If you’re playing Dark Souls 3, then you’re not just looking for a challenge. You’re already living in one. You’ve probably died more times than you care to count. The truth is, the Dark Souls 3 bosses are what set this game apart. Each one is more than just an obstacle. They’re experiences. They test your patience, your skill, and sometimes your sanity.
This blog walks you through every major Dark Souls 3 boss in order. You will understand what you’re up against and how to win. We cover the full Dark Souls 3 boss order clearly, so you can follow each step and know exactly what to expect.
This isn’t about lore speculation. This is for players who want to beat these Dark Souls 3 bosses. Straight talk. No fluff. No filler.
Let’s begin.
Iudex Gundyr
This is your very first test, and there’s no way around him. You’ll meet Iudex Gundyr minutes after you create your character. He stands between you and the first major hub, Firelink Shrine. To trigger the fight, you pull a Coiled Sword from his chest and that’s when all hell breaks loose.
Iudex Gundyr is a large armored knight. He fights with a halberd and has a very readable but punishing moveset. Most of his attacks are wide sweeps, overhand slams, and slow spins. His wind-up animations are perfect for teaching you when to dodge or parry. This is the game’s way of forcing you to learn its combat system.
Halfway through the fight, he transforms. A black, snake-like mass erupts from his body, growing long claws and extra limbs. This second phase hits harder and has longer reach. If you’re too close, you’ll get grabbed and tossed. If you’re too far, the monster lunges or whips at you.
The key to this fight is movement. Stay close during phase one and bait his sweeps. Use firebombs if you picked them up during the tutorial area. He’s weak to fire. In phase two, stay mid-range and attack right after his lunges. His back is open after each charge.
Why you fight him:
You need to beat him to open Firelink Shrine. He also drops the Coiled Sword, which activates the Firelink bonfire.
Best strategy:
Circle him to the right. Two-hand your weapon. Firebombs for phase two. Don’t panic roll.
Extra tip:
His halberd swings are slow. Try learning parry timing here if you’re new. It’s a good place to practice.
Vordt of the Boreal Valley
The second boss in the Dark Souls 3 bosses in order is not optional, and he comes fast. After you clear the High Wall of Lothric, you walk into a fog gate and Vordt charges at you like a freight train. This massive, frost-covered beast uses a giant mace and crawls on all fours. Think of him as a more aggressive version of a watchdog.
Vordt has two phases. In phase one, he swings his mace in wide arcs, slams the ground, and uses shoulder rushes. The attacks are slow but powerful. Phase two starts at half health. He roars, covers the area in frost, and starts charging at full speed. He can do this three or four times in a row. He also breathes frost in a cone in front of him, which builds up frostbite and slows your stamina regen.
If you’re in front of him, you’re in trouble. But behind him, you’re safe for most of the fight. Stick to his back legs, dodge under his belly, and hit him when he charges past you. Be ready to run when he starts glowing.
How to prepare:
You can summon Sword Master if you beat him outside Firelink Shrine. Lion Knight Albert is also an option if you didn’t take the Basin of Vows.
Best weapons:
Deep Battle Axe works great here. It does Dark Damage, which Vordt is weak to.
Rewards:
You get his soul. Once he’s down, you can use the Lothric Banner to reach Undead Settlement.
What makes him tough:
He’s fast. He doesn’t give you space. New players often drain stamina dodging and get caught off guard. Watch your stamina bar.
Curse-Rotted Greatwood
This is the first optional boss you can fight early in the game. It’s found in the Undead Settlement, inside a decaying arena filled with undead worshippers. At first, it looks like a giant dead tree. Then it moves.
The Curse-Rotted Greatwood is one of the Dark Souls 3 bosses that surprises players with how unique it is. It’s a massive, disgusting tree covered in sacks. These egg-like sacks are your targets. Hitting normal limbs does almost nothing. To do real damage, aim for the weak points — they’re on the legs, belly, back, and arms.
The first phase is simple. The tree smashes the floor, rolls from side to side, and flattens its worshippers. Let it kill the adds for you. Once enough sacs are broken, the floor collapses. You fall into a pit. That’s when phase two begins.
In this new phase, it grows an arm from its torso. This limb swings in slow, huge arcs. It can slam down, sweep across, or roll across the arena. It also drops acid that damages your gear, so don’t stand in it.
