How to beat the Golden Hippopotamus in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree

Elden Ring’s Shadow of the Erdtree DLC is finally here, and there are plenty of new foes for players to conquer. One of those is the Golden Hippopotamus, so here’s everything you need to know to strike it down.

The Golden Hippopotamus is a Great Enemy boss that waits for players in the Shadow Keep legacy dungeon. It is the first enemy that you will come across in the area, and defeating it is a must before accessing the rest of the dungeon.

Fortunately, it’s also a fairly forgiving introduction to the horrors that lie further within the Shadow Keep. That said, as with any Elden Ring boss, there are some significant dangers to be aware of.

Golden Hippopotamus location

As previously mentioned, the Golden Hippopotamus can be found enjoying a well-earned rest beneath the Marika Statue at the entrance to the Shadow Keep dungeon. The dungeon itself is in the far North East of Scadu Altus on the Shadow Lands map, and it contains many of Messmer the Impaler’s immense and terrifying forces.

The Shadow Keep itself is a sprawling site with multiple entrances. Happily, the one you are looking for is the main gate, found at the end of the main road through that section of Scadu Atlas. When you get to the portcullis, head up in the elevator, and you’ll arrive at the arena for the fight.

How to beat the Golden Hippopotamus

As far as Elden Ring bosses go, the Golden Hippopotamus is one of the simpler propositions in the DLC, mechanically speaking. He uses a combination of bites, tackles, and head bashes, all of which do enough damage to end the fight quickly if you get complacent.

Phase 1: Watch for the bite

In the first instance, the hippo will charge you with its mouth agape. If it grabs you with this attack, it will bite down multiple times, potentially ending the fight before it has begun. The best option here is to roll out of the way as the range on the bite is very large, so allow enough time to get clear of its area of effect.

The other regular attack it does in this first phase is slamming its head into the floor. Though it might be tempting to simply roll away again, it’s better to stay close and strafe around towards the hippopotamus’ body. This will allow you to avoid damage and get some hits in for yourself while the beast takes a 1-2 second pause after attacking in this way.

The big damage play to look out for is the belly slam, which is the most difficult to avoid. The best option here is to jump just before it makes contact with the ground. Not only is this the easiest way to avoid damage, but it also opens up a window for jumping attack combos if you are running a build that suits that play style.

Get your damage in after dodging basic bite attacks or head slams. Strafe to the side and attack quickly, but don’t overestimate how much time you have. The Golden Hippopotamus will counter by swiping its head around or in an uppercut motion, so bide your time and whittle its health bar down slowly.

Phase 2: The Golden Hippopotamus grows its thorns

When you get the boss down to half health, it will enter a second phase. The hippo will grow enormous thorns from its head and body before letting these rain down across the arena. Stick close to the boss while he is doing this, and you should avoid most, if not all, of the incoming damage. This also presents a solid opportunity to get a few more hits in, thanks to the charge time.

The only major difference in its main attack types during this phase is the belly slam. The area of effect from the first portion of the fight is made larger by thorns that rise from the ground. All this means is that you will need to get slightly further clear than you did initially.

Otherwise, it’s a case of biding your time and getting hits into the beast’s flank. Strafe round, quick attack, and then move away again. Repeat that rotation, and you should be fine for the rest of the fight.

NPC Allies

Going into the Golden Hippopotamus fight, you should have two NPC ally options. The first is Redmane Freya, who can be summoned when approaching the arena from the Main Gate Site of Grace. Hornsent is the other summon option and an effective operator in this fight, thanks chiefly to the high bleed damage the NPC offers.

Golden Hippopotamus rewards

After defeating the Golden Hippopotamus, you should be able to loot the following:

• 200,000 Runes
• 2x Scadutree Fragments
• Aspects of the Crucible: Thorns

The latter is a new incantation that gives players the power to summon golden thorns on themselves, in the same way as the Golden Hippopotamus’ second phase.

Golden Hippopotamus weaknesses

The Golden Hippopotamus is particularly weak against the following Elemental damage:

• Fire

That being said, most other elemental affinities are also effective. The Golden Hippopotamus is very resistant to Holy damage, so avoid that where possible.

Thinking about jumping into Shadow of the Erdtree but unsure whether it’s the game for you? You can check out our thoughts on the DLC after spending a lot of time exploring the Shadow Lands. We’ve also assembled all of the new boss locations in one place