Dragons have been a staple of most FromSoftware games set in fantasy worlds. Elden Ring is no exception, with several dragons for the Tarnished to take down. However, the game’s one and only expansion, Shadow of the Erdtree, takes things up a notch, dedicating an entire area of its new world, the Land of Shadow, to a terrifying specimen that takes inspiration from a variety of sources!

Bayle the Dread is likely to send many players right back to the nearest Site of Grace in a matter of seconds, bringing fire and lightning to an arsenal of brutal attacks that hit hard and fast. As with many of the expansion’s optional bosses, he is tied to an NPC questline and presents a challenge that is sure to break many a controller as players rage-quit their game in frustration.

Menacing Yet Regal, As a Dragon Should Be

You first hear of Bayle the Dread while exploring the Jagged Peak region in the Land of Shadow, an area that you access via the Dragon Pit Cave after beating another optional boss to get the Dragon Hunter’s Great Katana, which you may want to bring to this fight if your build supports it. There are two important NPCs here: the broken warrior Igon, who seems to harbor a major grudge against Bayle, and the Ancient Dragon Priestess found at the Dragon Communion Altar in this region.

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If you seek them out before facing Bayle in battle, you learn that he is a sworn enemy of Placidusax from the base game, making him a threat that is as old as the Erdtree and Scadutree themselves. You also learn that he lost a leg to his enemy in a battle that shook the world (fans of the Eragon books are sure to remember Glaedr), which caused him to take over the Jagged Peak. It’s time to put an end to his tyranny once and for all.

Bosses Be Gone: How to Defeat Bayle the Dread in Elden Ring’s Shadow of the Erdtree

Upon entering the arena at the Jagged Peak Summit, Bayle can perform one of two deadly attacks. He can spray the arena with a mix of fire and lightning that comes at you in waves. Dodge through at the last possible moment to avoid taking damage. The other attack he may use is to shoot a beam of fire at you that you will need to dodge by rolling to either side.

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If you managed to collect Igon’s Furled Finger from him as part of his questline, you can summon him to the fight. Additionally, a Mimic Tear equipped with the Dragon Hunter’s Great Katana can make this fight go a lot easier. You will need to stay alert as Bayle switches his attention between targets quite randomly, and you do not want to be caught napping at any point in this fight. Take him on after gathering as many Shadow Realm Blessings as you possibly can to be able to do enough damage to him.

When you spot Bayle’s mouth glowing with fire, be ready to roll to the side as he lunges at you to pick you up off the ground and slam you into the ground three times, with each slam dealing massive damage. He also snaps twice at you with his jaws at close range to deal some physical damage. All these attacks can be rolled through with some good timing.

He uses his claws in a combo of swipes ending with a slam move that he may power up with lightning. Watch out for the explosions that come after it, picking your moments to launch counterattacks while you allies whittle away at his health.

At about 50% of his health, Bayle takes to the skies, flying in a circle around the arena and launching lightning projectiles at his target that deal a lot of damage before landing on the ground with a huge slide forward that can damage you if you are caught in it. He may follow this up with a telegraphed explosion that you will need to either roll through or back away from with haste. Hug the arena walls to avoid taking damage from his projectiles while he is in the air, moving in a circle to throw off his aim.

Bayle’s weak spots are his head and missing leg, which are highly susceptible to Bleed damage. However, use every chance you get to land a few strikes, taking the fight as it comes and rolling through his claw attacks and tail swipes at close range. The fight is a lot easier with the right weapons and summons, but he can be defeated solo if that’s your thing.

We highly recommend the Malformed Dragon’s Armor for its high resistance to Fire and Lightning damage, along with the Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman and Pearldrake Talisman, to further boost your resistance and increase your survivability in this fight. Bayle may be an optional boss but is surely meant for players who have progressed far enough in Shadow of the Erdtree to make themselves as powerful as they can.

Bayle drops his Heart and a large amount of Runes after the fight. Additionally, you can find Igon’s body along the path to the Summit from the foot of the mountain to collect his weapon, armor, and bell-bearing. The Dragon Priestess also dies after the fight, leaving her gear on the ground next to the altar. Use Bayle’s Heart to collect one of two incredible new additions to your arsenal.

For more help with Elden Ring and Shadow of the Erdtree, our guides have a lot of cool builds alongside detailed tips on how to beat bosses like Messmer and the final boss of the game. Check them out to get the most out of your time in the Land of Shadow!