Summary
The walking mausoleums ofElden Ringfunction as both massive and awe-inspiring enemies and are an important part of the game’s boss rewards mechanic. Eachmajor boss in the game drops a remembrancewhen killed, which can be redeemed in exchange for many runes or a weapon themed around the boss itself. Each remembrance can be used once to create one of two powerful items, so the player must make a choice when using them. That is unless they use a walking mausoleum to duplicate it.
The mausoleums are not free to use, however. They mustfirst be defeated and brought to a standstillin order to allow the player togo inside and use the inner chamber for duplication. Each mausoleum has different requirements for bringing it to a stop, from hitting certain points along their legs to destroying skeletal detritus atop their bodies. There are seven mausoleums in the game, each in different areas and with different mechanics around how they fight back. Some are easy to access, some are more difficult, and some can be extremely annoying to deal with, even on repeat playthroughs.
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7The Deeproot Depths Mausoleum Is A Deathtrap
Basilisks & Archers Along A Narrow Runway
By far thehardest to access, the walking mausoleum pacing around the Deeproot Depths is a clear choice for the worst of the bunch. It is one of two mausoleums thatrequire the player to use platforming mechanics to get on top of itin order to bring it down rather than deal damage around its legs. This requires a dangerous jump off of a narrow path that can easily lead to players missing and dying as they hit the ground below.
Even worse, the run-up to the path is surrounded by Basilisks, iconic FromSoftware enemies that spew a deadly gas and can quickly cover long distances. They are joined by archers with great bows lurking along nearby pathways which will take potshots at the player unless they are dealt with beforehand. All of this makes the run-up to the jump chaotic and deadly.
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If all of those obstacles weren’t bad enough, the Deeproot Depths are not easy to reach. They are alate-game area that can only be accessed after fighting and defeating the Valiant Gargoyles, one of the more annoying bosses inElden Ring. Even if players know where to find this mausoleum, it will likely take hours to get to it. If players have a choice between using this mausoleum and any other one below, they should give the Deeproot Depths version a pass.
6The Liurnia Of The Lakes Mausoleum Requires Both Luck and Timing
The Most Annoying Spirit Spring Jump In The Game
Much like the Deeproot Depths mausoleum, the one walking aroundLiurnia of the Lakesrequires players tojump atop it in order to deal damage. Fortunately, this jump is not deadly for players since it makes use of a Spirit Spring that negates fall damage. Unfortunately, this Spirit Spring is located just far away enough from the mausoleum that the jump is very difficult to line up and will often miss the creature entirely unless it is timed just right.
This is a rare situation inElden Ringwhere there isvery little danger and yet a high chance of failure. Players will likely get annoyed by the number of times they have to try this jump in order to get on top of the mausoleum. In addition, the amount of time they must wait for the creature to get closer to the Spirit Spring before trying again is enough to make anyone give up on duplication.
The only positive this mausoleum has going for it is thatLiurnia of the Lakesis an early-game area that can be accessed without fighting even a singledifficultElden Ringboss. However, this benefit is negated by the fact that two much more accessible and valuable mausoleums are located close by in another early game area. There is no reason for players to waste time on this mausoleum when there are several more within minutes of travel.
5The Consecrated Snowfield Mausoleum Is Cool But Lethal
Magic Artillery Makes An Approach More Difficult
The walking mausoleum in the Consecrated Snowfield does get some points for creativity, as it has one of the more unique and interesting attacks these creatures have to offer. Itrains down magical explosionsin its vicinity, shooting out from its peak and then falling from the sky to destroy any who approach. The magic missiles aren’t too difficult to dodge and get around, but they still add a bit of difficulty to defeating this mausoleum.
The real thing that sets this version of the creature back is how far into the game players must go to reach it. The Consecrated Snowfield is definitely a late-game area, and this mausoleum will likely be the last one most players come across. By the time many people reach it, they will already have their end-game gear picked out and upgraded and won’t have much need for duplication. While this mausoleum has a neat gimmick, it simply isn’t useful.
4The Mountaintops Of The Giants Mausoleum Has Nothing Going For It
A Lack of Distinct Features Makes This A Forgettable Version Of The Foe
The walking mausoleum on theMountaintops of the Giantsdoesn’t have any abilities that make it stand out. It is fairly easy to access and simplyrequires players to hit it in the legs to weaken itbefore accessing it for duplication. It is located in a mid-to-late game area, meaning it won’t be anyone’s first stop for duplication, but it might still be useful for duplicating late-game boss items.
The Mountaintops mausoleum fights with the same attacks used by variants faced earlier in the game. By this point, taking these walking structures down will be easy for most players, and using this mausoleum will be easier than most others. While this makes it a little boring, for players just looking to add extra boss items to their inventory, easy access is ideal.
Still, while it may be better than the previous versions for its ease of access, it has nothing to make it stand out positively as the remaining mausoleums do. Its attacks are copies of ones used earlier in the game, it is the same visually as most of the other variants, and serves the exact same purpose as better versions of it do. In short, players can do worse, but they can certainly also do better.
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3The First Compound Mausoleum Allows For Exclusive Boss Items
There Are Some Remembrances Players Can Only Duplicate Here
The third and second-best mausoleums are located together, and look and function the same,located right next to one another in the Mausoleum Compound. The compound where they are located isclose toLiurnia of the Lakes, making both of them easy to access in the early game.
The real thing that makes these walking mausoleums better than the others is that they are theonly versions that can duplicate the remembrances of non-demigod bosses. Enemies like the Lichdragon Fortissax, Black Blade Maliketh, and theRegal Ancestor Spiritcan only have their remembrances duplicated at one of these two mausoleums.
2The Second Compound Mausoleum Is Similar To The First
As Useful As The Other
The second mausoleum located near the Mausoleum Compound is similar to the first.Both mausoleums lack a bell, making them visually distinct from all the others, and both have unique attack sets that make them a bit more interesting as enemies.
Given that some of the best items in the game can be gained through these non-demigod remembrances and that many of the DLC remembrances belong to non-demigods, these mausoleums arevery valuable and must be used with care.
1The Weeping Peninsula Mausoleum Is Both Iconic & Easily Accessible
The First Mausoleum For Most Players
TheWeeping Peninsulaserves as an early-game area that introduces several enemy types, including the walking mausoleum. The mausoleum here has a good chunk of the map devoted to its walking ground and can be seen from high up as you approach, creating one of themost visually iconic moments in the game. For most players, it will be the first time they see one of these creatures, and the merchant nearby sells advice on how to best deal with them.
The Weeping Peninsula mausoleum is easily accessible, either by attacking its legs or simply waiting till nighttime when it goes to sleep. Out of the variants of this enemy, it is definitely the quickest to reach and activate, making it an ideal choice for duplicating boss items in a new game plus run as well. This mausoleum has plenty of upsides and no downsides, making it the clear-cut choice for the best in the game.
Since each mausoleum can only be used to duplicate one remembrance, odds are players will not have a chance to use them to their full potential on their first playthrough. Especially with the added remembrances in theElden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, these mausoleums are a more valuable resource than ever for getting powerful boss items. This only reinforces the strengths of the mausoleums listed above since quick availability and ease of access are now even more important.
