This is a guide for Ancient Dragon Senessax in the Elden Ring DLC Shadow of the Erdtree. Learn Ancient Dragon Senessax's weakness and location, the drop rewards, and the best build against Ancient Dragon Senessax.

Ancient Dragon Senessax Weakness

Weak to Anti-Dragon and Pierce Damage

Ancient Dragon Senessax is weak to Anti-Dragon and Pierce damage. Some good Anti-Dragon options are Dragon-Hunter's Great Katana (which you should have gotten to reach Jagged Peak) and any regular weapon coated with Dragonwound Grease.

Weapons that do pierce damage and have a thrusting moveset like Spears and Thrusting Swords are best paired with greatshields such as a lightning-infused Fingerprint Stone Shield or a Dragonclaw Shield since they allow you to attack while also blocking Senessax's lightning AoE attacks.

List of All Pierce Weapons

Bleed and Scarlet Rot are Also Effective

When planning to apply status effects, Bleed and Scarlet Rot are effective against Ancient Dragon Senessax. The Dragon-Hunter's Great Katana already has innate Bleed damage. For other options, look for weapons that do pierce damage and can proc Bleed such as the Mohgwyn's Sacred Spear.

For applying Scarlet Rot, you can use a thrusting weapon like the Antspur Rapier. You can also use a bow with Rotbone Arrows. For spellcasting, you can use the incantation Ekzyke's Decay or Rotten Breath to apply Scarlet Rot.

Best Build Against Ancient Dragon Senessax

Anti-Dragon and Pierce Weapons are Recommended

Dragon-Hunter's Great Katana Skill: Dragonwound Slash

Lance Skill: Giant Hunt

Anti-Dragon or Pierce weapons are good for dealing damage to Ancient Dragon Senessax. The Dragon-Hunter's Great Katana is a good all-around weapon for STR/DEX builds that also deals anti-dragon damage. This damage type is also present in its easy-to-use ranged weapon skill Dragonwound Slash.

The Lance is a good Great Spear for dealing Pierce damage and is best paired with a lightning-infused Fingerprint Stone Shield on your off-hand. You can also pick up similar weapons such as the Messmer Soldier's Spear or the Great Epee so as long as you can also equip Giant Hunt. When going for ranged combat, you can use the Lion Greatbow on your off-hand.

Best DLC Weapons

Pair with Damage and Skill Talismans

Shard of Alexander

Two-Handed Sword Talisman

Spear Talisman

The Shard of Alexander is a good talisman for boosting damage for weapon skills such as the Dragonwound Slash or Giant Hunt. For regular melee attacks, the Two-Handed Sword Talisman or Spear Talisman are recommended for consistent damage boosts.

Use Ranged Spells and Buffs to Deal Damage

Pest-Thread Spears

Ekzykes's Decay

Great Glintstone Shard

When spellcasting, Pest-Thread Spears is a good FP-efficient incantation for damaging Senessax from afar. The dragon incantation Ekzykes's Decay is also good for dealing massive damage and applying Scarlet Rot (especially when equipped for a Mimic Tear). For sorceries, you can use the Great Glintstone Shard or other glintstone spells during openings in Senessax's attacks.

For buffs, use Flame, Grant Me Strength to buff your physical and fire damage (this also buffs physical damage from spells). It can be stacked with Golden Vow which increases the damage of spells in general while also giving you more damage negation.

All DLC Spells

Use Talismans for Lightning and Physical Damage Negation

Boltdrake Talisman +3

Pearldrake Talisman +3

Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman

The Boltdrake Talisman +3 is the best defense talisman for increasing lightning damage negation since Ancient Dragon Senessax frequently uses lightning-based AoE attacks. This is followed by the Pearldrake Talisman +3 for an increase to general non-physical damage negation.

Against Senessax's physical attacks such as bites and swipes at close range or the flying nosedive from afar, the Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman is recommended for more physical damage negation.

All DLC Talismans

Specific Recommended Build: Shield Poke Build

Main Hand Weapon					Off-Hand Weapon
Lance Skill: Giant Hunt					Fingerprint Stone Shield Skill: No Skill
Character Stat Distribution
VGR		55			STR		50
DEX		50			END		44
MIND		15			FAI		9
INT		9			ARC		7

Stats above are based on Vagabond class's stat distribution.

