Maliketh, the Black Blade

Maliketh, the Black Blade
Type	Legendary Boss
Region	Crumbling Farum Azula
Runes	220,000
Required	Yes

Maliketh, the Black Blade is a legendary boss in Elden Ring.

Maliketh, the Black Blade is Queen Marika's shadowbound beast and the keeper of Destined Death. He waits at the end of Crumbling Farum Azula, first in the guise of the Beast Clergyman. Halfway through the fight he draws his black blade and becomes a whirlwind of speed and death. His defeat is required to reach Leyndell, Ashen Capital and finish the game.

Lore

Maliketh is a beast in a black iron helm decorated with gold. In his first form he hides as the Beast Clergyman, a hooded figure who fights with a dagger. In battle he draws a blade imbued with Destined Death.

Maliketh was a shadowbound beast given to Queen Marika, his Empyrean, and her loyal half-brother. Marika's sole need of her shadow was a vessel to lock away Destined Death. He defeated the Gloam-Eyed Queen of the Godskin Apostles and sealed the Rune of Death within his blade. There was not one demigod who did not fear him.

On the Night of the Black Knives, a fragment of Destined Death was stolen from him. To keep it from happening again, Maliketh sealed the rune within his own flesh. He hid in the guise of the Beast Clergyman at Farum Azula. Even so, Marika betrayed him.

Where to find Maliketh, the Black Blade Location?

Crumbling Farum Azula, in the round temple arena beside the great bridge (Beside the Great Bridge Site of Grace)

Maliketh, the Black Blade map location:

Map credit by Map Genie.

Weaknesses

Resists	Holy
Immune	Madness
Parry	Yes

Phases

Phase 1: the Beast Clergyman fights with low sweeping swings, rock and wind projectiles and boulders that rise from the ground.
Phase 2: at half health Maliketh appears with the Black Blade. His hits lower maximum health and cause damage over time.

Attacks

Low sweeps: in phase one the Clergyman swings low across the ground. A jump over the swing opens a counterattack.
Rock sling and air burst: ranged projectiles in phase one. A forward roll avoids them.
Rising boulders: he plunges his dagger into the ground and boulders crash down. Moving away from the impact area avoids them.
Black Blade slash and dive: Maliketh leaps around the pillars and strikes with the glowing blade. A roll through the strike avoids it, and the end of the attack can be parried with the Blasphemous Claw.
Blade plunge: he drives the Black Blade into the ground for a delayed explosion. Rolling or moving away avoids it.
Destined Death waves: frontal cones of death energy. Staying at his feet or behind him avoids them.
Spinning attack: a full spin around his body. A roll into him avoids it and sets up a counter.

Tactics

Move forward past the short bridge as soon as the fight begins.
Use heavy attacks to break the Clergyman's stance, because stance damage carries into phase two.
Use the pillars to block projectiles and to heal safely.
Heal right away after a Black Blade hit to limit the damage over time.
Stay close in phase two, since Maliketh is most dangerous at a distance.
Equip the Blasphemous Claw and parry the glowing Black Blade attacks to stun him.
Summon a tanky spirit such as the Mimic Tear Ashes or Lhutel the Headless.

Best Builds

Heavy weapon for stance breaks

Stance damage built on the Clergyman carries over, so one or two heavy hits can stun Maliketh early.

Blasphemous Claw parry

The claw lets the player parry his Black Blade attacks and stun him.

Gear	Blasphemous Claw

Tanky spirit ash

The Mimic Tear Ashes or Lhutel the Headless hold his attention while the player strikes.

Gear	Mimic Tear Ashes, Lhutel the Headless

Summons

Spirit Ashes allowed

Drops

Defeating it grants 220,000 runes.

Name	Image
Remembrance of the Black Blade

Notes

He can only be parried with the Blasphemous Claw.
Black Blade hits lower maximum health for a short time.
The remembrance can be traded for Maliketh's Black Blade or Black Blade.

All Bosses

The table below lists all Bosses in Elden Ring.