FromSoftware's epic RPG Elden Ring is known for its expansive world and difficult boss fights, but one of its biggest battles - Starscourge Radahn - was recently nerfed, which has made the encounter less exciting. Prior to the update, Radahn was one of the more challenging boss fights in Elden Ring. The player character, known as Tarnished, could summon a small army of companions to help defeat the towering demi-god. However, even with this assistance, Radahn's massive sword and gravity attacks coupled with his incredible mobility made this a long and arduous skirmish.
Before the Tarnished arrived in the Lands Between, Starscourge Radahn and rival Malenia were locked in a huge battle that resulted in widespread death and destruction. The battle ended in a stalemate, though only because Malenia used Elden Ring's scarlet rot to prevent her own loss. This means that Radahn's physical strength outweighed that of Malenia's. However, after the nerf, Radahn's fight makes him appear significantly weaker than Malenia, which has made his boss fighting less compelling than it was previously.
It's unclear exactly why FromSoftware decided to nerf Radahn, but it feels like a mistake given just how menacing and cinematic his boss fight was before the recent patches. Radahn's speed, aggression, and damage were all reduced significantly, leading to a much safer fight. Reversing Radahn's nerf would mean that he could remain one of the most challenging yet rewarding bosses in Elden Ring, which felt like a FromSoftware celebration. Previously, players were in danger from Radahn's long-range magic abilities, such as his gravity waves, meteor summons, or even his phase two transition. This deadly attack allowed Radahn to launch himself into space, then return to the battlefield as a meteor tracking the player at high speeds. All of these attacks are still present in his fight, but they are now much less dangerous.
Elden Ring - Radahn Being Scary Was What Made Him A Good Boss
In order to complete Elden Ring's story, players must collect several great runes from rune-bearer boss fights, and Starscourge Radahn is the rune-bearer of Caelid. Once players are done exploring the opening area of Limgrave, they can either head north into Liurnia, or east into Caelid, one of Elden Ring's hardest areas. Although Liurnia is the easier option, many Tarnished easily venture east into Caelid, as there's no castle there to block their path. Some of these players might have found themselves under-leveled and under-prepared when they reached the festival grounds to take on Starscourge Radahn, which may have helped the boss develop a reputation as one of Elden Ring's most unforgiving.
Regardless of when the boss is encountered, the nerf to Starscourge Radahn should be reverted to be in line with other boss fights of similar caliber. After all, players who reach a part of the game that is seemingly too difficult to progress can always turn around and find easier quests to help them prepare for harder battles, which is the main gameplay loop of the game. The Lands Between of Elden Ring allows players to progress at their own pace, pursuing any type of play style they desire, and come back to bosses that gave them a hard time with more powerful weapons and better stats. Radahn should still be a little more challenging, however, especially given the fight itself is such a significant set-piece.
