Bayle the Dread is one of the most formidable opponents in the Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree expansion. Defeating this boss is necessary to progress and complete Igon’s quest.

This dragon boss possesses destructive power and quick movements, making him one of the most challenging foes in Elden Ring. In this guide, we will cover how to find and defeat Bayle the Dread and provide some tips for battling this boss.

Bayle the Dread Location

Start your journey by heading southeast from Castle Ensis to the Pillar Path Waypoint Site of Grace, where you will meet Igon. He will tell you about Bayle the Dread. Continue moving southeast, fighting the Ancient Dragon-Man and heading to Dragon Pit. This path will lead you to Jagged Peak.

Along the way, you will have to fight several Jagged Peak Drakes. If you acquire the Dragon-Hunter's Great Katana, you can deal additional damage to these enemies. After defeating two dragons, who will initially fight each other, you will again find Igon and receive Igon's Furled Finger.

Keep moving forward, avoiding a possible encounter with Ancient Dragon Senessax if you wish, and enter the nearby tunnel. The path through the tunnel will lead you to the Jagged Peak Summit Site of Grace, the lair of Bayle the Dread.

Bayle the Dread Weakness and Tips

During the quest associated with the boss Bayle the Dread, it is important to upgrade your character and equipment. Firstly, pay attention to Scadutree Blessings and Revered Spirit Ash Blessings, which will be useful, allowing you and your summoned Spirit Ashes to deal more damage and withstand more hits.

Since Bayle the Dread is a dragon, this creature is particularly vulnerable to frost and scarlet rot effects. While these weaknesses are not guaranteed for every dragon in Elden Ring, they are effective against Bayle. It is appropriate to take any weapons or magic capable of building up these effects over several hits.

Mages can use Ranni’s Dark Moon, which deals frost damage, or Comet Azur. Players whose primary attribute is faith should consider Black Flame and Black Blade, allowing them to maintain a safe distance from the boss.

In the fight against Bayle the Dread, you will have the opportunity to summon a spirit to assist you, easing the passage. In particular, you can summon Igon himself. Colossal weapons or those with significant striking power work well against Bayle, as they can break his poise. Ancient Dragon Lightning Strike is also effective, despite Bayle using both fire and lightning in his attacks.

How to Beat Bayle the Dread: Phase 1

Upon entering the boss arena, Bayle will start using various ranged attacks. The first is a fire attack aimed directly at you. To avoid it, immediately run perpendicular to the fiery beam, as its hit area is quite large.

Bayle also uses a breath fire attack, exhaling fire from left to right, covering a large area of the ground. Roll through this wave, moving towards it and rolling just before it reaches you. This creates a small window for an attack, allowing you to chip away some of the boss’s HP.

Besides this attack, the boss can perform a fire breath directly down, damaging the surrounding area without moving the stream of flames. Roll back to avoid the fire, and then use a jump attack to strike the boss when the flames die down.

Another possible attack is a leap strike, where Bayle the Dread flies into the air before crashing down to the ground. The boss does not have a clear signal for the moment of descent, so wait until he starts descending, then roll back to avoid the impact. This maneuver can position you close to his head, allowing you to counterattack.

The boss has a similar type of attack but without flying into the air. Bayle the Dread initially pulls his claw back, then swiftly and quickly closes the distance, lunging towards the character and striking with his claw.

Another attack is a bite/grab. Bayle crouches with his mouth open, sparking with electricity, then makes a quick bite. Roll back to avoid it and attack his head immediately after his action.

In close combat, Bayle alternates between bites and strikes. His electric strike, where he charges his claw before striking down, is the most common type of attack. Roll during his downward motion, then attack his head.

When Bayle the Dread stands upright and begins to roar, prepare for his four-hit combo: a left claw swipe, two quick right claw swipes, and a final electric strike. Watch his claws closely and roll at the last moment to avoid all hits, then roll and counterattack.

If Bayle pulls his head back without electricity, he is preparing for a two-hit bite combo, moving forward with each bite. Roll back in sync with his movements to avoid the bites.

During his tail attack, the boss jumps over your head, landing a short distance away, then turns, swinging his tail. Pay attention to the jump and react quickly to roll through the tail, positioning yourself for a counterattack.

Bayle the Dread also uses an attack where he roars, creating a small AoE that deals damage and knocks you back. This is followed by lightning strikes aimed directly at you. Avoid them by running or rolling, but keep an eye on Bayle to dodge his next attacks.

