The journey over the Abyssal Woods in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree may be unlike any experience you have undertaken in this game. It’s one of the toughest zones in Elden Ring set up as a rather deadly and mysterious forest that is rife with dangerous, borderline enemies that are way hard to kill and creepy stealth-only sections that will be quite daunting even for experienced Tarnished. Dodging past the Untouchables found only within this nightmare realm, or unraveling the mysteries of Midra’s Manse are high-stakes affairs.
But if you have the right strategies (and a bit of bravery mixed in), making your way through this darkened forest can be pretty damn easy. So, get prepared to experience a unique way of scuffling that requires stealthy finesse and breakneck escapades in order to make it through all this madness. This guide tells how to get past the Abyssal Woods madness enemies and claim the treasures beyond.
How to Reach the Abyssal Woods in the Shadow of the Erdtree
You have to get past Darklight Catacombs starting from the Scadu Altus region, which will lead you directly to the edge of the Abyssal Woods. Being stealthy is the key to getting alive through this dangerous area. The Untouchable enemies have a long detection range that, the moment they spot you, will teleport straight to your location, often contributing to an unavoidable spike of Madness. The best thing to do is crouch and forego the whole jumping bit as you pass through the tall grass, avoiding the orange fruit-bearing stalks that will rattle and alert the enemies.
How to Defeat the Abyssal Woods Untouchables in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
The only way to hurt and kill these Untouchable madness enemies in Abyssal Woods is by parrying their attacks with a strong shield. You will have to parry at the exact moment they raise their wands and require a perfect parry using a shield with the Parry skill. You can use any weapon, including a dagger, to land critical riposte attacks following this damaging move.
The parry would have to be perfectly timed, so you may need a bit of practice and at least a few tries to kill one enemy. You could give yourself a wider window for parrying by equipping the Buckler shield or using a Golden Parry Ash of War. It also helps if you have gear and talismans equipped that increase your Madness resistance, such as the Ailment Talisman. Further, if you enter the fight with a dagger, make sure to equip a powerful dagger talisman.
Deflecting the single attack reminds you that their attacks can be parried, and once successful in your counter-attack, the Untouchable can then take damage from standard attacks. They have quite a bit of health, so you may need to parry and riposte them repeatedly before they die. Patience and not getting greedy are crucial, as all it takes is one mistake for instant Madness death.
Rewards for Defeating Madness Enemies
Downing the ever-fearsome Untouchable enemies in the Abyssal Woods is not only for bragging rights. The one nearest to Church Ruins will reward you with a rare Aged One’s Exultation talisman that you can use for bonus critical hit damage. The rest of the Untouchables will forfeit precious Grapes that you can use for crafting. On top of that, clearing out the Untouchables will let you safely wander through the otherwise dangerous parts of Abyssal Woods. This includes reaching the stronghold in Midra’s Manse, a dungeon, and the DLC’s Remembrance boss site.
In the end, while the Abyssal Woods in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree can feel overwhelming at first, with some good old-fashioned grinding and parry practice mixed with proper timing, you too will be able to overcome those annoying Madness-inflicting Untouchables and discover what awaits further within this new area. Mind you, do it the stealthy way and make sure no bulbous heads catch a glimpse of you when you are not in the fight mood. Be on guard, they are insane mad.
