One of the first bosses you’ll encounter in Return to Moria is Bolgakh.

As a descendant of Azog, he has a bone to pick with everyone.

In this survival guide, we’ll provide some tips on how to make this boss battle a bit easier.

To see the fight for yourself, be sure to watch the video below.

What Weapons You Should Use for Bolgakh

Tier I weapons won’t quite do the trick here for the fight against Bolgakh.

You’ll need something beyond an improvised axe or iron sword.

I find that the Eregion Spear and Shieldwall both do great against him.

The Shieldwall is a Masterwork item, so it doesn’t lose durability.

That’s important because it won’t just be Bolgakh you’re fighting.

A standard shield might break before you defeat him.

The Eregion Spear is also a powerful weapon that has great reach.

You can hit him without having to get too close.

That’s important, too, since he can sometimes surround himself with other enemies.

Other weapons, particularly more powerful ones, might also serve well against him, but if you’re coming into the fight without much, then you’ll want to have at least the Eregion Spear and Shieldwall.

Armor is important, too.

You’ll need to have Iron Hills armor at least, but the better your armor is, the easier the fight will be.

Facing Bolgakh without armor can end in a quick demise.

What Buffs You Should Use to Fight Bolgakh

Buffs can be another way to help give yourself an edge in the fight.

There are three main buffs you can use to make you a better fighter against Bolgakh.

The first is Hero-Spirit.

You can craft a Memorial Flame with Hero Tokens in your base.

When you honor the flame, you’re imbued with Hero-Spirit.

This buffs your Energy which is useful for fighting and shield-bashing.

The second buff is Runes.

You can craft runes at a rune table and apply them to a weapon.

Some deal more damage to orcs while others give the weapon a unique ability.

I recommend applying a rune to your weapon that makes sense for the fight.

Finally, it’s worth crafting a Brew Kettle and making Evening Ale.

Evening Ale grants you a random buff when you wake the next day.

One of the possible buffs is Orc Hunter, which lets you deal more damage against orcs.

It’s random, so you can’t be sure which buff you’ll get, but some buff is better than no buff.

How To Heal During the Fight with Bolgakh

At some point, there’s a good chance that your armor will break while fighting Bolgakh.

That’s when he’ll start eating into your health.

To heal during battle, you’re going to need to have some dry rations in your inventory.

You can make dry rations by making an oven.

With the oven, you can make things like Lembas and Cram which do a decent job of restoring your health.

Lembas is the best, however, so if you can craft one or two loaves, your health will automatically fill up when you consume them.

Make sure they’re in your hot bar to make accessing them easier.

Best Strategy to Defeat Bolgakh in Return to Moria

Bolgakh is a tough boss to defeat because he calls in horde after horde of goblins and orcs to fight with you.

The best strategy is to focus on him as much as you can.

Ignore everyone else.

You may need to maneuver yourself a bit to get him mostly alone or at least mostly away from the horde.

I tend to hit twice, shield bash, then hit two more times.

It’s possible not to get your shield up fast enough before he strikes, but the pattern above can bring him down pretty quick.

Otherwise, it’s a marathon.

Patiently hit, block, and hit again.

The Shieldwall won’t break, so you can hide behind your shield as much as you want.

Keep moving to keep the horde from surrounding you, and try to keep some of the goblins around him, since he can kill them with his own attacks.

With a bit of patience, you can defeat Bolgakh and earn rewards.

What Does Killing Bolgakh Give You

When Bolgakh dies, he drops eight black diamonds and a number of other gemstones and items.

Before you leave the arena, make sure you check the middle.

There are two chests you can open.

They have a number of reward items in them like black diamonds, ingots, and other gemstones.

A fragment of Durin’s Axe also rests on top of the circular platform.

Gather everything before leaving to stock up on goodies.

The area also has tons of dwarven remains to honor, so you can stock up on Hero’s Tokens.

The fight may be tough, but the number of black diamonds you earn is substantial.