Bosses Be Gone: How to Defeat Romina, Saint of the Bud in Elden Ring’s Shadow of the Erdtree
Elden Ring's expansion would not be complete without a boss that inflicts Scarlet Rot. It's time to end this threat and enter Enir-Ilim, where Miquella awaits!
With Shadow of the Erdtree finally in the hands of its fans, it is safe to say that many players have booted up their copy of Elden Ring over the weekend, diving into the Land of Shadow to discover its new secrets, weapons, and of course, bosses. There are a lot of memorable encounters in the new expansion, with many of them being required to progress the story and learn more about Miquella, the demigod, and his adventures in this new world.
Each of these new bosses brings something new to the table, and Romina, Saint of the Bud, stands out with her tragic backstory and unique appearance. From her hideout in the Ancient Ruins of Rauh, she stands between the Tarnished and the Scadutree, making it necessary to defeat her in order to use Messmer’s Kindling to burn away all illusions and access the final area of the game.
The Saint of the Scarlet Rot
When Messmer purged the Land of Shadow with his fire, Romina was the sole survivor, choosing to infect the buds symbolic of her former church with Scarlet Rot. Grotesquely transformed into a hybrid between a scorpion, centipede, and butterfly, she wields her Poleblade with unerring accuracy and deadly speed, infecting her opponents with Scarlet Rot with every strike.
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She can be found by taking a path through the ancient ruins from their western end, passing through Shades, Curseblades, and Rotten Pests to access an elevator. Watch out for the Pests‘ long-range attacks, as they can quickly decimate your health bar before you make it to the boss! If you summoned Hornsent against Messmer, the Impaler, it is likely that he will invade you on your way to the Church of the Bud, where she can be found.
Bosses Be Gone: How to Defeat Romina, Saint of the Bud in Elden Ring’s Shadow of the Erdtree
Despite her imposing appearance, Romina is on the easier side of things in Shadow of the Erdtree. Her attacks are well-telegraphed, making them easy to dodge, while Bleed damage works wonders against her. You will need to bring a few Preserving Boluses to this fight to counter the constant Scarlet Rot buildup that she inflicts with each strike.
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To start with, she swings her centipede head at you three times, going from left to right. Dodge each attack just before the swing begins and position yourself for a counterattack after the third swing. If you use a heavy weapon, jump attacks, or charged attacks, you can easily break her stance for a critical hit.
Watch her spear closely at all times, as a small flash on it signifies a couple of slashes coming your way that you can dodge through and punish. Harder to avoid is when she strikes with her scorpion stinger, which can deal a lot of damage. You will need to be precise with your dodges to avoid this one, but it is a great opportunity to get a jump or charged attack on the boss.
Romina can take to the air, coming down with deadly force for a vicious stab attack. Time your roll carefully, watching for the quick flash on her spear to guide your way. Do not try and counterattack immediately, as she can follow this up with multiple swings from her spear in a graceful tornado of attacks that you must either block or dodge away from before you can counterattack.
Romina also attempts to slash at you from the air, coming at you thrice before she lands. Dodge to either side with the right timing to avoid taking damage and a massive bump to your Scarlet Rot meter. Remember to use Preserving Boluses if you end up infected or if you are close to being infected.
This is a good time to mention the butterflies that she may leave behind after each of her attacks, which linger for a while before exploding, dealing damage and rot buildup to the Tarnished. Armor and Talismans that boost your Immunity are a big advantage in this fight, while weapons that inflict Bleed damage or Poise damage can give you quite the advantage against Romina.
Like with all other bosses in FromSoftware games, it can be a good idea to take the fight slowly, taking your time to dodge each attack as it comes while carefully counterattacking without attempting elaborate combos. The Kindred of Rot’s Exultation Talisman can actually work very well here if you use a Spirit Ash Summon like the Mimic Tear, as you gain a damage buff any time either of you is infected with the Scarlet Rot. Use a Preserving Bolus and continue attacking to make the most of this.
With a bit of patience and skill, Romina falls to the Tarnished, and your way is clear to burn the Scadutree and make your way to the final region in the DLC. For more help with Elden Ring or Shadow of the Erdtree, let our comprehensive guides help you light the way for your Tarnished.
