Dark Souls 3 Boss Order With DLC
Dark Souls 3 is one of the most popular FromSoftware Soulsborne titles, and it’s arguably filled with some of the hardest bosses in the Souls franchise – yep, we’re looking at you, Knight Gael. If you’re looking to take on some of the bosses in Dark Souls 3 or are trying to figure out which boss to take on next, we’ve put together a Dark Souls 3 boss order guide with all DLC bosses too.
Complete List Of All Dark Souls 3 Bosses
ludex Gundyr
In perspective, ludex Gundyr isn’t a challenging boss, but may prove to be a source of frustration for many early players, particularly for those that haven’t grasped Dark Souls 3’s primary gameplay mechanics. This Dark Souls 3 boss is found at the end of the Cemetery Of Ash, the game’s first explorable area.
The fight against ludex Gundyr consists of two main sections; an ordinary phase and a second phase in which a gigantic black mass erupts from his neck and makes additional attacks. ludex Gundyr will generally attack with his halberd, which has extensive reach and can hit hard, particularly with low health. However, ludex Gundyr is extremely weak to fire damage, and using the Fire Bombs acquired from the Cemetery Of Ash can make quick work of him.
Vordt Of The Boreal Valley
Vordt Of The Boreal Valley is a Dark Souls 3 boss found at High Wall Of Lothric. The boss is the second players face in the game and can prove to be a challenge due to his damaging attacks and his ability to inflict Frostbite, which deals around 11% of your max HP damage plus more. Thankfully, Vordt is relatively slow, particularly during the first phase, so you can easily block and dodge his attacks.
Vordt is weak to dark damage only, but a great way of handling this Dark Souls 3 boss is by staying underneath him and avoid being in front of him. When you fight him, just keep an eye on the Frostbite buildup, as it can quickly end a good fight if you’re not careful. Vordt is a mandatory boss fight and once you’ve defeated him, you’ll unlock the next major area; the Undead Settlement.
Dancer Of The Boreal Valley
Dancer Of The Boreal Valley is another boss that can be found at High Wall Of Lothric. This Dark Souls 3 boss is usually faced in the final section of the game once you’ve defeated three Lords Of Cinder, although you can take her on earlier by killing Emma. To trigger the fight, you’ll need to approach the altar behind Emma with the Basin Of Vows. Unlike Vordt, Dancer is nimble and highly aggressive, so she can easily prove to be a challenge.
Like most other boss fights in the game, Dancer has two phases; the first of which she uses a single flame sword and the second in which she utilises a flame and ash sword. Dancer’s attacks are very erratic, and you’ll need to rely on dodging them to succeed, so spend some time learning her moveset. Dancer is weak to dark, lightning, and strike damage. Dancer deals a lot of damage, and it’s a good idea to stick to her backside to avoid her sword and grab attacks – just think of this boss fight as a dance; dodge as she swings and attack only when she pauses. Dancer is mandatory as she unlocks the final section of the game; Lothric Castle.
Dragonslayer Armour
Dragonslayer Armour is a tough mid-game Dark Souls 3 boss that can be found at Lothric Castle guarding the entrance of the Grand Archives, which leads towards end game. The boss is incredibly aggressive and attacks with a large electric axe as well as his gigantic shield that guards against most attacks.
Dragonslayer Armour is assisted by the Pilgrim Butterflies that can shoot projectiles onto the arena, obscuring your view and dealing damage. Dragonslayer Armour deals lightning damage but is weak to frostbite and strike damage.
In the first phase, Dragonslayer’s attacks consist of melee axe attacks and using his shield to stagger you or smash you into the ground. While fighting, Dragonslayer Armour may destroy railings, making it easy for you to fall to your death if not vigilant. Dragonslayer Armour is not optional and must be defeated to progress to the Grand Archives. He’s a tough fight, but you can do it.