Best way to beat it:
Use a long weapon. Fire works well. Focus only on hitting sacs. In phase two, back off after each combo. Don’t get greedy.
What you get:
The Soul of the Rotted Greatwood and the Transposing Kiln. This kiln is needed to trade boss souls for powerful gear.
Warning:
If you want to join the Mound-Makers covenant, do it before this fight. If you kill the boss first, it becomes harder to join later.
Crystal Sage
After traveling through the Road of Sacrifices, you’ll find the entrance to Crucifixion Woods. This is where you fight the Crystal Sage, a spell-casting boss who makes the fight more about movement and precision than brute strength.
The Crystal Sage belongs to the list of all Dark Souls 3 bosses that throw magic at you. The Sage appears from the ground and launches a series of magic spells. Homing missiles, soul arrows, and crystal bursts come your way. At first, it’s manageable. He casts, you dodge, you hit him once or twice, and then he teleports.
At half health, it gets tricky. He summons clones. These look like him and fire weaker blue magic. The real boss fires purple spells. The clones go down in one hit, but if you ignore them, they will overwhelm you.
How to survive:
Stay mobile. Focus on the real Sage (watch the spell color). Use quick weapons or fire spells. Break the clones fast.
Weak to:
Fire and melee damage. Resistant to magic.
Reward:
You get the Soul of a Crystal Sage and unlock the path to Cathedral of the Deep.
Common mistake:
Don’t get greedy when he’s casting. Back off after two hits. Keep stamina for dodging.
Abyss Watchers
This is where the game gets serious. The Abyss Watchers are the first Lords of Cinder you’ll face. Found at the end of Farron Keep, they are one of the most iconic fights in the game.
Among Dark Souls 3 bosses ranked for theme and music, this one hits hard. At first, it looks like a one-on-one duel. But soon, more Watchers rise. They all fight like the first — fast, deadly, aggressive. One of them will get red eyes and attack the others. That’s your chance. Let them fight each other and pick your moment.
After the first body goes down, the soul moves to another body. Now the second phase begins. The new Abyss Watcher has a flaming sword and far more aggression. His combos can kill you in one or two hits if you’re not careful.
Strategy:
Use the chaos of phase one. Let the red-eyed one distract the others. Save Estus. In phase two, dodge toward him. Stay on his right side. Bait his fire spin, then punish.
Who can help:
You can summon Sirris, Black Hand Gotthard, or Yellowfinger Heysel if questlines are active.
What you get:
You earn the Soul of the Blood of the Wolf and Cinders of a Lord, needed to continue to the Catacombs.
Why this fight stands out:
The music. The pacing. The way the fight becomes more personal in phase two. It feels like a proper duel with everything at stake.
Deacons of the Deep
You’ll find this boss inside the Cathedral of the Deep. It looks easy at first. A room filled with slow-moving priests swinging candles doesn’t seem too bad. But the Deacons of the Deep are not just one enemy. They are a group that works together as one boss.
This one often appears in discussions around Dark Souls 3 bosses ranked by uniqueness. The room is packed with enemies. Only one is the real target at any moment — the one glowing red. You must fight your way through the mob and attack that one. Once it dies, the red glow passes to another. After a few rounds, phase two begins.
In phase two, the Archdeacon takes over. He becomes the only valid target, but now he’s surrounded by strong blue-robed deacons who push you back and heal him. The boss also emits a curse aura — if the curse bar fills up, you die instantly.
Strategy:
Use wide-swinging weapons or AoE magic. Rush the red-glowing one. In phase two, consider taking out the blue-robed healers first.
Tips:
Equip the Hollowslayer Greatsword. Use Alluring Skulls to distract the crowd. Avoid standing still — the curse builds fast.
Why it matters:
You must beat them to get the Small Doll — an item that lets you pass through the magic barrier at Irithyll.
High Lord Wolnir
At the end of the Catacombs of Carthus, you find a goblet. Touch it, and you’re pulled into darkness. Out of that void crawls High Lord Wolnir, a giant skeleton surrounded by death fog and dark power.
High Lord Wolnir is part of the full Dark Souls 3 bosses list and brings a shift in scale and pacing. He is huge. But the trick is to destroy his golden bracelets. Each one removes a large portion of his health. He can be killed normally, but it’s much slower and riskier.
