Elden Ring: How to Avoid Putrescent Knight Flame Attacks

The Putrescent Knight is one of the more aggressive and visually striking bosses in Elden Ring, notorious for his molten sword swings, unpredictable flame eruptions, and Elden Ring Runes ability to close distance with brutal efficiency. Many Tarnished fall to his devastating fire attacks, which can melt through health bars even with strong armor or resistance talismans. Surviving—and ultimately mastering—his fiery offense requires patience, timing, and a deep understanding of his attack patterns. This guide explains how to read, dodge, and counter the Putrescent Knight's flame attacks so you can turn a punishing battle into a controlled victory.

1. Understanding the Knight's Flame Pattern

The Putrescent Knight's flame-based offense revolves around three core moves: the Flame Sweep, the Molten Slam, and the Fireburst Wave. Each deals a mix of physical and fire damage, meaning that even high fire resistance alone won't save you if you mistime your dodge.

Flame Sweep: The Knight raises his sword overhead and ignites it, dragging a trail of fire as he slashes horizontally. This attack has a half-second delay before release, making early rolls dangerous. You should dodge into the swing at the last possible moment—rolling through the arc rather than away from it.

Molten Slam: When the Knight drives his sword into the ground, a fiery eruption follows in a small radius. Many players instinctively back away, but this move punishes that behavior—the blast radius expands outward after a short delay. The safest counter is a side roll or a quick sprint to the flank.

Fireburst Wave: The most dangerous of his fire abilities, the Knight slams his sword into the ground and channels a line of flames toward the player. The telegraph is distinct: he plants one foot forward and roars before unleashing the attack. Instead of rolling sideways, run diagonally toward him—the flame travels forward and can be sidestepped completely with a well-timed sprint.

Understanding these three moves allows you to predict nearly 70% of his flame-based behavior. Once you can recognize his arm and stance animations, you'll know which attack is coming before the fire even appears.

2. Positioning Is Survival

The Putrescent Knight punishes passive play. If you linger at medium range, he will use flame waves or quick dashes to close the distance. Therefore, staying either very close or very far is key.

Close range: Hugging his left side allows you to dodge many sword and flame sweeps naturally. His right arm (your left side) has a blind spot where his fire blade often passes overhead or misses due to poor tracking. Staying there also baits him into his slower melee combos, giving you windows to punish with light weapon strikes or ashes of war.

Long range: If you're a spellcaster or archer, keep maximum distance to avoid the flame shockwaves. When he begins a Fireburst Wave, roll diagonally toward cover or a pillar (if available) to break line of sight and avoid the flame beam entirely.

Keeping your camera locked on him can sometimes hurt more than help, since it limits peripheral awareness of the flame trails. Consider unlocking the camera briefly during large flame waves to gauge where safe zones are forming.

3. Gear, Talismans, and Resistances

Preparation can make or break this fight. Equip items that boost fire resistance or negate chip damage from partial flame hits.

Flame Drake Talisman +2: Reduces fire damage significantly.

Fireproof Dried Liver: Temporarily increases resistance to fire by a large margin.

Black Flame's Protection (Incantation): Reduces incoming fire damage while slightly lowering your healing efficiency.

Medium armor with moderate poise—such as the Banished Knight set—allows you to absorb stray flame damage without being staggered. Light builds should rely entirely on precise dodging.

4. The Rhythm of the Fight

Every boss in Elden Ring has a rhythm, and the Putrescent Knight's rhythm revolves around his flame cooldowns. After using a major flame ability, he enters a brief window of vulnerability, either sheathing his sword or letting the flames extinguish before reigniting. These windows last roughly two seconds—long enough for a charged heavy or a quick spell.

Patience is essential. Avoid overextending after dodging a flame attack. The Knight's recovery animation often chains into a fast slash, punishing greedy players. Instead, strike once, reposition, and prepare for the next cue.

5. Final Advice: Calm Over Chaos

The Putrescent Knight's flame attacks are meant to overwhelm players visually and mentally. The fire fills the arena, forcing panic and early dodges. The secret is restraint—waiting half a second longer than your instincts tell you. Rolling too early means rolling into fire. Rolling late means rolling through it safely.

With enough practice, his flame barrages will begin to look predictable rather than chaotic. Every roar, every sword raise, every molten spark is a signal you can read. Master that language, and buy Elden Ring Runes you'll extinguish the Putrescent Knight's fury once and for all.