How to Defeat the Furnace Golems in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree

The Furnace Golems of the Erdtree’s Shadow are some of the toughest foes to be introduced in Elden Ring. However, there are ways to defeat them effortlessly.

The Furnace Golems stood out as formidable foes in the first Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree trailer. These Fire Giant bosses, inspired by the 1973 horror film The Wicker Man, are truly terrifying and embody the concept of “Messmer’s Flame.”

As soon as you enter the Shadow Lands, you will likely spot a lumbering Furnace Golem in the distance. While it may be tempting to rush towards it, this is not always a wise decision.

Furnace Golems can see you from a long way away and will keep coming after you.

Furnace Golems: A Brief Introduction

In Shadow of the Erdtree, the Furnace Golems are not your typical boss enemy. Instead, they are a recurring field boss that can be found patrolling specific areas. While some remain dormant until approached, others are constantly on alert, making it necessary to ride quickly in order to avoid their devastating long-range attacks.

Similar to the optional Walking Mausoleums found in the Lands Between, these enemies are also incredibly difficult to defeat. Unlike most bosses in Elden Ring, they do not have visible health meters and can be skipped entirely during your playthrough. However, there is one instance where you must either avoid or defeat one in order to progress.

Should I Attack the First Furnace Golem?

It may come as a surprise to those who hastily attack the first Furnace Golem in the beginning moments of Shadow of the Erdtree, but taking it down at this point in the game will prove to be quite the challenge. While not impossible to defeat, it is advisable to refrain from facing a Furnace Golem until you have acquired some Shadow Blessings to aid you on your adventure.

Although you may strike the field boss multiple times, it will hardly cause any damage, and the massive creature can easily defeat you and your Spirit Summons. It’s similar to encountering the Tree Sentinel at the beginning of Elden Ring – charging into battle may not always be the most effective approach.

As you progress through the game, you will become better equipped to defeat these threatening monsters. In the meantime, focus on collecting your Shadow Blessings.

Shadow of the Erdtree screenshot — FromSoftware

Furnace Golems are found all over the Shadow of the Erdtree.

Defeating the Furnace Golems in Elden Ring

Although Furnace Golems are highly resistant to most regular attacks, targeting their legs with strong hits can still cause them to stagger. Despite this, these attacks alone won’t do much damage. By causing the golems to topple over, you can then focus on landing a critical strike on their weak spot: the faceplate.

By utilizing this tactic, you run the risk of danger as being beneath the Furnace Golem’s legs, but it effectively removes you from their formidable ranged assaults. However, caution must be exercised as they often inundate the ground with flames in an effort to force you out.

It is important to note that certain Furnace Golems are equipped with spiked armor on their legs, rendering this plan ineffective. In such a scenario, it is recommended to utilize a great bow or spells such as Night Comet to attack their vulnerable point from a distance. While this approach may cause steady damage, it can be challenging to successfully strike the target while maneuvering on Torrent and dodging their fiery assaults.

To effectively defeat Furnace Golems, the most effective method may not always be available. However, if you are able to position yourself at eye-level with them on an elevated surface, you can still utilize a Hefty Fire/Furnace Pot and toss it directly into their basket. This will result in a powerful explosion and cause significant damage. While it may be challenging to accurately hit them, successfully doing so will greatly deplete their health.

Although challenging to defeat, defeating Furnace Golems results in obtaining fresh Crystal Tears to enhance your Marvelous Physics, and ironically, additional Hefty Fire Pots.

Are you about to start playing Shadow of the Erdtree? Read our in-depth review of the expansion, based on our extensive adventures in the Shadow Lands.