He attacks with huge arm sweeps and slams. He also summons a sword and skeletons. Most dangerous of all is the black fog from his chest. Stay in that fog too long and you’ll die in seconds.
How to survive:
Stay near his arms. Watch the ground. Break each bracelet one at a time. After one breaks, back off and reset your position.
Tips:
Use strike damage. Equip a weapon with good poise-breaking. Don’t run to the back of the arena — the fog and walls will trap you.
Reward:
You get the Soul of High Lord Wolnir, and access to Irithyll of the Boreal Valley.
Read More: Hogwarts Legacy Door Puzzle Guide
Old Demon King
The Old Demon King is hidden deep in Smouldering Lake, past the Carthus sandworm. This boss is the last of the great demons. Surrounded by corpses, he burns with the last embers of his kind.
While not required, he still counts in the full list of ds3 dlc bosses and offers a strong fire-based fight. The Old Demon King uses a flaming hammer, breathes lava, throws fireballs, and unleashes fiery shockwaves. Every part of the arena becomes dangerous.
At low health, he enters a final state of rage. His attacks deal more damage, but he starts to stagger more often. This is your moment — push the attack before he can kill you.
Strategy:
Stay close but don’t get greedy. Watch the fire ring attack. Use fire-resistant gear. Equip a shield if needed, but dodging is better.
Weaknesses:
He’s weak to Dark damage and Black Knight weapons. Don’t bother with poison or frost.
Help available:
Summon Knight Slayer Tsorig or Great Swamp Cuculus to help if you’re struggling.
Reward:
You receive the Soul of the Old Demon King, and a powerful feeling — you just ended a whole bloodline of demons.
Pontiff Sulyvahn
When you reach Irithyll of the Boreal Valley, you’re heading into one of the toughest fights in the game. Pontiff Sulyvahn isn’t just a boss. He’s a wall. If you can’t read his attacks, he will crush you.
He comes at you with two swords — one on fire, the other glowing with magic. From the moment the fight starts, he doesn’t stop. His combos are fast, long, and brutal. If you try to heal in the middle of them, you’ll get caught.
At half health, he summons a phantom clone that copies his moves with a delay. Now, dodging one attack is not enough. You have to dodge twice — once for each version of the same strike.
Strategy:
Stick close. Dodge his first swing, then punish. Ignore the clone unless you stagger it. If you move too far away, he uses teleport slashes and ranged attacks.
Tips:
Use poise-heavy armor and interruptive weapons. If you’re using a shield, watch for stamina drain.
Rewards:
You earn the Soul of Pontiff Sulyvahn and unlock the path to Anor Londo.
Summons:
You can summon Anri, Gotthard, and Londor Pale Shade depending on your quest progress.
Yhorm the Giant
Yhorm the Giant is a Lord of Cinder, but he’s different from most bosses. This fight is more about solving a puzzle than pure combat.
Yhorm is massive. He hits hard and has a huge health bar. But there’s a catch. In the room, you’ll find a sword called the Storm Ruler. This weapon has a special ability. If you charge it up and release it, it fires a powerful wind blast that cuts through Yhorm like paper.
Without the Storm Ruler, the fight is almost impossible for non-magic builds. With it, you can finish the fight in five hits.
Strategy:
Grab the Storm Ruler, charge it by holding L2, then fire with R2. Watch his swings and reposition after each shot. It’s all about timing.
Summons:
If you followed Siegward of Catarina’s quest, he’ll appear and help fight with his own Storm Ruler.
Important:
This fight is not optional. Yhorm must be defeated to progress.
Reward:
You get Cinders of a Lord and the Soul of Yhorm the Giant.
Aldrich, Devourer of Gods
Aldrich is found in the ruins of Anor Londo. His form is twisted — he uses the body of Gwyndolin like a puppet, with a lower half made of sludge and bones.
He’s often included among the hardest bosses in Dark Souls 3. Aldrich casts soul spears, dark arrows, and homing magic. He teleports around the arena and emerges from the ground without warning. His most feared move is the arrow rain — a barrage of homing arrows that can kill you instantly if you don’t sprint away at the right moment.
In phase two, Aldrich gains fire. His spells become stronger, and his melee strikes deal extra damage.
