Fia’s ChampionsOptional group boss guarding access to the area around Prince of Death’s Throne and connecting to Fia’s questline in Deeproot Depths.
Fia’s Champions is a multi-phase group boss encounter in Deeproot Depths. The battle escalates from one opponent to several Fia-associated champions and rewards Fia’s Mist after victory.
Role
Optional group boss guarding access to the area around Prince of Death’s Throne and connecting to Fia’s questline in Deeproot Depths.
Status
in-game
Importance
supporting
Elden Ring · character art
01
Key takeaways
Use the fight’s structure to make the later waves manageable instead of treating every champion as an equal priority.
01
Expect three phases
The encounter starts with one champion and escalates through additional opponents. Save consumables and powerful cooldowns for the later group pressure rather than spending everything during the opening exchange.
02
Crowd control matters more than burst damage
The main danger is being attacked from multiple directions. A summon, wide-area attack, stagger, or ranged pull can create the space needed to defeat one opponent before the others surround you.
03
Separate the champions
Move around the arena to prevent every enemy from attacking simultaneously. Strike after a champion finishes a committed melee animation, then disengage before the group closes in.
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Fia’s Mist is build-dependent
The reward is a sorcery connected to Death status effects. It is a more meaningful prize for Intelligence-focused characters than for builds that cannot cast sorceries effectively.
05
The encounter is optional but locally important
Fia’s Champions is not required for every route through Elden Ring, but defeating it removes the boss barrier in Deeproot Depths and supports continued exploration near Prince of Death’s Throne.
02
Fia’s Champions overview
’s Champions is a three-phase group boss fight found in Deeproot Depths, in the approach to .
Fia’s Champions appears in Deeproot Depths, the underground region reached by following the route beyond the Valiant Gargoyles. The arena is associated with Fia and lies near Prince of Death’s Throne, making the encounter an important landmark for players pursuing the Deathbed Companion’s story rather than a random field battle. The boss is optional for a standard completion of Elden Ring, but it is directly relevant to the area’s wider quest progression.
The encounter begins with a single Fia’s Champion and then adds more human opponents as the fight continues. The escalation is the defining feature: the opening phase lets the player learn the basic champion moveset, while later phases demand crowd control because several attackers can pressure the player from different distances at once. The later waves include spellcasting and heavy melee threats, so treating the battle as an ordinary one-on-one duel is the main tactical mistake to avoid.
The safest general approach is to control the number of active enemies rather than committing to long attacks against the most dangerous target. Keep moving around the arena, create distance when multiple champions converge, and punish an isolated opponent after its attack animation. Spirit Ashes can draw attention away from the player, which is especially valuable once the encounter becomes a group fight; without a summon, the player must rely more heavily on positioning, stagger opportunities, and careful target selection.
Victory awards ’s Mist and Runes. Fia’s Mist is a sorcery associated with the Death status effect, so the reward is most relevant to characters using Intelligence and Death-related spellcasting rather than to every build. Defeating the champions also clears the immediate boss obstacle in Deeproot Depths and allows the player to continue exploring the area around .
The encounter has no conventional single boss health bar that can be handled like a large dragon or demigod. Its difficulty comes from enemy numbers, changing pressure, and the possibility of being interrupted while switching targets. Players deciding whether to start it should prepare for a compact arena fight against humanoid enemies: shields, weapon skills, ranged attacks, and summons can all be more useful here than a slow setup that leaves the player exposed.
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Route and progression
Reach Deeproot DepthsFollow the route associated with the Valiant Gargoyles
Enter the arenaApproach the boss area near Prince of Death’s Throne
Survive the wavesDefeat the champions across three phases
Continue Fia’s routeExplore the area after collecting the reward
The encounter sits on the Deeproot Depths route connected to Fia and Prince of Death’s Throne.
04
Requirements
No mandatory character build, weapon type, or level requirement is established here. The practical requirement is reaching the Deeproot Depths arena.
