As is tradition in most games FromSoftware has developed, fan-favorite NPCs are doomed to die at the end of their questline - including in Elden Ring. Blaidd is one of the community's most beloved characters, but after completing Ranni's questline, players are forced to put him down.
It's a strange fight, but the clues left along the way during Ranni's questline in Elden Ring make this fate make more sense. He isn't a traditional boss, though he does fight like one and it can be tough to react appropriately to his fast movements and hard-hitting attacks. It's well worth beating him for his armor and Greatsword, but he can technically be left alone to remain "canonically" alive to your character.
Why The Tarnished Fights Blaidd At Ranni's Rise
Players who traveled back to Ranni's Rise after completing the Lunar Princess' questline may have been surprised by the appearance of Blaidd right outside. He murmurs about how he could never betray her – Ranni – and attacks the player immediately if they get too close. It seems like Blaidd just goes crazy out of nowhere, but the reason is hinted at throughout the questline.
Blaidd is a shadow bound beast, created by the Two Fingers and the Greater Will to be a loyal companion to an Empyrean (a candidate chosen to succeed Marika). Just like how Maliketh is tied to Marika, Blaidd serves Ranni. These beasts obey their Empyrean completely but they are also inherently loyal to their creator, the Greater Will.
They are commanded by two masters, essentially, so when Ranni finally slays her Two Fingers and totally severs herself from the Greater Will, Blaidd loses it. It's impossible for him to protect Ranni and obey the Greater Will after this event, as their two goals are completely at odds. The Greater Will wants Blaidd to turn on Ranni, but he refuses to in a final heroic act of disobedience.
Strategies For Beating Blaidd the Half-Wolf
Blaidd fights entirely close-range, though his fast abilities can close the distance on ranged and caster classes incredibly quickly. His attacks hit hard for Physical and Magic damage, but his Weapon Skill and other abilities all cause Frostbite to build up in the player. Wear armor that increases the Robustness stat to reduce the speed that these attacks build Frostbite.
Blaidd moves fast, so no matter your strategy you should be prepared to move and dodge constantly. However, the fight doesn't start until either Blaidd notices the player or is attacked. Sneak up behind him from the Site of Grace in Ranni's Rise to start the fight with a Charged Attack, or prepare a high-level slow-casting spell that you can open the fight with.
Melee Strategies
It's a good idea to pick up the Barricade Shield Ash of War to block most of his melee attacks without suffering too much Stamina damage. A lot of his abilities leave him open for a good few seconds, so keeping some Stamina to actually get that rebuttal in is crucial. Shields that block 100% Physical Damage and have high Magic Damage defenses are best to pair with this Ash of War for the fight against Blaidd.
Blaidd can be staggered, though it takes consistent hard attacks. Try Powerstancing two heavy Armaments or two-handing a Colossal weapon for best results. Using a heavy Armament in your main hand with a Shield in the other can open you up to Guard Counters, which are very effective against Blaidd. Just be careful not to choose a weapon that swings too slowly or you will find yourself being hit in the middle of a long attack animation in this fight.
Ranged and Caster Strategies
Ranged and Spell-based players may find the Blaidd fight to be easier than some other bosses, though his rapid movements across the battlefield can make hitting with spells more difficult. Casters should open the fight with the most powerful, charged Spell available, then slowly make distance as you continue to cast honing spells like Rock Sling that Blaidd will find hard to dodge. To avoid being interrupted during a casting animation, level your Dexterity or equip the Radagon Icon for faster casting times.
Cheesing Strategies
There are two major strategies for cheesing Blaidd: the Poison Mist Incantation, and taking him out with long-range Spells. The spell Giantsflame Take Thee can travel a very long way, and from a ledge just above Ranni's Rise players can attack Blaidd without any way for him to retaliate.
The Poison Mist Incantation, on the other hand, requires players to get very close to Blaidd. Starting from the Ranni's Rise Site of Grace, head downstairs to find Blaidd sitting outside, talking to himself. If you sneak up behind him and cast Poison Mist, he won't aggro but will still get Poisoned. If you continue to cast this as it runs out, Blaidd will eventually succumb. Try the Assassin's Approach or Assassin's Gambit Incantations to make sneaking much more effective as a Faith user.
What Happens After Beating Blaidd the Half-Wolf?
After beating Blaidd outside of Ranni's Rise, his questline reaches its end. Of course, players can leave him alive so that he "never dies" in their world, but the only way to receive his gear is to kill him during this final event.
Players who defeat Blaidd get almost all of the pieces to his armor set - the only piece not found on his body is his headpiece. Blaidd is part wolf, his head isn't actually a helmet and thus can't be acquired from his body. However, a helmet called the Black Wolf Mask can be found in Seluvis' Rise, no doubt cast off of a puppet version of the half-wolf.
Defeating Blaidd also rewards the Royal Greatsword, which scales with both Strength and Intelligence and comes with a powerful Frostbite-inducing Ash of War. The Wolf's Assault Ash of War lets players launch forwards, slam the Greatsword into the ground, and release a massive blast of Frost in the immediate area - the same signature move Blaidd uses in his last (and only) battle against the Tarnished.
Elden Ring is available now for PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, and Xbox One and Series X|S.