Defeating the Elden Ring Tree Sentinel is a serious challenge when you start the game, and that's because you're not really meant to beat him right away. While he patrols a key pathway for you to follow to reach more important areas of West Limgrave and Elden Ring, but you can just avoid him until you're strong enough to show him what for. When you're ready to return, make sure you bear the following tips in mind to beat the Tree Sentinel in Elden Ring once and for all.
Do you have to defeat the Elden Ring Tree Sentinel?
The first mandatory boss in the game is some way past the Tree Sentinel, and while he's easier, he's no slouch either. Check out how to beat Margit in Elden Ring so you're ready for that challenge!
The Tree Sentinel is an optional boss in Elden Ring, which means you never have to fight him if you don't want to. For your first few hours of playing Elden Ring, you should absolutely avoid the Tree Sentinel by running or sneaking past him until you’ve accepted Melina's accord and levelled up many times, perhaps by doing some Elden Ring Rune farming.
If you are spotted, you can take cover in the nearby Church of Elleh or run across uneven terrain that the Elden Ring Tree Sentinel’s horse can’t easily navigate, allowing you to get away. The boss’s health bar will disappear once he’s lost interest, letting you carry on with your quest.
Elden Ring Tree Sentinel boss fight tips
The Tree Sentinel is incredibly strong and very difficult for a fresh-faced Tarnished to defeat unless you really know what you're doing. That's why he's best left alone until you've got yourself a good weapon that has been upgraded to at least +2. Otherwise, bear these tips in mind and you should eventually overcome this early-game boss fight:
- Torrent, the Elden Ring horse and spectral steed, is essential for outmanoeuvring the Tree Sentinel. A good strategy I found was to gallop toward the Sentinel and get in a few hits as you charge past. It will take a while but rinse and repeat until the Tree Sentinel is felled.
- The Tree Sentinel’s attacks reach far and wide but are quite slow. You should have a good amount of time to see his attacks wind up, giving you the chance to change course on Torrent or dodge out the way.
- Avoid riding alongside the Elden Ring Tree Sentinel as you’ll be vulnerable to kicks and shunts from his horse too. This only gets worse if the Tree Sentinel is stationary, as he can perform a devastating shield crush move which can easily take Torrent – and you – out of the fight.
- If you're using magic, watch out for the Tree Sentinel's rare counterattack where he can absorb a spell with his shield and fire an empowered version of it back at yo
- Spirit Ashes will really help in this fight if you’re tackling it at a lower level. The wolves will nip at the Elden Ring Tree Sentinel, providing a great diversion for you to go in with some proper attacks, as they chip away at his health.
Once you’ve worn down and defeated the Elden Ring Tree Sentinel, he will not respawn and the path between The First Step and the Church of Elleh Ruins is now permanently safe. If you’re still finding the Tree Sentinel difficult to bring down, there’s no shame in leaving the area, leveling up and enhancing your weapons a bit more before returning for a rematch.
Elden Ring Tree Sentinel rewards
For defeating the Tree Sentinel in Elden Ring, you’ll get 3200 Runes and his own Golden Halberd. Obviously, the halberd is much smaller to fit your hands but it’s still incredibly weighty, with minimum Attribute requirements of 30 Strength, 14 Dexterity, and 12 Faith. It deals a lot of Physical and Holy damage, and can be an effective early-game weapon, assuming you master its moveset and meet those requirements.
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