Lothric, Younger Prince and Lorian, Younger Prince
Lothric, Younger Prince and Lorian, Elder Prince is a late-game Dark Souls 3 boss fight. Encountered at the Grand Archives, this boss is a test of endurance as it requires you to fight the two princes across two phases; the first in which you fight Lorian alone, and the second in which you fight the pair together. Once you kill Lorian, the first phase ends and he is resurrected by Lothric, kick-starting the second phase. You’ll then need to repeatedly kill Lorian to attack Lothric while he resurrects his brother. You end the boss fight by killing Lothric.
In the second phase, Lorian will perform all of his attacks from the first phase but with a flaming sword. Lothric, meanwhile, can perform two types of magic; multiple homing projectiles and a single homing arrow that deals more damage. As mentioned, you’ll need to attack Lothric when he’s resurrecting Lorian or manage to attack Lorian from behind to deal damage to both brothers. The fight is challenging, and you’ll need to be quick on your feet to survive. Lothric is weak to lightning and frostbite, so use that to your advantage. The Princes are a mandatory Dark Souls 3 boss as they’re one of four Lords of Cinder and lead to the final boss.
Oceiros, The Consumed King
Oceiros, The Consumed King is another Dark Souls 3 boss, although optional. Oceiros guards the entrance to the Untended Graves, a prominent but optional area found later in the game.
Like most other Dark Souls 3 boss fights, the battle against Oceiros is split into two phases; the first in which he mainly attacks with his staff and performs freezing attacks, and the second in which he becomes more primal and attacks with his claws and tail, and performs a crystal breath attack that causes Curse buildup.
The first phase is relatively easy if you can avoid his main staff attacks and the dangerous magic attack. Oceiros in the second phase is much more erratic, charging around the small arena and performing the Curse breath attack, which can quickly kill you if you’re not careful. However, Oceiros is weak to lightning damage and frostbite, and attacking him from underneath or behind will help you get through the fight.
Champion Gundyr
Champion Gundyr is another Dark Souls 3 boss that is found at the Untended Graves. The boss is a different version of ludex Gundyr, utilising the same attacks alongside several new ones.
As an optional late-game boss, Champion Gundyr is much more aggressive and is faster than his predecessor and like the ludex Gundyr fight, this boss battle consists of two phases. Rather than dealing with the black mass that erupts from ludex, Champion Gundyr will attack much more aggressively.
Champion Gundyr is weak to strike, lightning, and bleed damage, as well as frostbite. He attacks with the same halberd, which can deal considerable damage if you’re not careful, so you’ll need to be quick at dodging or parrying each attack to get a hit in. Once you have defeated him, you’ll be able to access the strange area beyond his arena.
Curse-Rotted Greatwood
The Curse-Rotted Greatwood is a Dark Souls 3 boss that can be found in the Undead Settlement. The boss is optional, but required if you want to transpose souls i.e, obtain weapons from boss souls. The Curse-Rotted Greatwood is a tree-like boss that is found in a large arena alongside several Undead that you should kill before starting the fight. To trigger the boss battle, you simply have to walk towards the boss in the area, and it should turn to face you, starting the fight.
When fighting the Curse-Rotted Greatwood, you’ll need to direct your attacks to the sacs, hitting the wood will deal no damage. The Greatwood is weak to slash, thrust, and fire damage, and we suggest you stick with fire damage to make quick work of the boss. Once you’ve dealt enough damage, the floor of the boss arena will break and you will fall through to a second underground area. The Curse-Rotted Greatwood’s attacks remain the same throughout the fight; slams, spins, rolls, and grab attacks too. Thankfully, the boss isn’t too hard. We’ll reiterate that the boss is optional and only provides you with access to boss soul transposition.
Crystal Sage
The Crystal Sage is a Dark Souls 3 boss that is found at the Road Of Sacrifices after the Crucifixion Woods. The boss is magic-based and their attacks consist of performing several spells. Up close, the Crystal Stage also attacks with his rapier.
