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Blackgaol Knight is one of the first bosses you encounter in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree. Although this is an early boss fight, you should not take it lightly. This human opponent is quite tough and it takes planning and patience to bring him down. However, taking down the Blackgaol Knight is quite rewarding, and it will give you one of the better armor sets for the beginning of your adventures in Shadowlands. So let’s see how to beat Blackgaol Knight in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree.
How to Beat Blackgaol Knight in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree
Blackgaol Knight Location
To beat the Blackgaol Knight in Shadow of the Erdtree, players first have to find him. Luckily, Knight’s location is close to the starting point in the Shadowlands, just go through the gravestone-ridden area northwest of the spawn. There, players will find the mausoleum entrance surrounded by cliffs, and opening and stepping through the door at the end of the stairs will start the fight.
Blackgaol Knight Weaknesses
This boss is heavily armored, which means that physical attacks will be less effective than magic. Additionally, Blackgaol Knight resists all status effects, so applying poison, bleeding, rot, or frostbite is out of the question. Although this boss has high resistance and armor, his attacks can be interrupted easily, especially with heavy weapons.
Blackgaol Knight Moveset
Using a Greatsword, Blackgaol Knight has the same four-hit animation that is associated with this weapon. Additionally, Knight uses its greatsword to blast a wave of physical damage that can be cast from a distance. Blackgaol Knight usually follows this blast attack with a charge and slash. The last trick this boss uses is a crossbow barrage. The Knight will load a crossbow and fire a bolt at a player, followed by a barrage of bolts.
Strategies to Beat Blackgaol Knight in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree
Blackgaol Knight’s moves can all be blocked with a lot of Stamina and a good Guard Boost shield. Additionally, almost all the moves can be negated by dodging into them, which will leave the Knight very exposed, especially when a crossbow is used. Moreover, bolts from a crossbow barrage can be avoided by slowly walking to one side of the Knight at mid to long-range.
However, players can also bait a crossbow attack and then close the distance fast to exploit the vulnerability during crossbow reload animation. Although heavily armored, the Blackgaol Knight can be knocked down by using Lion’s Claw Ashes of War and Giant Hunt. Just try not to get hit during the wind-up animations for these moves.
On the other hand, although vulnerable to magic, Blackgaol Knight’s moveset does not allow for a long casting time. Additionally, avoiding area-of-effect spells is also recommended. Stick with spells that have a short cast time, like Black Flame, Lightning Bolt, Night Shard, and other fast incantations are your best choices here.
Blackgaol Knight Rewards
Defeating a Blackgaol Knight will reward players with a Greatsword of Solitude, which allows them to use the same set of moves the Knight used with it. You will also get all four pieces of the Armor of Solitude set, the one used by Blackgaol Knight. This set of armor is quite heavy, but if a player can use it, it provides incredible physical defense.
