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Few bosses inElden Ring’s Shadow of the Erdtree DLC can get your frustrations building like Commander Gaius. With his strange hitboxes, long combos, and very aggressive attacking style, Commander Gaius sets an odd difficulty threshold despite his low count of attacking options.
Despite his limited options, Commander Gaius keeps things interesting with his gravity magic. Reminding the player of General Radahn, the proud boar-rider and rival of Radahn will give you everything he’s got on land and in sky. If you’re not sure how to put the anchor on the boar once and for all, we’ve got everything you’ll need to make it happen.
How To Prepare For Commander Giaus
Commander Gaius isfound at the Back Gateof Shadow Keep guarding the Scaduview area. To reach him, you must havediscovered and completed the east side of Shadow Keep(the Church District and all it entails through the Specimen Storehouse and Lofts).
If you don’t know how to reach the Church District, pleaserefer to our walkthrough guideon this area.
He’s not the hardest boss you’ll face in this DLC, but he can sometimes feel like the most annoying.
Thankfully, a patch update has made Commander Gaius an easier pill to swallow, but you’ll still want tobring these preparations with you:
Commander Gaius Attacks And Combos
Thankfully, much like the Golden Not-A-Hippopotamus, Commander Gaiushas a very limited moveset but deals a massive punchwith each attack. The road to success with Gaius islearning all of his movesto effectively dodge as even small mistakes will be heavily punished.
His most dangerous attacking combo, by far, is his Lance-Boar Head Combowhere he’ll make a series of attacks that:
Once you reduce Gaius toapproximately 50 percent health, he will switch to his minor second phase.This will introduce more gravity-based attacks, but the changes will be limited mostly to a few new attacks and then additional magic damage for the same attacks as Phase One.
For a full insight into his attacks,refer to the chart below.
Phase One And Two Attacks
Suggested Counter
Boar Charge
The boar briefly rears before charging forward, wind visibly forming around Gaius. It has the ability to slightly change course in efforts to follow the player.
Sprint to the left or right as Gaius begins charging and then roll dodge forward and a slight left or right (in the same direction you had been sprinting in).
Gravity Thrust
Commander Gaius gathers gravity energy around his lance as he leans over his boar’s side and then thrusts forward with the weapon. It deals first a physical damage attack and then an explosion of gravity magic around the boar.
Roll forward through the attack and then make an attack of your own.
Blades of Stone
Gathering minor gravity energy around his lance, Commander Gaius waves his lance in the air above his head and summons five rocks that will fly toward the player.
Keep your distance and then roll dodge in your preferred direction.
Boar Head Minor Crush Combo
The boar raises its head shortly to its left and then slams on the ground. It then follows up by doing the same from its right side.
Dodge forward-right then forward-left. Attack.
Lance-Boar Head Combo
The boar holds its head to its right as Commander Gaius pulls his lance back. The boar swings its head from its right to its left and Gaius follows with a forward thrust attack. Then, Gaius attacks next with a forward swiping lance attack quickly followed by the boar’s sweeping tusk attack. The boar follows again with a Boar Head Crush into a large tusk swipe that causes a dirt smokescreen to cover up Gaius’s final vertical slice attack.
Dodge forward and right, staying on the boar’s left side as much as possible.
Backward Kick
The boar braces itself and then lets out a kick behind itself, hitting directly behind and slightly off to its right.
Dodge roll forward through the kick or sprint in either direction (whichever takes the shortest time to reach the boar’s side).
Lance Combo
A three hit attack where, with a small rear of the boar, Gaius raises his lance high and brings it down with a back-to-forward sweep on the boar’s right side. He then brings his weapon backward in the opposite direction before ending with a straight, outward thrust. This combo can end prematurely.
Dodge forward three times through each attack.
Boar Head Crush
The boar tilts its head back for a large opening and then slams its head down on the ground in front of it.
Take a few steps back then roll forward as the boar slams its head on the ground. Follow-up with an attack.
Lance Thrust (Left)
Commander Gaius pulls his lance back and attempts to strike the player with an outward, straight thrust over to the boar’s left side. Triggered when the player is standing to the left of him/the boar.
Dodge into the lance strike.
Boar Shoulder-Check
The boar starts to run around the player. It will complete one full rotation and then, at the end of a second rotation, jump toward the player with a shoulder-check and tusk swing.
Stay in the center, locked-on to Gaius, and dodge roll through the boar’s attack.
Phase Two Only Attacks
Gravity Burst - Transition
Commander Gaius becomes covered in purple gravity magic energy which then bursts after three seconds of build-up.
Begin sprinting away and making phase two preparations.
Spinning Gravity Thrust
Commander Gaius leaps with his boar into the air. Then, he begins spiraling midair and crashes into the ground near the player.
Stay still and then forward dodge
Blades of Stone (Upgraded)
Similar to the Blades of Stone above, but the stones now number approximately 10.
Dodge twice in either the left or right direction or sprint and roll forward once.
Gravity Well
Gaius throws forward a ball of magical gravity energy that slowly follows the player then comes to a standstill. Where it pauses, it releases swells of gravity magic that pull the player into its center.
Sprint away from the well and keep distance.
35,000~
Special Notes
As of patch 1.12.3, Commander Gaius no longer begins his fight charging in toward the player once you attempt to fight him more than once.Each and every fight will begin with Commander Gaius at the far gate to the back left.He does still prefer tocharge you in the start,but at least you don’t have to immediately be on guard when you walk through the door each time.
Your first temptation in this fight will be to summon Torrent and match his boarback battle on even terms. However,we don’t recommend this.In gist,these are things we learnedby fighting Commander Gaius over several trial runs on Torrent:
Learning his moveset, you’ll find Commander Gaius is a little more show and far less tell. That is to say: he looks scarier than he is. Once youpick up these tips,you’ll be putting Commander Gaius down quickly:
Some players have taken to cheesing this boss byhiding around the corner of the Back Gate section(exit the fog wall and take an immediate left to hide around the corner). Standing there, you canstrike Commander Gaius with theZamor Ice Stormsorceryand defeat him without ever having to truly fight him.
If you feel disrespected by Commander Gaius’s rude Charge hitbox, we give you permission to disrespect him back.
As long as youfollow the tips and review his movepool,you will get him. Remain as tenacious as a Redmane, and he’ll reward you with hisRemembrance of the Wild Boar Rider. But the real prize is thefiveScadutree Fragmentsin the area beyond his Scaduview Site of Grace and access to the surrounding areas.
