Shadow of the Erdtree has brought a bucket of new and interesting boss fights for players. Starting from the introduction, players must make their way by removing enemies and world bosses. The most problematic thing about the expansion is that even the optional boss fights are sometimes necessary as they block the progress path inside dungeons. Commander Gaius is among these bosses who must be removed to open a new path.

Commander Gaius is technically an optional fight that players may skip if they want, but leaving this fight behind will shut off further exploration of the dungeon he resides in. So, in a way, this encounter is a must, and as the leader of Messmer the Impaler’s army, this enemy is going to give you a hard time fighting him. Don’t worry; our guide has all the necessary information about this fight.

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

Like Elden Ring, Shadow of the Erdtree is going to give players some unforgettable fighting experiences, and expectedly, several of them come from the optional bosses of the game. So, whether it is a major boss or an optional one, there’s no way you can take anyone lightly. That’s the same case with Commander Gaius. However, before we progress further, let’s start with his location in the game.

Where to Find Commander Gaius in Shadow of the Erdtree

Commander Gaius is located in a large field behind the Shadow Keep. Shadow Keep is the third and largest dungeon in Shadow of the Erdtree. To find the location of the boss, start your journey from the Church District Entrance Site of Grace and keep progressing through the dungeon by draining the water. Eventually, your exploration will take you to the elevator located at the end of the hall.

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Take this elevator, and it will take you to the upper floors of the dungeon. From there, you have to make your way across the rafters until you reach the next elevator. It will take you to the back gate. Next to it, you will locate the Back Gate Site of Grace. As you continue your journey, you will soon reach a field at the end of the dungeon, and the boss will be found there.

Without preparation, don’t go for this fight. Despite being an optional boss, Commander Gaius has unique abilities that are tough to handle. So, the next section will provide you with the best strategy to beat the boss.

How to Beat Commander Gaius in Shadow of the Erdtree

Commander Gaius is kind of similar to the Golden Hippopotamus boss that you have probably already fought during your progression. Both of these enemies attack slowly, but their attacks deal tons of damage to players. Both of these enemies have a good range for their attacks, which rarely give players time to counter or heal. So, understanding the weaknesses of Commander Gaius is necessary to take control of the battle.

Initially, the boss seems to be an unbeatable enemy riding on his boar. However, that’s not the case, though. He has his weaknesses. For example, the enemy is vulnerable to Bleed and Frost damage. So, players need to bring weapons and spells that inflict these two status effects. The more the boss bleeds or gets frozen, the easier the fight will be for players. Anyway, don’t forget to use the best shield you have in your inventory to block some of his attacks.

Using a powerful Spirit Ash is another great way to win against the commander of Messmer the Impaler‘s army. Though in most cases, we recommend using Mimic Tear, here you can get the best outcome if you have Black Knife Tiche. She debuffs enemies faster to make the battles a lot easier. 

The boss deals heavy Physical damage. So, we recommend using the Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman to boost your resistance against physical attacks. Additionally, make sure to collect all the Scadutree Fragments to get an increased damage rate for your attacks and a damage reduction on incoming attacks. 

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Finally, we recommend not fighting on Torrent, even if the game allows you to do so. Fighting on Torrent seems like a good idea. Riding Torrent gives a good speed for sure, but simultaneously, when your ride is dead, you will be exposed to the boss’s attacks for a few seconds. Therefore, taking this risk is not suggested anyway.

Like most other fights, Commander Gaius has two phases. In the first phase, the boss welcomes players with an instant charging attack. So, you have to get prepared before you enter the arena. Jump to the left side and hide behind the extension of the wall to avoid this attack. Once the boss hits the wall, you will get a few seconds to summon your Spirit Ash.

The boss will soon shift his focus to the Spirit Ash you have summoned. However, don’t let him fight the Spirit Ash, or your companion is going to die soon. In that case, the boss will be tough to handle alone. Instead, take the hits alternatively and avoid them to survive longer. Fortunately, the boss doesn’t have many attacks to deal with.

Once you have dealt enough damage to the boss and his health reaches around 75%, the second phase of the fight begins. In this second phase, the boss will start using Gravity Magic attacks. This is the deadliest attack the boss has, where he hovers in the air and slams down with an eruption of thorns. Remember, it is a delayed attack, so don’t dodge it as soon as the boss slams. The enemy will continue launching this attack, along with his projectile attacks. 

In both phases, players need to dodge the attacks of the boss and wait for an opening to deal damage. Don’t stay close to him for a long time. Keep your distance and watch out for his moves. Though the fight is time-consuming and tricky, Commander Gaius is a beatable enemy with a proper strategy and patience. Beating him will eventually give players access to 5 Scadutree Fragments on the ground in Scadutree Chalice.

Now that you have been progressing through the game, you must have faced challenging enemies like Metyr, Mother of Fingers, or Needle Knight Leda. If you are struggling to beat these bosses, go through our guides for detailed walkthroughs of the battles. Aside from that, Shadow of the Erdtree will likely confuse you a lot during the journey. So, don’t forget to check out our guides to find information that resolves your issues.