Necromancer Garris is an optional boss in Sage's Cave who fights with a flail and is accompanied by a large skeletal snail. Defeating him rewards the Family Heads flail.
Role
Optional field boss encounter
Status
Available in Elden Ring
Importance
supporting
Elden Ring · character art
01
Key takeaways
These are the practical points to know before entering the arena.
01
The fight is optional
Necromancer Garris is not required to complete Elden Ring's main path. Enter Sage's Cave for exploration, the boss reward, or completion rather than because the story requires this victory.
02
Watch the second enemy
The large skeletal snail is part of the encounter and can punish attacks directed at Garris. Keep the snail within your camera awareness and avoid treating the battle as a single-target duel.
03
The reward is a flail
Victory awards Family Heads, a distinctive flail. It is the main reason to return to this optional boss if the player is collecting equipment or wants to test a less conventional weapon.
04
The dungeon route matters
Sage's Cave contains illusory walls and deceptive dead ends. If the apparent route stops abruptly, inspect nearby walls rather than assuming the boss path is elsewhere.
02
Necromancer Garris overview
Necromancer Garris is an optional boss encounter in Sage's Cave, an underground dungeon in Elden Ring.
Necromancer Garris is encountered at the end of Sage's Cave. The fight is distinct from a standard humanoid duel because Garris shares the arena with a large skeletal snail, forcing the player to manage an additional threat while watching the boss's flail attacks. The encounter is optional and does not block the main progression of Elden Ring.
The approach to Garris runs through Sage's Cave, a dungeon built around concealed passages and illusory walls. Reaching the boss therefore depends as much on recognizing the cave's false surfaces and branching route as it does on winning the final arena. Players who are exploring the cave for the first time should check suspicious dead ends instead of assuming that every apparent wall is solid.
Garris is important primarily because he provides a unique weapon reward rather than a mandatory story advancement. His defeat awards Family Heads, a flail associated with the encounter. That makes the fight worth seeking for players collecting unusual weapons, experimenting with flail movesets, or completing Sage's Cave even if they have no need to clear the dungeon for progression.
The central tactical feature is target control. Garris is a humanoid opponent who can pressure the player at close range with his flail, while the skeletal snail occupies space and creates another source of danger. A reliable attempt should keep both enemies in view, avoid committing to a long attack string when the snail is nearby, and use the arena's space to separate the targets before attacking.
03
Requirements
No mandatory character level, quest prerequisite, or key item is verified for this optional encounter.
RequiredReach Sage's CaveThe player must enter and navigate Sage's Cave to reach the boss arena. The dungeon's illusory walls are part of the route-finding challenge.
RecommendedPrepare for a two-target arenaA setup that can damage a humanoid boss while maintaining awareness of a large skeletal snail is recommended. The game does not require a specific weapon type or build.
OptionalBring a preferred healing and damage setupNo particular consumable, spell, summon, or status effect is required by the encounter. Use the equipment that allows you to attack without losing awareness of the second enemy.
04
Encounter phases
Spoilers
Story spoilers ahead. This section covers the character’s later arc and outcomes.
1
Garris and the skeletal snail
Starts: Entering the boss arena
Not verified
The encounter begins with Necromancer Garris and a large skeletal snail present in the arena. Garris applies close-range pressure with his flail while the snail makes it dangerous to focus exclusively on the boss.
Flail attacksTell Garris closes distance and swings his flail through close range.Answer Stay just outside the weapon's reach, punish after the swing finishes, and disengage before the snail can cover the escape route.
Skeletal snail pressureTell The large skeletal snail remains an active threat while the player is fighting Garris.Answer Reposition so the snail is not behind the player, then choose whether to create separation or remove the nearer threat before resuming offense.
Do not allow the camera to lose track of the snail while attacking Garris.
Short attacks followed by repositioning are safer than extended strings in the confined arena.
No specific unblockable attack or phase transition is verified for this encounter.
05
Boss encounter strategy
Spoilers
Story spoilers ahead. This section covers the character’s later arc and outcomes.