If you're willing to respec or do a stat distribution overhaul, we recommended going with a Shield Poke Build to defeat Ancient Dragon Senessax. This build can be made at RL 160 at the earliest with a Vagabond class and up to RL168 if you started from the Prophet class. Adjust rune levels when needed, but you will want to focus on having high STR, DEX, and END with a minimum of 55 VGR.

This build relies on thrust attacks and Giant Hunt with a Quality Lance while blocking with a lightning-infused Fingerprint Stone Shield equipped with No Skill. For added lightning damage negation, you can use parts or the entire Malformed Dragon Set with the Great-Jar's Arsenal to meet Medium Load. For more HP, consider using Morgott's Great Rune.

Guard and Poke Senessax from Behind

Ancient Dragon Senessax's hind legs and tail are the easiest body parts to poke with the Lance. Being near these parts will also give you ample spacing to react to Senessax's AoE attacks with guards or repositions since they usually come from the front. You'll want to disable auto-targeting temporarily for attacking those parts and re-enable it only for defensive or reorientation purposes.

Use Giant Hunt on Senessax's Openings

Take advantage of your Lance's Giant Hunt for reaching Ancient Dragon Senessax's body and dealing burst damage on openings, such as when it lands after a fire breath. This move will be quicker to use since your Fingerprint Stone Shield will have No Skill to prevent interrupting your main-hand's ash of war.

Manage Thrust and Guard Stamina via Talisman or Crystal Tear

On top of your weapon thrusts, blocking and taking hits from Ancient Dragon's Senessax's attacks and AoE will regularly drain stamina. Equip a Two-Headed Turtle Talisman or drink a physick mixed with the Greenburst Crystal Tear (lasts 3 minutes) to greatly increase stamina recovery and Deflecting Hardtear (lasts 5 minutes) for reducing stamina consumption on deflect.

Ancient Dragon Senessax General Tips

Tips for Beating Ancient Dragon Senessax
Latenna Summon Cheese Strategy Prepare Heavy Lightning Resistance Use Pierce Weapons for the Most Damage Ready Bonus Damage Against Dragons Beware of Delayed Lightning Effects Punish Firebreathing Attacks INT Builds: Use Glintstone Sorceries

Latenna Summon Cheese Strategy

For anyone that doesn't want to deal with fighting Senessax but still wants his drops, you can employ a cheese strat where you summon Latenna by the Stake of Marika near Senessax's arena to poke at him long-range, while you ride in circles around Senessax to draw his aggro.

This is can be a time-consuming tactic if your Latenna and Revered Spirit Ash levels are not properly raised, but it does keep you from having to deal with Senessax's annoying hitbox and high-damage attacks.

How to Get Latenna the Albinauric

Prepare Heavy Lightning Resistance

Senessax deals heavy damage through a variety of fire and lighting-based attacks, but his lightning attacks are especially deadly because you are forced to fight him in a wet arena, where the water amplifies his lightning damage.

Equip talismans like the Boltdrake Talisman +3 and Pearldrake Talisman +3, and consume items like Lightningproof Dried Livers to reduce the lightning damage you take from Senessax's attacks.

How to Get Boltdrake Talisman +3

Use Pierce Weapons for the Most Damage

Ancient Dragons are least resistant against Pierce weapons, only negating up to 10% of this type of damage. This makes weapons like Great Spears, normal Spears, and Thrusting Swords the arms of choice against Senessax.

You can go even further by equipping a Greatshield for a Spear and Shield Cheese Build to penetrate Senessax's defenses while maintaining maximum protection.

List of the Best Pierce Weapons

Ready Bonus Damage Against Dragons

To speed up the fight and leave less room for error, coat your weapons in Dragonwound Grease to get bonus damage against dragons, including Senessax.

Alternatively you can equip weapons like the Dragon Greatclaw or the DLC-exclusive Dragon-Hunter's Great Katana, which have attacks or skills that are designated as effective against dragon-type enemies.

Get the Dragon-Hunter's Great Katana

Beware of Delayed Lightning Effects

Several of Senessax's attacks involve residual lightning the pulse out or explode after the initial thrusts or hit. Prepare to dodge or jump multiple times in a row to avoid or reduce the damage you take.

