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The final boss of the Volcano Manor legacy dungeon, the God-Devouring Serpent, stands out even among Elden Ring’s unique core bosses. A gimmick encounter in the tradition of Dark Souls 3’s Yhorm the Giant or Demon's Souls' Storm King, this boss fight demands the use of an iconic recurring FromSoftware weapon and an ample amount of skill and patience.

Unlike nearly every other boss in Elden Ring, the God-Devouring serpent necessitates a particular playstyle regardless of build. Other boss encounters can play out very differently across multiple playthroughs; Volcano Manor’s ultimate baddie will be fought the same way in every confrontation.

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Equip the Serpent-Hunter

Elden Ring Serpent Hunter

After entering the God-Devouring Serpent’s boss chamber, players should immediately loot an item from a corpse found just to the left after passing through the mouth of the cavern. This is the Serpent-Hunter, a stand-in for the famous monster-felling Storm Ruler. While the boss is nearly impervious to most forms of damage, he is particularly susceptible to Great-Serpent Hunt, the Ash of War that comes equipped with the weapon.

It should be noted that, while powerful in this instance, Great-Serpent Hunt isn't nearly as useful elsewhere in The Lands Between and shouldn't be used as a replacement for the many superior Ashes of War in Elden Ring.

It may seem counter-intuitive, but after grabbing the Serpent-Hunter, players should flee the boss fight and return to the Roundtable Hold to upgrade the weapon. Unfortunately, this will require the use of Somber Smithing Stones, which are relatively rare compared to the standard variant. That said, the extra damage afforded to those who’ve buffed the weapon may well come in handy.

Each swing of the Serpent-Hunter emits an effective blast of energy that is uniquely damaging to the God-Devouring Serpent. Charged right-trigger attacks yield the most damage but cost a considerable amount of stamina, and charged left-trigger attacks seem to deal a noticeable amount of posture damage to the boss.

However, they are accompanied by a lengthy wind-up animation which could leave the player open to attack. Players may also want to two-hand the weapon by pressing triangle or Y and the right shoulder button, which will increase the weapon’s damage output.

God-Devouring Serpent’s Moveset

Elden Ring Serpent Boss

A far cry from some of the hardest bosses in Elden Ring’s late-game, the God-Devouring Serpent primarily accosts players with a slim selection of two or three attacks, and success mostly comes down to well-timed dodging.

Ahead of a telegraphed AOE attack, players will want to sprint to the left or right, while direct attacks can easily be negated by dodging right as the serpent’s head begins to descend toward the player.

  • Snake Bite: A basic lunge attack, this move can easily be avoided via a dodge roll. However, it’s often followed up by a second or third lunge, meaning that players must stay on their toes and keep from attacking as soon as they believe themselves to be in the clear.
  • Grab Attack: This is a particularly punishing attack that can sap the player of more than half of their health. However, it is telegraphed by a long wind-up animation, and the Serpent will keep its mouth agape when performing the move, which is an obvious tell. Players must be careful not to dodge too early, as the lengthy attack window makes for some dangerous scenarios.
  • Poison Spit and Magma Slam: Two AOE moves that see the Serpent spewing either poison or magma around the arena. While it can be frustrating, the move comes with a very obvious tell, and players can fairly reliably dodge it by immediately sprinting to the left or right.
  • Magma Thrash: The Serpent will occasionally thrash and spin in circles, stirring up the pool of magma in which it rests. This can be dangerous for players in close proximity to the boss, but the Serpent-Hunter’s incredible range should allow players to stand far enough away that this attack can be easily ignored.
  • Magma Upheaval: By far the most lethal attack in the God-Devouring Serpent’s arsenal, Magma Upheaval sees the snake plunge its head into the ground, causing a massive shockwave that could easily one-shot low vigor builds. This move isn’t easily dodged, but quick players could escape its range by running to the left or right as soon as the snake’s head is embedded in the ground. Alternatively, those opting to use a shield could block the move to negate some of the damage.

Rewards For Defeating The God-Devouring Serpent

Elden Ring Rykard Lord of Blasphemy

Unfortunately, there aren’t any rewards for defeating the God-Devouring Serpent, per se, as the boss’s defeat triggers a cutscene, leading to an interesting reveal and a second phase with all-new attacks.

However, getting through the second phase grants the player 130,000 runes on a first playthrough, Rudyard's Great Rune, and the Remembrance of the Blasphemous, which can be exchanged for exclusive items via the Finger Reader the Roundtable Hold.

It’s also worth noting that, while an epic fight on which players should not miss, the God-Devouring Serpent and its subsequent second phase are not mandatory. In fact, to beat the game, the player need only defeat two of the six Shardbearers.

Those particularly struggling may want to make use of the Mimic Tear summon and Godrick or Radahn’s Great Runes, which can significantly decrease the difficulty of the fight.

Elden Ring is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.

MORE: Complete Guide To Elden Ring: Weapons, Items, Tips, Tricks, Bosses & Builds