How to Beat Old Knight Istvan: Boss Fight Guide

This is a guide on how to beat Old Knight Istvan, an optional NPC fight in Elden Ring found near Stormhill Shack. Read on to learn more about Old Knight Istvan's drops, weaknesses, and recommended level!

Old Knight Istvan General Info

Stats and Rewards

Old Knight Istvan
Weakness	Resistance	Immune
━	━	━
Affected By	Bleed, Frostbite, Poison
Spirit Ashes Available?	No
Rune Rewards	1828 (NG)
Summonable NPCs	None
Location	・Stormhill Shack, Limgrave ・Limgrave
Item Drops	・Scaled Armor ・Scaled Gauntlets ・Scaled Greaves ・Scaled Helm ・Furlcalling Finger Remedy ・Rune Arc

Old Knight Istvan Location

Where to Find Old Knight Istvan

After obtaining the letter from Volcano Manor requesting you to hunt down Istvan, start from the Stormhill Shack site of grace, head East and then North. There will be a red summon sign on the ground in a field just before a large closed off colosseum.

How to Beat Old Knight Istvan

Tips for Beating Old Knight Istvan
Parry One-handed Running Attacks
Punish Heals
Use Guard Counters and Jump Attacks
Punish His Gravity Attack
Use Bow Ashes of War
Charge a Strong Spell at the Start of Battle

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Melee Strategy

Old Knight Istvan Boss Tips
Parry One-handed Running Attacks
Punish Heals
Use Guard Counters and Jump Attacks

Parry One-handed Running Attacks

Old Knight Istvan usually starts the fight by sprinting at you with a one-handed R1. This attack comes out quickly, but is very predictable once you have the timing down. Just make sure that he isn't going for a jump attack instead as this will result in you taking damage instead.

Punish Heals

Throughout the invasion, Old Knight Istvan will heal once and attempt to heal again, but fail. If you are close enough to him when the animation starts, you can go for a backstab or use an Ash of War. Alternatively, you can use this opportunity to heal yourself if need be.

Use Guard Counters and Jump Attacks

If you have a decent shield and enough stamina, you can get away with a Guard Counter when you see an opening. Just be aware that most of Old Knight Istvan's attacks have quick recovery times, but if you see him go for a slower attack, that's your opportunity.

You can also run or dodge to bait out a slower attack and punish with a Jump Attack. This is a particularly good option right after Istvan's gravity attack.

Ranged Strategy

Old Knight Istvan Boss Tips
Punish His Gravity Attack with Arrows or Spells
Use Bow Ashes of War for Extra Damage
Charge a Strong Spell at the Start of Battle

Punish The Gravity Attack

When you see Istvan plunge his sword into the ground, he will be immobile for a few moments leaving him open for attack. Use a hard hitting spell or fire some arrows to exploit this attack's slow recovery time.

Use Bow Ashes of War

When you have a good opening, try using a bow's Ash of War to take out more damage. Mighty Shot is a good candidate, especially during Istvan's gravity attack.

Charge a Strong Spell at the Start of Battle

At the start of battle, you will have a decent amount of time as Istvan approaches you to charge a spell. This is a good chance to get the upperhand as soon as the fight starts.

Old Knight Istvan Attack Patterns

Curved Greatsword Attack Variations

Curved Greatsword Attack Variations
Gravity Ash of War: Old Knight Istvan plunges his sword into the ground and pulls you in toward him.
Jump Attack: Istvan jumps and slams down with his Curved Greatsword.
One-handed Running Attack: Istvan runs straight at you and swings his Curved Greatsword (one-handed).
Two-Handed Running Attack: The two-handed Curved Greatsword running attack has a flourish to it which makes it more delayed than the one-handed version.
One-handed R1s: Standard R1 attacks with the Curved Greatsword.
One-handed R2s: Standard R2 attacks with the Curved Greatsword.
Two-handed R1s: Standard two-handed attacks with the Curved Greatsword.
Two-handed R2s: Two-handed R2 attack of the Curved Greatsword.

Elden Ring Related Guides

List of All Bosses

DLC Bosses

Main Bosses

Optional Bosses

Mini-Bosses

Hostile NPCs and Invaders