Shadow of the Erdtree: How to defeat the Ancient Dragon Senessax boss? (2024)

Ancient Dragon Senessax is one of the bosses in Shadow of the Erdtree. You will face him on your way up the Jagged Peak - he guards the mountaintop where Bayle the Dread awaits. The boss is optional - you don't have to defeat it to continue the DLC. On this page of the guide, we described how to fight the boss and what rewards you will receive for defeating him.

• Rewards for defeating
• Senessax in a nutshell
• How to defeat Senessax?

Rewards for defeating

For defeating the boss, you will receive 200,000 runes, Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone, and Somber Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone.

Senessax in a nutshell

1. The boss's weak point is the head, but it is better to attack the body - the boss rarely lowers his head and you have almost no safe opportunities to attack it.
2. Be patient - the boss's attacks deal huge damage and often knock you off your horse. If you fall off Torrent, you may die from another attack before you can get up.
3. Don't lock the camera on the boss - the camera always locks on Senessax's head, which is difficult to hit. This will also make it difficult for you to orient yourself in the area and attack the boss's body.
4. You can avoid all the boss's attacks by jumping on Torrent or riding away from the boss.
5. The safest tactic is to ride up next to the boss, attack several times while galloping past him, then move away and turn back when Senessax also turns around - watch out for the tail attack.
6. Don't get close to the walls - the arena is small and you won't have room to avoid attacks near the walls.
7. Always jump when the boss hits the ground with lightning, even if you are far away - electricity has a surprisingly long range.
8. When the boss rises into the sky, move under him - he will either breathe fire in front of him or charge forward and hit the ground.

How to defeat Senessax?

Prepare for a frustrating fight - Senessax has a lot of health, deals high damage, his attacks cover a large area, and the arena is very small. The boss's weak point is the head, but don't waste time attacking it - the dragon rarely lowers its head, and due to its constant, unpredictable movements, hitting the head is very difficult. Therefore, it is better to attack the body - the dragon takes less damage, but it is much easier and safer to hit this body part.

As with most dragons, Senessax is best fought on Torrent. However, you must be very careful - his attacks often knock you off Torrent. If you fall off your horse close to the boss, you may die from another attack before you can get up. However, all of the boss's attacks can be avoided on horseback - either by riding away from him or by jumping over the electricity left on the ground by his attacks. When Senessax hits the ground with lightning, always jump - the range of electricity is much greater than you might expect.

Don't try to lock the camera on the boss - it will get stuck on the dragon's head, which will make it difficult for you to orient yourself in the area and attack the boss's body. Having free control over the camera should ultimately make the fight easier for you. Also, stay away from the arena walls, because you won't have room to dodge attacks there.

The most effective and safest tactic will be to gallop towards the boss and run next to or under him, attacking the body several times along the way and then moving away to avoid his attacks. When the boss turns around, charge towards him again and repeat the process. The fight will be long, but this method should be quite safe. Watch out for the tail blow when the boss turns around - stay away from the dragon or jump over the tail.

Occasionally, the boss may fly into the air, where he will either breathe fire at you or attempt to crush you. Both of these attacks are aimed straight in front of him - gallop under the dragon and you should be safe.