If you manage to break the boss’s poise, you will have an opportunity to deal significant damage, potentially quickly moving to the next phase, avoiding most of the opponent’s attacks. Moreover, you can chip away a bit more health, making the second phase easier.

Tips for the First Phase in the Fight with Bayle the Dread

Upon entering the arena, you will have a little time before Bayle the Dread starts attacking to summon a spirit to assist you. The boss often starts the fight with a straight or arc-shaped fire attack.

Avoid these attacks by running left or right (depending on the direction of the fire beam), and roll through the arc of fire, timing your roll just before it reaches you.

Use spirits to take the main brunt of the attack while you position yourself advantageously in the fight and strike the dragon. His most dangerous attack in this phase is the grab, signaled by sparks appearing around the boss’s mouth. Roll to avoid this lightning attack, stand close to his head, and deal a few hits.

Bayle performs regular claw attack combinations, one, two, or three hits. Depending on the number of hits, calculate the approximate number of rolls needed to avoid the attack and watch his movements closely.

At mid-range, Bayle the Dread usually performs a leap strike followed by a tail swipe. Be ready to roll during the tail swipe, preparing to get as close to the boss’s head as possible. After taking damage in close combat, Bayle may breathe fire onto the ground around his head. A quick backward roll will help avoid damage.

How to Beat Bayle the Dread: Phase 2

At about 60% health, Bayle the Dread will kneel on the ground, and the music will start to fade. He will begin to charge with lightning and fire before releasing a massive explosion in the arena, dealing significant damage.

If you are brave enough and have a full supply of enhanced health, you can continue attacking during the boss’s charging attack. But be prepared to quickly get up and heal. Otherwise, you should move as far away as possible, as the damage from the transitional phase attack will be lethal.

After the explosion, Bayle takes to the air, circling the arena and forming fireballs that will shoot at you in turn. Avoid the fiery radiant strikes, and in addition, keep an eye on Bayle the Dread. Eventually, he will start to land, and you need to roll at the moment the boss touches down and slides towards you to avoid damage. Roll through the dragon to find yourself in front of his head or near his neck, delivering several strikes.

In the second phase, Bayle’s attacks acquire new properties, many of which now include lightning. These attacks often have follow-ups, where lightning strikes from the impact point, dealing additional damage to the character. Watch the ground to see where the lightning will strike, and avoid the potential hit by rolling left or right.

His lightning strike from the first phase now includes multiple hits and can transition into other combos. Watch his movements closely before the attack, ensuring he is not preparing for another hit.

His enhanced lightning strike involves holding his claw up longer with visible wings. When you see this, immediately run away. The subsequent explosion covers a large area, so distance is key.

If you risk it, you can try to roll through the explosion. There are three moments to watch for: the ground strike, the push, and the explosion, each spaced equally apart.

The leap strike now causes magma eruptions from the ground. Avoid the red spots before deciding to attack.

Bayle’s new aerial attack includes taking off into the air and then exhaling fire from left to right. Watch the spread of flames on the ground and roll through it. Then he will fly over you, exhaling fire in a straight line. Wait for the flame to approach, then roll left or right to escape.

If the fight drags on, Bayle the Dread may repeat the explosive and fiery attacks from the beginning of the second phase. Be vigilant and retreat if you see him charging this attack.

After victory, you will receive 490,000 runes and the Heart of Bayle item, allowing you to continue Igon’s quest.

Tips for the Second Phase in the Fight with Bayle the Dread

When the second phase begins, react in time to avoid the explosion, which spreads over a large area of impact. Be ready to roll away from the spheres directing fiery beams at you, then from the dragon himself, who will aim to land right on you. After dodging the series of dangerous hits, move closer to the head to deal damage to the boss.

In this phase, electrical puddles appear on the ground, indicating areas Bayle the Dread will hit with magic. This makes it difficult to strike his head, as they usually appear around his front body.

Remember that some attacks from the first phase gain additional effects from electricity, so be even more cautious and avoid taking unnecessary hits to prevent them from becoming fatal.

During the boss’s ground pound attack, causing a large radius of damage on the ground, you can use a winged jump to hover in the air and avoid damage from the explosion.

With these strategies, you will be well-prepared for the battle with Bayle the Dread and emerge victorious, continuing your journey in Elden Ring's Shadow of the Erdtree expansion.