Once you’ve dealt enough damage, the Crystal Sage will summon several clones that perform spells but take no damage. When the Sage summons clones, you’ll need to avoid all of their magical attacks and figure out which Sage is the true Sage, easily identified by the colours of their spells; the Sage’s spells will be blue while its replicas will all be purple. The Crystal Sage is weak to lightning, dark, and fire damage, as well as poison, toxic, and frostbite. The Crystal Sage is a mandatory boss fight as it leads players to the Cathedral Of The Deep. A mini-boss version of the Crystal Sage is fought at the Grand Archives towards the end of the game.
Deacons Of The Deep
Deacons Of The Deep is a Dark Souls 3 boss that is found in the Cathedral Of The Deep. The boss consists of a group of clerics that defend the wandering soul of the Archdeacon. To defeat the Deacons Of The Deep, you’ll need to locate and defeat the cleric that is possessed by the Archdeacon’s soul. Unfortunately, due to the sheer number of clerics, you can easily get overwhelmed as they unleash fireballs or attack with their candlesticks.
Once you’ve dealt enough damage, four blue-robed clerics will appear that can heal the Archdeacon and can a lengthy spell that covers the arena in fog that inflicts curse, killing you quickly. The Deacons Of The Deep are weak to frostbite and the Vow Of Silence weapon, which prevents spells. To defeat the boss, you’ll need to be quick to avoid getting surrounded, constantly be on the move to avoid the clerics’ fireballs, and deal damage whenever you have an opening. Deacons Of The Deep is a mandatory boss fight and is required to obtain the Small Doll item to enter Irithyll Of The Boreal Valley – an important location later in the game.
Abyss Watchers
The Abyss Watchers is a Dark Souls 3 boss that can be found at Farron Keep. A legion of troops wearing leather armour, the Abyss Watchers are a Lord Of Cinder and when first wandering into their boss arena, you’ll find them fighting amongst themselves before they turn their attention to you.
Your target will be one single Abyss Watcher that will primarily attack you alongside a companion, and a third Abyss Watcher that the two will fight amongst. Whenever a Watcher is killed, a new Watcher is spawned every 20 seconds.
During the first phase of the fight, the Abyss Watchers will use their greatsword and dagger to perform various swipes, slams, slashes, and stabs. During the second phase, the main Watcher will infuse their greatsword with fire and the other Watchers will stop respawning. The main watcher will perform all of the same attacks but now with fire damage, and can perform a flaming dash that leaves a fire trail. You’ll need to be quick at dodging when fighting the Abyss Watchers during both phases, particularly during the second half of the fight when you’ll need to avoid the attacks and fire trails. Remain vigilant to stop yourself from being outnumbered, and only attack when there is an opening. The Abyss Watchers are weak to lightning damage. Finally, this fight is mandatory as it’s the first Lord Of Cinder you’ll encounter and leads to the Catacombs Of Carthus.
Old Demon King
Old Demon King is a boss in Dark Souls 3 that can be found at Smouldering lake, beneath the Catacombs Of Carthus accessed by climbing the collapsed wooden bridge to High Lord Wolnir’s boss arena. The boss is a large demon that can be found across the Smouldering Lake past the large Carthus Sandworm.
The demon is found in an arena filled with the corpses of other demons and he uses a gigantic hammer. The Old Demon King is an optional fight and like most other bosses, consists of two phases; an ordinary first phase and a second in which he has a more powerful aura and performs stronger attacks. The Old Demon King is weak to dark damage and Black Knight weapons. Again, the Old Demon King is optional, and killing him only provides you with Souls and his soul.
High Lord Wolnir
High Lord Wolnir is a Dark Souls 3 boss that is found in the Catacombs Of Carthus, accessed by touching the goblet on the altar. A gigantic skeleton wearing enchanted bracelets, the fight against High Lord Wolnir will take place in a dark arena filled with dark damage that can quickly kill you if you venture too far into the darkness. In this fight, you’ll need to focus on attacking his three bracelets to defeat him.
