Elden Ring is a Soulsborne game, meaning that the game is not without challenge, which many players have learned the hard way. Bosses and fog walls are a daunting thing when bosses will spam attacks and psyche you out. The real enemies aren't the bosses, though.
The real threat in Elden Ring is all the minor enemies that can one-shot you and cause you trouble when you're just trying to collect loot or grind before a big boss. Usually, video games go at an easy pace where the boss fights are the only thing you have to worry about. In Souls-like video games, everything that can move will provide a challenge. Even NPCs aren't trustworthy.
10 Militiamen
Militiamen are tiny and evil creatures. They are so small and blend in with the background, so you never see them coming. Then, when they spot you they throw smoke bombs to cloud your vision and attack you at once with Bleed.
The Bleed status effect is one of the toughest and most annoying in the game, so when these little guys keep bleeding and staggering you it can be overwhelming and result in a quick and sudden death.
9 Skeletons
Skeletons aren't that hard to beat down, the real issue is the fact that they get back up. Skeletons will mend themselves back together and come after you endlessly unless you kill them correctly. This makes catacombs full of these boney boys more trouble than it's worth.
In the previous Dark Souls games, you needed Holy damage to completely kill a skeleton. It's much easier now. You just have to beat them when they're down. You have to keep swinging while their bones are trying to get back together so that they will stay dead. Without this crucial realization, players find themselves choosing to suicide run through skeletons rather than face them head-on.
8 Marionettes
Marionettes don't look too daunting from afar until they start coming for you. Some of these guys are ranged and some of them are melee. They all have an attack that makes them spin at you with incredible speeds you can't stop.
If you don't run or dodge away from this attack you're as good as dead. You just have to make sure the melee Marionettes don't get the chance to spin on you, and you should be good.
7 Bladed Talon Eagles
Bladed Talon Eagles are the number one dreaded enemy for beginner players in Limgrave. Nothing is more dangerous than a ginormous bald eagle with great blades for feet and a need for blood to be spilled.
These are usually first found in Stormveil Castle, the first legacy dungeon you will face in Elden Ring. Paired with the explosive barrels some carry on the roofs of the castle, these birds are not fun to deal with.
6 Kindred Of Rot
These rot fiend pests can be found in the Sellia Crystal Caves of Caelid or the Grand Cloister of Ainsel River. They are very challenging to deal with without even being elite enemies. This is mostly due to their power attack, where they release a bunch of needles that shoot and home into you.
These needles will one or two-shot you to death with stagger. Rot pests can be taken care of if you never let them use this attack and don't take on too many at a time - just get close and kill them quick.
5 Imps
Imps are almost as bad as the little Militiamen. They are small and quick enemies that appear out of nowhere and start going ham. Target lock is your best friend when you enter catacombs full of imps.
They can be spotted from a mile away if you look up, as they tend to hang from walls and wait for the moment that you walk under them. This can be avoided with some arrows or Glintstone Pebble. Just take your time and look around carefully.
4 Knights
Knights come in many shapes and sizes but are a valiant challenge no matter where you face them. Crucible Knights, more specifically. Whenever you come across a type of knight, you may need to retry the area a few times.
These guys are tough as nails due to their armor and large shields. This is paired with power moves that are quite scary and have a little too much range. Patience is required when taking these types of guys on. More than one and you'll need to summon a buddy for help.
3 Abductor Virgins
Abductor Virgins are elite enemies that might as well be mini-bosses if you don't have the right gear. Their many different special attacks are what makes them so hard to deal with.
Aside from the fact that they start spinning at you full speed with chained-up axes, they have a move set that allows them to grab and incapacitate you. Enemies being able to grab you is the worst thing. Once you're grabbed by an elite enemy or higher in Elden Ring, you're dead unless you have 45+ Vigor.
2 Rats And Dogs
Rats and dogs are the banes of Elden Ring players' existence. These suckers one to two-shot players no matter their Vigor stats or player level. While you're trying to get to elite enemies, loot, or a mini-boss, rats and dogs will be there to stagger and kill you with ease.
Because these animals are small and seemingly so minor of a creature compared to what you have to deal with, you wouldn't expect them to be able to take players out so easily. It often feels unfair, especially when rats come in packs.
1 Ancestral Archers
Ancestral Archers one-shot snipe you from great distances. That's all you need to know about why they are one of the hardest enemies to deal with. Traversing through Siofra River is tiring and frustrating despite how beautiful the scenery is in comparison to the rest of the world.
If you can't be bothered to fight enemies in an area or are two low level, running through areas on horseback is usually enough to get away with. In Siofra River, you can't run. The arrows will find you, and they will kill you.