Elden Ring Tibia Mariner Guide
While Tibia Mariner fights can be unsettling, they are optional encounters. You don't need to defeat them to progress through the main storyline. However, they are well worth your time, both for the Elden Ring Runes they drop and the unique Elden Ring Items you can collect afterward.
Where to Find the Tibia Mariner
There are multiple Tibia Mariner encounters scattered across the Lands Between. Each fight takes place in a slightly different environment, often with unique enemy placements to keep you on your toes. Here are their known locations:
Summonwater Village: Found in Limgrave's northeast region. This is often the first Tibia Mariner most players encounter. The shallow waters make it easy to maneuver, but beware of skeletons appearing from beneath the surface.
Liurnia of the Lakes: In this vast watery expanse, the Mariner is surrounded by hazards, including more aggressive skeletons and tight spaces between ruined structures.
Wyndham Ruins: Located in Altus Plateau. Here, the fight is more confined, and the skeleton spawns can catch you off guard in the ruins' narrow passages.
Mountaintops of the Giants: This high-altitude location means harder enemies and more aggressive attacks from the Mariner. The skeletons here also hit much harder than in earlier fights.
Charo's Hidden Grave: A more secretive location, offering one of the toughest Tibia Mariner fights. Reaching it requires significant exploration and preparation.
How the Tibia Mariner Fights
The Tibia Mariner is not a straightforward melee enemy. Instead, it uses its environment and summons to keep you busy:
Boat Charge: The Mariner will steer its ghostly vessel toward you, knocking you down if you're caught in its path.
Horn Blast: A long-range area attack that can stagger you if you're not ready.
Summoning Skeletons: Its most dangerous tactic is calling forth undead warriors. These skeletons will revive unless you finish them off completely after knocking them down.
The real danger in these fights is not the Mariner itself, it's being overwhelmed by skeleton mobs while trying to keep track of the boss's movements.
Best Strategy and Tips for Defeating the Tibia Mariner
Defeating a Tibia Mariner can be straightforward if you know how to manage both the boss and its skeletal allies. Here are some essential tips:
Stay Mounted on Torrent
Fighting from horseback allows you to quickly close the distance after the Mariner teleports. Torrent also makes it easier to dodge boat charges and escape skeleton swarms.
Use Spirit Ashes to Distract Skeletons
Summoning a distraction, such as the Lone Wolf Ashes, can keep skeletons off your back while you focus on damaging the Mariner. This can be especially important in narrow or swampy areas where movement is restricted.
Prioritize Skeleton Management
If you ignore skeletons entirely, they'll quickly overwhelm you. Either finish them off completely or use Torrent to stay mobile and avoid getting surrounded.
Capitalize on Recovery Windows
The Mariner often pauses after using its horn attack or teleporting. These are your best opportunities to get in multiple hits without retaliation.
Rewards for Defeating a Tibia Mariner
Taking down a Tibia Mariner is more than just bragging rights. Each victory comes with valuable rewards, both in Elden Ring Runes and Elden Ring Items.
Elden Ring Runes: The amount varies depending on the location, with later fights granting significantly more. These can be used to level up your stats or purchase rare goods.
Deathroot: A key item for players following the Gurranq Beast Clergyman questline.
Unique Weapons or Spirit Ashes: Some encounters reward you with special Elden Ring Items like the Skeletal Militiaman Ashes, which let you summon skeleton allies of your own.
Notably, the Charo's Hidden Grave fight offers some of the best rune rewards for this boss type, making it a profitable hunt for rune farming enthusiasts.
Why Hunt Optional Bosses Like Tibia Mariner
While Tibia Mariner fights aren't mandatory, they're perfect for players who want to strengthen their character before facing harder story bosses. The rune payouts are solid, and the unique item drops can be game-changers for certain builds.
They also provide a great way to practice mounted combat and crowd control, two skills that will serve you well in later areas of the game. And if you're collecting all possible Spirit Ashes, these encounters are essential.
Final Thoughts
The Tibia Mariner may not be as flashy as some of Elden Ring's colossal bosses, but don't underestimate these spectral ferrymen. With their unsettling summons and wide-range attacks, they can easily catch the unprepared off guard. By keeping mobile, using Spirit Ash distractions, and striking during recovery windows, you can make short work of them.
In return, you'll gain a healthy stash of Elden Ring Runes and potentially rare Elden Ring Items, making the effort well worth it. Whether you're farming resources, collecting every unique drop, or simply enjoying the eerie spectacle, hunting down each Tibia Mariner across the Lands Between is a rewarding detour in your journey.