Elden Ring: How To Beat Rennala, Queen Of The Full Moon

While she may not pose the same threat as Elden Ring's other early fights like Margit the Fell Omen or Godrick the Grafted, Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon, can still put the smack down on you depending upon your build. Despite having fairly low health and easy-to-learn mechanics, this enchantress is packing a deadly assortment of spells and Spirit Ashes that she can summon, making her a force to be reckoned with. Additionally, the first phase functions more like a puzzle, so it's very important to know what to do. Here's a guide on how to beat this mandatory boss, which will in turn unlock the ability to reallocate your skill points.

Preparation

Shortly after defeating the Red Wolf of Redagon, you'll find yourself closing in on Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon. Luckily, Rennala isn't nearly as complex, evasive, or swift as the bosses you've bested thus far, so feel free to let out a sigh a relief. Other than making sure you spend your runes and stock up on potions, the only real preparation I'd recommend is making sure you are wearing armor with high magic defense. If you're a magic user yourself, be sure to have a melee weapon on-hand for the first phase of the battle and memorize Rock Sling to take down Rennala as quickly as possible.

Phase one

If you're the type to summon Spirit Ashes the moment you leap into battle, my first tip for you is to hold off for a bit. The first phase of your fight against Rennala features the sorceress in a room cluttered with her devoted disciples, many of whom you needn't concern yourself with attacking. Instead, you're going to want to focus on finding and taking down the students who are providing the enchantress with her golden forcefield. To find them, search for the three students with a golden aura around them. You'll want to do this as quickly as possible, because if you take too long, Rennala will turn a handful of students into powerful objects she propels at you. While they aren't too difficult to dodge, it's an added annoyance you don't have to deal with if you work swiftly. If you're having difficulty locating them, follow the direction of the books being thrown at you--they're pretty hard to miss.

After you break the students' concentration (a simple physical attack does the trick well), Rennala will fall to the ground, shattering her forcefield. You'll have a fairly generous amount of time to get in some hits on her. However, be sure to not get too greedy--once you see the light reemerge from her, back away quickly to avoid being hit by her area-of-effect attack. Once she is airborne again, you will merely need to repeat the process until her health bar is depleted.

Phase two

Don't get too distracted by that gorgeous cutscene--you've got another fight coming up and this one is a bit trickier. If you're planning on using Spirit Ashes (I recommend the Lone Wolf Ashes, if you have them), summon them immediately before quickly dodging to avoid Rennala's energy beam. Following her energy beam attack, Rennala will cast a spell summoning a small moon she hides inside of before sending it your way. Be mindful of its blast radius, which can be seen in the water as the moon grows closer to you.

In addition to these special attacks, Rennala will also cast two additional spells: one that summons four small drops of energy that hone in after you, and a much smaller version of her energy beam. Avoid these while closing in on her for an attack if you're a melee fighter. If you're a magic user, try firing off Rock Sling at her to take her down quickly. While this process is fairly straight-forward, there's one additional thing to look out for: Rennala's Spirit Ashes.

That's right, you're not the only one who can summon help in this battle. Throughout the fight, Rennala will cycle between summoning a pack of wolves, a giant, a dragon, and a bloodhound knight. This is where you having your own Spirit Ashes out on the field comes in clutch. While Rennala's focus hardly ever moves from being on you, your Spirit Ashes serve as a great way to keep hers preoccupied. Overall, Rennala is a bit of a glass cannon, possessing very little health but packing a decent punch. The sooner you can end the battle the better, so just focus on dodging and getting off hits when you can.

After the fight

Besting the Queen of the Full Moon will earn you a not-too-shabby 40,000 runes as well as two other important items: the Great Rune of the Unborn and Remembrance of the Full Moon Queen. Even more importantly, however, is that following your battle with Rennala, you'll gain the ability to speak to her. After she becomes friendly with you, you may consult with her to reallocate your skill points and change your character's build--a very useful feature if you find yourself not liking your composition following the first two dungeons.