High Lord Wolnir’s attacks are slow and generally consist of him slamming or swiping his hands. However, he can also summon a giant sword and a group of skeletons. The boss is weak to blessed weapons and strike damage. There isn’t much strategy we can share with you for this fight as you’ll simply need to focus on attacking the bracelets whenever you can, avoiding his attacks and the darkness. If you’re quick enough, High Lord Wolnir should not summon his sword or other skeletons. Unfortunately, High Lord Wolnir is a mandatory boss as he guards the entrance into Irithyll Of The Boreal Valley.
Pontiff Sulyvahn
Pontiff Sulyvahn is arguably one of the most difficult bosses in Dark Souls 3. A sorcerer found in Irithyll Of The Boreal Valley, Pontiff Sulyvahn possesses two greatswords, one imbued with fire and the other imbued with magic.
He’s incredibly aggressive and the fight consists of two phases, one in which you’ll fight Pontiff Sulyvahn alone and another in which you’ll fight him and a clone. During the second phase, Sulyvahn’s clone will perform an attack and Sulyvahn will do the same right after, but both will deal damage to you.
Pontiff Sulyvahn is weak to thrust, lightning, dark, and fire damage, and can easily be parried, particularly during the first phase. This fight is incredibly challenging due to Pontiff Sulyvahn’s aggressiveness, hard-hitting attacks, and the clone in the second phase. We suggest you try to stick to the stairs in the boss arena or the upper section of the area which has more room for dodging and parrying attacks. Do not panic dodge, take your time when dodging or blocking and only attack when you can – avoid getting greedy. Once defeated, you’ll be able to access the remainder of Irithyll Of The Boreal Valley.
Aldrich, Devourer Of Gods
Aldrich, Devourer Of Gods is a Dark Souls 3 boss that is found and fought at Anor Londo. The boss is an amalgamation of a human similar in appearance to Gwyndolin from Dark Souls and a dark worm-like creature. Aldrich attacks with Gwyndolin’s weapons, which includes a bow and a catalyst with which he casts spells. Despite this, Aldrich is weak to fire damage along with lightning and thrust damage, and he is weak to the Wolf Knight’s and Farron Greatswords.
The fight against Aldrich consists of two phases. Throughout the fight, Aldrich will teleport away from you and appear on the opposite side of the arena furthest away from you. When fighting Aldrich, it’s a good idea to stay as close as possible to him and behind him. If you can perform Miracles, the Vow Of Silence will prevent Aldrich from summoning many of his magic attacks, making the fight much easier. Aldrich, Devourer Of Gods is a mandatory Dark Souls 3 boss fight and is one of the four Lords Of Cinder you’ll need to defeat to complete the game.
Yhorm The Giant
Yhorm The Giant is a Dark Souls 3 boss and a Lord Of Cinder. Found in the Profaned Capital, Yhorm was the city’s leader and can be found in a large chamber deep within the Capital. Yhorm attacks with a gigantic machete that is infused with fire in the second phase.
Unlike most other Dark Souls 3 bosses, Yhorm The Giant is only weak to the Storm Ruler, a weapon that can be found beside his throne in the boss arena. You’ll need to charge it until it glows bright, and then use weapon art to damage Yhorm. Using the Storm Ruler will quickly dispatch Yhorm, and if you’ve followed Siegward Of Catalina’s questline, he will join you in the fight via a cutscene and will wield another Storm Ruler given to him by Yhorm himself. Using the Storm Ruler and partnering with Seigward will make the fight incredibly easy, but fighting alone and without the Storm Ruler can lead to a very difficult fight. Yhorm The Giant is a mandatory boss fight.
Ancient Wyvern
Ancient Wyvern is a unique Dark Souls 3 boss that can be found at Archdragon Peak. As hinted at by its name, the Ancient Wyvern is a wyvern but rather than battling it head-on like with other bosses, this fight requires you to run past the boss and through the surrounding ruins until you reach a high enough point that allows you to perform a plunge attack on its head and kill the boss.