RequiredReach Deeproot DepthsTravel to the underground region containing the encounter. The route is associated with the Valiant Gargoyles and does not require a specific damage type or class.
RecommendedPrepare for a group fightBring a plan for several humanoid enemies attacking together. A summon, ranged option, shield, stagger tool, or area attack can reduce the pressure in the later phases.
OptionalUse a summon if neededSpirit Ashes are not mandatory, but they can occupy one or more champions and give the player time to focus on an isolated target.
OptionalConsider an Intelligence build for the rewardFia’s Mist is a sorcery, so characters built to cast sorceries gain more direct value from the reward than characters with no practical sorcery setup.
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Encounter phases
Spoilers
Story spoilers ahead. This section covers the character’s later arc and outcomes.
1
Phase 1: First champion
Starts: Entering the arena begins the encounter.
Not verified
A single Fia’s Champion is present at the start. This phase is the clearest opportunity to learn the humanoid enemy’s melee timing without the later group pressure.
Melee weapon attacksTell The champion commits to a close-range attack animation before striking.Answer Maintain enough distance to see the swing, then punish the recovery rather than extending your own attack string.
Use the opening phase to identify how far your weapon reaches and how quickly you can safely disengage.
Do not spend every high-value resource immediately if your build has limited charges or long recovery animations.
2
Phase 2: Additional champion pressure
Starts: The fight progresses after the opening champion is damaged or defeated.
Not verified
A further Fia-associated champion joins the battle, increasing the chance that one enemy interrupts the player while another attacks. The fight is safer when the player keeps both enemies in view and avoids being pinned against the arena edge.
Close-range pressureTell One champion advances while the other can approach from a different angle.Answer Circle through open space, separate their paths, and attack only after one opponent has completed its committed animation.
A summon can make this phase substantially easier by holding one opponent away from the player.
Prioritize the champion that is easiest to isolate rather than automatically attacking the enemy with the most intimidating weapon.
3
Phase 3: Full group encounter
Starts: The final escalation adds the remaining champions.
Not verified
The final phase is the encounter’s most dangerous section because several champions can combine melee pressure with different attack ranges. The player should avoid standing still to trade blows and should use every available opportunity to reduce the number of active enemies.
Combined melee attacksTell Multiple champions can converge while the player is recovering from an attack or healing.Answer Create distance before healing, keep moving around the arena, and punish only when the nearest target is committed and the others are not immediately in range.
Ranged or spell pressureTell A champion may threaten the player from outside immediate melee range while other enemies occupy the player’s attention.Answer Break line of sight where possible, reposition to force the group to approach together, and focus the ranged threat when it can be reached safely.
Do not let the group surround you. Moving to open space is more valuable than squeezing in one extra hit.
If using a summon, preserve it by drawing enemies away rather than leaving it to face the complete group alone.
Once one champion falls, the remaining encounter becomes much more manageable; favor safe eliminations over risky damage races.
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Boss encounter strategy
Spoilers
Story spoilers ahead. This section covers the character’s later arc and outcomes.
Enter with a plan for several targets rather than a single damage rotation. Keep the camera and arena space under control, move away from the center when the champions begin to overlap, and wait for a committed attack before striking. If a Spirit Ash is available, summon it early enough to draw attention during the escalation, then use the distraction to finish an isolated champion. Ranged characters should avoid standing still while casting because another champion can close the distance; melee characters should avoid long attack chains that leave them recovering when the group converges. The final phase should be approached as a target-reduction exercise: eliminate one opponent safely, reset your position, and repeat instead of trying to damage every champion at once.
Weaknesses
The champions are humanoid opponents who can be pressured through normal melee, ranged, spell, stagger, and crowd-control tactics.
Their group formation is the encounter’s practical weakness: separating an opponent from the others creates safe attack windows.
Rewards
Fia’s Mist
Runes
07
Strategy
Spoilers
Story spoilers ahead. This section covers the character’s later arc and outcomes.
Travel through the route leading to Deeproot Depths and continue toward the area associated with Prince of Death’s Throne. Fia’s Champions is encountered in this region rather than in Fia’s initial underground room, so reaching Fia earlier is not itself the trigger for the fight.
Location: Deeproot Depths
TipUse the nearby landmark to orient yourself; the encounter belongs to the Deeproot Depths section connected to Fia’s route.
Watch outDo not confuse the boss arena with the earlier stages of Fia’s questline. The champions are fought in Deeproot Depths.
02
Defeat the initial champion.
Enter the arena and identify the first target
Cross into the boss area to begin the encounter. The first phase contains one Fia’s Champion, giving you a controlled chance to learn the timing of the enemy’s close-range attacks before additional champions appear.
Location: Fia’s Champions arena
TipUse this phase to test whether your weapon or spell can stagger the champion and how much time you need to recover after attacking.
Checkpoint
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Reduce the active group without being surrounded.
Control the second phase
When the encounter escalates, keep the added champion from merging into the first opponent’s attack range. Move laterally through the arena and attack only when one enemy is committed, because trading directly with one champion can leave you open to the other.
Location: Fia’s Champions arena
TipA Spirit Ash can occupy one champion while you finish another, but continue moving so the summon is not left to face the full encounter alone.
Watch outHealing in the middle of both champions is dangerous. Create distance or line-of-sight separation before using a flask.
04
Defeat every remaining champion.
Survive the final group
The final phase brings the full group into the fight and produces the highest risk of overlapping attacks. Prioritize safe target reduction, keep open space behind you, and disengage whenever several champions are within striking distance at once.
Location: Fia’s Champions arena
TipRanged attacks are most effective after the group has been separated; melee attacks are safest immediately after a champion completes a committed swing.
Watch outDo not lock onto one target so completely that another champion can approach from outside the camera view. The encounter is lost through combined pressure more often than through one isolated attack.
05
Claim Fia’s Mist and continue exploration.
Collect the victory rewards
After the last champion is defeated, collect the reward and continue through Deeproot Depths toward Prince of Death’s Throne. Fia’s Mist is the notable item reward, while the encounter also grants Runes.
Location: Deeproot Depths
TipCheck your spell inventory after the fight if you are deciding whether the reward suits your build; Fia’s Mist is a sorcery rather than a weapon or talisman.
Equip a reliable way to create space.A shield, ranged attack, evasive mobility, stagger, or area attack can help when the group closes in.
Decide whether to use a Spirit Ash.A summon is optional but can draw attention away from the player during the later waves.Optional
Reserve resources for the final phase.The encounter escalates, so do not assume the opening phase represents the full difficulty.
Check whether Fia’s Mist benefits your build.The reward is a sorcery associated with Death status effects and is most directly useful to Intelligence-focused characters.Optional
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Weaknesses and damage
Weaknesses and damage
Strengths
The champions become dangerous when they attack together, because one enemy can interrupt the player while another approaches from a different angle.
The group can punish slow healing, long attack chains, and stationary spellcasting.
The final escalation leaves less room for mistakes than the opening one-on-one exchange.
Weaknesses
The champions are humanoid enemies rather than a single enormous target, so separating them and defeating one at a time reduces the encounter’s pressure.
Committed attacks create recovery windows that can be punished by melee weapons, ranged attacks, or spells.
A summon or other distraction can divide the group and give the player a safer target.
Best uses
Use melee builds when they can stagger or quickly punish recovery animations without remaining locked in place.
Use ranged builds to attack after creating distance, but keep moving because another champion can close the gap.
Use Spirit Ashes or area-control tools when the main problem is being surrounded rather than insufficient damage.
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Failure conditions
Being surrounded by the championsAllowing the enemies to converge removes the safe spacing needed to read individual attacks. Move toward open arena space before attempting another attack or heal.
Healing while enemies are in striking rangeA flask animation can be interrupted by the group. Disengage first, use terrain or distance where possible, and only then heal.
