Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree – How to Defeat the Golden Hippopotamus Boss

 

The Golden Hippopotamus is one of the first major skill checks in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree. Hidden within the ominous halls of the Shadow Keep, this hulking, gold-maned monstrosity tests both patience and precision. It's equal parts majestic and horrifying - imagine a Runebear that's overdosed on runes and divine lightning. With a brutal transformation midway through the fight and a mix of  erratic movements, devastating charges,Elden Ring Runes and lightning-infused attacks, the Golden Hippopotamus can crush unprepared Tarnished in seconds.

But don't worry - with the right preparation, positioning, and a few sneaky tricks, this beast can be tamed.

Where to Find the Golden Hippopotamus

The Golden Hippopotamus is located in the Shadow Keep, one of the earliest legacy dungeons players encounter in Shadow of the Erdtree. After progressing through the initial sections filled with Messmer soldiers and fire traps, you'll reach a large, gilded chamber adorned with broken golden statues and pools of shallow water. A fog gate awaits - step through, and you'll meet the beast.

The arena is fairly large, which helps with spacing, but the terrain is slick and shallow, so footing is important. The boss's sheer size also makes camera control a constant battle; locking on isn't always your friend here, as the beast's charging and tail-spinning can cause quick disorientation.

Phase 1: The Rampaging Runebear from Hell

The Golden Hippopotamus starts aggressively, barreling toward you with quick, unpredictable charges and heavy bite attacks. Its move set borrows from both the Runebear and Erdtree Beast bosses - meaning raw power mixed with divine aggression.

Key Attacks in Phase 1:

Charge and Slam: The boss rushes forward with its mouth open, attempting to grab or flatten you. A quick roll to the side as the head dips usually avoids the hit.

Stomp Combo: A series of stomps that deal shockwave damage. Don't try to roll under these - back away or circle to the flank.

Tail Whip: If you linger behind it for too long, it'll spin and lash out with its massive tail. Rolling inward toward the tail's center can avoid the damage.

Body Slam: It occasionally leaps into the air before crashing down. The impact has a large AoE, so dodge backward as it ascends.

Melee players should stay near the hind legs but move constantly to avoid tail whips and body slams. Heavy weapons like the Great Club, Colossal Swords, or Great Hammers can stagger the beast when timed well between attacks.

Ranged players - including sorcerers and faith builds - should kite backward, firing off spells like Comet, Rock Sling, or Lightning Spear during its recovery windows.

Phase 2: The “Super Saiyan” Transformation

At roughly 60% HP, the Golden Hippopotamus lets out an ear-splitting roar and bursts into a glowing golden frenzy. Its mane electrifies, its movements become faster, and several new holy-based attacks join its arsenal. This phase is where most Tarnished perish - the fight becomes an elegant dance between timing and terror.

New Attacks in Phase 2:

Golden Lightning Roar: The boss channels divine energy into a cone-shaped roar that blasts holy lightning across the ground. Roll diagonally toward the hippo as the roar begins to close the gap.

Lightning Stomp: A delayed shockwave of golden energy spreads outward. Time your roll to pass through the wave as it expands.

Golden Dash: A quick charge covered in holy sparks, followed by a tail slam. The windup is short, so preemptively dodge sideways when it crouches.

Holy Explosion (Enrage): When enraged, the boss rears up and glows intensely before detonating holy energy around itself. Run away as soon as you see the glow - the blast radius is huge.

Holy resistance becomes key here. Haligdrake Talismans, Divine Fortification Incantations, and armor with high holy defense (such as Tree Sentinel or Crucible sets) will significantly reduce damage.

Melee Strategy: Controlled Aggression

For melee builds, the Golden Hippopotamus punishes greed. Stick close to its side or hindquarters and only commit to one or two swings between attacks. Jump attacks and charged heavy strikes are effective for poise damage - staggering the beast allows for a critical hit that deals massive damage.

Weapons with bleed or frost buildup (such as Rivers of Blood, Dark Moon Greatsword, or Icerind Hatchet) can add consistent pressure. Buffing your weapon with Fire Grease or Bloodflame Blade further enhances your offensive windows.

A Greatshield or Bastard Sword paired with Barricade Shield Ash of War can block some physical hits, but holy damage will still slip through, so it's better to dodge than turtle.

Ranged and Magic Strategy: Patience and Positioning

Sorcerers and faith users should stay at medium distance. Long-range spells often get interrupted by the boss's erratic movement, so focus on mid-range casts that can be released quickly.

Recommended sorceries include:

Rock Sling (stagger potential)

Loretta's Mastery (homing and safe distance)

Adula's Moonblade (for close-casting counters)

For faith builds, Lightning Spear, Wrath of Gold, and Black Flame spells deal excellent damage - the latter also applies a damage-over-time effect, perfect for long fights.

Keep an eye on stamina for sprinting and repositioning. The boss's charge attacks can easily corner you if you stay too close to arena walls.

Cheese Tactics: Outsmarting the Golden Beast

If brute force fails, there are a few clever ways to simplify the encounter:

Spirit Ashes: Summons like Mimic Tear, Latenna the Albinauric, or Black Knife Tiche are invaluable. Latenna, in particular, can continuously fire from a distance while you kite the beast.

Status Abuse: The Golden Hippopotamus isn't immune to Scarlet Rot or Bleed, though resistances are high. A weapon like Eleanora's Poleblade can apply pressure quickly.

Safe Casting Spots: Certain corners of the arena have broken pillars that block some charge paths. Ranged players can use these to create breathing room.

Summon Help: In co-op, having one player draw aggro while the other unloads spells or charged hits is the easiest way to trivialize the fight.

Rewards for Victory

Defeating the Golden Hippopotamus grants valuable loot, including:

Scadutree Fragment – essential for boosting damage and defense across the DLC.

Remembrance of the Golden Beast (if applicable) – can be exchanged for a unique incantation or weapon.

A large sum of Runes, ideal for early Shadow of the Erdtree progression.

Final Thoughts

The Golden Hippopotamus is a brutal but fair encounter - a true FromSoftware test of adaptability. It demands awareness, measured aggression, and respect for its power. Once you've read its patterns and learned to dodge rather than panic, the fight becomes a thrilling spectacle of golden fury and calculated survival.

Conquering it not only earns powerful items but also sets the tone for the rest of Shadow of the buy Elden Ring Items Erdtree. If you can overcome this radiant terror, you're ready to face whatever other golden nightmares the Shadow Realm has waiting.