Elden Ring: How to defeat giants

Giants are one of the first fearsome adversaries encountered by Tarnished when they begin exploring the Lands Between in Elden Ring. In fact, shortly after collecting your horse and starting out to explore the first plot region, the game will practically toss one on top of you. These monstrosities may appear menacing, with sagging skin and exposed guts, but they're actually pretty easy to fool, especially when you use your trusty horse Torrent's mobility.

The open environment contains the majority of the game's giants. This is advantageous to the players since, despite their size, these behemoths are not the fastest monsters the Tarnished will confront. They will frequently swipe at the player multiple times, but after a few misses, they will generally give opportunities to counter. Their legs are a weakness, and if you get enough jabs to their knees, the monster will usually topple over and offer free smashes. When given the chance, go for the head, which is also a place of weakness. When your horse is unavailable, keep a safe distance from Torrent while the monster has a tantrum, and dodge rolling between punches will help.

Casters can use a lot of the same tactics as well. Casting spells like Magic Glintblade or Rock Sling on the creature's head and knees will usually send it to its knees if you dodge properly. Keep an eye out for their ranged scream, which can temporarily paralyze you.

Giants will be encountered frequently in Elden Ring. You could just have a chance to prove you're a giant-slaying master as you progress deeper into the Lands Between. It's usually a good option to go for the knees and either retain distance or stay behind and underneath them, like with any huge creature on two legs. The word "frightening" does not always imply "large."