Elden Ring
Elden Ring

Crumbling Farum Azula

Navigate Crumbling Farum Azula, a late-game legacy dungeon in Elden Ring. Conquer its challenges and uncover lore within the floating city's tempest.

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Crumbling Farum Azula

Welcome, Tarnished, to Crumbling Farum Azula, a majestic yet desolate floating city, eternally caught in a tempest. This late-game legacy dungeon is a pivotal location in your journey, offering some of Elden Ring's most challenging encounters and crucial lore revelations. Accessible only after the events at the Forge of the Giants, prepare for a gauntlet of formidable foes, including two mandatory Shardbearers and an optional, but equally epic, Dragonlord.

Navigating the Crumbling City

Crumbling Farum Azula is a relatively linear area, but its verticality, numerous branching paths, and aggressive enemies can make navigation tricky. Expect to encounter several Dragonkin, Beastmen, and the dreaded Farum Azula Dragon. Always be on the lookout for shortcuts and Sites of Grace.

Key Locations and Progression:
  1. Crumbling Farum Azula (Site of Grace): You arrive here directly after the cutscene at the Forge. Head straight, dealing with the Beastmen, and activate the next Site of Grace.
  2. Temple Bridge: This area features several patrolling Beastmen and a powerful Farum Azula Dragon. use the ruins for cover and pick off enemies carefully.
  3. Dragon Temple: A large, multi-level structure. Navigate through its interior, battling more Beastmen and avoiding traps. This leads to the first major boss.
  4. Dragon Temple Transept: A shortcut from the Dragon Temple to the Dragon Temple Altar.
  5. Dragon Temple Altar: The arena for the Godskin Duo.
  6. Beside the Great Bridge: After defeating the Godskin Duo, you'll reach this Site of Grace. This area features a large bridge patrolled by a Farum Azula Dragon.
  7. Maliketh's Arena Approach: Continue past the Dragon, ascending the crumbling structures. This path leads directly to the final boss of the area.
Notable Enemies & Hazards:
  • Beastmen of Farum Azula: Agile, aggressive humanoids wielding various weapons. Watch out for their quick combos and leaping attacks.
  • Farum Azula Dragons: Smaller, but still deadly, dragons that breathe red lightning. They often ambush from above or patrol open areas.
  • Lesser Runebears: Though less common, these massive bears are still a threat.
  • Banished Knights: Found in specific areas, these heavily armored knights are formidable.
  • Gravity-Defying Architecture: Be wary of crumbling ledges and long drops. Sometimes, falling is the intended path!
Important Items & Loot:
  • Somber Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone: Found in various locations, crucial for maxing out unique weapons.
  • Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone: Also found, for regular weapon upgrades.
  • Talismans: Look out for the Godskin Swaddling Cloth (restores HP on successive attacks) and the Pearldrake Talisman +2 (greatly boosts non-physical damage negation).
  • Smithing Stone Miner's Bell Bearing [4]: Found after defeating the Godskin Duo, allows purchase of higher-tier Smithing Stones from the Twin Maiden Husks.
  • Boltdrake Talisman +2: Found near the Dragon Temple Lift.

Boss Strategy: Godskin Duo

The Godskin Duo (Godskin Apostle and Godskin Noble) is a mandatory boss fight that tests your ability to manage multiple threats. They share a single health bar, and when one falls, the other can resurrect them after a short delay. The key is to defeat them both quickly or control their resurrection.

Weaknesses & Resistances:
  • Weak to: Sleep (extremely effective!), Frostbite.
  • Resistant to: Fire, Holy.
Recommended Spirit Ashes:
  • Mimic Tear Ashes +10: An excellent tank and damage dealer, drawing aggro from one of the bosses.
  • Black Knife Tiche Ashes +10: Her Black Knife skill reduces enemy HP and is great for consistent damage and aggro.
  • Lhutel the Headless Ashes +10: A strong tank with teleporting attacks, good for distracting.
Strategy Tips:
  1. Sleep Strategy (Highly Recommended): Use Sleep Pots or the St. Trina's Sword weapon art to put one or both to sleep. This gives you a massive window to deal damage to the other or set up a critical hit.
    • Craft Sleep Pots using Trina's Lily and Furlcalling Finger Remedy.
  2. Focus Fire: Prioritize one Godskin at a time. The Noble is generally slower and easier to punish, while the Apostle is more agile.
  3. Separate and Conquer: Try to keep them separated. Use the pillars in the arena for cover and to break line of sight.
  4. Punish Transformations: When a Godskin transforms (Noble inflates, Apostle stretches), they are vulnerable for a short period.
  5. Roll into Attacks: Many of their attacks have delayed timings. Rolling into their attacks (towards them) can often put you in a better position to counter.
  6. Summon Bernahl: If you've progressed his questline, his summon sign is available just outside the arena. He's a strong ally.

