Dragons are already tough enemies, and adding a thick fog to the scene makes it more difficult. Anyway, here’s how to defeat Borealis in Elden Ring.
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Elden Ring has many field bosses for you to find while exploring the Lands Between. While some of these bosses are found through exploration and in areas of the beaten path, others are thrown right into your path and will need to be beaten or run past to get to the next area. For many Soulsborne veterans, that second option is not even considered, which means that even the most annoying field boss must be eliminated.
Some field bosses are recurring with a few differences with each fight — one example is the dragons. While most attacks from a dragon will stay the same, many have their own unique breath attack. Borealis is even more unique because he is fought on a frozen lake covered in a thick fog.
Borealis, The Freezing Fog Location And Approach
When you reach the northern snowy mountains of the Lands Between, you’ll eventually come across a frozen lake before heading back south to the Fire Giant. After going about halfway through the lake, Borealis will spawn — with the fog slowly getting thicker with each step further onto the lake.
With most dragons, it is highly recommended you fight him on Torrent. This added speed will help you quickly reposition away from his powerful breath attacks while also allowing you to close the gap after he lands further away at the end of the strafing run. The fog can significantly obscure your vision whenever there is a bit of distance between you and the boss, but Borealis can see through the fog and will continue to target your even if he seemingly disappears. It’s best to fight the dragon during the day, which will slightly help the visibility.
Fighting Borealis
Borealis takes the most damage from Strike weapons, with the next best option being Standard damage weapons. Borealis is very resistant to pierce and slash weapons and the frostbite status effect. If you are a magic user, he takes equal damage from all different types of magic. Borealis has his unique breath attack, which deals decent frost build-up effects, and it’s recommended you bring armor or items to alleviate the build-up should you be affected.
It’s best to attack Borealis on its wings, with its feet being the second-best option. It will prioritize its stomp attack when attacking its feet, requiring more dodging and interrupting your attack combos. Its head does receive decent damage, but fighting it here will put you at risk of its bite and breath attack, which deals much more damage. Borealis uses the same attacks as most other dragons. When it flies off into the fog, lock on to see which direction it’s heading, and run perpendicular to that direction to avoid its strafing run. Continuously moving is essential for this fight, as you often may not see exactly where an attack is coming from.
