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Rather, this list will cover at least ten of the most domineering, powerful bosses across the Dark Souls trilogy. Let alone the selection of bosses from the developer’s history with Demon’s Souls, Bloodborne, and Sekiro, this list of the Dark Souls trilogy will be more than enough to test any hardened gamer’s patience. While it’s worth noting that every boss has its exploit and pattern, some were clearly more difficult than others.
Updated October 8, 2022 by Ritwik Mitra: Dark Souls and hard boss fights are two terms that go hand-in-hand. This series is revered by many as one of the greatest action-adventure games ever made, and for good reason. The emphasis that these games put on strategic fighting and quick reflexes make each and every combat encounter in the game a challenge that players need to overcome time and time again. The boss fights in this trilogy are truly in a class of their own, with the hardest of the bunch being mentioned below.
20 Bell Gargoyle - Dark Souls
The Bell Gargoyles are a dual boss that players fight early on while ringing the bells to open Sen’s Fortress. This boss is pretty challenging, forcing players to manage both entities while not getting backed into a corner or pushed off the precarious boss arena.
Lore
The lore behind the Bell Gargoyles is pretty simple but quite interesting nonetheless. They are creatures made from magic that are meant to serve as a test of the Chosen Undead’s strength. The fact that variants of these enemies can be found in Anor Londo itself strongly implies that they are actually created by the Gods themselves!
19 Sir Alonne - Dark Souls 2
Dark Souls 2: Crown of the Old Iron King is a great DLC that has many challenging encounters to satiate fans of the series. One of these is the final fight against Sir Alonne, which is pretty challenging in its own right.
Most of its attacks might be telegraphed, but that doesn’t mean this boss is easy by any stretch of the imagination. However, players who manage to beat this boss without incurring any damage whatsoever will trigger a unique death animation where this boss commits seppuku!
Lore
Sir Alonne was formerly the Iron King’s right-hand man, before departing from his service after seeing his liege fall into the jaws of hedonism. He came from an eastern land and valued honor above everything else.
18 Fume Knight - Dark Souls 2
The Fume Knight is considered by many to be one of the hardest fights in Dark Souls 2 without being completely unfair. He has an expansive moveset, hard-to-predict tells, and some of the strongest attacks in the game.
Lore
The Fume Knight, formerly known as Raime, use to serve under King Vendrick along with Velstadt. However, a conflict arose between both knights which led to a battle that Velstadt won. Consequently, Vendrick labeled Raime a traitor and banished him from his kingdom. When Raime went to the Brume Tower in search of greater strength, he met and became the champion of Nashandra, a child of Dark.
17 Sister Friede - Dark Souls 3
A boss fight with a whopping three phases, it’s easy to see why Sister Friede deserves a spot on this list. This boss might not be challenging from a purely technical standpoint, but it’s the sheer length of this battle that can take most people by surprise.
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Players have to fight both her and Father Ariandel over the course of the battle, which makes for a tough time indeed. Finding good counterattack opportunities can be challenging, but players who accomplish the same will be able to fell this boss.
Lore
Friede, along with her sisters Yuria and Lilliane, founded the Sable Church of Londor. She is an Unkindled, implying that she tried to light the First Flame and become a Lord of Cinder but failed. After entering Ariandel’s Painted World, she tricked Father Ariandel into using his own blood to suppress that fire that would supposedly devour the painted world if left unchecked.
16 Pontiff Sulyvahn - Dark Souls 3
Pontiff Sulyvahn is one of the toughest bosses in Dark Souls 3. He uses both the Profaned Ultra Greatsword and the Greatsword of Judgment, with his attacks being ultra-aggressive and hard to dodge.
The fact that his attacks have decent range means that players need to either perfect their dodges or block indiscriminately to find a proper opening against the boss. Failing to do so means that the Ashen One will eventually succumb to the might of Sulyvahn’s strikes.
Lore
Sulyvahn was born in Ariandel’s Painted World. However, since he didn’t live in this world out of choice, he decided to explore the lands beyond instead. After his lust for power grew, he decided to infiltrate the Covenant of the Darkmoon under the guise of a follower to gain their power before rebelling against this group and declaring himself Pontiff. He established the Pontiff Knights to maintain control in Irithyll and the Outrider Knights to conquer other lands soon after.