Enter the arena ready to manage two hostile targets rather than locking into a single-target plan. Keep the skeletal snail visible, let Necromancer Garris finish a flail swing, and use the recovery window for a brief attack before moving again. If both enemies are close, prioritize creating space over forcing damage; the safest opening is the one that leaves a clear retreat route. Specific elemental weaknesses, resistance values, and guaranteed stagger interactions are not verified.
Travel to Sage's Cave and begin the dungeon route toward its optional boss. The cave uses concealed routes, so the correct path is not always the most visually obvious corridor.
Location: Sage's Cave
TipTreat suspicious dead ends as possible illusory-wall locations and inspect nearby surfaces before backtracking.
Watch outNo quest failure is associated with entering the dungeon, but leaving the cave means the boss remains undefeated.
02
Find the boss arena
Search the deceptive passages
Continue through Sage's Cave by checking apparent dead ends and false walls. Progress depends on recognizing that some surfaces conceal the way forward rather than simply following an uninterrupted hallway.
Location: Sage's Cave
TipWhen a room appears to contain no route, test the walls around the dead end instead of spending time searching only the floor.
Watch outThe route details are easy to miss on a first visit, but no permanent story choice is known to lock the encounter.
03
Begin the encounter
Enter the arena and identify both targets
Once the boss entrance is reached, enter only after your healing and equipment are ready. Immediately locate Necromancer Garris and the large skeletal snail so that the first attack does not leave the second enemy outside the camera's view.
TipStart by moving laterally or circling rather than rushing directly into Garris; this gives you a clearer view of the arena threat.
Watch outThe principal failure risk is being hit by the enemy you are not watching while you focus on the other target.
04
Control the arena
Separate the threats
Use movement around the arena to prevent Garris and the skeletal snail from trapping you together. Attack only when you can finish the exchange with enough space to retreat, then reset your position before committing again.
TipA short punish after Garris's flail swing is safer than trading during the active part of the animation.
Watch outDo not continue a long attack sequence if the snail closes the escape route; disengage first.
05
Win the boss fight
Defeat Necromancer Garris
Maintain awareness of both enemies while reducing Garris's health. The exact order for handling the boss and the skeletal snail is not prescribed by the verified material, so choose the target that is creating the immediate danger and preserve a route around the arena.
TipConfirm that the reward has been collected before leaving the arena if you are clearing Sage's Cave for its unique equipment.
Watch outNo known story lockout is attached to the reward, but an uncollected item can be overlooked if the player exits immediately.
07
Pre-fight checklist
Locate the route through Sage's CaveIllusory walls and deceptive dead ends can obscure the way to the arena.
Equip a familiar damage optionNo specific weapon, spell, or damage type is required by the verified encounter information.
Prepare healing before enteringThe arena demands repositioning, so avoid entering with an unready quick-use setup.
Plan for the skeletal snailThe encounter is not a pure duel with Necromancer Garris; keep a response ready for the second target.
Leave room for retreatDo not begin an attack string from a position that places the snail behind you.
Clear inventory space for the rewardFamily Heads is the unique flail associated with the victory.Optional
08
Weaknesses and damage
Spoilers
Story spoilers ahead. This section covers the character’s later arc and outcomes.
Weaknesses and damageSpoilers
Strengths
Necromancer Garris can pressure the player at close range with flail swings.
The large skeletal snail makes tunnel vision dangerous and can restrict the player's movement.
The fight takes place after a deceptive dungeon route, so players may arrive without a clear understanding of the arena.
Weaknesses
The encounter's main practical weakness is the recovery window after Garris's close-range flail attacks.
The two-target setup can be made more manageable by separating the boss and the skeletal snail before attacking.
A specific elemental weakness, resistance profile, or damage multiplier is not verified and should not be assumed.
Best uses
Use brief punish attacks after Garris's committed swings.
Choose equipment that lets you recover quickly and reposition rather than relying on a long stationary attack sequence.
Players seeking Family Heads should treat the encounter as an optional equipment run; players uninterested in the flail can skip it without affecting the main route.
