Trying Out Helphen's Steeple on Malenia (NG+ No Damage)

Third try, baby! I was inspired by a fellow Malenia killer ‪@veganieleER‬ who used the Steeple in a recent RL1 video and I decided to give it a shot because I recall that the Steeple was one of the last weapons I tried - and liked - on my spellsword before I gave in to the allure of Moonveil to make up for my earlier inefficiencies with my reflexes.
Check out Veganiele's RL1 showcase: • Malenia hitless - RL1...
Safe to say, I still really like this weapon and while the DMGS is really versatile and a little overkill, I really enjoy the simplicity of the Steeple and how you can weave in the buff into your attack strings and maintain the flow of combat that I enjoy so much and mentioned ad nauseam at this point, haha. Also, I'm genuinely in love with the Magic Glintblade because it solves my issues with relying on overkill spells like the Night Comet. MG has utility and a great amount of burst damage without being absurd.
This was my RL150 spellsword using the Prisoner starting class:
VIG: 40
MND: 16
END: 32 (for medium roll)
STR: 36
INT: 76
Talismans: Green Turtle / Magic Scorpion / Ritual Sword / Carian Filligreed
Physick: Greenburst (stamina recovery) / Magic Cracked Tear

[@justyouruncleiroh7508]

Really cool use of barricade shield, well played

[@magnolia549]

Thank you! Barricade Shield isn't really necessary on the Kite Shield but it's good to have.

[@JJ-me8zt]

Those clone attack dodges were so damn smooth

[@templecatgaming]

This fight is insane - i love my Steeple STR / INT build so much, and this motivates to me to crush it - damn bro you were smooth with this!!!

[@magnolia549]

Thank you! Yeah I really like the Steeple too, it's so simple yet effective.

[@sasaki999pro]

Your style! *_Extraordinary!_*

[@Sargatas]

I really like dual wielding two of these. Very quick enchantment cast gives it a credit.

[@veganieleER]

Great work here!

[@magnolia549]

Thanks! That means a lot coming from you, you do great work too and I've learned quite a lot from watching you. :D

[@minerman60101]

Very clean fight, well done. I personally got a bit too good at the sprint jump method to need barricade shield but you employed it well here

[@magnolia549]

Thank you! I've since gotten better at the sprint-jumping as well but I can't seem to pull it off consistently. I've seen footage of people being able to sprint-jump after she leaps - while still in recovery frames - and still somehow manage to not get hit once. I always get hit once or twice if I'm not cautious.

[@minerman60101]

@@magnolia549 I just watched the LupineOs video showcasing the dodge technique repeatedly as I was doing attempts. You need to two-hand your weapon to get your hand hitboxes out of the way, that might be what got you. The main two parts are: a) getting good at quickly recognizing that she's winding up waterfowl and b) figuring out where exactly in her animation you should time the jump to. I think the timing I landed on was as she's descending into the first flurry, I jump. It may be slightly different for you based on your reaction time and whatnot. It took me about a month and a half to go from not understanding Malenia to killing her under the restrictions I put on myself, and that persistent practice is a huge part of me getting the timing down really well. I have the video of my kill up on my channel, but that LupineOs video "Stop complaining about Waterfowl Dance" is probably the most helpful resource. Hope that helps!

[@magnolia549]

I definitely have to try that out, thanks! :D

[@grimnebulin5448]

Perfect!

[@eddieXDD]

clean

[@zoned7609]

Always love how when you beat malenia she basically gives her blessing for you to become the new Elden Lord

[@victorprati7908]

Sexy gameplay right there

[@lclt55555]

I have seen your time, kind and kind again. Every fleeing caught must be man, every earth must be unsecreted. Such is the seek of the self truth proclaimer of conceit, and in the stomach you lack the agony for the end that you bring upon yourself

[@magnolia549]

Thanks for the chuckle! xD

[@EldenRingBuildsArchive]

Huh, did they patch her? I remember the second waterfowl always reaching you, forcing you to roll and then strafe to your right for the third and fourth.

[@mayo6213]

They didn’t patch her, part 2 just had a lot of forward momentum, it’s part 3 that always reaches no matter and that’s because of how far part 2 takes her.

[@FreekinEkin2]

@@mayo6213 Yeah but you can literally sprint at the opposite end of the arena and the second flurry will still hit usually. Your Malenia behaves very differently to mine. She does a couple of things I've never even seen, and I've fought her like 1000 times.

[@frfrfr6456]

Best weapon against her, in my opinion (actually, the only weapon I can defeat Malenia with at all :D)

[@jacobresor1197]

That title goes to the big poke.

[@TheTangeriner]

Bravo.

[@YouLikeBosch]

TIL you can just block Malenia's cocaine bear attack with a shield.

[@magnolia549]

It's the safest and most reliable way to deal with the first flurry of Waterfowl. You can also reliably guard-counter her attacks as long as you know what attacks to block!

[@Suimega]

Is that a cosplay of Vilhelm ? nice

[@magnolia549]

Now that you mention it, yeah it looks like Vilhelm. But it's unintentional, it's just my "magic" knight fashion and I love it.