Elden Ring: How to defeat Putrid Avatar

There's a strong possibility you'll run into one of Elden Ring's Erdtree Avatars if you visit one of Elden Ring's Minor Erdtrees. The Putrid Avatar, which fights similarly to the Erdtree Avatar but is far deadlier, will be one of them. However, if you succeed, you'll be rewarded with a whopping 91,000 Runes. Here's how you defeat this opportunistic foe and reap the benefits.

The Putrid Avatar can be found in Caelid's Minor Erdtree. This boss has a variety of attacks that can either one-shot you or cause Scarlet Rot to pile up on you. We recommend bringing a bunch of healing flasks and Preserving Boluses with you into this fight in case you get Scarlet Rot.

The Fight

Putrid Avatar's moves are similar to those of the other Erdtree Avatars. It has two and three-hit melee combos that it will randomly use, as well as an overhead swing of its staff with great range and a magic strike that will shoot bolts of light at you. The trick here is to stay mounted on your horse throughout the fight, regardless of what build you're using. You can avoid the boss's melee strikes by speeding away on your horse. Simply circle the boss on horseback to avoid being hit by the aforementioned magical bullets.

Putrid Avatar's jumping slam attack is what sets it apart from its peers. Whereas Erdtree Avatars just create a brief burst of lightning to erupt around them while employing this technique, Putrid Avatar’s slam attack causes a cloud of Scarlet Rot to grow around it. Fortunately, the cloud dissipates after a few seconds, so you won't be affected if you remain your distance. Its posture will become bent right before leaping into the air, so move away as soon as possible if you notice it shrinking.

If you're utilizing a melee build, you'll want to concentrate on slowly depleting its health with hefty mounted attacks. Following the completion of any of Putrid Avatar's combinations, it will be vulnerable to assault. Dash in for an assault, land your hit, and flee; repeat until the creature is dead. Because Putrid Avatar has a lot of HP, don't expect a quick fight. Using this strategy, we were able to take it down in about five minutes.

Alternatively, if you're playing as a magic user or have a powerful bow, you can fire your projectile of choice at Putrid Avatar while riding your horse. Keep in mind that the boss moves quickly, so you'll probably only get a few bullets in before being forced to reposition yourself.