Divine Beast Dancing Lion is probably the first legendary boss you’ll face in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree. This boss cycles through so many elemental phases backed by numerous attacks that it will make your head spin. Worry not; we will go over everything there is to this boss and some strategies to take him out.
Fighting Divine Beast Dancing Lion
The Divine Beast Dancing Lion is taken straight out of those Chinese traditional dances. Even cooler is that if you remove the boss’s cape, two humanoids control this boss like a giant puppet.
This unique design is further heightened by the boss’s intricate dancer-esque moveset despite it being a large “monster.” The beast floats around the arena, flipping mid-air, using its split body independently and in tandem to have a larger moveset than any other boss in the Elden Ring DLC.
In the first phase of the fight, he uses physical attacks, with a few smoke attacks that can hit at range. This phase is there to introduce the majority of the boss’s moveset.
However, things take a huge turn in the second phase when his HP reaches 70-75%. Afterward, he randomly cycles through different “elemental phases,” including lightning, ice, or storm.
Attacks are similar throughout the fight, but each phase changes how they hit or inflict status effects like frostbite.
These are some additional details for the boss:
- This boss is optional, even though many players think it’s mandatory.
- Having Scadutree Blessing at 4-5 and Revered Spirit Ash Blessing at 4 is recommended.
- The Divine Beast Dancing Lion will cause Frostbite buildup in its ice phase. It is better to wear armor that is resistant to this status effect. You won’t get enough time to use Thawfrost Boluses to cure yourself.
- Another version of this boss is tucked away in the end-game area, Ancient Ruins of Rauh. It is similar attack-wise to the first rendition, with the addition of inflicting Death Blight. It also summons Basilisks to aid him during the fight. Make sure to dispose of them ASAP.
- You can summon Redmane Freyja to aid you in this fight. However, this will significantly increase the boss’s HP.
- Ensure your armor has a good mix of elemental damage negation without entering the heavy-weight category.
- The Pealdrake Talisman is a good fit for this fight. The Opaline Hardtear in the Flask of Wondrous Physick adds more resistance if things seem harder.
- The camera is by far your biggest enemy in this fight, especially when you are locked on.
Moveset
Since the Divine Beast Dancing Lion has cycling phases, we will cover each phase’s moveset in its respective sections. Memorize each phase and how to react so that you are prepared for any state the boss chooses:
Starting Phase
The boss uses all of these attacks in his other phases too
| Attack | Description | Reaction |
|---|---|---|
| Pounce Combo | The boss jumps and tries to land at you while biting. Maybe followed by a flip kick. Usually, the first attack of the fight. | Roll left as he lands and attack immediately. If he backflips, wait, dodge forward, then heavy attack. |
| Triple Chomp | He’ll extend his head and bite twice from each side, then bite again after a small pause. | Dodge back for both the initial bites, then pause for the third bite and dodge to any side. |
| Bite to Tail Whip | He starts by taking two rapid bites and then executes a tail whip, spinning 360 degrees. | For the first bites, stick close to the boss and dodge to the sides. Then, dodge forward for the tail whip. |
| Side Chomp | He sneaks up and bites from the left side, then thrusts another bite toward your left side. | Block it with a shield or dodge to the right while backing up. |
| Lunge | He starts sprinting and leaps through the air towards you if you are farther. | Block with a shield or roll left to evade. |
| Grab | When he stands up, his mouth moves twice before a lunge attack to grab you. If you get grabbed, you will be debuffed; it will heal the divine beast when you use your Flask next time. | Keep an eye on his mouth when he stands. Roll forward into the lunge to bypass the grab attack. |
| Head Smash | He smashes its head to the ground, causing debris to spread nearby. | Back up when you see him tilt his head upwards. Get out of range quickly before the debris shockwave hit you. |
| Double Chomp | It starts out the same as Side Chomp, followed by another chomp on the other side. | Either block the attack with a shield or dodge left then right while backing up. |
| Tail Lash | He will randomly whip you with its tail when you are close. | Block with a shield or dodge back, out of range of the tail. |
| Smoke Breath | A straight spew of smoke from its mouth with minor tracking. | Starting running in a direction until its over. |
Ice Phase
| Attack | Description | Reaction |
|---|---|---|
| Double Ice Stomps | The boss will slam the ground twice, causing ice shards to erupt from the surrounding floor. | Pick a side and start spamming dodge until the attack is over. |
| Side Chomp (Ice) | It’s the same as before, but this time, there is a Frostbite impact. | Better to dodge this attack. Blocking will still build up frostbite. |
| Divine Beast Frost Stomp | The boss raises its foot, stomps the ground, and ice shards burst around the impact area and travel far in front. | Dodge forward into the boss as soon as his foot connects to the ground to ignore the ice spikes. Land some hits as he recovers. |
| Frosty Wind Combo | He rises, spins mid-air, crashes nearby, leaves ice shards, and then lets out icy breath while spinning. | When facing the attack: – Run to the side or back up as it rises from the floor – Do a forward roll when it lands nearby – Jump at the last second before the breath attack comes your way to avoid frostbite |
Storm Phase
| Attack | Description | Reaction |
|---|---|---|
| Wind Combo | He will rise, spin mid-air, kick the ground, land near you, and then breathe out a long burst of wind while spinning in place. | You can counter it by sidestepping or backing up as it rises. Roll forward when it lands. Jump before the breath attack AOE reaches you. |
| Whirlwind | He spins and unleashes heavy winds like a tornado. This attack breaks will break your poise and can be followed by a ranged whirlwind attack. | Just back up when he stands straight to avoid the winds and dodge the second whirlwind. |
| Tornado Projectile | Spins in the air multiple times and sends a tornado that tracks you. | Back up and run to the side. As the tornado approaches you, dodge to the side. |
Lightning Phase
| Attack | Description | Reaction |
|---|---|---|
| Bolt Throw | He will grab a lightning bolt and throw it at you, creating a lingering lightning pool that explodes after some delay. | When he is about to shoot the bolt, dodge left or right twice to avoid it and the subsequent explosion. |
| Lightning Tornado | He will spin while unleashing lightning breath that breaks your poise and throws you back. | When he stands straight, back up out of the lightning radius. If caught, roll towards the incoming lightning to dodge it. |
| Moving Lightning Tornado | He will spin and move around, spewing out both wind and lightning from its mouth. | This is an erratic attack. Just keep backing up while dodging to a side and hope it doesn’t end you. |
| Side Chomp (Lightning) | Same as before but with lightning this time. | Dodge left. |
| Lightning Whirlwind | Same as the Whirlwind attack, but this time, he sends forth a flurry of lightning. | Start running backward when you see him stand up. |
Weaknesses and Resistances
Divine Beast Dancing Lion is resistant to the following damage types, so try to avoid using them:
- Magic Damage
- Lightning Damage
- Holy Damage
- Frostbite
The boss is weak against:
- Pierce Damage – Thrusting weapons like Heavy Thrusting Swords will deal extra damage.
- Fire Damage – Weapons like Blasphemous Blade will work wonders in this fight.
- Scarlet Rot – Rotten Breath is the best incantation for applying this.
- Bleed / Hemorrhage – Bleed weapons are better than using bleed incantations.
He is immune to both Sleep and Madness, none of his attacks can be parried, and he is vulnerable to Critical Attack when poise is broken.
Boss Strategy
The initial stage of Divine Beast Dancing Lion involves an excessive number of biting assaults, as well as acrobatics and kicking dust into the air.
All of these maneuvers can be evaded by rolling, but the most difficult one is its extended combination: it spins backward, performs two aerial spirals, kicks up, thrusts its head, and ultimately emits debris in a circular motion. This attack is likely to disorient most players. Here’s how you can react to it.
On the first spiral, roll to the right after it winds back, then go behind the boss and either stay out of range or roll through the debris to get some hits. When it’s spinning or if you’re in front of the boss, roll right twice with a slight pause between the rolls to avoid it. Take advantage of the long recovery.
It’s just a matter of remembering the boss’s various attacks, including charged combo bites, a rear swiping attack, a slam, a somersault-like ability, a grab attack, and two types of breath attacks. The boss’s move set continues to evolve throughout the fight.
The second phase will almost always be the lightning phase. As mentioned before, there are two more phases he could transition into on a whim. The transition occurs when the boss jumps into the air, twists around, and explodes with an aura indicating the active element. Each cycle primarily uses the same core moveset with some light enhancements that take advantage of the active element.
