Astel Naturalborn of the Void is one of the most striking and unsettling boss encounters in Elden Ring, serving as a crucial milestone in Ranni the Witch’s sprawling questline. Found deep beneath the Lands Between at the Grand Cloister, this cosmic horror doesn't just test your mechanical skills; it forces you to confront the game's deepest cosmic mysteries. While players often focus purely on dodging its gravity beams and meteor showers, the creature's existence ties directly to the meteorites, Fallingstar Beasts, and outer gods that shape the history of the FromSoftware universe.
Understanding Astel requires looking past the boss arena fog wall and examining item descriptions, environmental storytelling, and celestial mythology. This guide breaks down who Astel is, where these star-born horrors originate, and how to defeat the beast effectively.
Origins in the Cosmos: What is Astel?
The name "Naturalborn of the Void" is literal. Astel isn't a native creature of the Lands Between. Item descriptions, such as the Remembrance of the Naturalborn and various gravity sorceries like Meteorite of Astel, explain that these entities arrive via falling stars that rain down on the world long before the events of the game.
Long ago, younger falling stars grew into Full-Grown Fallingstar Beasts, and eventually, some matured into horrors like Astel. These cosmic lifeforms act as living celestial bodies fueled by gravity magic and starlight. When they crash into the earth, they devastate landscapes—most notably carving out massive craters like the one that forms the Eternal City of Nokron.
The Destruction of the Eternal Cities
The Greater Will and the Two Fingers weren't the only powers clashing for dominance in ancient times. The Nox, inhabitants of the subterranean Eternal Cities, incurred the ire of the Greater Will by creating the fingerslayer blade—a weapon capable of harming higher powers.
As punishment, the Greater Will bestowed a harsh fate upon the Eternal Cities, banishing them underground and sending a falling star to crush them. Astel was part of this cosmic bombardment. When Astel arrived, it famously stole the night sky from the Eternal City of Nokstella, plunging it into eternal darkness. This historical event explains why the night sky you see underground isn't real, but rather a remnant of starlight trapped or replicated beneath the earth, severed from the true cosmos above.
Anatomy and Symbolism of a Cosmic Horror
Astel’s physical design draws heavy inspiration from classic cosmic horror tropes, blending insectoid features with celestial anatomy.
- The Skull and Face: Astel lacks eyes in the conventional sense, possessing a human-like skeletal face encased in a translucent, starry carapace that mimics a galaxy or nebula.
- The Pincer Mandibles: Massive, sweeping mandibles dominate its front side, used to grab, crush, and drain the player's life force.
- Tail and Sting: The tail ends in a cluster of celestial bodies, functioning like a scorpion's stinger that delivers devastating magical shockwaves and grabs.
- Wings of Light: Instead of feathered or leathery wings, Astel manifests iridescent, insect-like wings composed of pure starlight and energy.
This unique morphology signals that life in the void operates outside the Erdtree's cycle. Creatures like Astel don't return to the Erdtree upon death; they belong to the cosmos, untouched by Marika's Golden Order.
Connecting Astel to Ranni's Questline
You cannot encounter Astel randomly in the open world. Reaching the boss requires progressing deep into Ranni's narrative arc. After defeating the Baleful Shadow in the Nokstella Lake of Rot, you use the Discarded Palace Key to open the chest in Raya Lucaria, obtaining the Dark Moon Ring.
Carrying this ring allows you to board the coffin at the Grand Cloister, which carries you down a dark subterranean river directly into Astel’s chamber. Defeating Astel is the literal key to unlocking the Moonlight Altar plateau above Liurnia, where Ranni’s physical body rests and where you ultimately secure the Dark Moon Greatsword. In this sense, Astel guards the threshold to the stars, acting as a final cosmic trial before you can commit to Ranni's Age of the Stars ending.
Combat Strategy: How to Defeat Astel
Lore aside, surviving Astel requires precise positioning and patience. The boss deals a mix of physical melee damage and heavy magic/gravity attacks.
Recommended Loadout
- Weaponry: Strike weapons or heavy stagger weapons work best against its hard carapace. Bleed builds are also effective, though hitting its head deals significantly more damage.
- Spells: Fast-casting ranged spells or magic that tracks movement (like Rock Sling) can catch Astel during its floating recovery frames.
- Talismans: Equip the Spellward Talisman or magic-resistant gear, as the vast majority of its devastating attacks deal magic damage.
Key Attacks to Watch
- Gravity Wave & Beams: Astel frequently sweeps the arena with horizontal gravity beams or charges a massive laser from its face. Sprint sideways or roll directly through the beam just as it fires.
- Meteorite Summon: When Astel floats into the air and glows purple, it summons a shower of falling stars. Do not try to attack during this phase; instead, sprint in a wide circle around the perimeter of the arena until the barrage ends.
- Grab Attack: If Astel raises its arms and glows, prepare to dodge backward immediately. Getting caught in its pincers results in a devastating grab that often proves fatal at lower vigor levels.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Targeting the Body: Hitting Astel's torso or legs deals reduced damage due to its tough hide. Always aim for the head or hands when possible, utilizing jumping heavy attacks to break its stance.
- Over-committing During Teleports: Astel frequently teleports to the opposite end of the arena, often immediately following up with a gravity pull or a sudden bite. Don't rush in blindly after a teleport; wait to see what animation follows.
- Ignoring Sound Cues: Many of Astel’s hardest-hitting area-of-effect spells give off a distinct ringing or shimmering sound before hitting the ground. Listen closely to time your rolls accurately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Astel a demigod or an outer god?
Neither. Astel is a star-spawned creature—an alien lifeform that arrived via a meteorite. While powerful enough to rival demigods and manipulate gravity, it is classified as a Legend-tier boss rather than a shardbearer.
Are there other creatures like Astel in Elden Ring?
Yes. You encounter a variant named Astel, Stars of Darkness inside the Yelough Anix Tunnel in the Consecrated Snowfield. Additionally, Fallingstar Beasts and lesser star-pests share a direct evolutionary lineage with Astel.
Does Astel have any connection to the Elden Beast?
While both possess celestial, starry aesthetics, they originate from different sources. The Elden Beast is an emissary sent by the Greater Will, whereas Astel is an independent cosmic entity that arrived via the natural movement of falling stars.
Why does Astel have a human skull?
FromSoftware character designs often incorporate surreal anatomical blending to evoke cosmic dread. The human-like skull framed inside a stellar carapace emphasizes the unsettling, unnatural nature of the void, blurring the line between ancient human architecture and cosmic beast.
