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The Divine Beast, known as the Dancing Lion, serves as a celestial messenger and the fierce protector of Belrut Tower in Elden Ring. This formidable boss presents a significant challenge for players and is the first major test of your skills in the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC.
This guide will help you gear up for the encounter and outline strategies for defeating this powerful foe. Even with preparation, expect to face a tough battle against the Divine Beast, Dancing Lion.
Location of the Divine Beast, Dancing Lion
You’ll encounter the Divine Beast, Dancing Lion, as the final mandatory boss in Belrut Tower, the initial legacy dungeon of the Shadow of the Erdtree. This means you must face this challenge to continue your story progression.
To find this boss, head past the Stagefront Site of Grace. Go through the large courtyard, ascend the stairs, and take a left. You’ll arrive at a massive gate marked with symbols. Passing through will trigger a cutscene, igniting the battle.
Divine Beast, Dancing Lion Stats and Resistances
The Divine Beast, Dancing Lion has a hefty 22,571 HP, along with a Defense of 122 and Stance of 120. Parrying its attacks is impossible, but you can score critical hits by breaking its stance.
This boss is immune to Sleep and Madness and shows high resistance against Frostbite, Hemorrhage, Scarlet Rot, and Poison.
However, it is vulnerable to fire and piercing attacks, taking full damage from both.
Optimal Stats for Facing the Divine Beast, Dancing Lion
Being a DLC boss, your stats might not matter too much unless you’re at an appropriate scadutree level. Aim to be at least 5 scadutree levels before taking on this fight.
Weapons that deal fire damage, such as the Blasphemous Blade and Rivers of Blood, are ideal for melee builds. Mage builds should utilize Fire Monks or Dragon Communion spells and incantations to take this boss down.
The suggested character level for this battle is at least 160, with key spells including Flame, Grant Me Strength, and Golden Vow. If you’re using a Faith build, consider deploying Ancient Dragons’ Lightning Strike for substantial damage.
Phase One – Physical Assault
Pro Tip: Before the fight begins, summon Redmane Freyja, whose sign can be found near the entrance. She’s a strong NPC with ample HP and can help absorb damage while you attack from behind during the first phase.
Keep in mind, though, she won’t last through the second phase due to her vulnerability to elemental attacks.
As the battle kicks off, the Divine Beast initiates combat with physical strikes, which are easier to dodge compared to subsequent phases.
One notable move is its leap attack, where the boss jumps and lunges at you; sidestep to evade this strike. If you stay close, it may use Beast’s Breath, unleashing debris waves on the ground.
In response, retreat and dodge in the opposite direction of the lion’s movements. The boss performs some standard attacks, like a side Bite Attack, occasionally followed by a delayed Tail Swipe.
These maneuvers are dodgeable, providing you opportunities to deal damage. Stay wary of the stomp attack, which can inflict significant physical harm.
The most dangerous move is the grab attack, where the beast lunges at players, catching them in its jaws and slamming them to the ground.
If you’re caught, be cautious, as healing will also recover some of the boss’s health.
Most attacks in this phase can either be dodged or blocked using a strong shield. However, the real challenge arises in the following phase.
Phase Two – Elemental Mayhem
When the boss’s health dwindles to 65%, it transitions to its second phase, utilizing three elemental types of attacks: Lightning, Ice, and Wind.
The toughest is the Lightning phase, during which the boss hurls lightning bolts at you. Upon impact, these bolts explode and create smaller lightning strikes.
You can circle around to evade these attacks, but avoid close engagement, as the boss may summon random lightning strikes in the vicinity, which are undodgeable and deadly.
When the boss begins to swirl, it will unleash currents on the ground rather than dirt. During this phase, it’s best to maintain distance from the monster.
Next up is the Ice phase, where it breathes ice around it, dealing Frostbite damage. The beast also performs double stomps that generate ice patterns on the ground.
Circle around while landing as many hits as possible during this attack. Expect the boss to combine its physical attacks with elemental ones, including conjuring an ice storm that reduces visibility while launching downward strikes.
If you survive these two phases, the last is more manageable. The wind phase offers numerous opportunities to strike the boss, as it will generate a tornado to hurl toward players—making this the best moment to deliver significant damage.
Once the boss’s health hits 20%, it will execute a massive attack, rapidly cycling through all three phases without interruption, deploying its most lethal elemental attacks that can wipe players out instantly.
Exercise patience; this onslaught lasts just a few seconds. Stay at a distance, and the boss will eventually revert to previous phases, offering you ample time to finish it off.
This boss encounter is particularly challenging, distinctly different from other fights in the base game of Elden Ring. Take your time to familiarize yourself with its attack patterns, expect to die a few times, and use this guide to navigate one of Elden Ring’s toughest challenges.
Rewards for Defeating the Divine Beast, Dancing Lion
Defeating the Divine Beast, Dancing Lion earns you a whopping 120,000 Runes, along with the Remembrance of the Dancing Lion and the Divine Beast Helm.
The Divine Beast Head can be equipped, and by speaking with the old woman in the locked Storeroom, you can acquire the coveted Watchful Spirit spell.
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