For lightning, most attacks will leave lingering lightning on the ground that will strike briefly afterward, while Ice and Storm create ice spikes and gusts of wind, respectively.
In addition to modifying the core moves, the Divine Beast Dancing Lion also gains one additional move specific to that element:
- Lightning includes a bolt throw that must be quickly double-rolled to avoid both the projectile as well as the lightning strike that follows
- Frost phase adds a charged-up version of the hoarfrost stomp that can be jumped over.
- In the Storm phase, the boss can conjure up a large tornado that he shoots directly towards you. Get as far away as possible during the windup for this, and then run directly left or right as the tornado starts heading your way.
The boss can take damage between most of its attacks in all phases, but it’s advisable to adopt a defensive strategy during the lightning phase. Landing hits on the boss between these attacks can be challenging without inadvertently exposing yourself to a lightning strike.
Frost phase will have a better balance between offense and defense since the ice spikes can be jumped over, making jumping attacks very effective in most situations. Storm phase, excluding the tornado attack, closely resembles phase one and encourages more offensive play from your end.
As the boss’s health drops, it will cease using transition animations and start executing successive combos that incorporate all three elements.
This battle phase is considerably faster without the transitions, but if you maintain a defensive stance with lightning, a balanced approach with frost, and an offensive strategy with wind, you can eventually end this deadly dance.
Rewards For Defeating Divine Beast Dancing Lion
For bringing down Divine Beast Dancing Lion of Belurat, Tower Settlement in Shadow of the Erdtree, you’ll receive the following:
- 120,000 Runes
- Divine Beast Head – Helm
- Remembrance of the Dancing Lion. You can trade it with Enia in Roundtable Hold to get one of these two items:
- Enraged Divine Beast: This talisman increases the damage of everything “storm” related by 10%.
- Ash of War: Divine Beast Frost Stomp: An upgraded version of the Hoarfrost Stomp skill from the base game.
The Ancient Ruins of Rauh version drops 180,000 Runes and the Divine Beast Tornado incantation.
How to Cheese Divine Beast Dancing Lion?
Cheesing the Divine Beat Dancing Lion is easier for builds that are heavily specced into ranged attacks. Since the boss is weak to scarlet rot, dragon communion incantations like Rotten Breath and Ekzykes’s Decay will slowly eat away the boss’s HP.
Sorcerers and Faith builds can use projectile attacks, but these have the chance to aggro the boss.
Prepare your build, and before entering the arena, summon Redmane Freyja. As soon as you walk past the gate, quickly summon a stronger spirit. I recommend either the Mimic Tear or Black Knife Tiche. Now, let these summons grab the boss’s attention while you run to the other side for safety.
From here, all you need to do is cast the Rotten Breath twice and apply scarlet rot. Let them duke it out while you sit back and watch as the deadly crimson poison does its work.
You can throw in some other projectiles if you like, but this will allow the boss to target you, so we recommend against it if you are in true cheesing mode.
Cheesing Divine Beast Dancing Lion in Ancient Ruins of Rauh
This version of the boss is even easier to cheese without even going close to him. All you need is a bow, but if you’re a caster build, you can use any range spells with decent distance. Another option would be to use throwable consumables like pots or knives. You can use buffs to expedite this cheese.
Just before the boss, there is a ledge you need to drop to access the boss, don’t drop and instead stay on top of the bridge. You can see the boss roaming between a large open structure in the lower section. Make sure to clear the shadow enemies on the bridge or else they will sneak up on you.
Pull out your bow while standing a top and manually aim at the boss and fire arrows to grab its attention. He will start approaching at this point and you can continue attacking him from this safety.
For the most part, you’re too high up for most of the boss’s attacks to hit you and you can just chip away at the boss’s health from a safe distance.
However, as his health dwindles, he will summon Basiliks around your location. Kill them ASAP or else they can proc Death Blight and insta-kill you. Once you are safe, continue sniping the boss, and soon, it will be done.
The Divine Beast Dancing Lion is by far one the most elegant boss that FromSoftware has added in the Elden Ring DLC. The moment I saw this boss in Elden RIng DLC’s trailer, I was fascinated by its uniqueness. Good luck learning his moveset and enjoy the bout!