The challenge with this boss fight is the slew of powerful serpent enemies found throughout the ruins, many of which can quickly bombard and kill you. You’ll also need to avoid the wyvern’s attacks when the boss first appears in its arena. The Ancient Wyvern is an optional Dark Souls 3 boss, but defeating it will unlock the upper section of Archdragon Peak, which is jam-packed with more high-value items and a dangerous boss.
Nameless King
Nameless King is one of Dark Souls’ most famous bosses. Found in the upper section of Archdragon Peak after ringing the Great Belfry. A challenging boss, the fight consists of two phases; the first known as King Of The Storm in which the Nameless King rides a wyvern, and the second as Nameless King in which you fight alone.
The boss battle against Nameless King can be incredibly challenging, and it’s important to try and memories each phase’s moveset so you can learn when to dodge or block and attack. Remember, focus on dodging and blocking the attacks and only hit back when you can. Nameless King is an optional boss fight, but one well worth trying.
Soul Of Cinder
The Soul Of Cinder is a Dark Souls 3 boss that can be found at the Kiln Of The First Flame. As the final boss of the game, the Soul Of Cinder is a mixture of all Lords Of Cinder. The fight consists of two phases; the first in which the Soul Of Cinder performs a range of unpredictable attacks taken from all previous Lords Of Cinder, and the second in which the boss regains all health but performs much more predictable movesets.
You’ll need to get good at dodging and predicting his attacks to succeed, and since he’s weak to lightning and dark damage, it may be a good idea to grab a weapon with those upgrades. Finally, casting the Vow Of Silence miracle can prevent him from using magic. The Soul Of Cinder is a mandatory boss fight and must be defeated to complete and end the game.
Dark Souls 3 DLC Bosses
There are two DLC packs for Dark Souls 3; Ashes Of Ariandel and The Ringed City. Both include several bosses, some of which are incredibly challenging. If you’re looking to learn more about the bosses available in the DLCs, just check out our Dark Souls 3 DLC boss order.
Champion’s Gravetender and Gravetender Greatwolf
Champion’s Gravetender & Gravetender Greatworlf is a Dark Souls 3 DLC boss fight. Found in the Painted World Of Ariandel as part of the Ashes Of Ariandel DLC, the Champion’s Gravetender can be found alongside three wolves near a tombstone, and at the beginning of the fight’s second phase, they all summon the larger Gravetender Greatwolf.
The fight can be incredibly chaotic as you’ll need to fight Gravetender and several wolves before moving onto a much larger wolf. Magic may be used against you along with attacks that can cause frostbite and quickly kill you if you’re not careful.
Sister Friede
Sister Friede is a Dark Souls 3 DLC boss fight that is part of the Ashes Of Ariandel DLC. Known for being one of the most challenging Dark Souls boss fights, the battle consists of three phases; the first in which you fight Sister Fired, the second in which you fight Sister Friede and Father Ariandel with a shared health pool, and third in which you fight a more aggressive Blackflame Friede.
This boss fight can be incredibly challenging, and if you die at any point during the battle, you’ll need to restart from the first phase. Most of Sister Friede and Father Ariandel’s attacks are incredibly telegraphed so you can easily dodge or block them, but staying alive throughout the entire fight and saving enough Estus for the later phases is hard. If you’re still struggling, you can summon Slave Knight Gael for some help. Killing Sister Friede before reaching the Kiln Of The First Flame will unlock a special bonfire leading you to The Ringed City DLC.
Demon In Pain and Demon From Below, Demon Prince
Demon In Pain, Demon From Below, and Demon Prince are all part of a Dark Souls 3 boss fight from The Ringed City DLC. Located at the Drag Heap, the fight consists of two phases; the first in which you battle against the Demon In Pain and the Demon From Below at the same time, and the second in which you fight the Demon Prince. This fight can be incredibly challenging as you’re required to handle two demons at the same time before moving on to the much more aggressive Demon Prince.
