How to beat the Ulcerated Tree Spirit in Elden Ring
How to defeat the Limgrave boss, tips and strategy.
Ulcerated Tree Spirit is an optional boss found in the Limgrave region of Elden Ring.
As you might have guessed from the name, the Ulcerated Tree Spirit is a grotesque monster, which will come as no surprise whatsoever to veterans of FromSoftware games.
You can take down the Ulcerated Tree Spirit either solo or co-op with another player or NPC, although the latter is definitely easier. Additionally, using a spirit ash summon in the fight against this boss is allowed.
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How to prepare for Ulcerated Tree Spirit
For the Ulcerated Tree Spirit, we'd recommend taking on the boss with a physical-based character. You'll want to try and kit yourself out with either a strong sword and shield, or take one powerful two-handed weapon into the fight ahead.
Additionally, the Ulcerated Tree Spirit's chief weakness is fire damage. To that end, if you've got any of the Fire Grease to coat your weapon with, or Fire Pot to lob at the boss, we'd absolutely recommend taking both of these into the battle with the boss.
Ulcerated Tree Spirit tips: How to beat Ulcerated Tree Spirit
The Ulcerated Tree Spirit takes the form of a gigantic, lumbering slug-like monster, with arms protruding from its upper body, and a gaping mouth that'll down you in one.
Speaking of, the chief attack you need to watch out for in this fight is the Ulcerated Tree Spirit's mouth suddenly glowing a bright yellow, because it's about to unleash one of several attack.
If the boss doesn't move after its mouth starts glowing, it's about to pull off a big area-of-effect attack using magical damage on the floor immediately in front of it.
This is your cue to either back away, or if you think you can make it in time, sprint right around the boss to land in some hits while it's occupied.
Alternatively, if the boss coils back slightly while its mouth is aflame, you'll want to get ready to dodge. Its mouth will come tearing at you from above, and if you don't dodge out of the way at the last second, the Ulcerated Tree Spirit will gather you in its mouth and do some massive elemental damage to you.
This can be a one-hit kill attack if you're not significantly levelled before taking on the boss.
However, the boss can pull off this attack without its mouth glowing. An alternate version of this strike comes when the Ulcerated Tree Spirit sort of repels itself off the walls of the arena, coming at you mouth first along the ground.
Simply dodge roll to either side of the mouth when it's a few meters in front of you, and you'll have to problem moving out of the way.
The final elemental attack to watch for is when the Ulcerated Tree Spirit glows all over. Back away from the boss as soon as this appears, because it's about to unleash a big area-of-effect attack on you using its magical powers.
Aside from the elemental attacks, the Ulcerated Tree Spirit attacks in big sweeping patterns with its arms. Thankfully, the attacks are really quite slow, so there's plenty of time to dodge out of the way before they come crashing down.
Just take care not to dodge too early, or else you risk being caught in the attack by the time the boss actually swings its arms at you.
When the boss joins its stumpy hands together, make sure to get ready to dodge. The Ulcerated Tree Spirit is about to bring both its arms crashing down together in one big attack, and you need to make sure you're dodging only when the arms are coming downwards, as any sooner and the boss will track you.
Thankfully there isn't a follow-up strike after this, so feel free to lay into the boss.
Ulcerated Tree Spirit reward
When the Ulcerated Tree Spirit has been killed, you'll get 15,000 Runes as a reward. You'll also gain a Golden Seed, which can go towards increasing the amount of Flasks you carry at a Site of Grace, as well as Banished Knight Oleg Ashes.
This latter reward takes the form of an Ash summon, and it's one hell of a powerful hitter.
Now that the battle with the Ulcerated Tree Spirit is done, you'll need to take the teleporter back to the open world of Elden Ring, and continue the adventure.
Need more help? Jump back to our list of Elden Ring bosses or our Elden Ring walkthrough.