One of the most challenging Tree Sentinel variants in Elden Ring is the formidable Field Boss that guards the entrance to Leyndell, Royal Capital — the Draconic Tree Sentinel. Tarnished will encounter this mighty mounted warrior at the end of the main path to the far east of the Outer Wall Battleground Site of Grace. After fighting through or avoiding an enemy convoy and several Golems in Elden Ring, the protagonist will be forced to slay the Draconic Tree Sentinel if they wish to access the Capital Rampart.
Fortunately, a Stake of Marika is nearby if Tarnished fails their first attempt to vanquish the horseman. However, those who wish to rest at the nearest Site of Grace need to return to the Outer Wall Battleground. The reason the Draconic Tree Sentinel is so challenging to defeat is that it has ranged abilities that deal massive damage. The Field Boss can summon lightning bolts from the sky and consecutively blast fireballs at the player. Furthermore, the boss's moves can be sporadic and unpredictable, making its combos notably tricky to avoid. Nevertheless, once Tarnished understands its general moveset and possible exploits, they can come out victorious.
The Draconic Tree Sentinel boss fight in Elden Ring has two phases. First, it will execute a variety of slamming combos and leaping strikes with its Dragon Greatclaw. Be wary of the boss's agility and reach, as it can cover ground atop its horses within seconds. It will occassionally spew blasts of fire, which can vary from single projectiles to multiple discharges. The best strategy is to always be on guard for the next potential attack. Once Draconic Tree Sentinel loses a portion of HP, it will initiate Phase 2 by drawing lightning magic to its Dragonclaw Shield.
Draconic Tree Sentinel Boss In Elden Ring
The second stage of the Draconic Tree Sentinel boss fight is when Tarnished will likely fall. The Field Boss will fire lightning bolts from above with a brief delay between each strike. These attacks are very challenging to dodge. However, players can completely negate damage by performing a perfectly timed jump away atop Torrent the moment the lightning hits the ground. The Tree Sentinel will also utilize the same combos and abilities it used in Phase 1, yet thanks to its ranged ability, it will not always be actively chasing the player like before. During this time, it is recommended Tarnished use the large noticeable rock in the northern woods for cover from its melee and flame attacks. While atop the rock, cast or fire ranged attacks at the Field Boss while watching carefully for its charged lightning strikes.
There is a way to "cheese" Leyndell's mounted guardian. Yet, the strategy requires great patience and timing. To the left of the Draconic Tree Sentinel sits a small area accessible by leaping over the rocks with Torrent. While remaining in this small space, the boss cannot see or attack the player but can still cast its homing lightning. The "cheese" strategy for this Elden Ring boss is to inflict the Tree Sentinel with a status effect such as Scarlet Rot and then rush to the safe area while wary of potential thunderbolts. Alternatively, players can perform a critical stealth attack and return to the hidden corner, awaiting the boss to reset its aggro. As mentioned above, these tactics will take significantly longer than fighting the boss normally, and one small mistake or greedy attack will miserably end in death. Yet, those who have extreme trouble fighting Leyndell's Draconic Tree Sentinel can resort to this crafty strategy to achieve victory.
Elden Ring is available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC.