God-Devouring Serpent and RykardVolcano Manor legacy-dungeon boss and major Shardbearer encounter
God-Devouring Serpent and Rykard is the two-phase remembrance boss of Volcano Manor in Elden Ring. The encounter is built around the Serpent-Hunter, a great spear found inside the arena.
Role
Volcano Manor legacy-dungeon boss and major Shardbearer encounter
Status
Optional major boss
Importance
supporting
Elden Ring · character art
01
Key takeaways
The encounter is much more manageable when treated as a special-weapon fight rather than a conventional melee duel.
01
Pick up the arena weapon
Take the Serpent-Hunter from the ground immediately after entering. Its enhanced attacks provide the reach needed to fight across the lava-filled arena and are more appropriate than trying to damage the boss with a normal short-range weapon.
02
Keep the fight at long range
The weapon's special attacks let you punish the serpent's head and Rykard's body without remaining underneath either form. Maintain enough distance to see the boss's head and leave room to react to lunges, sweeps and area attacks.
03
Treat phase two as a separate threat
Rykard's sword, magma attacks and airborne skulls create more simultaneous hazards than the first phase. Save enough healing and concentration for the second health bar instead of spending every resource while learning the serpent.
04
Finish manor content first
Volcano Manor contracts and character interactions can be affected by the boss's death. Complete the manor activities you care about before entering the final fog gate if you want to avoid losing access to their pre-boss progression.
02
God-Devouring Serpent and Rykard overview
Spoilers
Story spoilers ahead. This section covers the character’s later arc and outcomes.
God-Devouring Serpent and Rykard is a two-phase boss encounter at the end of Volcano Manor. Its intended solution is the Serpent-Hunter, a great spear placed in the arena that gains exceptional reach and special attacks for this fight.
The encounter begins against the God-Devouring Serpent, a colossal snake that coils around the arena and attacks from inside a pool of lava. After the first health bar is depleted, the serpent is revealed as Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy, and the fight continues without a normal transition back to the outside world. The second phase changes the visual pressure of the battle substantially: Rykard uses a massive sword, fiery attacks and a skull-filled area attack that can make the arena difficult to read.
The player first reaches this boss through Volcano Manor, either by following the manor's progression and its assassination contracts or by exploring the legacy dungeon route. The final approach leads to the Site of Grace named Audience Pathway and then to the boss fog. The arena contains the Serpent-Hunter near the entrance, so the fight does not require the player to have obtained the weapon before entering the room.
The Serpent-Hunter is distinctive because its ordinary moveset is transformed by the boss arena's special interaction. Its attacks create long-range wind and spectral-blade effects that can strike the serpent without forcing the player to stand in the lava or directly beneath its head. The weapon is therefore the central tactical choice, while the player's normal build, spirit ash and defensive equipment determine how safely they can survive the two phases.
Defeating the encounter grants the rewards associated with Rykard and advances the Volcano Manor storyline, but it can also affect unfinished manor content. Players who intend to complete contracts, speak with the manor residents or resolve the area's character quests should do that before killing Rykard, because the boss victory can move those activities past their available state.
03
Encounter progression
Spoilers
Story spoilers ahead. This section covers the character’s later arc and outcomes.
●Defeat Rykard, Lord of Blasphemyboss-phaseContinue the same encounter after the transformation.
Volcano Manor leads into a weapon-focused two-phase remembrance battle.
04
Requirements and preparation
There is no mandatory character level or build requirement stated here. The important practical requirement is reaching the Volcano Manor arena and using the Serpent-Hunter found there.
RequiredAccess to Volcano ManorProgress through the Volcano Manor area until the route to Audience Pathway is available. The boss is part of the area's legacy-dungeon progression, although the route used to reach it can vary.
RequiredSerpent-HunterPick up this great spear inside the boss arena before committing to the fight. It is the encounter's intended weapon and works without requiring the player to build around its normal weapon requirements.
RecommendedUnfinished Volcano Manor activitiesComplete any assassination contracts and desired conversations before the boss dies. This is a progression precaution rather than a combat requirement.
RecommendedHealing and defensive equipmentBring enough healing for both phases and favor equipment or talismans that help against physical and fire pressure if those options are available in the player's build.
OptionalSpirit Ash supportA spirit ash can draw attention away from the player, but it is optional and may be less reliable when Rykard's area attacks cover much of the arena.
05
Encounter phases
Spoilers
Story spoilers ahead. This section covers the character’s later arc and outcomes.
1
God-Devouring Serpent
Starts: Entering the arena starts the first phase.
First health bar
The serpent attacks from a lava-filled arena and exposes its head during lunges and recovery windows. The Serpent-Hunter's long-range attacks are the safest way to reach it.
Lava and close-range bite attacksTell The serpent raises or turns its head before lunging toward the player, while the ground around its body remains hazardous.Answer Stay outside the immediate head-and-neck area, attack with the Serpent-Hunter and retreat after the swing rather than chasing into the lava.
Body movement and arena pressureTell The serpent's large body shifts across the arena, reducing safe floor space around the player.Answer Circle toward open ground and keep the boss in view; do not let the camera press against the serpent's body or the arena wall.
Use the Serpent-Hunter's heavy and skill attacks to exploit its arena-enhanced reach.
The head is the clearest target, but the player does not need to stand directly in front of it for every attack.
Use the first phase to learn the weapon timing without spending all healing and defensive resources.
2
Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy
Starts: The first health bar is depleted and Rykard is revealed.
Second health bar
Rykard adds a large sword, more aggressive fire pressure and erupting skull effects to the serpent's existing hazards. The same Serpent-Hunter remains effective, so changing weapons is usually less useful than preserving spacing.
Blasphemous sword swingsTell Rykard raises and sweeps his enormous sword through broad arcs that cover more space than his body alone suggests.Answer Remain at the Serpent-Hunter's effective range, watch the sword rather than the head, and punish after the sweep finishes.
Magma and fire eruptionsTell Fire and magma appear around Rykard and along portions of the arena, limiting approach lanes.Answer Move laterally into clear ground instead of rolling repeatedly toward the boss, then resume long-range attacks when the hazard ends.
Skull stormTell Fiery skulls appear and travel through the arena, creating a prolonged area hazard that can obscure Rykard's next action.Answer Prioritize survival and keep moving through open space; attack only when the skull pattern leaves a clear window.
Do not abandon the Serpent-Hunter after the transformation; its special arena behavior continues into this phase.
Keep the camera positioned so Rykard's sword and upper body remain visible together when possible.
If the arena becomes saturated with hazards, stop attacking briefly rather than trading damage for a single extra swing.
06
Boss strategy
Spoilers
Story spoilers ahead. This section covers the character’s later arc and outcomes.
Enter, collect Serpent-Hunter and equip it before engaging. Use its heavy attacks or weapon skill from outside the serpent's immediate bite range, then reposition whenever the boss's body or lava cuts off the current lane. When Rykard appears, retain the same weapon and shift the priority from constant damage to recognizing sword sweeps, magma placement and the skull storm. The winning approach is deliberate spacing: attack during recoveries, move through open ground when hazards spread, and avoid standing in front of the boss long enough to be caught by a sequence of attacks.
Weaknesses
The encounter is specifically vulnerable to the arena-enhanced attacks of Serpent-Hunter.
Both phases are easier to control by attacking from long range rather than fighting beneath the boss.
The boss's head and recovery windows provide the clearest opportunities for damage.
Rewards
Remembrance of the Blasphemous
Rykard's Great Rune
07
Strategy
Spoilers
Story spoilers ahead. This section covers the character’s later arc and outcomes.
StrategySpoilers
01
Complete desired manor progression before the boss dies.
Finish the Volcano Manor activities you want to keep available
Before entering the final boss fog, speak with the relevant Volcano Manor residents and complete any contracts or side activities you intend to pursue. Rykard's death can change the manor's progression state, so this is the safest point to resolve optional content.
Location: Volcano Manor
TipIf you are using Volcano Manor as a quest hub, treat the boss as the last activity in that chain.
Watch outKilling Rykard can make unfinished Volcano Manor content unavailable or advance it beyond its earlier state.
02
Find the boss fog leading into the arena.
Reach the Audience Pathway boss entrance
Follow the available Volcano Manor route until you reach Audience Pathway, then use the nearby boss entrance. The exact route depends on whether you used the manor's contracts and dungeon exploration, but the encounter begins from this named approach.
Location: Audience Pathway
TipRest at the Site of Grace before entering so the approach does not need to be repeated after a failed attempt.
Watch outDo not assume the boss is reached directly from the manor's entrance; the legacy-dungeon route and its interior checkpoints are separate from the reception area.
Checkpoint
03
Equip the arena weapon.
Pick up Serpent-Hunter
After entering the arena, turn toward the weapon lying near the entrance and collect Serpent-Hunter before attacking. Equip it in a weapon slot and make sure you can use its attacks comfortably before moving farther into the room.
Location: God-Devouring Serpent and Rykard arena
TipTwo-hand the weapon if that makes its attacks easier to control, but leave enough stamina for an emergency roll.
Watch outFighting with a normal short-range weapon gives up the encounter's main advantage and forces unnecessary contact with the lava and serpent.
04
Deplete the God-Devouring Serpent's health bar.