Strategy:
Stay mid-range and circle. Roll through soul spears, sprint from arrows, and punish his back or head. Don’t stand still.
Weaknesses:
He’s weak to fire, thrust, and lightning.
Reward:
You receive Cinders of a Lord, the Soul of Aldrich, and access to the next part of Lothric Castle.
Dancer of the Boreal Valley
The Dancer of the Boreal Valley moves like she’s underwater — slow, flowing, but deadly. Her timing is unpredictable, and her range is massive.
This boss is a standout when listing Dark Souls 3 DLC bosses by atmosphere and design. You’ll fight her either after defeating three Lords of Cinder or earlier if you kill Emma.
She starts with a single flame sword, spinning and slashing with wide swings. It’s not about speed. It’s about throwing off your timing. At half health, she draws her second sword, turning into a dual-wielding nightmare. She now performs multi-directional combos that cover the entire arena.
Best strategy:
Stay close, on her right side. Her left swings will often miss you. Wait out the spin combos, then hit once or twice. Repeat.
Weaknesses:
She’s weak to strike, dark, and lightning. Use quick weapons and burst her down during her recovery animations.
Reward:
You get the Soul of the Dancer and gain access to Lothric Castle.
Dragonslayer Armour
This boss stands at the gates of the Grand Archives. The Dragonslayer Armour is not a man — it’s an empty shell animated by the Pilgrim Butterflies above. Still, it’s one of the hardest fights before the final phase of the game.
This is one of the Dark Souls 3 bosses that becomes harder due to the environment. He fights with a huge axe and shield. The axe does lightning damage, while the shield can knock you off the bridge. In phase two, the Butterflies start firing fireballs and dark projectiles into the arena.
Strategy:
Bait out combos and move behind him. Get a couple of hits, then move out. Watch for the butterfly spells.
Weaknesses:
He’s weak to frost, strike, and dark damage. Don’t use lightning — he resists it.
Reward:
You earn the Soul of Dragonslayer Armour and can now enter the final game zones.
Oceiros, the Consumed King
Oceiros is found in the Consumed King’s Garden, a hidden area beneath Lothric Castle. This boss feels like a twisted experiment gone wrong. He’s a mutated, dragon-like figure who crawls on all fours and speaks to a child who isn’t there.
Among the list of Dark Souls 3 bosses ranked by strangeness, Oceiros stands out. He starts slow, using his staff to swing and charge at you. In phase two, he becomes more aggressive, crawling wildly and breathing frost.
Strategy:
Stay near his back legs during the first phase. In phase two, dodge sideways when he charges and punish during his recovery.
Weaknesses:
He’s vulnerable to fire and lightning.
Reward:
You receive the Soul of Consumed Oceiros and gain access to the Path of the Dragon — the route to Archdragon Peak.
Champion Gundyr
Champion Gundyr is an alternate version of the game’s tutorial boss, Iudex Gundyr. He appears in the Untended Graves, a dark reflection of the starting area. This version hits much harder and doesn’t give you time to breathe.
This fight earns its place in the discussion around the Dark Souls 3 hardest boss encounters. He’s faster, more aggressive, and his combos are longer and deadlier.
Strategy:
Dodge toward him during his wind-ups. Learn his kick and shoulder bash timing — those are your punish windows. Stay close and circle.
Weakness:
He’s weak to parries and high poise-damage weapons.
Reward:
You get the Soul of Champion Gundyr and access to a mirrored version of Firelink Shrine.
Lorian and Lothric: Twin Princes
The final Lords of Cinder are the Twin Princes, and they’re not going down without a fight.
First, you face Lorian, a flaming knight with teleportation powers. He slashes with a flaming greatsword and teleports mid-combo. The challenge here is not just his strength, but his ability to appear behind you instantly.
Once Lorian goes down, Lothric, his younger brother, appears and rides on his back. Now, Lorian keeps attacking while Lothric casts homing light spells. To win, you have to kill both at the same time — otherwise, Lothric revives his brother with partial health.
Strategy:
Focus on Lorian. Use a weapon that can hit both brothers. Roll into Lorian’s teleports. Save your strongest weapons for phase two.
Weakness:
Lothric is weak to lightning, strike, and bleed. Lorian is resistant to fire but can be staggered with heavy weapons.