15 Capra Demon - Dark Souls
Capra Demon’s difficulty predominantly comes from the fact that he appears so early in the first game. Inexperience isn’t the only challenge that players will have to face though, as the fight takes place in one of the smallest boss rooms in the entire Soulsborne franchise.
The lack of space makes the demon’s leaping attacks far more deadly, especially as they have a frustratingly accurate lock-on. Furthermore, two speedy dogs are waiting behind the fog gate, making it difficult for the player to get any room to breathe.
Lore
The Capra Demon boss is one of many Capra Demons that appear thought the game, usually as regular enemies. It is believed that the Carpa Demons were created when the Witch of Izalith used her Lord Soul to try and duplicate the First Flame, fearing that it was about to extinguish.
14 Elana, Squalid Queen - Dark Souls 2
Dark Souls II is undoubtedly the most divisive entry in the Souls series, with many fans agreeing that it’s the weakest entry in the trilogy, despite it having the highest Metacritic score.
One of the main complaints was that FromSoftware seemed to have a quantity over quality approach to the bosses, something that the DLCs did a good job of improving. The DLC bosses were among the best in the game, and among the toughest, particularly Elana. The Squalid Queen fights similar to the base game’s final boss, Nashandra, but has the ability to summon help, significantly ramping up the difficulty.
Lore
Elana, the Squalid Queen, is a fragment of Manus, Father of the Abyss, the final boss from the Dark Souls: Artorias of the Abyss DLC. She married the Sunken King, who was defeated in battle by Sir Yorgh and his Drakeblood Knights. This awoke Sinh, the Slumbering Dragon, who filled the entire city with a toxic cloud. Elana now resides by Sinh, gathering souls in hopes of eventually getting her revenge.
13 Soul of Cinder - Dark Souls 3
The final boss fight of the Dark Souls trilogy certainly didn’t disappoint.
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Soul of Cinder has two phases; the first is very RNG heavy, with the boss’ attacks quickly shifting between Mage, Faith, and multiple melee builds. The second phase takes players on a trip down memory lane as Soul of Cinder channels the first game’s final boss, Gwyn, and uses his powerful move set.
Lore
The Souls of Cinder is an amalgamation of everyone who has ever linked the First Flame, including Lord Gywn, hence why it shares many of his powerful moves and abilities. The Soul of Cinder’s purpose is to act as the final line of defense against The Ashen One and defend the flame.
12 Artorias - Dark Souls
One of the many things that Dark Souls set a standard for was the quality of its DLC.
Artorias the Abysswalker, the knight that the DLC is named after, soon became one of the most beloved fights in the game, predominantly due to his touching connection with Sif. Artorias certainly isn’t held in high regard for giving players an easy ride though, as the boss has numerous powerful attacks that are very difficult to predict.
Lore
Artorias was one of the Four Knights of Lord Gwyn and is best known for being a companion to Sif; it is Artorias’ grave that Sif is guarding when the player enters the wolf’s boss arena. Artorias was able to traverse the Abyss with his Covenant of Artorias ring, where he would hunt Darkwraiths. When Oolacile fell to the Abyss, Artorias traveled there but was defeated by Manus. Artorias sacrificed himself to protect Sif with his Greatshield and was overcome by the Abyss, which corrupted his mind and is why he is hostile and very aggressive towards the Chosen Undead.
11 Manus, Father of the Abyss - Dark Souls
From Artorias to the boss that defeated him, anyone following the game’s lore will have known they were in for a brutally difficult fight when entering Manus’ fog gate.
Whereas most Dark Souls bosses favor either speed or strength, Manus, Father of the Abyss, combines the two, meaning he can drain a player’s health bar in a matter of moments while offering them little time to heal. Thankfully, the player can summon Sif for the fight; the wolf doesn’t do much damage but can draw the attention of the boss.
Lore
Although Manus’ monstrous appearance may suggest otherwise, he was once human. Hawkeye Gough and Marvellous Chester both claim that a serpent, presumable either Kaathe or Frampt, told the people of Oolacile to excavate Manus’ grave. This enraged Manus, and he would eventually create the Abyss, earning him the title of Father of the Abyss. This aggressive rage can still be seen when the player confronts the boss and is a significant reason why the fight is so challenging. When Manus was defeated, his souls separated into fragments, some of which became self-aware like the aforementioned Elana.
