STARSCOURGE RADAHN

Phase Strategy

Radahn is spectacle first, boss second. The developers designed this as a festival — you are meant to summon the eight warriors scattered across the arena and let them share the burden. Fighting Radahn solo is possible but misses the point entirely. This is a war of attrition where you are the commander, not the frontline.

The arena is vast and Radahn opens with ranged attacks. Your first objective is not to fight him — it is to summon allies.

Phase I — The Conqueror of the Stars

As you enter, Radahn fires gravity arrows from horseback. These arrows arc high and track aggressively. Sprint perpendicular to him in wide circles — never straight toward. The arrows explode on impact with heavy knockback.

Critical: Eight golden summon signs are scattered across the dunes. Summon all of them before engaging Radahn directly. The NPCs include Alexander, Blaidd, Okina, and five others. They can be re-summoned if they die — their signs reappear after 30 seconds.

Once your army is assembled, Radahn will aggro onto them. Stay at mid-range and punish his recovery frames. His horseback attacks are wide but telegraphed:

• Gravity arrow barrage — Four arrows in rapid succession. Roll toward him on the third arrow to close distance.
• Sword drag sweep — He drags both swords along the ground while charging. The hitbox is deceptively wide. Roll perpendicular, not backward.
• Gravity slam — Purple energy gathers around his swords. He slams the ground, creating a shockwave. Jump over the wave or roll through it at the last moment.

Radahn's horse, Leonard, is slow to turn. Circle-strafing clockwise forces him to reposition constantly, giving your summons free hits from behind.

Phase II — The Meteor Strike

At ~50% HP, Radahn plants his swords in the ground and launches himself into orbit. The screen fades — this is your window. Heal fully, re-summon any dead NPCs, and apply buffs. The meteor phase gives you 8-10 seconds of prep time.

When he returns, he crashes down as a meteor with massive AOE damage. Sprint perpendicular to his trajectory the moment you see the meteor icon appear on screen. The impact zone is 15 meters wide — do not gamble on dodging through it.

Phase 2 introduces new attacks:

• Gravity pull — He raises one hand and drags you toward him while charging a thrust. Spam roll backward to resist the pull.
• Rock barrage — Four gravity boulders orbit him before launching outward. Stay close to him; the rocks miss at melee range.
• Meteor dive (second use) — If the fight drags on, he can launch into orbit again. Same counter: sprint perpendicular.

The NPC summons will die faster in phase 2. Re-summon them immediately when their signs reappear. Every second Radahn targets an NPC is a second you survive.

Attacks & Counters

| Attack | Counter | |--------|---------| | Gravity arrow (opening) | Sprint perpendicular in wide arcs. Do not roll — the tracking adjusts. | | Sword drag sweep | Roll perpendicular to his charge. The hitbox extends 3 meters to either side. | | Gravity slam | Jump over the shockwave or roll forward through it. Punish with 2 R1s. | | Meteor dive (phase transition) | Sprint perpendicular the moment you see the falling meteor icon. Never stop sprinting. | | Gravity pull + thrust (P2) | Roll backward repeatedly to resist the pull. Roll left on the thrust. | | Rock barrage (P2) | Stay within 5 meters of him. The rocks curve outward and miss at close range. | | Dual sword combo (P2) | Four-hit string ending with overhead slam. Roll into him on hits 2 and 4. |

Recommended Loadout

Radahn is one of the few fights where your build matters less than your strategy. The NPC summons deal significant damage — you are there to assist, not solo carry.

• Spirit Ash: None needed. The eight NPC summons replace spirit ashes entirely.
• Weapon: Anything with reach. Great Epee, Bloodhound's Fang, or Moonveil excel. Radahn is immune to bleed but vulnerable to Scarlet Rot — Antspur Rapier with rot grease trivializes the fight.
• Talismans:
  • Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman (physical damage reduction)
  • Great-Jar's Arsenal (equip load — his attacks stagger light builds)
  • Green Turtle Talisman (stamina regen for sprinting)
  • Crimson Amber Medallion +1 (HP buffer)
• Items: Preserving Boluses for Scarlet Rot (the arena is covered in rot pools). Rainbow Stones to mark safe zones if you lose track of positioning.
• Bow/Crossbow: Optional but helpful. Radahn can be chipped from range while NPCs tank. Serpent Bow with poison arrows adds passive damage.

Rot Strategy: Apply Scarlet Rot once via Rotten Breath incantation or rot grease. Let the rot tick while you play defensively. Re-apply when the status wears off. Two full rot procs remove ~40% of his health.

Torrent Usage

Torrent is available during this fight — the only remembrance boss where this is true. Use him for three purposes:

1. Sprinting across the dunes to summon NPCs at the start.
2. Dodging the meteor dive in phase 2 (Torrent's sprint is faster than your roll).
3. Repositioning when Radahn aggros onto you mid-combo.

Do NOT fight from horseback. Torrent's hitbox is larger and Radahn's sweeps will clip you constantly. Summon him, reposition, dismount, fight on foot.

Lore Pause

Radahn is the last living demigod who still holds his sanity — barely. He learned gravity magic to spare Leonard, his scrawny horse, from his own weight. The festival is not a celebration; it is a mercy killing. Every warrior here respects him enough to grant him an honorable death.

When he launches into the stars during phase 2, he is not retreating — he is showing you the same technique he used to halt the stars themselves at the height of his power. The meteor dive is his legacy, weaponized.

Radahn is not a villain. He is a tragedy.

Post-Fight Unlocks

Defeating Radahn unlocks:

• Remembrance of the Starscourge — Trade for Starscourge Greatsword (paired colossal swords with gravity AOE) or Lion Greatbow (fires gravity arrows).
• Nokron, Eternal City access — A crater opens in Mistwood, granting entry to the underground. This is required for Ranni's questline.
• Radahn's Great Rune — Raises maximum HP, FP, and stamina by 15% when activated at Dragonbarrow Divine Tower.

Related Bosses

Radahn is the third demigod most players face (after Godrick and Rennala). If you struggled here, the difficulty curve resets — Leyndell's bosses are more technical but less punishing than this DPS check. If you beat Radahn, you are ready for the capital.