One Elden Ring player, armed with stacks of buffs and items, takes on boss Malenia and defeats her in a flurry of blades in 17 brutal seconds.

By now, Elden Ring's highly difficult gameplay has become well-known in gaming communities. The combination of unrelenting enemies and oppressing environments make the game a formidable challenge - but for some hardcore players, it isn't enough.

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Players have always found ways to spice up base gameplay for their favorite titles - speedruns add the extra element of a pressing clock; "no damage" runs focus on precise strategy to finish the game unscathed; and so on. These variations on playstyle keep the game exciting, even for already-difficult titles like Elden Ring.

But now, Elden Ring players have truly done it all. No longer satisfied by just armor-less runs, no-hit playthroughs, or speedruns, players have begun to defeat bosses in shockingly short times. One Redditor, u/Still-Stay8668, has accomplished a wild feat - defeat Malenia, Blade of Miquella in under 17 seconds.

HOW U/STILL-STAY8668'S BUFFED THEIR BUILD TO TAKE DOWN ELDEN RING'S MALENIA

Post-launch, Malenia, Blade of Miquella, quickly rose to the top on Elden Ring's list of most powerful enemies. As a Demi-God type boss, she wields magic, weaponry, and unparriable attacks - all with a healing effect to boot. Her two-phase fight, though optional, is no joke, and experienced players have continued to struggle against her.

However, Elden Ring player u/Still-Stay8668 has not only easily defeated Malenia, but did so in record time. In a fight that totaled a mere 16.7 seconds, they slashed their way to a stunning victory. Even more astounding? They did it at Level 1.

u/Still-Stay8668 dual-wields the Bleed Bandit's Curved Sword, both with the Seppuku Ash of War skill. With Godrick's Greatrune active, they've also ensured that they're armed with stacks upon stacks of buffs. Crystal Tears combined with Flasks of Wondrous Phsyick gives increased dexterity and strength, while consumables like Bloodboil Aromatics boost attack power.

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That's not to mention the various Talismans, Items, and Helms u/Still-Stay8668 used throughout the fight. Switching from the Black Dumpling helm to the White Mask, throwing Frenzy Flame stones and Fetid Pots all lead to a frenzy of attacks for a decisive victory.

This is not to say that the player was powerful solely because of their build; on top of it all, they utilized quick thinking to negate any damage Malenia might've done. Something as simple as a thrown pot completely canceled Malenia's Scarlet Aeonia, cutting down time and preventing damage in one go.

This build just goes to show the sheer creativity of Elden Ring players. Build experiments, like this one, can lead to major boosts, making the player truly feel like an Elden Lord.

Elden Ring is available to play on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.