Summons:
You can call Gotthard or Sirris if they survived earlier quests.
Reward:
You receive the final Cinders of a Lord and unlock the way to the Kiln of the First Flame.
Ancient Wyvern
The Ancient Wyvern is found in Archdragon Peak and is more of a puzzle fight than a test of skill. He’s one of the easiest entries in the full Dark Souls 3 bosses list if you know the trick.
You don’t beat him in a straight fight. Instead, you navigate the battlefield, running past enemies and climbing towers. At the top, you perform a plunge attack that kills him instantly.
Strategy:
Don’t engage him directly. Follow the path upward and avoid unnecessary fights. Once above him, drop for the one-hit kill.
Reward:
You earn the Dragon Head Stone and can proceed deeper into Archdragon Peak.
Nameless King
The Nameless King is found at the end of Archdragon Peak. He’s widely considered one of the hardest bosses in Dark Souls 3 and in the entire Souls series. The fight is split into two brutal phases.
Phase one has you fight the King of the Storm, a massive flying drake. In phase two, the Nameless King fights alone with a massive storm sword, delivering fast, devastating attacks and lightning blasts.
Strategy:
In phase one, lock onto the drake’s head and dodge before attacks land. In phase two, stay mid-range, bait out swings, and punish his recovery.
Weaknesses:
He’s weak to lightning resist and strong against fire.
Reward:
You earn the Soul of the Nameless King — one of the most prestigious victories in all Dark Souls 3 boss fights.
Soul of Cinder
This is the final boss of the base game. The Soul of Cinder is found at the Kiln of the First Flame. He represents every Lord who ever linked the fire before you, and he fights like all of them combined.
In phase one, he switches between four styles: a standard sword user, a sorcerer, a pyromancer, and a spear-wielding miracle caster. One minute he’s swinging a sword, the next he’s throwing lightning or fire or parrying your attack.
In phase two, everything changes. The music shifts to Gwyn’s theme. His moves are faster, stronger, and now flame-based. He slams the ground, grabs you, and follows up with explosive fire attacks.
Best strategy:
In phase one, back off when he switches forms. Punish during weapon changes. In phase two, stay close and dodge through his swings. Only heal after his long animations.
Weakness:
He’s weak to lightning and dark. Equip fire-resistant gear and roll with perfect timing.
Reward:
You earn the Soul of the Lords. The choice to link the fire or walk away is now yours.
Champion’s Gravetender and Gravetender Greatwolf
This boss fight is part of the Dark Souls 3 DLC bosses and appears in the Ashes of Ariandel expansion. You access it through the Depths of the Painted World. At first, the battle seems easy — just a lone warrior with a shield and sword. But that’s only the beginning.
Once the Gravetender drops to half health, the Greatwolf joins in. Now it becomes a full-on two-on-one. The wolf is massive, fast, and brutal. The Gravetender keeps attacking while the wolf lunges, leaps, and breathes frost.
Many players place this among the DS3 DLC bosses that can catch you off guard if you don’t know the phase switch. The difficulty isn’t in the mechanics — it’s in the coordination needed to survive two aggressive enemies working together.
Strategy:
Take down the Gravetender quickly before the wolf arrives. Use a high burst weapon. When the wolf appears, stay mobile. Dodge sideways and punish during the wolf’s leap recovery. Save Estus for the second half.
Weaknesses:
Both are weak to lightning and strike damage. The wolf is also vulnerable during roar and leap wind-ups.
Reward:
You earn the Soul of the Gravetender and Greatwolf. This unlocks frost-based weapons and brings you one step closer to the final challenges in the Painted World.
Sister Friede (Ashes of Ariandel)
This boss is a three-part nightmare. Found in the Painted World of Ariandel, Sister Friede brings elegance and brutality in equal measure.
In phase one, it’s a one-on-one duel. She uses an ice scythe and vanishes into the air before striking you from behind. She’s quick, deceptive, and precise.
In phase two, Father Ariandel smashes the arena with fire while Friede continues her icy assault. It’s a two-on-one fight filled with chaos and overlapping attacks.
Phase three is where it all peaks. Friede returns from the dead, now cloaked in blackflame. She moves faster, her range increases, and her power doubles. Survive all three stages, and you’ll walk away a legend.
