You’re standing in the middle of a literal swamp, probably poisoned, and a guy wearing a giant metal cage on his head tells you to bug off. Or, well, he uses much more colorful language. That’s Blackguard Big Boggart for you. Most players meet him at Liurnia’s Liar’s Shack, think he’s a jerk for stealing Rya’s necklace, and just end him right there.
Big mistake.
If you kill Boggart early, you lose access to boiled crab, which is arguably the best physical defense consumable in the entire game. Honestly, it’s not even a contest. While everyone else is busy trying to find the perfect armor set to survive a hit from Malenia or a late-game boss in the Land of Shadow, smart players are just snacking on shellfish. It provides a massive 20% physical damage negation boost for 60 seconds. That is huge. It’s basically like wearing an extra piece of heavy plate armor without the equip load penalty.
The Math Behind the Shellfish
Let’s look at why boiled crab is a literal life-saver. In Elden Ring, damage negation isn’t just a flat number; it’s a percentage. If you have 30% physical negation from your armor and you pop a piece of crab, you aren't just hitting 50%. It calculates multiplicatively.
The formula for your total damage taken looks something like this:
$$Total \ Damage = Incoming \ Damage \times (1 - Negation_1) \times (1 - Negation_2)$$
When you use the crab, you’re cutting the remaining damage by a fifth. In the brutal late-game areas like Farum Azula or Miquella’s Haligtree, that 20% is the difference between getting one-shot and surviving with a sliver of health to chug a Flask of Crimson Tears. It stacks with the Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman. It stacks with Golden Vow. It does not stack with Boiled Prawn or Flame, Grant Me Strength, because those are all "Body Buffs."
Boiled Prawn vs. Boiled Crab
You start with prawns. They give you 15% negation. They're okay. But once Boggart moves to the Capital Outskirts near the Leyndell moat, he starts selling the "good stuff."
The crab is just better.
It costs 600 Runes. That's a steal. By the time you’re level 80 or 100, 600 Runes is pocket change you find under the couch cushions of a Minor Erdtree. You can buy 99 of them, shove them in your chest, and keep a full stack of 10 on your quick-item bar. I’ve seen players go through the entire DLC, Shadow of the Erdtree, relying almost exclusively on this item to survive the insane aggression of bosses like Promised Consort Radahn.
How to Actually Get the Stuff
It’s a bit of a process. You can't just find boiled crab sitting in a chest. You have to earn the respect of a criminal.
- Find Rya in Liurnia. She’s in one of those little stone gazebos.
- Go talk to Boggart. He’s at the Boilprawn Shack.
- Buy the necklace back. Don't kill him. Don't be that person.
- Buy some prawns. You have to show him you appreciate the culinary arts.
- Exhaust his dialogue. He’ll eventually warm up to you and say, "Never met a soul with a taste for prawns I couldn't trust."
That line is iconic. It’s the moment you stop being a "tarnished" and start being a "mate." After you progress into Altus Plateau, he moves to the moat outside the capital. That’s where the crab shop opens for business.
The Dung Eater Problem
Here is the tricky part. There is a side quest involving the Dung Eater—a truly unpleasant fellow—that intersects with Boggart. If you progress the Dung Eater’s questline too far, he will eventually invade you at the moat.
In the process, he kills Boggart.
If Boggart dies, he drops his Bell Bearing. You can take this to the Twin Maiden Husks at Roundtable Hold. This is the "safe" way to ensure you have a permanent supply of boiled crab even if your friend meets a gruesome end. However, seeing Boggart get "defiled" is pretty depressing. Some players prefer to kill the Dung Eater in his cell just to keep the crab man alive and well, chilling by his pot.
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Why Pros Prefer Crab Over Spells
You might be thinking, "Why not just use Black Flame's Protection or Ironjar Aromatic?"
Spells require Faith. They require FP. They have long casting animations that get you smacked in the face. Boiled crab is fast. You can munch on it while a boss is transitioning phases. It requires zero stat investment. Whether you are a pure Strength bonk build or a glass-cannon Mage, the crab works exactly the same.
Also, the "Body Buff" conflict is real. If you use Flame, Grant me Strength for that sweet 20% physical attack boost, it will cancel out your crab. You have to choose: do you want to hit harder, or do you want to not die? In the high-difficulty cycles of NG+7, most people choose "not dying."
Physical damage is the most common damage type in Elden Ring. Almost every boss, even the magic-heavy ones, deals a significant portion of physical damage with their swings or slams. Having a reliable, cheap way to negate a fifth of that damage is just good resource management.
Real World Gameplay Applications
Imagine you're fighting the Fire Giant. He hits like a literal truck. You’ve got your armor, you’ve got your talismans. You take a hit, and it leaves you with 5% health. If you hadn't eaten that boiled crab, you’d be looking at a loading screen.
It’s also a psychological thing. When you see that little shield icon under your stamina bar, you play more confidently. You’re willing to trade hits. You’re willing to stay in the pocket and get that extra R1 in because you know you aren't as fragile as you look.
Summary of Actionable Steps
Stop ignoring the consumables menu. Most people finish the game with 999 Rowan Berries and 0 crabs. Don't be that player.
- Check your inventory: If you don't have Boggart's Bell Bearing or the man himself alive, go find him in Liurnia or Leyndell immediately.
- Stock up: Buy the maximum amount. It’s a tiny investment for a massive return in survivability.
- Hot-key it: Put it in your "Pouch" (the menu you access by holding Triangle/Y). This keeps your main item cycle clean for health and mana while giving you instant access to your defense buff.
- Watch the timer: The buff lasts 60 seconds. In long boss fights, you'll need to re-up. Look for a window where the boss is recovering from a big move to take a bite.
- Don't stack incorrectly: Remember that eating a crab will overwrite other body buffs like Protection of the Erdtree or Boiled Prawn. Plan your buff sequence accordingly.
Getting through the Lands Between is hard enough. There is no reason to do it on an empty stomach. Go find Boggart, buy his necklace, and start enjoying the best physical defense the game has to offer. Marika's Tits, you must be 'ungry!