Romina, known as the Saint of the Bud, upholds FromSoftware’s tradition of featuring bosses with a beautiful human form on their upper half and a hideous insect-like lower half. However, players will not have the opportunity to appreciate Romina’s appearance as she is considered one of the most challenging bosses in Elden Ring’s Shadow of the Erdtree DLC.
As with all Elden Ring bosses, you will have an opportunity to prepare before facing her in battle. Located just outside the boss gate is a Site of Grace, providing a moment for you to ready yourself. Make sure to utilize any extra Runes and gather necessary items or spells that guard against Scarlet Rot before engaging her.
Despite Romina’s tough exterior, if you persist and remain determined, you will eventually earn her Remembrance. While her moveset may appear intimidating at first, there are exploitable openings in her pattern.
Romina is found in the west, in a church covered in monstrous buds
Romina, Saint of the Bud Location
Romina can be found on the western side of the Shadow Realm. Once the Golden Hippopotumas in the Shadow Keep has been defeated, you will have the opportunity to venture out and exit through the West Rampart. This will allow you to access a massive drawbridge that leads to a Site of Grace called Viaduct Minor Tower in the Ancient Ruins of the Rauh region.
Beyond this point, there exists a sequence of subterranean caverns. These tunnels will eventually guide you to a sacred location known as the Church of the Bud, Main Entrance. You will come across a church adorned with grotesque foliage, which is the dwelling place of Romina.
Romina uses her sword and centipede for offense and scorpion tail for punishers
How to beat Romina, Saint of the Bud
As mentioned earlier, Romina’s attacks have the ability to inflict Scarlet Rot. Therefore, it is important to have spells or items ready to heal Scarlet Rot or decrease its accumulation. This is crucial, particularly during her second phase, as she becomes more frequent in using Scarlet Rot attacks.
If you’re fortunate, Romina will not immediately attack you at the beginning of the fight, allowing you to summon a creature and heal (in case you took damage from summoning a mimic). However, once she becomes active, she will relentlessly pursue you for the duration of the fight. It is important to note that Romina is highly aggressive, so be prepared to swiftly dodge her attacks as soon as she enters your vicinity.
Romina’s sword boasts an impressive range and an AoE that can reach all around her body. To avoid being punished by her scorpion tail, it is wise to retreat from her range before attempting to heal.
At first glance, Romina’s sword attacks may seem intimidating, but they can be easily dodged by rolling through them. The centipede head’s attack is also avoidable, but it’s important not to panic and accidentally roll into the second hit, which comes out quickly after the first.
To avoid Romina’s most annoying attack, pay attention to her eyes flashing or a loud noise. These are clear indicators for you to press the button, as she may otherwise clip through the scenery and make it difficult to see her eyes. This attack involves her jumping in the air and shooting downward, causing a massive AoE attack that inflicts Scarlet Rot.
To counter Romina’s Sonic the Hedgehog roll, simply dodge roll to the side when she approaches and be cautious of any nearby walls, as this will enable her to move around faster.
To defeat her, the same strategy applies as with most Elden Ring bosses. You must patiently endure her 2-3 attack combinations, seize the opportunity to strike, and be ready to dodge again. It is recommended to prioritize evasion over shields, as her attacks all have easily recognizable windows for dodging.
Romina is vulnerable to stagger attacks. Combining jumping blows with a Mimic summon can quickly inflict critical hits on her. This is the recommended approach for attacking, unless you are equipped with fast weapons that have a high chance of causing status effects.
Romina starts her second phase with a pink AoE attack that inflicts Scarlet Rot
Romina, Saint of the Bud phase 2
Once you have brought Romina, the Saint of the Bud, down to 50% health, she will transition into her second phase. At this point, a purple aura will surround her along with violet butterflies, causing damage to nearby characters and increasing the Scarlet Rot build-up. Additionally, she will summon exploding butterflies that also inflict Scarlet Rot.
As soon as you or your summon are about to bring her down to 50%, quickly strike and then roll backwards to avoid her immediate attack. After, move out of the path of her butterflies.
Romina’s moveset in her second phase does not undergo significant changes, unlike some of the other bosses in Shadow of the Erdtree. She retains the ability to use her AoE butterfly attack as soon as she enters the phase, so it is important to be prepared to run whenever she flashes purple.
Despite her arsenal already being impressive, she has added a new flying move to her repertoire. This move involves three strikes with her sword while performing diving attacks. Although it may seem intimidating, the attack is actually easy to avoid as it is well telegraphed and executed at a slower pace, allowing for ample time to recover and prepare for the next dodge. The only challenge lies in the fact that you cannot counter while she is utilizing this move, so it is best to focus on dodging and be ready to strike when she lands.
While diving, Romina is able to leave a trail of butterflies behind her. It is important to avoid these butterflies as they have the ability to explode and cause Scarlet Rot.
Are you ready to dive into Shadow of the Erdtree? Take a look at our thoughts on the expansion after spending numerous hours exploring the Shadow Lands.
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