Strategy:
Roll behind her ice swipes. Watch for the snow trail when she vanishes. In phase three, hug her sides and avoid the blackflame waves.
Weakness:
She’s vulnerable to strike and fire damage. Use fast weapons. Don’t waste stamina on long combos.
Reward:
You get the Soul of Sister Friede and access to the final Painted World lore.
Demon Princes (The Ringed City)
This fight begins with two demons in a scorched arena — Demon in Pain and Demon from Below. They share the same aggressive energy and rotate fire attacks and poison lunges. Managing both is a test of crowd control and endurance.
Once one dies, the other revives as the Demon Prince. Now it’s a true boss fight. He flies, launches lasers, summons flame storms, and slams you from the sky.
Best strategy:
Damage both demons equally in phase one so neither gets too strong. When the Prince appears, stay behind him and dodge his beams.
Weakness:
They’re weak to lightning, slash, and frost. Buff your weapon before the second phase starts.
Summons:
Lapp is available if his quest is active. He can help split the demons’ aggro.
Reward:
You earn the Soul of the Demon Prince and push deeper into the Ringed City.
Halflight, Spear of the Church
This fight takes place in The Ringed City. Halflight is part of the final wave of Dark Souls 3 DLC bosses. He is summoned to defend the Church by Filianore’s decree. What makes this fight unique is that the boss can be a real player.
If no player is summoned, Halflight is AI-controlled, using magic, a sword, and evasive tactics. He fights defensively and calls in Church Guardians to help.
Strategy:
Ignore the Guardians until Halflight is vulnerable. Roll through his spells, close the gap, and pressure him before he teleports.
Reward:
You receive the Soul of Halflight and get closer to the final stretch of The Ringed City.
Darkeater Midir
This is one of the hardest bosses not just in Dark Souls 3 — but in the entire series. Darkeater Midir is an optional boss found deep in The Ringed City, but if you’re after the full experience, this fight is unmissable.
Midir is a huge black dragon, once tasked with consuming the Abyss. Now, he’s corrupted by it. He moves fast, his health pool is massive, and nearly every attack can one-shot you.
He uses fire breath, tail sweeps, claws, and dark lasers. One of his deadliest moves is an aerial laser blast that wipes out everything in front of him.
Strategy:
Stick to his belly, dodge his stomps, and wait for him to finish a combo. Attack once or twice, then reposition. When he takes off, run sideways.
Tips:
Do not lock on. Midir’s size and angles make manual camera control more reliable. Equip gear with high fire and dark resistance.
Weakness:
He’s weak to lightning, especially on the head. But getting hits there is risky. Use long-range lightning miracles if possible.
Reward:
You get the Soul of Darkeater Midir, which you can use to create powerful weapons or spells. You also earn one of the game’s greatest victories.
Slave Knight Gael
This is it. The final boss of The Ringed City DLC — and of Dark Souls 3 as a whole. Slave Knight Gael is the last fight at the end of the world. The sky is ash. The earth is dead. And your opponent is a broken knight with nothing left but his mission.
In phase one, Gael fights with a greatsword. His attacks include dash slashes, lunges, and fast combos. He’s quick and aggressive, and he doesn’t let up.
In phase two, Gael consumes the Dark Soul. His cloak tears apart and he gains new powers: red lightning, soul shards, AoE bursts, and blood projectiles. He moves faster. He hits harder. And his reach is terrifying.
In phase three, the arena glows red and Gael becomes even more unpredictable. He fires projectiles from the sky and sends dark waves through the ground.
Strategy:
Stay close during phase one. Learn his leap slash — it’s your window to punish. In later phases, roll through red lightning and strike from his flanks. Never get greedy. Heal only after long animations.
Weakness:
Gael is weak to strike and frost damage. Fast, stamina-efficient weapons work best.
Reward:
You receive the Blood of the Dark Soul and the Soul of Slave Knight Gael — the last soul you’ll ever collect in this journey.
Why it matters:
Gael isn’t evil. He carried the painter’s hope across a dying world. Killing him isn’t a triumph — it’s the end of a legacy.
Conclusion
That’s the full list of Dark Souls 3 bosses and how to beat them. Take your time, learn each pattern, and don’t give up.
Good luck, Ashen One.