10 Bed Of Chaos - Dark Souls
The Bed of Chaos barely counts as a legitimate boss fight. While it has a name and a health bar, the truth is it only takes three hits to feel it. Two of those hits involve chucking away at obstacles to clear the path while a single hit kills the root. Unfortunately, it comes with two major caveats.
This boss will one-shot by swiping the player into the pitfall if you’re not careful. It also has no problem two-shotting the player with its long limbs. Dying to the Bed of Chaos means another 5-minute walk through Lost Izalith to reach the boss room. Not only is it difficult to deal with, but the penalty of returning is perhaps the most frustrating of them all.
Lore
Much like the aforementioned Capra Demons, the Bed of Chaos was a result of the Witch of Izalith trying to recreate the first flame with her Lord Soul. The enormous, tree-like being that was created makes for one of the most unorthodox boss fights in the entire Dark Souls trilogy.
9 Four Kings - Dark Souls
Four bosses, four health bars. The Four Kings of New Londo Ruins will attack individually using long-ranged and close-ranged attacks. These include quick swipes to your legs and homing shots that players can barely avoid and not block without a great deal of damage.
To make matters worse, the Four Kings will, in fact, begin ganging up if they’re not dealt with quickly enough. Now the player will deal with both the King they’re fighting as well as the long-ranged homing projectile.
Lore
The Four Kings were once human and were appointed to rule over New Londo. The Four Kings were appointed by Lord Gwyn, who gave each of them a fragment of a Lord Soul. According to Darksword’s item description, the Four Kings were seduced by evil, and their knights became Darkwraiths. In an attempt to contain their threat, New Londo was flooded, trapping the Four Kings and the Darkwraiths.
8 Ornstein And Smough - Dark Souls
The infamous duo from Anor Londo consists of the Dragonslayer and a giant. One is faster, using lightning and quick dashes, while the other is heavy and uses massive AoE strikes with a huge hammer. No matter which one the player kills first, the other will absorb the strength and health of their dead companion.
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This double-team is best met with fellow Phantoms as well as proper preparation. However, this also causes the bosses’ own health to boost in the process. Meanwhile, flying solo means being beset by one of the most infuriating boss fights in the series.
Lore
It is believed that Dragon Slayer Ornstein was one of Lord Gywn’s most trusted knights and captain of the Four Knights of Gwyn. As for Executioner Smough, he requested to join Gwyn’s Knights but was rejected as, according to his hammer’s description, he would “ground the bones of his victims into his own feed.”
7 Gwyn - Dark Souls
The final boss of the original Dark Souls lives up to his reputation. Attacking with a fire sword, the character is incredibly quick and able to break guard. Worse yet, he mixes up his 2-3 hit attack pattern with a grab attack.
For players who can’t stagger him between openings, their best bet is to parry. Miss that parry timing by a frame and expect to eat a combo. Gwyn also loves to hunt down players who heal. Players who die get to take another long walk back through the Kiln of the First Flame.
Lore
Lord Gwyn is one of four beings to have found a Lord Soul after the advent of fire. His soul allowed him to create lightning, which he used to defeat the Everlasting Dragons and gain control of the world. This started the Age of Fire, where Gwyn became the King of Lordran. As the flame began to fade, Gwyn traveled to the Kiln of the First Flame to link it and prolong the Age of Fire.
6 Kalameet - Dark Souls
Another unforgiving boss, this dragon from the DLC realm, Oolacile, must first be felled using Hawkeye Gough’s bow in order to disable its flight. Without doing so, expect a likely impossible boss battle. Even after sinking it, Kalameet will properly clobber the player in large part thanks to its high HP.
Fighting Midir in a massive arena gives this agile dragon free range to attack regardless of your distance. Plus, the ability to paralyze the player and debuff them adds an extra layer of difficulty.
Lore
Not much is known about Black Dragon Kalameet, other than that it’s one of the last ancient dragons and, according to the Calamity Ring, is known as the “bringer of calamity.” When Kalameet died, its scales were used to create weapons and armor.
