Astel Naturalborn of the Void Boss Guide Attacks Weaknesses and Rewards
Conquering the cosmic horrors of Elden Ring requires preparation, patience, and a deep understanding of unique enemy patterns hidden within the Lands Between. Deep below the surface in the eerie Lake of Rot awaits Astel, Naturalborn of the Void, a legendary boss that challenges both short-range and long-range combat strategies. This guide provides essential insights into surviving the encounter, exploiting the creature's natural vulnerabilities, and claiming the rare treasures left behind after victory.
Mastering the Cosmic Attack Patterns
Astel relies heavily on massive visual effects and sudden spatial movements to overwhelm players from the moment they enter the foggy arena. The encounter typically begins with a high-velocity cosmic laser beam that requires precise sideways rolling to completely avoid incoming magical damage. Recognizing the precise timing of this initial projectile ensures you can safely close the distance without depleting your healing resources early.
As you move closer, the massive creature frequently utilizes its long tail to execute ground-slamming strikes that cover a remarkably wide area. Additionally, the boss can manifest purple gravity rings that ripple outward, forcing players to perfectly time their jumps or rolls to avoid massive posture damage. Keeping a close eye on the creature's glowing skull will help you anticipate these sudden environmental shifts.
The most dangerous mechanic in the fight involves a sudden teleportation maneuver where the boss disappears into a massive cosmic cloud. When this occurs, immediately unlock your target camera and look around the arena to locate the creature before it attempts a devastating grab attack. Surviving this chaotic transition requires fast reflexes, as the command grab can easily defeat characters with low maximum health pools.
Exploiting Critical Weaknesses and Build Strategies
Despite its terrifying appearance and extensive range of magical abilities, Astel possesses several physical vulnerabilities that clever adventurers can exploit. The large, cracked skull serves as the primary weak point, receiving significantly increased physical and poise damage from aggressive strikes. Targeting the head with heavy jump attacks or charged skills will eventually break the boss's stance, opening up an opportunity for a critical hit.
From an elemental standpoint, the cosmic entity is highly susceptible to status ailments such as Poison and Scarlet Rot, which gradually drain its health pool over time. Utilizing weapons or specialized items that accumulate these negative effects allows you to focus purely on evasion while the damage ticks away constantly. However, the creature remains completely immune to standard frostbite and highly resistant to standard magic damage types.
For players struggling with close-range positioning, calling upon durable spirit ashes can help distribute the boss's attention during chaotic phases. Highly upgraded companions like the Mimic Tear or Lhutel the Headless can absorb massive amounts of gravity damage while you focus on casting long-range physical spells. Maintaining a balanced position ensures you do not get caught in the massive area-of-effect explosions.
Claiming the Legendary Rewards of the Void
Defeating this celestial nightmare yields an impressive bounty of resources that significantly enhances your character's progression and tactical options. Upon victory, players are immediately awarded a massive sum of seventy-eight thousand runes, alongside the highly coveted Remembrance of the Naturalborn. This unique boss soul can be brought back to Enia at Roundtable Hold to be exchanged for legendary equipment.
Traders can choose to unlock the Bastard's Stars, a unique flail that scales beautifully with intelligence and dexterity attributes for magic-focused builds. Alternatively, players can select the Waves of Darkness Ash of War, which allows you to apply a powerful gravity skill to massive greataxes and colossal weapons. Both options provide versatile tactical additions for players looking to dominate subsequent underground areas.