Boss Strategy: Maliketh, The Black Blade

Maliketh, The Black Blade is the final mandatory boss of Crumbling Farum Azula and one of the most iconic encounters in Elden Ring. This fight has two distinct phases, both incredibly challenging.

Phase 1: Beast Clergyman

Maliketh begins as the Beast Clergyman. He is fast, aggressive, and uses bestial incantations. His attacks inflict high physical damage and can stagger.

  • Weakness: Parriable (with the Blasphemous Claw), Frostbite, Bleed.
  • Strategy:
    • Parry with Blasphemous Claw: This item (found by defeating Recusant Bernahl in Farum Azula) allows you to parry specific golden glowing attacks from Maliketh in his second phase. However, it can also be used to parry the Beast Clergyman's dagger attacks in Phase 1, creating critical hit opportunities.
    • Stay Close: While counter-intuitive, staying close and rolling into his attacks can be safer than keeping distance, as his ranged attacks are potent.
    • Punish Incantations: When he casts Bestial Sling or Stone of Gurranq, he's briefly vulnerable.
Phase 2: Maliketh, The Black Blade

Upon reaching about 50% HP, the Beast Clergyman transforms into Maliketh. He gains incredible speed, aerial mobility, and his attacks inflict "Destined Death," which reduces your maximum HP and drains it over time. This phase is a true test of reflexes and positioning.

  • Weakness: Frostbite, Bleed.
  • Resistant to: Holy.
  • Strategy:
    • Blasphemous Claw (Crucial): This item is essential. When Maliketh's sword glows golden during specific attacks (e.g., his overhead slam or horizontal swipe), use the Blasphemous Claw to parry him, creating a long opening for massive damage. Practice the timing!
    • Aggression is Key: Maliketh's Destined Death effect means you want to end this phase quickly. Don't play too passively.
    • Roll Towards Him: Many of his sweeping attacks are best dodged by rolling into them.
    • Aerial Attacks: When he jumps into the air for his large AoE attacks, roll away from the initial impact, then roll back in to get hits in as he lands.
    • Spirit Ashes: Black Knife Tiche +10 is excellent here due to her mobility and HP-draining skill, keeping Maliketh distracted and vulnerable. Mimic Tear is also viable for drawing aggro.
    • Talismans: Consider the Crimson Amber Medallion +2 for extra HP, and the Pearldrake Talisman +2 for damage negation.

Optional Boss: Dragonlord Placidusax

Dragonlord Placidusax is a hidden, optional boss in Crumbling Farum Azula, but one of the most spectacular and challenging encounters in the game. Defeating him grants a powerful Remembrance and a Dragon Greatbolt spell.

How to Access:

From the Beside the Great Bridge Site of Grace, head back towards the area with the two Beastmen and the elevator. Instead of taking the elevator, look over the railing to your left (if facing away from the elevator). You'll see several floating platforms below. Carefully drop down these platforms until you reach a large, flat circular area. Here, you'll find a spot where you can "Lie Down" in a specific empty coffin-like structure. This will trigger a cinematic and transport you to Placidusax's arena.

Strategy Tips:
  • Phase 1: Placidusax starts relatively stationary, but his lightning breath and claw attacks are devastating. Stay under his head or hind legs to avoid most attacks.
  • Phase 2: At roughly 60% HP, he becomes much more aggressive, teleporting around the arena and unleashing a barrage of red lightning.
    • Chase Him Down: When he teleports, immediately sprint towards his new location.
    • Lightning Claws: His teleporting claw attacks are fast. Roll into them.
    • Laser Breath: When he flies up and unleashes his massive laser breath, sprint perpendicular to the beam. You can often get a few hits in on his head as he finishes.
    • Spirit Ashes: Mimic Tear +10 or Black Knife Tiche +10 are highly recommended for drawing aggro and dealing consistent damage.
    • Weakness: Frostbite, Bleed.
    • Resistances: Fire, Lightning.

Crumbling Farum Azula is a true test of a Tarnished's resolve. Master its challenges, and you will emerge with powerful rewards and a deeper understanding of the Lands Between's ancient history.