The original Dark Souls features some of the most iconic and memorable boss fights in the soulslike space, ranging from titanic dragons to fearsome fighters, but not all fights are created equal. Out of the 26 bosses in the game, including the DLC, there are a few that stand above the rest for being more satisfying, engaging, and generally more enjoyable to take down.
7 Scariest Humans In The Dark Souls Games, Ranked
The world of Dark Souls is filled with terrifying monsters, but some of the scariest enemies in the games are human.
Many of these encounters are remembered for their relevance in the lore or their placement within the game, while others offer a more rewarding mechanical challenge for the player who doesn’t rely on cheap tricks or gimmicks. Whatever the case, they show that even in the early days of the soulslike genre, bosses were always the centerpiece and a big reason why players continue to come back time and time again.
Rearrange the covers into the correct US release order.
Rearrange the covers into the correct US release order.
Easy (5)Medium (7)Hard (10)
10
Four Kings
Fighting In The Dark
- Well-balanced gank fight.
- DPS check rather than health percentage.
The Four Kings are one of the most unusual bosses in Dark Souls. The fight takes place in the pitch-black void of the Abyss after players lower the water in New Londo Ruins. The fight is unique because it functions as a DPS check rather than a traditional duel, with each king spawning on a timer, which means players need to defeat each one quickly before the next appears.
If the player’s damage output isn’t high enough, the arena can quickly fill with multiple enemies attacking at once. Despite this pressure, the encounter becomes incredibly satisfying once players understand the mechanics. Learning to stay close to the kings to minimize damage and aggressively push through their health bars creates a tense rhythm to the fight, and finally defeating the last king before the arena becomes overcrowded delivers a strong sense of accomplishment that is hard to find elsewhere in the game.
9
Sanctuary Guardian
Starting The DLC With A Bang
- Chaotic yet rhythmic.
- Introduces a difficulty jump before the main DLC fights.
The Sanctuary Guardian serves as the first boss of the Artorias of the Abyss DLC and immediately raises the difficulty from the base game. Combining elements from several beats, the boss wastes no time, unleashing rapid aerial dives and lightning projectiles that punish players who try to keep their distance, and the speed alone will be more than enough to catch newbies off guard.
6 Soulslike Games With More Fluid Combat Than Elden Ring
Elden Ring may be the king of variety, but some soulslike games leave it far behind with their more fluid, precise feel to combat.
What makes the fight satisfying is learning the creature’s patterns and how to exploit them. At first, the Guardian feels chaotic, constantly leaping around the arena and striking at random, but careful observation reveals clear openings between its attacks. Once players adapt and start landing precise dodges and counterattacks, the fight transforms into a thrilling back-and-forth battle that rewards patience and timing and leads to some of the best moments in the entire series.
8
Chaos Witch Quelaag
After All That Suffering
- Engaging and fair attacks.
- Ends the player’s adventures in Blighttown.
Quelaag is an iconic boss in Dark Souls for many reasons, perhaps most notably because of her location. Located deep within Blighttown, she guards the second Bell of Awakening and introduces players to a more complex style of boss design, with her spider body spewing lava across the arena while her human upper half attacks with fiery sword strikes.
Far from the more basic one-styled enemies that players will have seen before, like the Taurus Demon, Quelaag’s dual form means that players need to adjust their approach on the fly, depending on where they are standing and where Quelaag is moving to next. It’s all about positioning and awareness, and she teaches several principles that only become more important as players delve deeper.
7
Bell Gargoyles
They Always Come In Groups
- Teaches spacing and timing.
- Represents the first big hurdle.
The Bell Gargoyles are a great fight and a fan favourite despite their fairly basic appearance and fighting style. The first major difficulty spike in the game, players will find themselves battling not one, but two enemies at once after whittling the first gargoyle’s health pool down, creating an interesting dance of patience and determination.
Defeating them is incredibly satisfying because it represents the moment where the game truly clicks. Players have to balance offense and defense, getting in one or two attacks before retreating, and ringing the bell atop the tower afterward is the perfect reward, giving a real sense of accomplishment after a hard-fought battle.
6
Great Grey Wolf Sif
Loyal To The Very End
- Emotional weight behind the fight.
- A large but well-balanced enemy.
The battle against Sif stands out for both its emotional impact and the satisfaction of taking down the beast. Fighting with a massive sword held in its jaws, the wolf leaps across the arena, sweeping with wide attacks that force players to stay alert and mobile, but there are still plenty of openings that feel fair and rewarding to exploit.
