In the list below, you can find guides for the bosses in the Shadow Keep region of the Realm of Shadows (Shadow of the Erdtree expansion). We also have a dedicated Shadow Keep Walkthrough to assist you in your travels (or feel free to use the walkthrough menu below).
The Shadow Keep, divided into two sections that can be reached from different locations in Scadu Altus, has a total of four bosses houses in its dark walls. One of these bosses is mandatory, as he drops a required item, while the other three bosses (reached from the back way into the Keep) are optional, even though one of them gaurds the main entrance to the keep.
Shadow Keep Bosses:
Read on for details on each boss, plus links to detailed guides for each fight!
- Summons Available: Yes, Redmane Freyja or Hornsent
- Location: Shadow Keep Main Gate
- Rewards:
200,000- Aspects of the Crucible: Thorns
- 2x Scadutree Fragments
The Golden Hippopotamus is the gatekeeper of the Shadow Keep, and a quite formidable one at that. Well-armored and with a deadly bite, this gigantic hippo also has powers derived from the mysterious Crucible in the form of deadly golden spines that will skewer you if you aren’t careful. And that’s to not even mention it’s odd hitboxes.
All that said, the Golden Hippopotamus is not as intimidating as it might first seem, provided you are prepared. Sticking to its sides will render it almost helpless, and it’s golden thorns do relatively little damage and are easy enough to avoid so as to make the fight easier once it begins using them. By taking advantage of these weaknesses, and the Hippo’s general slowness, you can take it out long before it becomes a true challenge. While technically optional, as you can enter the Shadow Keep through the Church District, the Golden Hippopotamus does guard the most direct path into the Keep.
- Summons Available: Yes, Hornsent or Swordhand of Night Jolán
- Location: Messmer’s Dark Chamber
- Rewards:
- 400,000
- Remembrance of the Impaler
After you’ve battled through the Shadow Keep and finally scaled the large Specimen Storehouse tower, you’ll find Messmer the Impaler. He plays a very important part in the story of the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, and you will have to defeat him to progress the story to its finality, as it is his item that is required in order to access Enir-Ilim, the final area of the DLC.
As a fight, Messmer is incredibly challenging. With incredibly fast moves and some of the most brutal punishments for mistakes, Messmer is a nightmare to fight, requiring fast and accurate reactions unlike any DLC boss other than the last one. Take advantage of your summons if you are having trouble (using Hornsent for the story), and don’t forget to make use of status effects and a good 
Mimic Tear in order to make it through.
- Summons Available: Yes
- Location: Scadutree Base
- Rewards:
- 260,000
- Miquella’s Great Rune
- Remembrance of the Shadow Sunflower
Hidden beyond (and below) the Church District of the Shadow Keep, you can find the optional Scadutree Avatar at the location in the DLC closest to the Scadutree. Its 3 different phases give you plenty of downtime to heal, buff, and summon between phases, which you can use to great advantage.
Growing with power as the battle goes on, this fight is as much of an endurance competition as it is a battle. While none of the Avatar’s moves are exceptionally hard on their own, the amount of time the battle can go on can eventually lead to you making a mistake, meaning that killing the boss quickly (such as by using Fire damage) becomes very important.
- Summons Available: Yes
- Location: Scaduview
- Rewards:
- 230,000
- Remembrance of the Wild Boar Rider
Defending a hidden area that contains the biggest stockpile of Scadutree Fragments in the DLC, Commander Gaius is one of the jankier fights in the DLC. With a brutal charge and some very hard moves to dodge, as well as a faster speed than Torrent, Commander Gaius is a test of patience.
Once you learn to avoid the charge that Commander Gaius begins every fight with, you will have a much easier time with this fight. The hardest part, however, is finding time to heal, summon, buff, or even punish the boss, as his quick movements and unfair hitboxes can quickly turn a good run into a finished one. In short: making distance and being careful with your timing is the key to defeating Commander Gaius.
