The Draconic Tree Sentinel is the dragon-scaled big brother of the Limgrave Tree Sentinel: a mounted knight with a mace and a greatshield who swaps the golden glow for red lightning. You meet him at the end of the Capital Outskirts road, standing in front of a gate into Leyndell, and again later in Crumbling Farum Azula. This guide covers what he is weak to, exactly where both fights are, what each one drops, and a step-by-step plan for the lightning phase that ends most runs.
Quick facts
| Location | Capital Outskirts, in front of a gate into Leyndell (second one in Crumbling Farum Azula) |
| Nearest Site of Grace | Auriza Hero’s Grave (Capital Outskirts) |
| Required? | No, optional field boss |
| HP (NG, Capital Outskirts) | 8,398 |
| Runes (NG, Capital Outskirts) | 50,000 |
| Drops | Dragon Greatclaw and Dragonclaw Shield (Capital Outskirts); Malformed Dragon set (Farum Azula) |
| Lowest negation | Standard, Strike and Pierce (10%) |
| Resists | Fire and Lightning (40%), Slash (35%) |
| Best status | Poison and Scarlet Rot |
| Parry | Yes, his mace attacks can be parried |
| Summons | Great Horned Tragoth; Millicent if her quest is far enough along |
| Difficulty | ▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▱▱▱ 7/10 (the lightning phase is the wall) |
Where is the Draconic Tree Sentinel?
- Reach Altus Plateau first (see how to get to Altus Plateau) and ride east into the Capital Outskirts, the ring of land around Leyndell.
- Unlock the Hermit Merchant’s Shack and Auriza Hero’s Grave Sites of Grace on the eastern side of the Outskirts. At night the shack is also where one of the four Bell Bearing Hunters attacks.
- Follow the stone road that climbs toward the capital walls. At the very end of the path, the Draconic Tree Sentinel waits in front of the gate. A Stake of Marika nearby lets you retry without the long walk.
- The second Draconic Tree Sentinel stands on the stairs before Maliketh’s arena in Crumbling Farum Azula. He drops the Malformed Dragon armour set.
What is the Draconic Tree Sentinel weak to?
He has no true elemental weakness. His lowest negation is on Standard, Strike and Pierce physical damage at 10%, so a plain or Heavy-infused weapon does more than any element. Fire and Lightning are his best-defended types, which is the opposite of the golden Limgrave Tree Sentinel: do not bring Lightning just because it worked there. Magic and Holy sit in the middle.
| Damage type | Negation |
|---|---|
| Standard | 10% (lowest) |
| Strike | 10% (lowest) |
| Pierce | 10% (lowest) |
| Magic | 20% |
| Holy | 20% |
| Slash | 35% |
| Fire | 40% |
| Lightning | 40% |
Status effects are where the fight gets easier. Poison and Scarlet Rot both tick away at his large health bar while you play defensively, and they are the most recommended tools against him.
How to beat the Draconic Tree Sentinel
- Bring help. Great Horned Tragoth’s summon sign is on the slope below the Stake of Marika (he is missing if you killed him for Volcano Manor). Millicent can join too once her questline has progressed far enough. Spirit Ashes also work here.
- Open with status. Apply Poison or Scarlet Rot early, for example with a greased weapon, Poisonbone Darts or a rot incantation, then keep it topped up.
- Stay on his shield side. The mace is in his right hand. Hugging his left flank (the greatshield side) keeps you out of most swings and lets you hit the horse.
- Read the shield for lightning. Later in the fight he charges his shield and mace with red lightning. When the shield glows, back off or get right underneath it: his overhead lightning strike cannot hit you while you stand under the shield, and it cannot be blocked anyway.
- Respect the mace slam. The lightning shockwave around a mace slam reaches far beyond the weapon itself. Roll through it toward him, or be well out of range; stopping halfway gets you hit.
- Parry if you can. His mace attacks are parryable, which gives a short opening for heavy hits. Do not count on a big critical, just use the window.
Draconic Tree Sentinel vs Tree Sentinel
| Tree Sentinel (Limgrave) | Draconic Tree Sentinel (Outskirts) | |
|---|---|---|
| HP (NG) | 2,889 | 8,398 |
| Runes (NG) | 3,200 | 50,000 |
| Weapon | Halberd | Mace and greatshield |
| Element | Holy | Red lightning |
| Lightning damage vs him | 0% negation (best choice) | 40% negation (avoid) |
| Main drop | Golden Halberd | Dragon Greatclaw |
Rewards
- Capital Outskirts: 50,000 Runes (NG), the Dragon Greatclaw and the Dragonclaw Shield.
- Crumbling Farum Azula: the Malformed Dragon armour set.
Related: Millicent’s summon for this fight depends on her questline, so check our Millicent questline walkthrough. The second Sentinel guards the road to Maliketh, the Black Blade, and if you want more levels first, our rune farming guide lists the best spots.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to beat the Draconic Tree Sentinel?
No. Both encounters are optional. The Capital Outskirts one only blocks one gate into Leyndell.
What is the Draconic Tree Sentinel weak to?
Standard, Strike and Pierce damage (10% negation) plus Poison and Scarlet Rot. He resists Fire and Lightning (40%) and Slash (35%).
What does the Draconic Tree Sentinel drop?
In the Capital Outskirts: 50,000 runes, the Dragon Greatclaw and the Dragonclaw Shield. In Crumbling Farum Azula: the Malformed Dragon set.
Can you summon for the Draconic Tree Sentinel?
Yes. Great Horned Tragoth is available near the fight, Millicent can be summoned after progressing her quest, and Spirit Ashes are allowed in the Capital Outskirts.
Stuck on another boss? Browse all Elden Ring boss guides.
Further reading: Draconic Tree Sentinel on the Fextralife Elden Ring wiki.