Elden Ring might be popular, but that doesn't mean it isn't notoriously difficult to beat. That's actually part of its charm for some people. How hard some of its bosses are to fell has been discussed enough, though. Now players want to know which non-boss enemies caused others the most trouble.
Yes, we all know how difficult it is to beat Malenia, even if one streamer has managed to beat two of her at the same time with a dance mat and a controller. Now everyone wants to know which lesser enemies were tricky to take down, and top of the bill in the replies to the Reddit post asking exactly that are rats. Not all that intimidating, but a creature in Souls games players appear to repeatedly underestimate.
One reply explains that when a rat appears, they don't panic since it's just the one rodent, what's the worst that could happen? Well, in Elden Ring, one rat usually means more will follow. Don't act fast and they might well overwhelm you. Another popular reply to the post below is the Bell Bearing Hunter in Upper Caelid. A random enemy that has no right being as hard to take down as he is.
The discussion that has unfolded about the Hunter might well explain why some players found him so hard to take down. While those who struggled with him question why the enemy right after Morgott is tougher than the boss, others claim that isn't the order in which the game is supposed to be tackled. Yes, Elden Ring is open world which means you can progress through it any way you like, but doing so might result in you facing enemies like the Hunter who are being saved for when you're better equipped.
Also getting an honorable mention are Crucible Knights with one player truly believing their attacks don't end until they have made a connection. A great thread to read through if you want to feel better about your Elden Ring struggles, as is this story about someone one-shotting a Dragonlord Placidusax. It doesn't have as happy an ending as you might think.