Throughout the first phase, the two Demon’s will swap between two modes; flaming and burnt. When flaming, the Demon’s will deal fire damage and are much more aggressive, getting close to attack. When burnt, the Demons deal toxic damage and will focus on performing ranged attacks.
Once you’ve dispatched the two Demons, they’ll explode to reveal the Demon Prince, starting the boss fight’s second phase. The Demon Prince primarily deals fire damage and performs a range of attacks, including fireballs. The Demon Prince is weak to bleed damage and Black Knight weapons.
Halflight, Spear Of The Church
Halflight, Spear Of The Church is a Dark Souls 3 boss fight found in The Ringed City DLC. Unlike most other boss fights, Halflight is unique as what you fight will be dependent on whether you’re playing online or offline. If online, you’ll be required to fight another player of the Spear Of The Church Covenant, but if you’re playing offline, you’ll be required to fight a human NPC wielding a sword and shield.
Halflight’s attacks will vary and can include a mixture of magic, melee attacks, and ranged combat too. The attacks of another player will vary, and you may find that this fight is easier if you play offline and face the NPC rather than another player. The boss is weak to frostbite and lightning damage.
Darkeater Midir
Darkeater Midir is a Dark Souls 3 boss from The Ringed City DLC that can be fought on a bridge and then later in the DLC. Like many of the bosses from the Dark Souls 3 DLC, Darkeater Midir is an incredibly challenging boss fight. He deals strike, fire, and dark damage but is weak to lightning and thrust damage, Pestilent Mist, and the Wolf Knight’s and Farron Greatsword.
There are two phases of this boss fight, and the battle against Darkeater Midir will be challenging. It’s going to be important to try and learn his attacks as soon as you can to help you throughout the battle. When fighting, try to aim for his head as that will deal the most damage. Defeating Darkeater Midir will allow you to join the Spear Of The Church Covenant.
Slave Knight Gael
Slave Knight Gael is a Dark Souls 3 DLC boss from The Ringed City. Found at Filianore’s Rest, you face Slave Knight Gael after he consumed the Dark Soul, and the fight is widely regarded as one of the best in the Souls series and is considered the finale to the franchise.
Slave Knight Gael is highly aggressive and fast, charging at players on all fours like an animal throughout most of the fight before standing upright for the second half of the battle. As he takes more damage, the fight will change; Slave Knight Gael will become more aggressive and perform additional moves. There are three phases to this fight, and during the last, lightning will strike the boss arena in the latter two phases, making it much harder for you to fight. Slave Knight Gael is weak to strike damage, poison, toxic, and frostbite.
Dark Souls 3 Bosses In Order
If you’re looking for the best Dark Souls 3 boss order list, we’ve compiled one below, giving you a rough suggestion of when you should face the game’s various bosses. This isn’t the definitive Dark Souls 3 boss order as depending on your build and skill you may find some bosses easier than others and your own personal order may change, but it’s worth following our suggestions when playing.
- ludex Gundyr
- Vordt Of The Boreal Valley
- Curse-Rotted Greatwood
- Crystal Sage
- Deacons Of The Deep
- Abyss Watchers
- High Lord Wolnir
- Pontiff Sulyvahn
- Yhorm The Giant
- Dancer Of The Boreal Valley
- Aldrich, Devourer Of Gods
- Dragonslayer Armour
- Old Demon King
- Oceiros, The Consumed King
- Ancient Wyvern
- Lothric, Younger Prince
- Champion Gundyr
- Nameless King
- Champion Gravetender
- Soul Of Cinder
- Demon In Pain/Demon From Below, Demon Prince
- Halflight, Spear Of The Church
- Darkeater Midir
- Slave Knight Gael
That’s our guide! We hope it’ll help you make your way through one of FromSoftware’s most popular Souls-like titles. While you’re here, you may also want to check out our boss order guides for Dark Souls Remastered, Demon’s Souls, Bloodborne, Sekiro, and our Limgrave boss order for Elden Ring.