5 Ancient Dragon - Dark Souls 2
Ancient Dragon may very well represent among the hardest of the non-DLC bosses in Dark Souls II. There’s a good reason why it’s optional. While Ancient Dragon appears as an imposing figure, it’s entirely possible to obtain its item without engaging it in battle. Otherwise, players might last 15 seconds on their first try.
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Foolishly challenging the Ancient Dragon earns the player the wrath of one of the largest, most indomitable dragons in the series. Massive AoE fire that can one-shot a player alone makes it imposing. When he’s not breathing fire directly at the player, he’s flying skyward and breathing fire around the whole arena. Getting too close means getting stomped on once he falls.
Lore
Much like Kalameet, the Ancient Dragon’s past is relatively unknown. Interestingly, Nashandra refers to the dragon as a “prop” and a “false deity,” while Sweet Shalquoir describes it as “A colossal thing, with the strength to match its size. Or something playing the part at least,” implying that it isn’t really a dragon.
4 Dancer Of The Boreal Valley - Dark Souls 3
The Dancer defines an absolute nightmare for the player. As a gatekeeper to the last world of the game, this otherwise beautiful fiend will slice and dice at players with immense speed. Using a heavy weapon to fight such a fast opponent is suicide.
Her various patterned attacks overwhelm the player with an onslaught of strikes. The Dancer is also quick enough to swat an Estus Flask right out of the player’s hands, even at longer ranges. It is highly recommended to summon before this fight. Otherwise, make sure to stay properly equipped with the best weapons available.
Lore
The Dancer of the Boreal Valley is believed to have been an Irithyllian residing in Irithyll of the Boreal Valley when it was taken over by Pontiff Sulyvahn. Sometime after this, Sulyvahn forced her to become a dancer and eventually enlisted her into his group of Outrider Knights, where she would eventually become a skilled fighter. Her combination of elegant dance movements and sword fighting skills makes her one of Dark Souls III’s trickiest fights.
3 Nameless King - Dark Souls 3
This fight comes in two parts. The first part involves fighting the Nameless King on his steed. The second part loses his steed while he just becomes stronger.
Nameless King defines misery. An extremely powerful foe with lightning attacks, he’s not afraid to crush guard for free. Let’s include that stabbing spear attack on the list of things never to get hit by.
Lore
According to the Soul of the Nameless King, the boss was once “a dragon-slaying god of war, before he sacrificed everything to ally himself with the ancient dragons.” It is also implied throughout Dark Souls III that the Nameless King is Gwyn’s firstborn child.
2 Slave Knight Gael - Dark Souls 3
Similar to the Gwyn fights and those related, the final boss of the Ringed City DLC is a lone warrior with a giant sword. At first, he charges like a vicious animal with a Greatsword in hand. Unfortunately, the fight takes a deadly turn once it hits Phase 2. Use your best weapons or magic available.
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Gael will not only summon lightning to attack you, but his pattern becomes much harder to read. Even his first form’s 3-4 hit mixups are quite difficult to react to. By the last form, you’re already tired of dodging lightning, sword swings, and yes, literal Dark Souls.
Lore
Slave Knight Gael is believed to have once resided in the Painted World and is a parental figure to The Painter. He is desperate for the old, rotted Painted World to be burned so that the Painter can create a new one. When the player encounters Slave Knight Gael in the boss arena, Gael makes it clear that the Ashen One is the only remaining bearer of the Dark Souls’ power needed to paint the new world, leading to the frantic battle.
1 Darkeater Midir - Dark Souls 3
Words cannot properly express the level of hatred players have for Darkeater Midir. This massive dragon is not afraid to one-shot players and hit them with unblockable, nigh-undodgeable wave attacks. Its massive HP bar guarantees no less than a 10-minute battle and likely more on New Game Plus modes.
Darkeater Midir’s heavy attacks make any attack on his openings a massive risk. Much like Ancient Dragon, he relies heavily on AoE fire breath, stomps, and tail swipes. Darkeater Midir completes the series’ trilogy of “most frustrating dragon boss fights in history.” This dragon is not only one of the hardest bosses in the Souls series but among the hardest bosses in all of gaming history.
Lore
Darkeater Midir is a descendant of the Archdragons. Midir was tasked with battling the Abyss, a task that he can carry out endlessly thanks to his immortality. Over the many years of battle, the Abyss has infected Midir, which has enabled him to use the dark in combat against the player.
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