Elden Ring: How to Defeat Golden Hippopotamus Boss and Claim Scadutree Rewards

The Golden Hippopotamus is one of the most intimidating optional bosses in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree. Found within the Shadow Keep, this massive, golden-haired beast delivers crushing blows reminiscent of a Runebear on steroids-but with a deadly "Super Saiyan" transformation at 60% HP. For Tarnished, looking to claim Scadutree Fragments and other essential Elden Ring Items, mastering this fight is crucial. This guide covers where to find the boss, its attacks, and strategies for melee, ranged, and even cheese tactics.

Where to Find the Golden Hippopotamus

The Golden Hippopotamus lurks in the Shadow Keep, accessible via the grand lift north of the Highroad Cross Site of Grace. It waits just beyond the Furnace Golem visible in the distance. Players seeking an alternate route can approach from the east through Bonny Village, entering Shadow Keep from the eastern entrance to bypass the fight until they are better prepared.

For early encounters, aim for Scadutree level 8 or higher, ensuring sufficient survivability. Equip medium to light armor for faster dodge rolls, as blocking is largely ineffective against the hippo's guard-breaking attacks.

Summon Help: Freyja or Hornsent

Before entering the fog wall, you can summon Redmane Freyja or Hornsent if their questlines are advanced:

·Redmane Freyja: Acts as a tank, absorbing hits and giving players openings to attack safely.

·Hornsent: Inflicts bleed, quickly chipping away at the boss's massive health bar.

Using a summon significantly reduces the fight's difficulty, making it ideal for players struggling to survive solo.

Golden Hippopotamus Key Attacks and Dodging

Though the Golden Hippopotamus has a limited move set, each strike hits extremely hard. Learning the timing and positioning is key:

1. Open-Mouth Charge: Lowers its head and charges forward. Dodge sideways at the last moment to avoid a one-shot bite.

2. Ground Slam with Golden Spikes: Appears during its transformation at 60% HP. Golden spikes erupt from both sides; roll backward or stay behind the boss to evade.

3. Rolling Ball Attack: The hippo curls into a ball and rolls across the arena. Dodge diagonally to avoid quills.

Patience and precise dodge timing are essential; overaggression often results in death.

Melee Strategy for the Golden Hippopotamus

Melee builds excel when focusing on status effects or stance breaking:

·Fast Weapons: Twinblades, katanas, or Backhand Blades can proc bleed quickly. Limit combos to two or three hits before rolling away.

·Heavy Weapons: Greatswords and colossal weapons excel at staggering. Use a Stonebarb Cracked Tear in your Wondrous Physick to boost stance-breaking power.

The prime punish window comes immediately after dodging the open-mouth charge, giving three seconds for multiple hits before the boss recovers. Mastering this timing allows repeated stagger-locks and critical damage opportunities.

Ranged Strategy

Ranged builds offer safety but require careful spacing:

·Sorceries: Rock Sling can stagger, while Glintstone Shards deal quick damage. Avoid long-cast spells like Comet Azur unless a summon distracts the boss.

·Incantations: Lightning Spear works from mid-range; Dragon Communion Breaths like Ekzykes's Decay can melt HP when timed well.

·Bows: Greatbows or Radahn's Lionbow are effective during the rolling attack phase.

Pairing ranged combat with Redmane Freyja or other Spirit Ashes keeps aggro off you, allowing uninterrupted casting. Upgraded catalysts or buy Elden Ring Items damage-boosting further enhance your ranged damage output.

Cheese Strategy

For those preferring a safer approach:

1. Summon Redmane Freyja to tank hits.

2. Wait until the Golden Hippopotamus targets her.

3. Use high-damage spells like Comet Azur, Death Lightning, or Bloodmoon Ritual to rapidly deplete its HP.

Arcane builds can also exploit Smarag's Glintstone Breath or Ekzykes's Decay while the boss focuses on your summon, effectively finishing the fight without close-range engagement.

Rewards and Next Steps

Defeating the Golden Hippopotamus rewards players with Scadutree Fragments, crucial for enhancing survivability and powering up in Shadow of the Erdtree. Don't forget to upgrade your Scadutree level at the nearest Site of Grace to maximize buffs for future encounters.

While optional, this boss fight is worth the challenge, offering valuable upgrades and honing your dodge timing and pattern recognition skills, preparing you for tougher Shadow Keep adversaries.

Final Thoughts

The Golden Hippopotamus may seem unfair initially, but mastery comes with observation, patience, and timing. Whether you prefer a bleed katana, ranged sorceries, or summoning assistance, there's no single correct approach. Success depends on learning its patterns, exploiting openings, and maintaining a calm strategy.

Defeating this formidable beast not only rewards Scadutree Fragments but also strengthens your preparation for the even deadlier bosses lurking in Shadow of the Erdtree. With the Golden Hippopotamus vanquished, your Tarnished is one step closer to conquering the Shadow Keep.