A warrior sworn to battle and relinquishing his foes, the Blackgaol Knight is a field boss in Elden Ring. Imprisoned for life in solitary confinement, this boss is the first one the players will come across during their journey across the Shadow Lands.
In this guide, we will tell you how to find this optional boss and how you can defeat it in the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC. As this is one of the first bosses, you won’t be mentally and physically prepared to take it on your own. Let us help you through the whole process.
Blackgaol Knight Location
Blackgaol Knight can be found inside the Western Nameless Mausoleum in the starting area of the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC. He is probably the first boss that you will encounter on your journey to the Shadow Lands.
To reach the Nameless Western Mausoleum, start from the Scorched Ruins site of grace. It is the first site of grace of the DLC. Go west until you come across some snake-like enemies growing from the ground.
The enemies are non-hostile and won’t attack you unprovoked. Ignore them and go forward until you notice a small building with a Marika’s stake in front of it. Climb down the stairs and enter the door to be welcomed by the Blackgaol Knight.
Blackgaol Knight Stats and Resistances
Blackgaol Knight has 14,129 HP, and he is weak to Lightning attacks. He has complete immunity against Seep and Madness. However, this boss is like tarnished, and you can break his poise to deal a critical hit.
You can also perform a backstab on the Blackgaol Knight. He carries a Crimson Flask and uses it to restore some of his health when his HP is down to 50%.
Blackgaol Knight has great resistance against Hemorrhage, Poison, Scarlet Rot, and Frostbite. He can also absorb a lot of elemental attacks without even flinching.
Best Stats for Blackgaol Knight
As this is going to be your first boss, probably in the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, you will be extremely underpowered to take it on. He will most probably kill in one attack.
We recommend discovering a bit more until you acquire some Scadutree Fragments. A couple of Scadutree Fragments can be found inside and near the Scorching Ruins.
Upgrade your Scadutree Blessings to at least 2 before attempting this fight. Character Level doesn’t mean anything at this point. However, level 150+ is still recommended for this fight.
Cast Flame, Grant me Strength, and Golden Vow before entering the boss arena. Don’t use magic attacks against the Blackgaol Knight. The best way to handle this boss is via a Greatsword. Our favorite weapons to take down this enemy are the Grafted Blade Greatsword and Malekith’s Black Blade.
Keep your armor load as low as possible, as you will be dodging a lot.
Best Strategy to Defeat the Blackgaol Knight
Blackgaol Knight will always welcome you with a barrage of explosive bolts upon the start of the fight. This attack will instantly kill you upon impact. Don’t dodge or block. Just run to the side diagonally.
Don’t attack the boss head-on, as he will retaliate. Wait for his overhead sword slam attack, followed by a half swipe. Jump and press the heavy attack button to stun the Blackgaol Knight.
Maintain your distance and bait him into attacking you. His sword has an abnormal range, and he can hit you from a very long distance. Upon his stab attack, you will be staggered, allowing him to finish you instantly.
This fight is a battle of nerves and perseverance. At 50% of his health, Blackgaol Knight will chug a Crimson Flask to restore some of his health. Don’t panic. Let him do his thing. Just keep attacking him with a jump slam while maintaining your distance.
This fight will be very long and nerve-wrecking. Once you get the mechanics and timing down, it will be a piece of cake. Keep repeating the strategy until you defeat the Blackgaol Knight once and for all.
Blackgaol Knight Drops
Upon defeat, Blackgaol Knight drops 70,000 Runes, the Greatsword of Solitude, and the Solitude Set. This set includes.
- Helm of Solitude
- Armor of Solitude
- Gauntlets of Solitude
- Greaves of Solitude
