Hey Tarnished! 😱 Let me tell you about the absolute nightmare fuel that is the Bell Bearing Hunter in Elden Ring. This spectral, armor-clad menace only stalks the Lands Between at night, and hunting him down is one of the most rewarding (and terrifying) challenges in the game. I've faced him down in every corner of the map, and I'm here to share everything I've learned so you can claim his precious loot and expand your shop inventory at the Roundtable Hold. Get ready for a deep dive into strategy, locations, and the sweet, sweet rewards that await!

🗡️ Melee Masterclass: How to Get Up Close and Personal

If you're a strength or dexterity build like me, you need to get in his face. Seriously, do NOT give this guy space. His most devastating moves are his long-range, arcane-infused sword swings. The key is to stay aggressive and stick to him like glue. His attacks are surprisingly slow and telegraphed, so dodging into them is your best friend. This sets you up for a quick counterattack before he can recover.

Here’s my pro-tip: You can parry him! 🛡️ It takes two successful parries to break his stance, but oh boy, is it worth it. A stance break opens him up for a massive critical hit. I found that constantly applying pressure to break his posture, then landing that visceral attack, also gives you a perfect window to sip your Crimson Flask while he's getting up.

For the brave (or tanky) among us, the Lion's Claw Ash of War is a game-changer. You can hyper-armor through his attacks during the startup animation. Just make sure your Vigor is high enough to tank the hit and your damage output is solid, or you'll burn through your healing flasks too fast.

Exploit His Weaknesses:

• Hemorrhage (Bleed): This guy bleeds! Using a katana like the Uchigatana or weapons with innate bleed buildup can trigger massive damage spikes.

• Scarlet Rot: He is incredibly susceptible to rot! Applying Scarlet Rot via spells like Rotten Breath or weapons coated with Rot Grease will melt his health bar over time. It's a fantastic way to chip him down while you focus on dodging.

🔮 Ranged & Faith Tactics: Fight Smarter, Not Harder

For my magic-wielding friends, the strategy flips completely. If you fight from range, he will spam his own deadly ranged attacks, which are much harder to dodge than his melee combos.

The Mounted Mage Strategy: Your best friend here is Torrent. Mount up and use your agility. You can circle him, avoiding his spells, and pepper him with fast-casting sorceries. Swift Glintstone Shard is the MVP here—low FP cost, fast cast, and you can cast it while moving on Torrent. Avoid any spell with a long casting animation; he will punish you.

For Faith Builds: You're in luck! The Bell Bearing Hunter is highly vulnerable to Lightning damage. Spells like Lightning Spear, Horned Bolt, and the devastating Fortissax's Lightning Spear (if you have it) will absolutely shred his health bar. Since these bosses are optional, you can always come back later when your incantations are more powerful.

📍 Hunter's Moon: All Four Spawn Locations & How to Trigger Them

This is crucial: He doesn't just appear. You have to meet specific conditions at night. If he's not there, here's the universal ritual:

1. Go to the correct merchant shack.

2. Exhaust all dialogue with the NPC merchant (yes, buy something if you need to!).

3. Rest at the nearest Site of Grace and pass time until Nightfall.

4. Return to the shack. The merchant will be gone, and the hunter will appear!

1. Warmaster’s Shack (Limgrave)

• Location: East of Stormhill Shack, past the Kaiden warriors.

• Trigger: You must buy at least one Ash of War from Knight Bernahl before resting until night.

• Reward - Bone Peddler's Bell Bearing: Unlocks purchase of Thin Animal Bones and Hefty Beast Bones for crafting arrows and bolts.

2. Church of Vows (East Liurnia)

• Location: On the eastern cliffs of Liurnia. From the Lake-Facing Cliffs, head north past the Artist's Shack. You'll need to summon Torrent to navigate the rocky shoreline.

• Trigger: Exhaust dialogue with the giant turtle, Miriel, then rest until night.

• Reward - Meat Peddler's Bell Bearing: Unlocks Sliver of Meat, Turtle Neck Meat, and Lump of Flesh for crafting restorative meats.

3. Isolated Merchant’s Shack (Dragonbarrow, Caelid)

• Location: The most hostile area in Caelid. Travel west from Fort Faroth, past the dragons, to Dragonbarrow West site of grace, then northwest.

• Warning: This is the toughest version of the hunter. Be prepared!

• Reward - Gravity Stone Peddler's Bell Bearing: Unlocks Gravity Stone Chunks and Fans—throwable items that scale with Strength/Intelligence.

4. Hermit Merchant’s Shack (Altus Plateau)

• Location: On a ridge north of the Outer Wall Battleground site of grace, near Leyndell.

• Reward - Medicine Peddler's Bell Bearing: This is arguably the BEST one. It lets you buy all consumable boluses from the Twin Maiden Husks! Cure poison, scarlet rot, sleep, and frostbite on demand. A total game-changer for survivability.

💎 Why Bother? The Incredible Rewards

Defeating each hunter is tough, but the payoff is permanent and amazing. Each one drops a unique Bell Bearing. Take these to the Twin Maiden Husks in the Roundtable Hold, and you'll permanently expand their shop inventory. No more farming for crafting materials or cure-alls! It's an investment that makes the rest of your journey so much smoother.

So gear up, wait for nightfall, and go hunting, Tarnished. The night is dark and full of terrors... but also full of fantastic loot! 💀✨

What was your toughest Bell Bearing Hunter fight? Let me know your strategies below! 👇