Messmer the Impaler (Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree)
Elden Ring’s 2024 expansion, Shadow of the Erdtree, introduced 10 new bosses to From Soft’s 2022 fantasy RPG, and while all of them bring something special to the table, Messmer The Impaler is a definite standout. Like the Sphinx from Dragon’s Dogma, Messmer’s appearance blends beauty with horror. The son of Queen Marika is a demigod clad in gorgeous regal armor and has a relatively normal face, but his limbs are unsettlingly long and wiry, his nails look more like claws than human fingers, and there’s a two-headed abyssal serpent living inside his armor–a gift from his mother, who later removed one of Messmer’s eyes and replaced it with a protective seal to prevent the serpent’s powers from potentially being used against her.
True to his title, Messmer wields an enormous spear, and he isn’t shy about using it. He also wields fire magic, and is immune to both Sleep and Madness. Naturally, players will want to be as fire-resistant as possible, but the first phase of the fight is fairly straightforward. Messmer’s early spear attacks make it fairly easy to dodge behind him and get a few hits in.
The real challenge starts when players deplete Messmer’s health to 50%. At this point, he’ll take a quick break to apologize to his mother, pluck out his artificial eyeball, and crush it in his hand, destroying the limits Queen Marika placed on his powers in the process. When the fight picks up again, players will be facing Base Serpent Messmer, a horribly corrupted version of the demigod that is effectively a sphere of horribly bent limbs and ruined flesh. His spear attacks become even more unforgiving, forcing players to choose between healing, hitting, and getting the hell out of the way. When all else fails, Messmer will briefly turn into a gargantuan snake that can breathe fire and dive fangs-first at the player.
Despite Messmer’s viciousness in battle, his increasingly frightening physical appearance, and the sheer amount of frustration FromSoft’s boss fights can sometimes elicit, it’s hard to finish this one without feeling a little bit bad for the monster Marika turned her son into. Messmer hesitates briefly before plucking out his replacement eye–indicating that he’s not some sort of senseless being that can’t feel pain. In a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it shot of his face, the writhing scales of a serpent can be seen in the empty socket. Much like the abyssal serpent itself, this unforgettable boss fight is one that worms its way into the player’s head.
