Maliketh, the Black Blade
Maliketh, the Black Blade waits at the highest point of Crumbling Farum Azula, guarding the Rune of Death that Queen Marika once asked him to seal away. He is Marika’s shadow, her half-brother and her most loyal servant, and he takes that duty very seriously.
The fight starts with a familiar face in a beastly form and then explodes into one of the fastest, most aggressive bosses in the game. Every cut of his black blade leaves a wound that keeps hurting.
Drops
Remembrance of the Black Blade
Weaknesses
Blessing’s Boon and other healing over time help against his lingering damage
Bleed
Resistances & immunities
Phase 2 blade attacks reduce your maximum health for a while
How to beat it
Phase 1: the Beast Clergyman. He uses a short sword and beastly incantations, including flying rocks and an earthquake around himself. He is fast but leaves short windows after his bigger combos.
Phase 2: Maliketh. At half health he draws the Black Blade. Every hit now drains health over time and lowers your maximum health for a while, so you cannot afford to trade blows. He leaps, spins and sometimes clings to pillars before diving at you. Roll through his attacks rather than away, stay close, and strike after his big jumping slam. The Blasphemous Claw, found in the area, can be used to deflect some of his attacks and stagger him.
Lore
Maliketh was the Shadowbound Beast who once defeated the Gloam-Eyed Queen. On Marika’s orders he sealed the Rune of Death inside his own body. Releasing it is what lets the Erdtree burn, and opens the road to the end of the game.