How to Beat Maliketh, the Black Blade
A Crumbling Farum Azula plan for Beast Clergyman and Maliketh’s Black Blade phase—Destined Death pressure, spacing, summons, and what to do after the fight.
Maliketh is a late-story skill check after Fire Giant and the Forge route into Crumbling Farum Azula. Phase one (Beast Clergyman) teaches his pacing; phase two adds Destined Death hits that shrink your max HP until the fight ends. This guide focuses on prep and repeatable punish windows—not a “one trick clears every build” claim.
Where to Find Maliketh
Reach Crumbling Farum Azula after the Mountaintops / Forge progression. Explore the floating ruins, clear the path past Godskin Duo if you have not already, and rest at the Site of Grace near Maliketh’s arena. If you are still finishing Leyndell’s first visit, beat Morgott and follow the progression hub before forcing Farum Azula.
Recommended Level & Gear
- Suggested level band: roughly 100–120+
- Weapon upgrade: near endgame smithing or Somber tiers on one main weapon
- Vigor high—Destined Death plus combo damage deletes low-HP setups
- Holy resistance helps somewhat vs certain blade effects; physical defense and HP still matter more
- A weapon you can swing once or twice and reset is safer than ultra-slow greed combos
Preparation Checklist
- Do not rush in under-upgraded after a messy Fire Giant clear—finish Mountaintops upgrades first
- Bring a strong spirit ash; Mimic Tear or other aggressive ashes reduce phase-two pressure
- Stock flasks; phase two is where most attempts end with empty bottles
- Optional: co-op for a first clear while you learn Destined Death timing
- If your build stalls, respec after Rennala into a trusted strength, bleed, or faith setup
Phase One — Beast Clergyman
- Stay mid-range and bait his dagger / beast strikes; punish after the last hit of a string, not mid-flurry.
- Watch for leap and slam recoveries—take one or two hits, then back out before the next chain starts.
- Do not empty your entire stamina bar chasing him across the arena; he will re-engage if you hold spacing.
- Save flasks for phase two even if phase one feels manageable.
- If your ash pulls aggro, use the free window, then reset rather than standing in every delayed swing.
Phase Two — Maliketh, the Black Blade
- Expect faster pressure and Destined Death hits that reduce max HP—play safer than in phase one for the opening 20–30 seconds.
- Many blade slam and wave attacks have delay; roll late or sprint sideways instead of panic-rolling early.
- When he goes airborne or winds a big Destined Death swing, prioritize dodging over finishing a charged heavy.
- Punish only after clear recoveries; greed jump attacks get clipped by follow-up slashes.
- If your spirit ash dies, stop trading and return to bait-and-punish until you stabilize flasks.
Common Mistakes
- Arriving with a mid-game upgrade level because “the story teleported me here”
- Using every flask in Beast Clergyman and entering Maliketh empty
- Rolling too early on delayed Destined Death slams
- Ignoring max-HP drain and fighting as if chip damage is free
- Standing still to heal during blade waves instead of creating space first
Builds That Work Well
Bleed can shorten long phase-two attempts if your weapon applies it reliably. Strength works when you only swing on true openings. Faith sustain helps on learning sessions—see the faith guide. Keep Vigor and a damage talisman from the talismans page; raw DPS charms do not replace HP against Destined Death.
After Maliketh
Beating Maliketh advances the late story toward the burning Erdtree path and the Ashen Capital. Next major story pressure often includes Godfrey / Hoarah Loux, then the final Erdtree fights. Optional challenges such as Malenia can wait. Recheck weapon upgrades and flasks before you push the capital again—use the progression path if you lose the thread.