Mad Pumpkin Head
| Mad Pumpkin Head | |
|---|---|
| Type | Field Boss |
| Region | Limgrave, Caelid |
| Runes | 1,100 |
| Weak To | Slash, Lightning |
| Required | No |
Mad Pumpkin Head is a field boss in Elden Ring.
The Mad Pumpkin Head is a hulking former gladiator in a round, pumpkin-shaped helmet who swings a spiked flail. One guards the cellar beneath the Waypoint Ruins in Limgrave, in front of the room where Sorceress Sellen waits. A pair, one with a flail and one with a stone hammer, lurks under the Caelem Ruins in Caelid. Its helmet soaks up almost every blow, so the fight is about striking its body and back.
Lore
The Mad Pumpkin Head is a giant, brawny man wearing a huge oval helmet that looks like a pumpkin. He fights with a spiked chain flail or a crude stone hammer, and his bare fist hits nearly as hard.
These warriors were once gladiators, broken and driven mad. The inside of the helmet is pitch black to keep them from panicking.
Though the panic is stifled within that dark helm, the soldier rampages as if mad when bloodshed or the humming of insects stirs him. This mad soldier is all that remains of a broken gladiator.
Where to find Mad Pumpkin Head Location?
- Waypoint Ruins, Limgrave, in the cellar reached by stairs in the center of the ruins (Agheel Lake South Site of Grace)
- Caelem Ruins, Caelid, a flail and hammer pair in the cellar under the southeast corner of the ruins
Mad Pumpkin Head map location:
Map credit by Map Genie.
Weaknesses
| Weak To | Slash, Lightning |
|---|---|
| Immune | Madness |
Attacks
- Hand Strike: a punch with the empty left hand; sidestep or roll back.
- Head Slam: he rears back and slams his helmet down in front; roll forward through it and hit his back.
- Double Swing: two slow flail swings in opposite directions; step back or roll to the side.
- Ground Hit: he leans back and drives the flail into the ground; roll to either side.
- Up-Down Combo: the flail swings up and straight back down; roll to the side.
- Big Swing: he twirls the flail behind him and swings it around; roll to the right.
- Hammer Attacks: the Caelem hammer wielder swings, smashes overhead and gouges forward; roll through each blow and get behind him.
Tactics
- Aim every attack at the body or back, since hits on the helmet do very little.
- Dodge toward his back during each combo and punish while he slowly turns.
- Circle him to avoid being pinned in a corner of the small cellar.
- Summon Lone Wolf Ashes to stagger him and pull his attention away.
- At Caelem Ruins, kill the slower hammer wielder first and use pillars so only one attacks at a time.
- A sleeping pumpkin head that wakes without a critical hit may briefly turn on its partner.
Best Builds
Slash weapon aimed at the back
He takes extra damage from slashing, and attacks from behind avoid the armored helmet.
Lightning damage
Lightning hits him harder than other damage types.
Sorcery behind a Spirit Ash
A summon holds his attention while strong spells land on his body.