Widespread Lightning Storm

Senessax's opener when you first wake him up, and a move he can repeat throughout the fight, is a roar followed by random lightning strikes throughout the arena that are skewed to target your position.

Aside from rolling, an easy way to avoid them is to ride Torrent. On horseback, you can outrun the lightning or simply jump over them.

Triple Claw Attack

At close range, Senessax's most-used attack will be a triple claw swipe combo with delayed lightning explosions.

Make sure to roll through, or move away from, both his claws and the lightning explosions that follow. The lightning can hit you even if you are behind his claws, so do not be too greedy.

Delayed Lightning Spear Attacks

Senessax has a single and double-spear version of this melee attack, where he charges lightning spears and plunges them into the ground to send out a pulse of lightning on the ground.

Simply delay your roll to when he actually plunges the bolt into the ground. If you're far enough, you can also just jump the outward lightning pulse that happens upon each plunge.

Punish Senessax's Firebreathing Attacks

The attacks that leave Senessax the most vulnerable tend to be his firebreathing attacks because he takes a long time to recover from his animation. Take advantage of this by avoiding these attacks and punishing him right away.

Attack His Tail During Self AoE Firebreath

When you are under Senessax for too long, he will breath fire directly under him in a small AoE to zone you out. However, this is his biggest opening, as you can just run to his tail and hit it while the attack is ongoing for free damage.

Roll Sideways for Ranged Firebreaths

At range or when repositioning, Senessax will breath fire at you either from afar or while flying backwards. In both cases, rolling sideways until you're out of reach of the flames is enough, then you can push forward right away to get some hits on his head.

For INT Builds: Use Glintstone Sorceries

There are several periods where rather than being overly aggressive, Senessax will just slowly walk towards you as he prepares his next attack sequences.

Spellcasters can take advantage of this, and his other close-range attacks, by simply hitting him with spells like Great Glinstone Shard to whittle him down.

Ancient Dragon Senessax Location

Located Southeast of the Foot of the Jagged Peak

World View	Map Location

Ancient Dragon Senessax can be found sleeping in a cavern southeast of the Foot of the Jagged Peak site of grace. You will have to ride past two drakes and jump two Spiritsprings to find the way to its spot.

Jagged Peak Map and Location

Ancient Dragon Senessax Rewards

Ancient Dragon Senessax Details
Runes	200000
Drops	・Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone ・Somber Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone
Spirit Summons?	Spirit Ashes Allowed
Gold Summons?	None

Elden Ring Related Guides

List of All Bosses

DLC Bosses

DLC Boss Lists
All DLC Bosses Order and Locations	All DLC Remembrance Bosses
Bosses Difficulty Tier List	-
Main Bosses
Rellana, Twin Moon Knight	Golden Hippopotamus
Messmer the Impaler	Romina, Saint of the Bud
Promised Consort Radahn
Optional Bosses
Divine Beast Dancing Lion	Commander Gaius
Demi-Human Queen Marigga	Demi-Human Swordmaster Onze
Blackgaol Knight	Chief Bloodfiend
Black Knight Edredd	Ancient Dragon-Man
Furnace Golem	Lamenter
Putrescent Knight	Jori, Elder Inquisitor
Death Knight	Midra, Lord of Frenzied Flame
Bayle the Dread	Scadutree Avatar
Metyr, Mother of Fingers	Red Bear
Rakshasa	Jagged Peak Drake
Rugalea the Great Red Bear	Ralva the Great Red Bear
Ancient Dragon Senessax	Curseblade Labirith
Black Knight Garrew	Fallingstar Beast
Death Rite Bird	Tibia Mariner
Ghostflame Dragon	Tree Sentinel
Magma Wyrm	Crucible Knight Devonia
Hostile NPCs
Logur the Beast Claw	-

Main Bosses

All Bosses in Elden Ring
Margit the Fell Omen	Godrick the Grafted
Red Wolf of Radagon	Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon
Royal Knight Loretta	Starscourge Radahn
Godfrey, First Elden Lord	Morgott, the Omen King
Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy	Fire Giant
Malenia, Blade of Miquella	Mohg Lord of Blood
Regal Ancestor Spirit	Astel, Naturalborn of the Void
Lichdragon Fortissax	Godskin Duo
Dragonlord Placidusax	Maliketh, the Black Blade
Sir Gideon Ofnir, the All-Knowing	Hoarah Loux, Warrior
Radagon of the Golden Order	Elden Beast

