its HP, it will fall to the ground and turn into a pile of bones. After a few seconds, the bones will reconnect, and the Skeleton will be standing in front of you with a full HP bar. So, the only way to prevent them from rising back is to keep attacking even after the Skeleton dies. This way, you will prevent the resurrection animation, and the enemy will stay dead.
Steps:
Killing a Skeleton in Elden Ring can be broken down into three simple steps. If you follow them correctly, you won’t face the trouble of killing an undead enemy ever again. Here’s how to kill a Skeleton without a Holy weapon in Elden Ring:
- Kill the Skeleton like any other enemy using your favorite weapon.
- After draining its HP bar, the Skeleton will fall to the ground and become a pile of bones.
- Next, you must wait for the glowing ooze animation and strike as soon as it starts. That’s it! The opponent will again turn into a pile of bones and never rise again.
However, you must remain careful in your timing. If you wait too long before attacking, the Skeleton will rise from the dead no matter how many times you strike it. Secondly, this method is only suitable for scenarios where you face one Skeleton at a time. If you find yourself surrounded by a group of enemies, you won’t get the time to notice all the fallen Skeletons. For such scenarios, it would be best to try the other methods.
The Occult Method
The Skeletons are spread all over the Lands Between. So, there is no way to know exactly when you will face your first Skeleton. Usually, they appear in graveyards, dungeons, and tombs. However, you may as well find one roaming in the vast fields of Limgrave during the night. Moreover, you don’t get access to the Holy weapons until you reach the Liurnia of the Lakes. So, your best shot is to unlock the Roundtable Hold by defeating the first two major bosses in Limgrave.
Once you unlock Roundtable Hold, look for Smith Master Hewg. Speak with him to unlock his abilities after exhausting the dialogue sequence. Next, ask him to add the Occult affinity to your primary weapon. He will do so happily in return for a few Runes. Now, you can attack the Skeletons like any other enemy, and it won’t rise back from the dead ever again.
The Easy Trick
All the aforementioned methods are reliable and practical for different battles with the Skeletons in Elden Ring. However, these methods are often time-consuming as you need to either kill them with a Holy weapon or wait for the glowing ooze animation to start. Moreover, the methods aren’t as stylish when you face a large group of Skeletons in the Lands Between. Fortunately, a player has pointed out a quick, easy, and stylish way to kill one or multiple Skeletons in Elden Ring. This trick has been out for quite some time, and all experienced players know about it. However, the trick is still undiscovered by almost all new players.
For this trick to work, you must first unlock The Shaded Castle and defeat Elemer of the Briar. He is a challenging boss, especially for newcomers. So, make sure that you don’t go anywhere near the Castle unless you are fully prepared for the battle. After defeating Elemer of the Briar, head to the Roundtable Hold. The next step is to find and speak with the Finger Reader Enia. She will offer you the complete Briar Armor Set in exchange for a couple of Runes.
You must wear the complete Armor Set, including the Briar Helm, Briar Armor, Briar Gauntlets, and Briar Greaves, for this trick to work. Wearing the complete Armor adds Holy damage to your rolls. So, the final step is to kill any skeleton using your primary weapon, wait for the glowing ooze animation, and roll into the Skeleton to finish it completely. Moreover, if you have good rolling skills, you may as well try to finish off a few Skeletons by just rolling into them. Hopefully, FromSoftware Inc will add new and exciting ways to kill Skeletons in the future Elden Ring Patches.
FAQs
How many types of Skeletons are there in Elden Ring?
According to the latest Patch, there are four common Skeleton opponents and one Skeleton boss in Elden Ring. All of the common Skeletons are undead and may respawn after you finish their HP. These Skeletons are Skeletal Militiaman, Skeletal Swordsman, Skeletal Crossbowman, and Skeletal Mage. Moreover, you will also need to face the Tibia Mariner, a giant Skeleton boss that raises common Skeletons during the battle.
Why do the Skeletons keep rising back from the dead?
Skeletons in Elden Ring belong to the undead class of enemies. In other words, they will keep rising back even after you fully drain their HP. The only way to kill such enemies is to use a weapon that inflicts Holy damage. Moreover, you can also prevent them from respawning by attacking during the glowing ooze respawning animation sequence.
What is the easiest way to kill a Skeleton in Elden Ring?
You can kill Skeletons by inflicting them with Holy damage or by preventing them from completing the respawning animation. In this regard, you can kill a Skeleton using multiple ways. However, the best and easiest way to kill a Skeleton in Elden Ring is to use the Occult Weapon or roll into the Skeletons while wearing the complete Briar Armor Set.
What is the best weapon to kill a Skeleton in Elden Ring?
To kill Skeletons in Elden Ring, you only need to find a weapon that inflicts Holy damage. According to numerous players, the best weapons for killing Skeletons are The Golden Epitaph Straight Sword, The Inseparable Sword, and The Golden Order Greatsword. Alternatively, you can use the Sacred Blade Ash of War until you get your hands on one of these weapons.
How to use the Briar method to kill Skeletons?
According to the Reddit community, you can kill Skeletons by just rolling into them during the glowing ooze animation. However, you must first defeat Elemer of the Briar at The Shaded Castle. Next, you must purchase the complete Briar Armor Set from Enia at the Roundtable Hold. Lastly, you must wear the whole Armor Set to add maximum Holy damage to your rolling.
Conclusion
Killing a Skeleton in Elden Ring is very different from other games like Skyrim. In this game, they are undead enemies who will keep rising back from the dead unless you find the right way to kill them. In other words, the Skeleton will become a pile of bones after you completely drain its HP bar but rise back with a full HP after a few seconds. Fortunately, you can kill a Skeleton by inflicting Holy damage or by preventing the glowing ooze resurrection animation. This article provides multiple answers to the question of how to kill Skeletons in Elden Ring.