09
Failure conditions
Spoilers
Story spoilers ahead. This section covers the character’s later arc and outcomes.
The player is defeated in the boss arenaThe encounter must be attempted again after returning to Sage's Cave. No unique permanent failure state is verified.
The player loses track of the skeletal snailFocusing exclusively on Garris can allow the second enemy to approach from outside the camera view. Reposition before attacking if the snail is no longer visible.
The player commits to an attack with no escape routeLong attacks are especially risky when Garris and the snail occupy the same side of the arena. Stop attacking and create space when the route behind you is blocked.
The player overlooks the dungeon's concealed routeA false wall or deceptive dead end can make the player believe the dungeon has stopped. Inspect suspicious walls and continue searching Sage's Cave.
On failure
No quest-specific checkpoint, ally-loss condition, or permanent lockout is verified for Necromancer Garris.
10
Rewards and drops
Spoilers
Story spoilers ahead. This section covers the character’s later arc and outcomes.
A unique flail awarded for defeating Necromancer Garris. It is the encounter's notable equipment reward and gives players a reason to clear this optional boss even when the main story does not require it.
11
Lore
Spoilers
Story spoilers ahead. This section covers the character’s later arc and outcomes.
Necromancer Garris is presented as a hostile necromancer encountered deep within Sage's Cave. The encounter's unusual identity comes from the presence of a large skeletal snail alongside the humanoid boss, making the arena feel like a guarded lair rather than a straightforward duel.
Family Heads is the clearest surviving gameplay connection between the boss and his necromantic presentation. The reward is a flail rather than a conventional spell or a standard defensive item, tying the encounter to a distinctive weapon-focused payoff. Further biography, dialogue, and specific lore text are not verified here.
Necromancer Garris is an optional boss rather than a mandatory progression fight.
The encounter pairs a humanoid necromancer with a large skeletal snail, an unusual combination among Elden Ring's dungeon bosses.
The boss reward is Family Heads, a flail, rather than a conventional sorcery or incantation.
15
Frequently asked questions
Spoilers
Story spoilers ahead. This section covers the character’s later arc and outcomes.
Where do you fight Necromancer Garris?
Necromancer Garris is fought in Sage's Cave, an underground dungeon reached through Elden Ring's exploration route. The cave contains illusory walls and deceptive dead ends that can obscure the path to the arena.
Is Necromancer Garris required to finish Elden Ring?
No. Necromancer Garris is an optional boss and does not block the main progression of Elden Ring. The primary reason to defeat him is the unique equipment reward.
What does Necromancer Garris drop?
Defeating him awards Family Heads, a unique flail. It is the notable reward associated with the encounter.
Is this a one-on-one boss fight?
No. A large skeletal snail is present alongside Necromancer Garris, so the player must track a second hostile target while dealing with Garris's flail attacks.
What damage type is best against Necromancer Garris?
No single damage type or verified elemental weakness is established in the available source material. Use a familiar setup and focus on safe openings after Garris's attacks rather than relying on an unverified weakness.
Can the fight or its reward be permanently missed?
No permanent quest lockout or unique failure state is verified for this encounter. If the player leaves or is defeated, the boss can be approached again through Sage's Cave.
Late-game story boss encounter and culmination of several NPC questlines in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree.Needle Knight Leda and AlliesNeedle Knight Leda and Allies is a major NPC battle in Enir-Ilim in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree. The player faces Needle Knight Leda and the surviving followers whose questlines were resolved before the encounter.
supportingNepheli LouxNepheli Loux is a warrior and ally whose questline connects Stormveil Castle, the Village of the Albinaurics, Kenneth Haight, and the restoration of Limgrave’s leadership.
Recurring mounted field bossNight’s CavalryNight’s Cavalry is a recurring mounted field boss in Elden Ring that appears only at night, using a heavy weapon, a spectral horse and wide-reaching attacks to control open roads and bridges.
minorNomadic MerchantNomadic Merchants are travelling vendors found across Elden Ring. Each merchant stocks a different selection of supplies, crafting materials, cookbooks, weapons, armor, and other useful equipment.