Summary

Dark Soulsis a series full ofamazing and difficult boss fightsthat will push players to their very limits. Players relish the idea of taking out these imposing challenges by employing everything they’ve learned to survive by the skin of their teeth.

However, some bosses in theDark Soulstrilogy boast gimmicks that must be worked around for players to defeat these foes. Most of these gimmick battles can be annoying, but certain puzzle bosses inDark Soulsare more engaging than they have any right to be.

executioners-chariot-dark-souls-2 (1)

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dark-souls-3-yhorm-the-giant-boss

Drops

Executioner’s Chariot Soul

Dark Souls 2may be lambasted for an overabundance of boss fights, but there’s no denying that some of these challenges are fun to take on. Such is the case against the Executioner’s Chariot, an imposing boss fight who looks pretty intimidating until players know how to deal with this boss.

First off, players should take out the necromancers reanimating the skeletons in this boss fight before raising a gate that the chariot crashes into to lose its rider. After this,the second phase of the battlebecomes a traditional boss fight where players must read their enemy’s telegraphed attacks and make the most of the damage windows afforded to them.

High Lord Wolnir in Dark Souls 3

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Dark Souls Ceaseless Discharge standing next to the player

Soul of Yhorm the Giant, Cinders of a Lord

Dark Souls 3had some serious guts to turn a fight against a Lord of Cinder into a boss fight.Despite being rather slow, Yhorm the Giant boasts impressive defense and seems downright impossible to defeat without a protracted battle unless players pay attention to the lore and figure out how to defeat this boss.

Players must find the Storm Ruler and use its special attack to incapacitate this boss in no time. If players made progress in the Siegward of Catarina questline, then he’ll arrive to assist the Ashen One too.

dark souls 3 ancient wyvern

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DS2 Burnt Ivory King

Soul of High Lord Wolnir

A sinister boss fight who’s easier than fans anticipate, players must understand the gimmick of the boss arena when facing High Lord Wolnir. They must stay in the light and not succumb to the darkness, since doing so can lead to them dying after taking too much damage.

Players smash his bangles to deal damage, with the boss being relatively easy to handle as long as they avoid his slow attacks. As easy as this boss may be in the eyes of many, High Lord Wolnir is a bit of a pushover once players work around his gimmick.

Dark Souls Tag Page Cover Art

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Dark Souls Player faces off against the Demon Firesage in Demon Ruins

Humanity, Homeward Bone, Gold-Hemmed Black Armor

Ceaseless Discharge can seem a bit too hard when players step into this boss arena for the first time, with this massive foe smashing players with high-damage attacks that give them no time to breathe. However, once players see how far back the Fog Gate is, they will figure outanother easy way to exploit this boss' gimmick.

All players need to do is run back to the start of the arena, prompting Ceaseless Discharge to leap towards them only to miss the landing and hang by one arm. After hitting this appendage a few times, Ceaseless Discharge’s grip weakens and he falls to his doom not long after.

dark souls knight artorias

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dark souls 2011 taurus demon

Dragon Head Stone

Despite the boss being killed rather easily, fans can’t help but appreciate how epic the encounter against the Ancient Wyvern is. MostDark Soulsfans will have a weakness for dragons, and the seemingly impossible hurdle put up by this boss may make it seem that there’s no way to get past this threat.

However, once players see the suspiciously-placed ladders in the arena, they’ll figure out that they need to climb up and position themselves above the Ancient Wyvern to unleash a plunging attack that takes out this boss for good. It’s a fun gimmick that serves as a throwback to the same move that players are encouraged to pull off against the Asylum and Taurus Demon inDark Souls.

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Soul of the Ivory King

An example of a good gimmick boss fight that doesn’t skimp out on the challenge, players who don’t enter this boss fight with at least three Loyce Knights will be in for a rough time. They’ll be bombarded by a wave of Charred Loyce Knights for a while before the Burnt Ivory King makes an appearance.

However, if players find and recruit the Loyce Knights before this encounter, they’ll sacrifice themselves to seal the portals spawning the Charred Loyce Knights. This causes the boss to spawn sooner, initiatingan epic and difficult encounterthat will pushDark Souls 2players to their limits.