Elden Ring Revenants: How to Unlock and Master These Spirit-Wielding Foes
In Elden Ring, few enemy types evoke as much dread and intrigue as the Revenant. These grotesque, fast-paced spirit-wielders are more than just a jump-scare—if you understand their mechanics and lore, they become one of the most fascinating parts of the game’s mythos. While you can’t play as a Revenant, unlocking their secrets—and learning how to fight or even mimic their tactics—can give you a real edge, especially for PvE-heavy builds. Here’s a breakdown on how to find, fight, and understand the Revenant in Elden Ring.
What Is a Revenant in Elden Ring?
Revenants are terrifying spirit-wielding enemies that appear in several locations across the Lands Between. Recognizable by their spider-like limbs and erratic movement, they’re often surrounded by ghostly energy. Lore-wise, Revenants are thought to be cursed undead twisted by failed resurrection rites or unholy spirit magic—part of the darker side of Elden Ring’s spiritual world.
Where to Find Revenants
You’ll encounter Revenants in various catacombs, ruins, and haunted locales. Key locations include:
Cliffbottom Catacombs (Liurnia): One of the earliest places where new players may run into them, often to their regret.
Sainted Hero’s Grave (Altus Plateau): Home to stronger variants with enhanced abilities.
Ordina, Liturgical Town (Consecrated Snowfield): A haunting location where Revenants reinforce the theme of twisted spirit worship.
These enemies typically appear in cursed or heavily spiritual areas, often linked to Deathroot or ghostflame motifs.
How to Defeat Revenants
Here’s where things get tactical. Revenants don’t play fair—they’re fast, teleport randomly, and have devastating multi-hit combos. But they do have weaknesses:
1. Heal Them to Death
Ironically, casting Urgent Heal or Blessing of the Erdtree near a Revenant will deal massive damage. As undead-spirit hybrids, healing miracles act like exorcisms. A well-timed heal can destroy them instantly.
2. Holy Damage Works Wonders
Weapons or incantations that deal Holy damage are highly effective. Consider infusing a weapon with a Holy Ash of War or using spells like Litany of Proper Death.
3. Use Spirit Ash Distractions
They’re fragile when not teleporting. Tanky Spirit Ashes can help draw their attention while you focus on spacing and counterattacks.
Can You Harness Revenant Power?
While you can't literally become a Revenant in Elden Ring, you can echo their abilities with the right gear:
Skeletal Militiamen Spirit Ashes: Functionally similar in resurrection mechanics—these spirits revive once after death.
Twinblade Weapons + Bloodflame Blade: Mimic their frantic multi-limb attack style.
Spirit Talisman Builds: Focus on boosting summon damage to thematically represent spirit-wielding mastery.
Some players even build “Revenant cosplay” builds for roleplay or challenge runs, focusing on erratic movement, teleport-style Ashes of War like Bloodhound Step, and aggressive flurries.
Revenants in Lore: A Glimpse into Elden Ring’s Darker Magic
The presence of Revenants points to the disturbing consequences of misusing spirit-calling and resurrection. Unlike friendly ashes that serve Tarnished loyally, these twisted creatures serve no master. Their origins are tied to forgotten graves, unmarked rituals, and perhaps even the Rot. Interacting with them gives a deeper insight into how Elden Ring treats death, decay, and spiritual corruption.
The Revenant in Elden Ring isn’t just an overpowered mini-boss—it’s a test of your knowledge of the game’s mechanics, especially Holy damage and enemy behavior. Mastering how to fight them—and drawing inspiration from their savage style—can sharpen your PvE skills and deepen your understanding of the world FromSoftware has built.
So next time you hear the distorted shriek and feel the room go cold, remember: knowledge is power. Especially when dealing with the spirit-wielding horrors that lurk just beneath the surface of the Lands Between.