Elden Ring Beastman of Farum Azula Full Guide

The Beastman of Farum Azula is one of the earliest optional mini-bosses you can encounter in Elden Ring. Found in the Groveside Cave in Limgrave, this ferocious creature offers a thrilling battle for beginners and experienced players alike. Understanding its level requirements, weaknesses, and strategies is essential for a smooth victory. This guide will cover everything you need to know about the Beastman of Farum Azula, including recommended level, hidden paths, parry tips, and how to "cheese" the fight if needed.

Recommended Level

It is highly recommended to be at least level 15 to 20 before facing the Beastman of Farum Azula. While technically you can attempt the fight at a lower level, being around level 20 gives you better survivability and a reasonable chance to defeat it without needing perfect execution. Players focusing on melee builds will benefit from having a decent weapon upgrade (+2 or higher), while magic users should ensure they have enough FP and a reliable ranged spell.

How to Beat

The Beastman of Farum Azula is highly aggressive, chaining fast melee attacks with minimal recovery windows. Here are key tips on how to beat him:

• Stay Close: Strangely, staying close to the Beastman is safer than backing away. If you back off too much, he will perform fast lunges that are harder to dodge.
• Circle Around: Strafe around him to the left or right instead of rolling backward. Many of his swings are horizontal and can miss if you are constantly circling.
• Punish After Combos: After finishing a flurry of attacks, the Beastman has a short moment of vulnerability. This is the best time to land a few quick hits.
• Use Shield or Dodge: Players with a 100% physical block shield can effectively block most attacks. Otherwise, time your dodges carefully, especially during his multi-swing combos.

Hidden Path

There is no hidden path inside the Beastman’s specific boss arena in Groveside Cave. However, exploring the cave thoroughly before entering his lair is important. You will find minor loot and crafting materials scattered around. Always use a torch or a lantern to ensure you don't miss any collectibles or smaller enemies lurking in the dark areas.

Level

The Beastman himself is roughly scaled for early-game players. His internal level is relatively low compared to major story bosses, making him an ideal challenge for players around level 15 to 20. His moveset remains simple but can easily overwhelm unprepared players due to its speed and intensity.

Weapon

The Beastman of Farum Azula wields a massive stone dagger or cleaver-like weapon. It has wide sweeping attacks and heavy slams, designed to punish slow reactions. While you cannot obtain his weapon directly from this boss fight, weapons like the Beastman's Cleaver do appear later in the game in Farum Azula itself, wielded by more powerful versions of these enemies.

Weakness

The Beastman of Farum Azula has several exploitable weaknesses:

• Fire Damage: Fire is very effective against him. Firebombs, Fire Grease on weapons, or simple fire spells like Flame Sling will deal increased damage.
• Bleed Effects: Fast bleed weapons, like daggers or katanas, can quickly build up bleed stacks due to his low bleed resistance, allowing for huge burst damage.
• Stagger Potential: The Beastman is prone to staggering after a few heavy hits. Two-handed weapons like greatswords and hammers can break his poise with only a few clean strikes.

Ashes

Defeating the Beastman of Farum Azula in Groveside Cave rewards you with a Flamedrake Talisman, not ashes. However, in other areas of the game, Beastmen enemies can eventually drop ashes or be encountered in scenarios where spirit ashes are involved. For summoning help, using ashes like Lone Wolf Ashes can distract the Beastman while you attack safely from behind.

Rewards

Defeating the Beastman of Farum Azula grants valuable rewards for early-game progression. Upon victory, you will receive a Flamedrake Talisman, which boosts fire damage resistance — a helpful advantage against upcoming enemies that rely on fire attacks. In addition to the talisman, players are also rewarded with a generous amount of Elden Ring Runes, allowing for quick level-ups, weapon upgrades, or purchasing essential Elden Ring Items such as smithing stones, flasks, and crafting materials. For new players, these rewards provide a strong boost to both survivability and offensive capability as they continue their journey through Limgrave and beyond.

Cheese

If you are struggling with the Beastman, there are a few "cheese" tactics you can use:

• Ranged Spam: Stay near the entrance and pepper him with arrows or spells. His AI may glitch out slightly if you maintain maximum distance, giving you free hits.
• Summon Ashes: Bring Spirit Summons to the fight. They will divide his attention, making the battle far easier for you to land safe attacks.
• Fire Bombs: Constantly throwing firebombs can burn him down quickly without having to engage much in melee.

These methods greatly reduce the risk of dying but might remove some of the satisfaction of a pure melee duel.

Parry

Parrying the Beastman of Farum Azula is possible and can be extremely effective for players confident in their timing. His attacks are fast, but many of his swing patterns have predictable rhythms. Focus on:

• First Light Attack: The initial swipe after he roars and charges can be parried easily.
• Regular Swings: His medium-speed horizontal swings are the best candidates for parrying.
• Practice Timing: It may take several attempts to learn his exact rhythm, but a successful parry leads to a critical strike opportunity that heavily damages him.

Using a shield like the Buckler or a weapon with a parry skill improves your success rate significantly.