Open the first phase with ranged Serpent-Hunter attacks
Target the God-Devouring Serpent's head and use the Serpent-Hunter's extended attacks from the edge of safe space. After each attack, watch the head and body instead of immediately repeating the animation, because the serpent can lunge while the player is recovering.
Location: Boss arena
TipUse the weapon's longer attacks to avoid standing inside the serpent's coils; the arena effect is the reason this weapon is recommended.
Watch outDo not chase a retreating head through lava or between the serpent's body and the arena boundary.
05
Maintain a safe firing lane while continuing the first phase.
Reposition when the serpent closes the lane
When the serpent's body or lava removes the current attack angle, move laterally toward open ground and restore a clear view of the head. The safest damage comes after a bite or body movement has ended, not during the boss's forward motion.
Location: Boss arena
TipCamera control matters more than locking on continuously; unlock if the lock-on pulls the view into the serpent's body.
Watch outGetting trapped against the wall can hide the head's tell and leave no room to evade the next lunge.
06
Recognize the phase change and preserve your setup.
Continue immediately into Rykard's phase
When the first health bar is depleted, the encounter transitions to Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy. Keep Serpent-Hunter equipped and use the transition to reset your position rather than rushing forward for an extra hit.
Location: Boss arena
TipIf you have a safe opportunity, use this transition to re-center the camera and prepare for wider attacks.
Watch outThe phase change is not a return to a separate checkpoint; dying later means repeating the encounter from the beginning.
07
Damage Rykard without trading into the sword.
Punish sword recoveries from outside the sweep
Rykard's enormous sword covers broad arcs, so wait for the swing to finish before using Serpent-Hunter. Keep enough distance that the weapon's reach matters and avoid standing directly along the sword's visible path.
Location: Boss arena
TipWatch the sword arm and blade, not only Rykard's face; the blade is the part that determines the safe direction.
Watch outA late attack during a sword sweep can interrupt your recovery and lead into additional magma or fire damage.
08
Survive the second-phase area attacks.
Move through open ground during magma and skull attacks
When fire, magma or the skull storm covers the arena, stop attacking and travel through the clearest route. Resume Serpent-Hunter attacks only after the immediate hazard has passed and Rykard's position is visible again.
Location: Boss arena
TipContinuous movement is more valuable than repeated panic rolls during the skull storm; roll only for an attack that is actually about to connect.
Watch outThe skull effects can obscure Rykard's next action, so greedily finishing an attack sequence may leave you unable to see the incoming sword or fire attack.
09
End the encounter and claim its rewards.
Defeat Rykard and collect the victory rewards
Continue alternating short Serpent-Hunter attack windows with repositioning until Rykard's second health bar is empty. After the victory, collect the remembrance and Great Rune-related rewards and return to Volcano Manor only after confirming that the boss-dependent activities you wanted are complete.
Location: Boss arena and Volcano Manor
TipThe remembrance can later be exchanged for one of its associated rewards, while the Great Rune has its own activation process.
Watch outThe victory itself is the progression point that can close or alter unfinished Volcano Manor interactions.
08
Pre-fight checklist
Complete the Volcano Manor contracts and conversations you want to preserve.The boss's death can change the manor's available progression.
Reach the Audience Pathway Site of Grace.This is the practical staging point before the arena.
Pick up Serpent-Hunter inside the arena.Do this before attempting normal attacks.
Equip Serpent-Hunter where it can be used immediately.The fight is designed around its enhanced arena attacks.
Reserve healing for Rykard's phase.The second phase adds sword, magma and skull hazards.
Leave room for lateral movement.Avoid beginning the fight with your back against the arena boundary.
Use a spirit ash if it supports your build.Optional support can create attack windows but does not remove the need to read area attacks.Optional
09
Weaknesses and damage
Weaknesses and damage
Strengths
Serpent-Hunter gives the player exceptional reach and encounter-specific attack effects.
Long-range attacks reduce the need to enter the lava or stand beneath the serpent's head.
The same weapon remains useful through both phases, so the player does not need to rebuild the loadout after the transformation.
Weaknesses
Normal close-range weapons give up the fight's intended spacing advantage and make the lava-filled arena more dangerous.
Rykard's sword and area attacks can cover the spaces from which a player expects to attack safely.
The second phase can obscure the boss with skull effects, making aggressive attack strings particularly risky.
Best uses
Choose Serpent-Hunter when deciding between a normal build weapon and the encounter's special weapon; its arena-enhanced reach is the clear advantage here.
Use a normal weapon only if deliberately accepting a much closer and less forgiving fight, rather than because it is more efficient for this boss.
Use spirit support to create brief attack windows, but continue prioritizing open ground and visibility over sustained damage.
10
Failure conditions
Spoilers
Story spoilers ahead. This section covers the character’s later arc and outcomes.