Spending all resources in the opening phaseThe encounter escalates after the first opponent, so exhausting summons, flasks, or high-commitment attacks early can leave the player unprepared for the final group.
Ignoring ranged or spell pressureFocusing only on the nearest melee champion can allow another opponent to attack from outside immediate melee range. Reposition or prioritize the threat that can safely be isolated.
Losing track of the arena edgeBeing pushed against the boundary makes it harder to separate targets and evade overlapping attacks. Keep the fight moving through open space.
On failure
The boss arena functions as a discrete encounter. If the player dies, the fight must be restarted, but the champions are not permanently missable as a result of a normal failed attempt.
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Rewards and drops
Rewards and drops
Fia’s Mist
A sorcery associated with Fia and Death status effects. It is placed with the character’s sorceries and is most relevant to characters able to cast Intelligence-based spells.
Runes
The encounter grants Runes on completion. The exact amount is not included here because it has not been verified for this entry.
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Lore
Spoilers
Story spoilers ahead. This section covers the character’s later arc and outcomes.
’s Champions are tied to Fia’s presence and to the death-centered symbolism of Deeproot Depths. Their appearance near places the fight within the same narrative space as the roots, corpse imagery, and death-related powers associated with Godwyn and the spreading consequences of the Night of the Black Knives.
The encounter’s repeated champion forms make it feel less like a duel against one named individual and more like a hostile procession guarding Fia’s route. The escalation from one combatant to a larger group mirrors the way the player is being tested before reaching the deeper parts of the area, while Fia’s Mist reinforces the connection between the reward and the region’s Death themes.
Defeating the champions does not by itself resolve every part of Fia’s story. It clears a local obstacle and opens the way to continue exploring Deeproot Depths, where the player can pursue the related characters, locations, and events that follow from Fia’s questline.
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Related entities
FiaThe character whose questline is associated with the champions.
The encounter has three combat phases. It begins with one Fia’s Champion and escalates by adding further champions, making the final phase a group fight.
Is Fia’s Champions required to finish Elden Ring?
No. The encounter is optional for a standard completion, although defeating it clears a local obstacle in Deeproot Depths and supports continued progression through the area connected to Fia.
What is the best general strategy for Fia’s Champions?
Separate the opponents, keep moving through open space, and defeat one target at a time. A Spirit Ash can draw attention away from the player, while ranged attacks, stagger, and attacks that punish recovery windows can help manage the later phases.
What does Fia’s Champions drop?
The encounter rewards Fia’s Mist and Runes. Fia’s Mist is a sorcery associated with Death status effects, so it is most directly useful to characters who can make practical use of sorceries.
Can Fia’s Champions be missed permanently?
A normal defeat does not permanently remove the encounter. The player can return and attempt the fight again, though the battle must be restarted after a death.
Should you use a summon against Fia’s Champions?
A summon is optional, but it is useful because the encounter’s principal danger is several champions attacking together. Drawing one opponent away can give the player time to isolate and defeat another.
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Relationships
questline
world
progression
Select any portrait to jump to that relationship
questline
F
Fia
Associated character
Fia’s Champions is connected to Fia’s questline and appears in the death-themed Deeproot Depths region.
Optional duo boss guarding the Great Waterfall Basin route from Nokron, Eternal City into Deeproot Depths.Valiant GargoylesThe route into Deeproot Depths is associated with the Valiant Gargoyles encounter.
Main-story boss guarding access to the Forge of GiantsFire GiantFire Giant is a major boss in Elden Ring’s Mountaintops of the Giants, fought in a large open arena before the Forge of Giants. The battle shifts from an ankle-focused opening to a mobile fire-based second phase.
Optional open-world boss and source of a Dragon Heart used for Dragon Communion rewards.Flying Dragon AgheelFlying Dragon Agheel is an optional dragon boss in Agheel Lake, Limgrave. It attacks from the air with fire, wing strikes, bites and sweeping ground attacks.