Optional Bosses

Limgrave Optional Bosses
Beastman of Farum Azula	Bloodhound Knight Darriwil
Demi-Human Chiefs	Flying Dragon Agheel
Guardian Golem	Leonine Misbegotten
Mad Pumpkin Head	Miranda the Blighted Bloom
Patches	Runebear
Scaly Misbegotten	Soldier of Godrick
Stonedigger Troll	Tree Sentinel
Liurnia of the Lakes Optional Bosses
Adan, Thief of Fire	Alabaster Lord
Alecto, Black Knife Ringleader	Bols, Carian Knight
Bloodhound Knight	Glintstone Dragon Smarag
Glintstone Dragon Adula	Magma Wyrm Makar
Royal Revenant	Spirit-Caller Snail
Caelid Optional Bosses
Battlemage Hugues	Black Blade Kindred (Caelid)
Commander O'Neil	Decaying Ekzykes
Fallingstar Beast	Flying Dragon Greyll
Frenzied Duelist	Magma Wyrm
Nox Swordstress & Nox Priest	Putrid Tree Spirit
Altus Plateau Optional Bosses
Ancient Dragon Lansseax	Crucible Knight Ordovis
Demi-Human Queen Gilika	Demi-Human Queen Maggie
Demi-Human Queen Margot	Draconic Tree Sentinel
Elemer of the Briar	Esgar, Priest of Blood
Fell Twins	Full-Grown Fallingstar Beast
Godefroy the Grafted	Kindred of Rot
Mohg, The Omen	Necromancer Garris
Onyx Lord	Perfumer Tricia
Red Wolf of the Champion	Sanguine Noble
Virgin Abductors	Wormface
Mountaintops of the Giants Optional Bosses
Astel, Stars of Darkness	Black Blade Kindred (Mountaintops of the Giants)
Borealis the Freezing Fog	Commander Niall
Misbegotten Crusader	Putrid Grave Warden Duelist
Great Wyrm Theodorix	Vyke, Knight of the Roundtable
Siofra River Optional Bosses
Ancestor Spirit	Valiant Gargoyles
Mimic Tear
Ainsel River Optional Bosses
Dragonkin Soldier of Nokstella	-
Deeproot Depths Optional Bosses
Crucible Knight Siluria	-
Multiple Location Optional Bosses
Ancient Hero of Zamor	Black Knife Assassin
Bell Bearing Hunter	Cemetery Shade
Cleanrot Knights	Crucible Knight
Crystalian	Death Rite Bird
Deathbird	Erdtree Avatar
Erdtree Burial Watchdog	Godskin Apostle
Godskin Noble	Grafted Scion
Grave Warden Duelist	Mad Pumpkin Head
Misbegotten Warrior	Night's Cavalry
Omenkiller	Tibia Mariner
Dragonkin Soldier	-

Mini-Bosses

All Bosses in Elden Ring
Elder Dragon Greyoll	Lion Guardian
Valiant Gargoyle (Leyndell)	-

Hostile NPCs and Invaders

Limgrave Invaders and Hostile NPCs
Bloody Finger Nerijus	Old Knight Istvan
Recusant Henricus	-
Liurnia of the Lakes Invaders and Hostile NPCs
Great Horned Tragoth	Festering Fingerprint Vyke
Altus Plateau Invaders and Hostile NPCs
Eleonora, Violet Bloody Finger	Inquisitor Ghiza
Maleigh Marais, Shaded Castle Castellan	Rileigh the Idle
Vargram the Raging Wolf & Errant Sorcerer Wilhelm	Magnus the Beast Claw
Mountaintops of the Giants Invaders and Hostile NPCs
Juno Hoslow, Knight of Blood	-
The Roundtable Hold Invaders and Hostile NPCs
Mad Tongue Alberich	-
Multiple Location Invaders and Hostile NPCs
Anastasia, Tarnished-Eater	-