| Gear | Lone Wolf Ashes, Carian Piercer, Glintstone Pebble |
|---|
Battlemage Build
| Class | Any |
|---|---|
| Level | 100 |
| Focus | Intelligence |
| Main Stats | Intelligence |
| Other Stats | Mind, Vigor & Strength |
| Requires | 27 Intelligence, 20 Strength, 14 Dexterity |
| Weapon | Carian Glintstone Staff |
| Shield | Jellyfish Shield |
| Armor | Any that can med roll |
| Skills | Contagious Fury |
| Spells | Carian Slicer, Carian Greatsword, Carian Piercer, Glintstone Pebble, Loretta's Greatbow |
| Flasks | Mostly FP, some HP |
Enchanted Knight Build
| Class | Astrologer or Prisoner |
|---|---|
| Level | 50 |
| Focus | Intelligence |
| Main Stats | Intelligence & Vigor |
| Other Stats | Mind & Endurance |
| Requires | 27 Intelligence, 12 Strength, 8 Dexterity |
| Weapon | Carian Glintstone Staff |
| Shield | Blue-Gold Kite Shield |
| Armor | Carian Knight Set |
| Skills | Ash of War: Barricade Shield |
| Spells | Carian Slicer, Carian Piercer, Carian Greatsword and Glintstone Pebble |
| Flasks | Most FP, Some HP |
Crystal Mage Build
| Class | Any |
|---|---|
| Level | 100 |
| Focus | Intelligence |
| Main Stats | Intelligence |
| Other Stats | Vigor & Mind |
| Requires | 52 Intelligence, 20 Strength, 14 Dexterity, 12 Faith |
| Weapon | Crystal Staff, Finger Seal or Clawmark Seal |
| Shield | Jellyfish Shield |
| Armor | Any that still allows |
| Talismans | Magic Scorpion Charm, Ritual Sword Talisman, Dragoncrest Shield Talisman, and Godfrey Icon |
| Skills | Contagious Fury |
| Spells | Crystal Torrent, Shattering Crystal, Glintstone Pebble, Great Glintstone Shard, Comet, Terra Magica & Bestial Vitality |
| Flasks | Mostly FP, some HP |
Darkmoon Spellblade Build
| Class | Any |
|---|---|
| Level | 100 |
| Focus | Intelligence |
| Main Stats | Intelligence & Mind |
| Other Stats | Vigor |
| Requires | 38 Intelligence, 16 Strength, 12 Dexterity |
| Weapon | Dark Moon Greatsword & Carian Glintblade Staff |
| Armor | Any that still allows med rolling |
| Talismans | Godfrey Icon, Radagon Icon, Stargazer Heirloom & Green Turtle Talisman |
| Skills | Moonlight Greatsword |
| Spells | Magic Glintblade, Glintstone Pebble, Greatblade Phalanx, Loretta's Greatbow & Unseen Form |
| Flasks | Mostly FP, some HP |
Freezing Battlemage Build
| Class | Any |
|---|---|
| Level | 150 |
| Focus | Intelligence |
| Main Stats | Intelligence |
| Other Stats | Mind & Vigor |
| Requires | 52 Intelligence, 20 Strength, 14 Dexterity |
| Weapon | Lusat's Glintstone Staff & Carian Glintstone Staff |
| Shield | Jellyfish Shield |
| Armor | Snow Witch Hat, and any that still allows |
| Talismans | Graven-School Talisman, Graven-Mass Talisman, Magic Scorpion Charm & Ritual Sword Talisman |
| Skills | Contagious Fury |
| Spells | Carian Slicer, Adula's Moonblade, Carian Piercer, Glintstone Icecrag, Zamor Ice Storm and Freezing Mist |
| Flasks | Mostly HP some FP |
Level 80/90 Sorcerer Duelist Build
| Class | Astrologer |
|---|---|
| Level | 80 |
| Main Stats | 35/40 Vigor, 55/60 (47/52 base +8 from gear) Intelligence (level 80/90 respectively) |
| Other Stats | 26 Mind,15 Endurance ( |
| Requires | 52 Intelligence |
| Armor | Queen's Crescent Crown (+3 int), Veteran's Armor,any light gloves with >0 poise ( e.g. Astrologer Gloves ), Banished Knight Greaves |
| Talismans | Graven-Mass Talisman, Great-Jar's Arsenal, Stargazer Heirloom, Radagon Icon |
| Skills | Optional parry / quickstep etc. |
| Spells | Carian Slicer, Swift Glintstone Shard, Come t -> CHOOSE FROM: Carian Piercer / Stars of Ruin / Glintstone Arc / Magic Glintblade + Collapsing Stars / Shard Spiral / Gavel of Haima / Carian Phalanx / Eternal Darkness / Terra Magica / Anything |
Summons
Spirit Ashes allowed
Drops
Defeating it grants 1,100 runes.
Notes
- The Waypoint Ruins pumpkin head blocks the chamber where Sorceress Sellen waits.
- The Caelem Ruins pair gives 6,300 runes, and both must fall to win.
- The flail causes bleed.
All Bosses
The table below lists all Bosses in Elden Ring.