You’re standing at the edge of a cliff in Scadu Altus, looking down at a waterfall that seems to lead nowhere. If you’ve spent any time in the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, you’ve probably heard whispers about a certain red-stained suit of mail. The Rakshasa Armor isn't just another fashion choice for the "Elden Bling" enthusiasts. It’s a mechanical gamble.
Honestly, it’s one of the most misunderstood sets in the game. People see the description and panic. "Increases damage dealt, but greatly increases damage taken." Sounds like a death sentence, right? Well, not exactly. In reality, the "debuff" is way more subtle than the game leads you to believe, and if you aren't wearing at least a piece of this, you might be leaving free damage on the table.
The Rakshasa Armor Lie: Does It Actually Make You Squishy?
Let’s clear the air. When you put on a piece of the Rakshasa Armor, a little skull icon—the same one for Daedicar’s Woe—pops up under your stamina bar. It’s intimidating. But here’s the kicker: there isn't actually a hidden multiplier that makes you take 20% more damage.
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Basically, the "increased damage taken" is already baked into the armor’s flat stats. If you compare it to other sets in the same weight class (around 30.5 units for the full set), you’ll notice the damage negation numbers are just... lower. It’s roughly equivalent to wearing much lighter armor while carrying the weight of a medium set.
You aren't being cursed. You’re just wearing inefficient protection in exchange for a pure power boost.
- Damage Dealt: Each piece increases all damage by exactly 2%.
- The Full Set: Equipping all four pieces gives you a multiplicative boost of about 8.2%.
- The Weight: It’s relatively heavy (30.5 total), putting it in the same bracket as the Raging Wolf or Hoslow’s sets, but with the defense of basic soldier gear.
If you’re already a "glass cannon" player, this is basically free real estate. You’re trading a bit of physical negation for a permanent, universal damage buff that applies to spells, incantations, and physical swings alike.
Finding the Eastern Nameless Mausoleum
Getting your hands on this gear is a bit of a trek. You can't just stumble upon it while following the main path to Messmer. You have to want it.
First, you’ve got to find the "hidden" coffin in the Shadow Keep. You know the one—down the ladder near the burning boats, behind an illusory wall. That coffin takes you to the Castle Watering Hole. From there, head south along the Recluses' River.
The Path Down the Waterfall
- Ride past the Ruins of Unte until you hit the Recluses' River Downstream Site of Grace.
- Look southeast. You’ll see some tombstone-like ledges sticking out of the cliff.
- Carefully—and I mean carefully—drop down these platforms.
- Once you hit the bottom, follow the river north.
You’ll eventually run into the Eastern Nameless Mausoleum. Inside waits Rakshasa, and she is a nightmare if you let her get a rhythm going.
How to Beat Rakshasa Without Losing Your Mind
Rakshasa isn't a complex boss with twenty phases. She’s essentially a high-HP NPC invader with a Great Katana and a bad attitude. Her signature move is "Weed Cutter," a horizontal swinging chain that she can spam as long as she has stamina.
The trick? Don't trade with her. Her armor gives her massive hyper-armor during her attacks. If you try to swing a light sword while she’s mid-animation, she will simply ignore your hit and carve you into pieces.
Heavy weapons work wonders here. Anything that can reliably stagger her will break the "Weed Cutter" loop. If you’re a parry god, she’s actually quite susceptible to it, but one missed timing will cost you half your health bar. Kill her, and you get the full Rakshasa Armor set and her Great Katana.
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Is the 8% Buff Worth the Risk?
Let's talk nuance. In the late-game DLC areas, most bosses are going to two-shot you anyway. Whether you have 35% physical negation or 25% often doesn't change the "number of hits to die."
This is why the Rakshasa Armor is so meta right now. If the boss kills you in two hits regardless of your armor, why wouldn't you take the 8% extra damage? It’s a "subvert the self" philosophy, just like the item description says. You stop worrying about surviving and start focusing on ending the fight faster.
Why You Should Mix and Match
You don’t have to wear the whole thing. The "all or nothing" approach is a trap.
- The Chest Piece: This is the heaviest and gives the most poise (27), making it a solid swap-in for many builds.
- The Gauntlets: If you’re just a few points away from a damage threshold and have the extra weight capacity, these are a low-commitment way to squeeze out that extra 2%.
- Fashion vs. Function: Honestly, the set looks like a tattered, blood-soaked version of the Alonne Knight armor from Dark Souls 2. It’s edgy. It’s cool. But it doesn't always play nice with other colors.
The Lore: Who Was Rakshasa?
The name "Rakshasa" comes from Hindu mythology, referring to man-eating demons or unrighteous spirits. In the world of Elden Ring, the lore is even bleaker. The set description mentions "those who repeat the cycle without rest."
Some players think Rakshasa isn't even a person’s name, but a title for someone who has completely lost themselves to the hunt. The armor is "soaked in the spurting blood of her victims." It’s suggested that the wearer eventually becomes a mindless engine of slaughter.
It’s a stark contrast to the noble knights of the Erdtree. While they fight for order, the Rakshasa fights because they literally cannot stop. They’ve "subverted the self" to the point where only the kill remains.
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To make the most of this set, you need to lean into the aggression. Don't pair this with defensive talismans like the Dragoncrest Greatshield unless you're just trying to offset the armor's natural weakness. Instead, double down.
Stack the Rakshasa Armor with the Lord of Blood's Exultation or the Rotten Winged Sword Insignia. If you're going to be a glass cannon, you might as well be the biggest cannon on the battlefield. Your next step should be heading to the Shadow Keep to find that hidden coffin—just make sure you've got enough Greatfield Liver or Boiled Prawn to survive the trip down the river.