How to Defeat Draconic Tree Sentinel in Elden Ring – Guide

In our Elden Ring guide, we will tell you how to defeat Draconic Tree Sentinel easily. Defeat this boss to get great rewards. 

It is a Draconic Tree Sentinel that guards the entrance to Leyndell, the Royal Capital, and is regarded as one of Elden Ring’s most difficult Tree Sentinel variations. Tarnished will encounter this great mounted warrior at the end of the route, far east of the Outer Wall Battleground Site of Grace. The protagonist must first escape or dodge an enemy convoy and multiple Golems in Elden Ring. After all of this, you must battle the Draconic Tree Sentinel in order to obtain access to the Capital Rampart.

If the Tarnished cannot defeat the horseman after their first attempt, a Stake of Marika is nearby. The closest Site of Grace, however, is the Outer Wall Battleground, where those who wish to rest there must return. Draconic Tree Sentinel possesses ranged abilities that deal massive damage, which makes it so challenging to defeat. In the game, the Field Boss blows fireballs at the player consecutively and summons lightning bolts from the sky. 

Fight gameplay
Fight gameplay (YouTube)
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Moreover, the boss’s moves can be unpredictable and sporadic, making its combos especially challenging to navigate. If you want some help, then read our guide that will tell you how to defeat Draconic Tree Seninel.

How to Defeat Draconic Tree Sentinel: Phase one

Due to his two phases, the Draconic Tree Sentinel differs from one of his earlier incarnations. This boss is a challenging one with both melee and ranged attacks with hard-hitting damage. Starting on a horse is a great idea, especially if you have a summon. As a result, the fight begins faster, and you can land several free hits before the initial animation is complete.

As a general rule, the first phase is easier, and doubly so if you remain on your horse throughout. There are four primary attacks the boss uses in this phase. First, he slashes with his weapon, but the direction and speed differ – so you have to be prepared.

Another common attack he uses when you get close is an overhead slam or shield swipe, depending on the angle at which you’re standing. Additionally, the Tree Sentinel occasionally performs a far-reaching jump followed by an overhead slam. By dodging around him, you can easily avoid this attack. It will likely hit you if you dodge backward away from it.

Get close to Draconic Tree Sentinel
You can get close and attack (YouTube)
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Staying too far won’t help you

The horse will shoot fireballs at you if you stay far from its range for a long time. You can anticipate this wind-up animation and dodge it by either sprinting to the side or dodging into any direction. The fireball itself travels slowly enough, so you can either outrun it or dodge it. 

Outside that, you may see him use a horse stomp, which does roughly the same amount of damage as that of a normal Tree Sentinel. It’s important not to let the boss get you stuck in a corner, or else you won’t be able to get out of it. The boss has a large hitbox, so be careful not to get stuck in it.

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How to Defeat Draconic Tree Sentinel: Phase two

Stay away from Draconic Tree Sentinel's attacks
Sentinel attacking (YouTube)

During phase two, things become much more challenging. Lightning has now been infused into the Draconic Tree Sentinel’s weapon. He will also have a little bit of splash/area-of-effect damage added to the few that slam the ground in addition to increasing the damage of his normal attacks. It is very difficult to dodge his most devastating attack. 

Whenever he raises his shield, he can summon lightning to strike you. There are however two possible outcomes, and one of them is particularly difficult to avoid. A couple of seconds later he spawns several columns of lightning with a swipe that creates a pool of lightning around him. Once you see the ground turning red, you can easily escape this area.

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One of his other attacks allows him to summon a bolt of lightning that can strike you even if you are moving or rolling. There is barely a fraction of a second to avoid it. You may accomplish this by keeping an eye on his shield and rolling it when it snaps down. The only way to dodge successfully is to time it correctly, else you will take a lot of damage. 

As a last resort, the Draconic Tree Sentinel will sometimes drag his weapon across the ground to create a lightning wave. This wave has a wide arc, but it’s relatively easy to avoid if you see it coming. If you do all this properly, then you can defeat the boss without any sweat.

Rewards

In addition to 37,500 Runes, you will also receive the Dragon Greatclaw Colossal Weapon and the Dragonclaw Shield, which is excellent for deflecting physical attacks.

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Things to keep in mind

You can fight without your horse too
Fight gameplay (YouTube)
  • Although he wears ornate gilded armour, the Draconic Tree Sentinel is essentially a human. Each tick makes it closer to taking the boss down, as though the damage isn’t massive.
  • Frost damage also occurs, though it is temporary. His movement will be slowed for a while if he is treated with this element. If you have it, the Icerind Hatchet (+4) can be very useful.
  • When riding its horses, the boss can cover ground in seconds thanks to its agility and reach. There are times when it will spew projectiles, which can range from single projectiles to multiple ones.
  • Phase two of the fight is difficult, so save your energy for the second phase.

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Omer Khan
Omer Khan
Omer has a proven track record in the online media industry as a Content Writer. He holds a bachelor's degree in international journalism and mass communication and enjoys sports and video games.

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