How to Kill the Winter Lantern Enemies in Shadow of the Erdtree

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is undoubtedly quite the challenge. However, as with all Souls games, it usually feels insurmountable only at first until you practice, get stronger, and eventually overcome. This is exemplified by a new enemy introduced in the DLC called the Winter Lanterns. If you've encountered them, you might have deemed them unkillable.

However, this is far from the truth, as these creepy cane-wielding monstrosities can indeed be defeated, but there's a specific trick to doing so. In this guide, we'll explain exactly how you can kill the Winter Lanterns in Elden Ring: Shadow of The Erdtree.

Shadow of the Erdtree Winter Lantern Enemies: How To Beat

Winter Lanterns are special enemies you will encounter in the Abyssal Woods area of the Land of Shadow. These creatures are essentially the same as those found in Bloodborne. Described as "grotesque creatures with a lethal gimmick" in Bloodborne, they now inflict Madness instead of Frenzy in Elden Ring.

To begin your hunt for Winter Lanterns, head to the Abyssal Woods by passing through the Shadow Keep and following a hidden path to the Darklight Catacombs. Once you've cleared this dungeon, you can explore the Abyssal Woods and test your skills against the Winter Lanterns. They are especially common just west of the Abyssal Woods Site of Grace.

The strategy for defeating these grotesque creatures is straightforward but challenging if you're unfamiliar with parrying. The only way to defeat them is to parry when they rush or teleport to you. Any physical attack or magic used when they are not staggered will simply pass through their bodies.

To take on these creatures with a parrying weapon in hand, wait for them to teleport behind you. Turn around and wait for the Winter Lantern to point its wand-like arm at you, which will cause some damage, but not too much.

As soon as it initiates an attack, use the parry skill. Once it's stance-broken, unleash your normal attacks on the Winter Lantern to defeat it. One successful parry is enough to remove their invulnerability, allowing you to quickly finish them off.

There are several ways to parry in Elden Ring, including sword and dagger parries, but the easiest method is to use a shield with a parry skill. You have a few options for shields:

1. Golden Parry Shield: This Ashes of War skill is the best parrying skill available. It's located in the base game in the Capital Outskirts region, east of the Altus Plateau, just in front of Leyndell.
2. Buckler Shield: This early-game shield comes with a default parry ability. You can buy it from Gostoc, the NPC found in the first chamber in Stormveil Castle, or Godrick's arena if you've defeated him already. If you killed Gostoc, you can give his Bell Bearing to the Twin Maiden Husks at the Roundtable Hold and buy the Buckler there.

So, there you have it, a detailed breakdown of how to kill the horrifying but not invulnerable Winter Lantern enemies in Elden Ring: Shadow of The Erdtree. Be sure to explore this area thoroughly, as a powerful boss lurks around, and defeating it will yield hefty rewards. Happy hunting, fellow Tarnished!