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Commander Gaius is behind Shadow Keep in the Scadutree region of Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree. To reach him, enter Shadow Keep through the East Church District, drain the flooded area, pass through the church and Specimen Storehouse, then take the elevator down to his arena. In the fight, consider raising your Scadutree Blessing, using fire or guard counters if they fit your build, and dodging toward Gaius at an angle rather than rolling straight backward.
Where to find Commander Gaius
Gaius is a boss beyond Shadow Keep, in the Scadutree region. The route starts in Shadow Keep’s East Church District and passes through the main church and Specimen Storehouse before descending to the arena. GamesRadar+’s Commander Gaius guide lays out the route by these landmarks.
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How to reach the arena
- Enter Shadow Keep through the East Church District and drain the flooded section.
- Reach the second level of the main church and take the northern route to an elevator leading to the rear of the Specimen Storehouse.
- Climb to the rafters, drop to a balcony, and take the second elevator down to the Scadutree region and Gaius’s arena.
How to prepare for the fight
GamesRadar+ recommends a Scadutree Blessing of at least 10, with around 13 described as more manageable. This is guide advice rather than a required threshold: a lower blessing does not prevent entry, but the suggestion is useful if the fight feels punishing. The guide also points to fire damage, guard counters, and Ash summons as approaches to consider.
Choose an approach that fits your build
| Approach | How to use it | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Ranged attacks with a summon | Keep distance and attack while an Ash summon draws Gaius’s attention. | Depends on having a summon and enough room to maintain distance. |
| Melee and angled dodges | Move in during pauses for short attacks; dodge toward Gaius at an angle instead of rolling straight backward. | Requires close timing and comfort punishing brief openings. |
| Shield and guard counters | Use a shield to block suitable attacks, then look for a guard-counter opportunity. | Requires a compatible shield and careful stamina management. |
These options are strategies described by GamesRadar+, not guaranteed outcomes. The guide also discusses a difficult opening attack and hitboxes, but does not identify the game patch to which those observations apply; mechanics and advice may change with updates.
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- ELDEN RING Tarnished Edition contains the Elden Ring Base Game + Shadow of the Erdtree Expansion + Additional Content (including Torrent Skins, New Armors, and More...)
- MASSIVE OPEN WORLD
- DEEP, CUSTOMIZABLE COMBAT
- NEW STARTING CLASSES
- NEW PLAYER-FRIENDLY ENHANCEMENTS
What Commander Gaius drops
GamesRadar+ reports that defeating Gaius grants the Remembrance of the Wild Boar Rider and 230,000 runes. Its guide says the armor set is available from Roundtable Hold; the greaves are obtained separately by defeating an archer on a wolf west of the arena. See the guide’s reward details.
Elden Ring Guide’s reference entry records Gaius at 33,871 HP and the rune reward at 230,000. Those are encounter values listed by that reference, not a promise that every combat situation will feel the same.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
- ELDEN RING Tarnished Edition
Rank #3
- A New Fantasy World – Journey through the Lands Between, a new fantasy world created by Hidetaka Miyazaki, creator of the influential Dark Souls video game series, and George R. R. Martin, author of The New York Times best-selling fantasy series, A Song of Ice and Fire. Unravel the mysteries of the Elden Ring’s power. Encounter adversaries with profound backgrounds, characters with their own unique motivations for helping or hindering your progress, and fearsome creatures
- World Exploration in the Lands Between – Elden Ring features vast fantastical landscapes and shadowy, complex dungeons that are connected seamlessly. Traverse the breathtaking world on foot or on horseback, alone or online with other players, and fully immerse yourself in the grassy plains, suffocating swamps, spiraling mountains, foreboding castles and other sites of grandeur on a scale never seen before in a FromSoftware title
- Genre-Defining Gameplay – Create your character in FromSoftware’s refined action-RPG and define your playstyle by experimenting with a wide variety of weapons, magical abilities, and skills found throughout the world. Charge into battle, pick off enemies one-by-one using stealth, or even call upon allies for aid. Many options are at your disposal as you decide how to approach exploration and combat
Rank #2
- Collaborating with George R.R. Martin to create the ELDEN RING mythos has been a genuinely delightful experience and a source of wonderful inspiration. The team is working hard to ensure that the world of ELDEN RING will be a fascinating place for players to explore, filled with peril and wonder from its furthest reaches to its lowest depths. This is a FromSoftware title through and through, rich in fantasy and RPG action. We sincerely hope you look forward to it.
- Building the world of ELDEN RING with Miyazaki-san and his team was a treat! The graphics, mythos, and action-RPG gameplay will deliver an unforgettable experience. I can’t wait for people to see what ELDEN RING has in store for them.” Said George R.R. Martin.
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