One Elden Ring player shares a subversive video where they absolutely destroy one of the game's most challenging bosses using a build seemingly intended for newer players, but not all is as it seems. Elden Ring has loads of tough boss fights, and many players agonize over which weapons and armor to use to get through this challenging game. Those that feel like they have found what may be a winning combination of weapons, armor, and talismans often share their builds online to help other players that may be struggling against a particular boss.

RELATED: Elden Ring Player With 200+ Hours Has Humbling Experience After Attacking Merchant

In a short video Reddit user Masochist571 wields the massive Fingerprint Stone Shield to beat Malenia, who is widely considered to be the toughest boss in Elden Ring. The fight is somewhat comical since the player doesn't even use the shield to block, but instead just carries it around and skillfully dodges Malenia's attacks while carving down her health using a flame broadsword. At the end of the video Masochist571 reveals the "build" and the stat distribution for their level 145 character - hilariously, the Strength stat is at 15, with the majority of the skill points having been dumped into Intelligence and Faith.

Elden Ring is filled with challenging bosses that will keep even the most skilled players on their toes, and many players rely on specific powerful builds and summons to make progress in the game. Some Elden Ring players have made short work of Malenia, at least initially, by ganging up on her - but even those using cheesy tactics can quickly run afoul of her devastatingly powerful second phase, Malenia, Goddess of Rot.

This particular victory against Malenia had little to do with the build, but was rather earned through masterful movement and dodging skills. Not even a single healing flask was used, and the player only took a single hit towards the end of the fight. To elaborate on how impressive this victory is, another Elden Ring player taking on Malenia experienced a crushing defeat when they went down in two hits in spite of a much beefier build. This goes to show how quickly the tables can turn in Elden Ring.

MORE: 2023 Could Be a Huge Year for FromSoftware