Far from the most challenging boss in the game, players can normally take Sif down in a few attempts without too much trouble or frustration. However, even a single try is enough to give the player a bittersweet feeling, like they have just defeated a loyal companion rather than a villain. The victory feels satisfying mechanically, but emotionally, it leaves a lasting impression.
5
Gwyn, Lord Of Cinder
One Last Fight
- The final 1-on-1 duel.
- The culmination of an entire adventure.
Gwyn is the final hurdle at the end of it all, and he ushers in the credits in just about the best way possible. Less about spectacle and more about atmosphere, he attacks with fast, relentless blows that hit hard, but are well-telegraphed, letting skilled players move out of the way easily, or even parry them if they want the extra style points.
Because of his status as the final boss, Gwyn represents all the player’s wins and losses over the course of a lengthy playthrough, which makes taking him down all the more rewarding. It feels like one last test for players to take on, and without being too flashy or overbearing, Gwyn manages to give them a run for their money before saying farewell.
4
Black Dragon Kalameet
From The Ground To The Sky
- Demanding right from the start.
- Speed and damage rolled into one.
Black Dragon Kalameet is widely considered to be one of the most challenging dragons in the series, and for good reason. Unlike many dragon fights, Kalameet is incredibly mobile and unpredictable, combining powerful fire attacks with sudden lunges and sweeping tail strikes that can come out of literally nowhere if players aren’t paying attention.
FromSoftware: Hardest Beast Soulsborne Bosses, Ranked
FromSoftware’s Soulsborne games are known for their difficult boss fights. The following eight animalistic beasts are among their toughest.
There are so many different attacks and mechanics to watch out for, which actually gives players a lot of choice in how they approach and take on the challenge. It is a demanding fight from the start, and one that cannot be brute-forced with sheer damage or sustain, making the eventual victory feel earned rather than given.
3
Manus, Father Of The Abyss
Deep In The Caves Below
- Concludes the DLC saga.
- Requires a lot of learning and failure.
Manus sends players right into the bowels of the Abyss itself. After venturing through the horrifying caves above, they are thrust into a brutal encounter that will have them running back from the nearest bonfire over and over. His attacks are ferocious and unpredictable, ranging from massive hand slams to devastating dark magic that fills the arena, and the lack of space means that players need to rotate far more horizontally than they may be used to.
The fight pushes players to their limits, an ultimate test of reactions and patience unlike anything else in the game. Learning to counter Manus’ relentless aggression feels like overcoming a wall that initially seems impossible, and when the souls finally rush from his corpse, it feels like the player has conquered one final obstacle to cap off their epic journey.
2
Ornstein And Smough
The Best A Boss Duo Can Be
- Choice in terms of which one dies first.
- Opposing kits and playstyles.
Ornstein and Smough need no introduction. The dynamic duo is found in the breathtaking city of Anor Londo. After scaling the ramparts and journeying to the top, players will be thrust into an arena that they will never forget, full of slams, lightning, and a lot of dodges.
Part of why these two are considered the best gank fight in the genre is due to how each boss plays a different role in the fight. Smough is a heavy, lumbering tank that takes his time catching up to the player, while Ornstein has speed on his side, lunging across the arena in the blink of an eye to close an otherwise massive gap in seconds. Combined with the choice-based second phase, where the surviving boss becomes powered up by the other’s abilities, and the result is a virtually flawless fight that remains a stellar example of how to do a duo fight right.
1
Artorias The Abysswalker
Close To Perfection
- Clear moves but still deadly.
- No gimmicks or distractions.
Artorias the Abysswalker encapsulated everything that makes a boss fight satisfying and fun well before players journeyed to The Lands Between or took on Gael at the end of the world. The fight is widely praised for its perfect balance between difficulty and fairness, as despite being agile and aggressive, there are still moments of downtime where players can catch their breath before going in for the kill.
There are no gimmicks or distractions, just a skilled warrior testing the player’s abilities in a 1-on-1 battle that can only be won through skill. When players land the fatal blow, it feels like winning a duel against a truly equal opponent, making it one of the most rewarding victories in the entire series, and, in many players’ eyes, one of the greatest boss fights ever made.
- Released
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September 22, 2011
- ESRB
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M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Violence
- Publisher(s)
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Namco Bandai
