Warning: This post contains some spoilers for Dark Souls III. If you’re a purist, stay away!
While the Dark Souls franchise is known for its brutal difficulty, some bosses in Dark Souls III are a total pushover. We’re looking at you, Yhorm! These easy bosses have friends though, monstrosities that can take dozens of attempts and countless hours of frustration. Consume an Ember and join us as we run down the five hardest Dark Souls III bosses we love to hate.
Abyss Watchers
The Abyss Watchers fight is easily my favorite in Dark Souls III. This “Lord of Cinder” is actually a group of knights with a single soul passing between them. Multiple Watchers spawn during this fight, and they’ll fight each other as readily as they’ll fight you. One Watcher, the one with glowing red eyes, will actually target the boss. Watch where you swing your sword though. If you hit him, he’ll turn his attention your way.
Tip: Play defensively when the third Watcher spawns and let him do some damage to the others. You can also summon Sirris, Londor Pale Shade, and Black Hand Gotthard during this fight.
Aldrich, Devourer of Gods
If you’re a sorcery user like myself, you will probably struggle against Aldrich – he’s resistant to Magic damage. Unlike many of the other fights in Dark Souls III, it’s actually best to be relatively aggressive against Aldrich. If you stand still too long, he will decimate you with that awful volley of arrows. It’s hard to stay mad at Aldrich though, considering this boss has literally consumed Gwyndolin, an infamous boss from the original Dark Souls. Trust me. You’ll appreciate the lore once Aldrich has finished filling you full of holes.
Tip: Rush in and attack the tail-like portion of Aldrich, but back up when he’s about to pound the ground with his staff.
Lorian and Lothric
Ask anyone who fought Ornstein and Smough, boss fights against two opponents at once is a nightmare. Both princes here have opposite strengths and weaknesses, so this battle is a real test of your abilities. It’s also a very memorable fight, with amazing music and an intimidating opponent.
Tip: Time your damage against Lothric wisely. You can get in a lot of attacks when he goes to revive Lorian. Just be sure to kill him before he does it again.
Dancer of the Boreal Valley
If you’re an eager Dark Souls III player, you may encounter the Dancer early in your adventure — and get completely slaughtered. Even when you feel prepared to take on this boss, her erratic spins and incredible reach will shock you. On the plus side, the Dancer looks absolutely gorgeous as she stalks you through the cathedral.
Tip: Unless you trust your rolling abilities, back off when she’s about to spin in phase 2. If you can, bring bleed weapons, they’ll let you put out fast damage and get out before it’s too late.
Pontiff Sulyvahn
When you first walk into this fight, you’ll see Pontiff Sulyvahn off in the distance. Right when you think, “Oh, this must be a boss fight,” he’ll charge at you and just completely ruin your day. When you’re finally able to drop his health, Sulyvahn has the audacity of summoning a clone of himself! The gall of this guy. Your effort is well rewarded though, since his soul can get you some of the coolest weapons in the game.
Tip: You can actually parry his initial charge, and it feels awesome when you do. Also, Sulyvahn’s attacks mirror his clones, making phase 2 a little more readable.