How to defeat Great Red Bear in Elden Ring Nightreign

Master the Great Red Bear boss fight in Elden Ring's Forsaken Hollows DLC. Learn its attack patterns, weaknesses, and the best strategies for melee and ranged combat to claim victory on the Dreglord expedition.

Conquering the Great Red Bear: A Nightreign Boss Guide

The Great Red Bear stands as a formidable Night Boss introduced in Elden Ring’s latest Forsaken Hollows DLC. Encountered during the perilous first night of the Dreglord expedition, this massive beast presents a classic test of patience and pattern recognition. While its raw strength is terrifying, its slower agility and telegraphed moveset make it a manageable challenge for prepared Tarnished. This comprehensive guide will break down the Great Red Bear’s behavior, key attacks, and proven strategies to secure your triumph.

Understanding the Great Red Bear Encounter

As one of the new Night Bosses in the Nightreign update, the Great Red Bear is an optional yet rewarding battle. Its arena is typically a dark, confined space, emphasizing the importance of controlled positioning over reckless aggression. The boss's primary advantage is its high health pool and devastating single-hit damage, but its relatively predictable rhythm is its greatest weakness.

Core Combat Strategy: Patience and Punishment

The fundamental principle for this fight is to avoid greed. The bear’s slow recovery after its powerful attacks is your primary window for dealing damage. Prioritize survival, learn the visual cues for each move, and strike only when it is safe.

Breakdown of Key Attacks and Counters

1. Claw Swipe Combos

• The Attack: The bear will unleash slow, sweeping slashes with its front or hind claws. These often come in sequences of two or three.
• How to Respond: These are your best opportunities to practice evasion. Rolling into the swipe, toward the bear’s flank, is often safer than rolling away. A well-timed block with a 100% physical damage negation shield can alsoabsorb the hit if your stamina allows, keeping you in position for acounter.

2. The Rear-Up & Stomp/Roar

• The Attack: When the Great Red Bear stands fully on its hind legs, it is chargingone of two dangerous abilities: a ground-stomp that creates a damagingshockwave, or a deafening roar that causes knockdown.
• How to Respond:Immediately create distance. This is non-negotiable. Unlock your camera and sprint or dodgebackward. Both attacks have significant area-of-effect (AoE) and aredesigned to punish players who stay at its feet. Wait for the animationto complete before re-engaging.

3. Ground Fissure Slam

• The Attack: The bear’s most deadly move. It will slam its claws into the earth,causing jagged fissures to erupt in a star-shaped pattern across theground, dealing massive damage.
• How to Respond: The tell is clear—watch for the deliberate, heavy motion as it prepares to dig its claws down. Sprint perpendicularly to the bear or directly away to escape the fissure paths. Do notattempt to i-frame roll through this without precise timing; evasion issafer.

Optimized Tactics for Victory

• For Melee Builds: Stick close to the bear’s hind legs. This position can avoid manyfrontal swipes. Focus on hitting once or twice after a combo ends, thenreset. Weapons with bleed or frostbite buildup are highly effective for chunking its substantial health bar.
• For Ranged/Sorcery Builds: The bear’s lack of speed is your greatest asset. Maintain mid-rangedistance to bait out its claw swipes, which have long recoveries. Spells like Rock Sling or Glintblade Phalanx are excellent for staggering it, creating critical hit openings.Summoning a tanky Spirit Ash (like Mimic Tear or Greatshield Soldiers)to draw aggro will give you ample space to cast safely.
• General Tips:
  • Stamina Management: Always keep enough stamina for at least two dodges. Being caught without stamina in front of the bear is fatal.
  • Camera Control: In tight spaces, consider fighting unlocked to avoid camera issues against large enemies.
  • Item Prep: Use Fortifying Meats for defense, Stanching Boluses to counteract anybleed its attacks might inflict, and your chosen damage-boostingWondrous Physick.

By methodically studying its patterns and resisting the urge toover-commit, you will turn the Great Red Bear from a terrifyingnocturnal predator into another fallen foe on your journey through theForsaken Hollows. Prepare, venture forth, and claim your spoils.

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