The player dies during either phaseThe encounter has two consecutive phases rather than a separate mid-fight checkpoint, so death requires starting the boss fight again.
The player is trapped against the arena boundaryThe serpent's body, lava and Rykard's broad attacks can remove escape routes. Re-center in open ground before committing to another attack.
The player continues attacking during the skull stormThe airborne skull effects can hide follow-up attacks and punish stationary aggression. Move first, then resume damage when visibility and space return.
The player kills Rykard before completing desired Volcano Manor contentThe boss victory can alter or end unfinished manor contracts and character progression, making this a missable-content risk rather than a combat failure.
On failure
The Site of Grace at Audience Pathway is the useful pre-fight checkpoint, but it does not divide the boss's two phases.
11
Rewards and drops
Spoilers
Story spoilers ahead. This section covers the character’s later arc and outcomes.
Rewards and dropsSpoilers
Remembrance of the Blasphemous
A remembrance obtained for defeating Rykard. It can be exchanged through the game's remembrance system for one of the rewards associated with this boss or consumed according to the normal remembrance rules.
Rykard's Great Rune
The Great Rune associated with Rykard. Obtaining it is separate from making its power active, which requires the game's usual Great Rune activation process.
Serpent-Hunter
The great spear found inside the arena before the fight. It is the encounter's special weapon and remains a useful item after the battle, although its extraordinary boss-fight behavior is tied to this encounter.
12
Lore
Spoilers
Story spoilers ahead. This section covers the character’s later arc and outcomes.
Rykard is the lord of Volcano Manor and one of the demigods who turned away from the order represented by the Erdtree. His blasphemy is expressed not simply as opposition, but as a desire to consume the gods and the champions who would oppose him. The God-Devouring Serpent is the monstrous form through which that ambition becomes a physical boss encounter.
The serpent's presence explains the unusual structure of the battle. The player is not expected to approach a normal humanoid opponent and trade blows at close range; instead, the arena supplies a weapon capable of answering the creature's scale. When Rykard emerges, the same idea persists: the player is fighting a lord whose body and weapon dominate the room, and survival depends on making the arena's reach advantage work.
The encounter also sits at the center of Volcano Manor's contradiction. The manor presents itself as a community of recusants who reject the Erdtree's authority, yet its leader's final plan is far more extreme than a series of isolated assassinations. The manor's contracts introduce the player to that ideology before the boss reveals the figure those activities ultimately serve.
13
Encounter entities
Spoilers
Story spoilers ahead. This section covers the character’s later arc and outcomes.
The Serpent-Hunter is placed inside the arena so that the player can discover the intended solution without preparing a specialized weapon beforehand.
The encounter's title combines the first-phase creature with the identity revealed in the second phase, reflecting that both forms belong to the same boss battle rather than being separate fights.
Rykard's remembrance and Great Rune make the victory relevant beyond the Volcano Manor area, connecting the optional legacy-dungeon boss to the wider demigod progression of Elden Ring.
The boss's arena changes the practical value of Serpent-Hunter's attacks, making this one of the clearest examples of a weapon whose encounter context matters as much as its normal equipment role.
16
Frequently asked questions
Spoilers
Story spoilers ahead. This section covers the character’s later arc and outcomes.
Where is God-Devouring Serpent and Rykard?
The boss is at the end of the Volcano Manor progression, reached through the Audience Pathway approach. The final arena is inside Volcano Manor's legacy-dungeon area.
What weapon should I use against Rykard?
Use Serpent-Hunter, the great spear found near the entrance inside the boss arena. Its arena-enhanced attacks provide the reach and special effects intended for both phases.
Do I need to find Serpent-Hunter before entering the boss room?
No. The weapon is placed inside the arena, so enter, collect it and equip it before beginning the fight in earnest.
Is Rykard an optional boss?
Yes. Rykard is a major optional boss rather than a mandatory encounter for completing the main path, although defeating him is important to Volcano Manor's story and rewards.
Does killing Rykard affect Volcano Manor quests?
It can. Complete contracts, conversations and other manor activities you want to finish before killing him, because the victory can move the manor's quest state forward and make earlier content unavailable.
What changes in the second phase?
The first phase's God-Devouring Serpent is followed by Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy. Rykard adds broad sword attacks, heavier fire and magma pressure, and a skull-filled area attack, but Serpent-Hunter remains the intended weapon.
Is there a checkpoint between the two phases?
No. The phases are consecutive parts of one encounter. If the player dies during Rykard's phase, the fight must be restarted from the beginning.
What do I get for defeating Rykard?
The victory provides Remembrance of the Blasphemous and Rykard's Great Rune. Serpent-Hunter is also available in the arena before the fight and can be retained as an acquired weapon.
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