71. Dragonrider (Dark Souls II)

Dragonrider is a classic example of a BGBSBW boss. What is BGBSBW? It’s an abbreviation I just now established for “Big guy, big shield, big weapon.” It’s a classic boss archetype that’s actually one of the more reliable sources of boss fight entertainment in the series.

Dragonrider is a fairly standard example of this type, though he does have one interesting twist in the form of a collapsing arena that falls away as you deal more damage. It’s not much, but it does add a nice level of difficulty to this fight, considering that you typically beat these guys by circling around them. By making that process more difficult, this boss fight is made more memorable.

70. Royal Rat Authority (Dark Souls II)

While I’m not entirely sure what the obsession with rats was while designing the Dark Souls II bosses, I will say that Royal Rat Authority is a significant improvement over the Royal Rat Vanguard.

That said, damn this is one annoying fight. Royal Rat Authority has a variety of frustrating attacks at his disposal and their pattern tends to be somewhat erratic. Complicating matters is the presence of his minions, whom the game never seems to want to let you lock onto properly when absolutely necessary. It’s the kind of annoying fight that’s actually fairly memorable because of it, but I wouldn’t put the encounter in the Souls hall of fame by any means.

69. Vordt Of The Boreal Valley (Dark Souls III)

Every Dark Souls game has at least one boss designed to serve as a kind of ramping up point for the game’s difficulty curve. They’re the fights that force you to abandon whatever comfortable strategies you may have been using until this point and truly learn to adapt to what the game is handing you.

Vordt of the Boreal Valley isn’t the best of those fights, but it is a perfect example of the concept. This fight has a decent set-up and that perfect level of difficulty that forces you to be at your best without making you feel like you’ve been cheated.

68. The Rotten (Dark Souls II)

So far as this fight goes, I will admit that it is similar to the other “massive blobs” encounters. I will say that The Rotten is the most mobile of the immobile mass enemies mentioned to this point.

What is great about The Rotten, though, is his design. Made up of a mass of human bodies, the rotten is carried along by the arms of his damned and apparently stores his giant cleaver within himself. He looks like the final form a horror movie demon might take and is capable of taking you down quite easily if you’re caught staring at his design too long.

67. Aldrich, Devourer Of Gods (Dark Souls III)

This is a tough fight to rank. On the one hand, the fight itself is merely ok. Aldrich loves to use spam magic attacks and cheap, quick attacks which are usually big no-nos in terms of truly great Souls boss fights. However, the Aldrich fight benefits greatly from the lore behind the battle.

Given that the Souls games never demand you care about their lore, there’s a good chance that many players won’t get much out of this fight. Those that dig deeper, though, will surely appreciate how Aldrich’s story ties into the stories of Gwyndolin, Smough, Anor Lando, and Prince Lothric.

66. Armor Spider (Demon’s Souls)

The Armor Spider fight is an interesting one from a combat standpoint. Taking place in a narrow mineshaft, you must pursue the armor spider down a corridor while trying to avoid its attacks as best as you are able. It’s a fascinating study of the effect of claustrophobia in a Souls fight.

Unfortunately, the fight itself doesn’t quite measure up to the concept, as the battle only proves to really take advantage of your surroundings through very specific attacks. Generally speaking, this is a fairly simple boss design-wise. Still, it’s certainly a memorable encounter.

65. Elana, the Squalid Queen (Dark Souls II)

When you first approach Elana, she is standing quietly at an altar with her back to you. Slowly, she turns your way and becomes one of the few Dark Souls bosses to actually speak directly to you by informing you that “You are not worthy of the mire.” In typical Dark Souls fashion, these words will mean nothing to most players, but the intro does an effective job in conveying the presence of the Squalid Queen.

Sadly, the fight itself is a fairly standard affair. Elana can shoot magic and summon skeletons with the best of them, but this is a fairly generic boss fight that again speaks to Dark Souls II’s overreliance on boss encounters.

64. Ancient Dragon (Dark Souls II)

Like any good dark fantasy series, Dark Souls has a bit of a love affair with dragons. Some of these dragon encounters are great (we’ll get to those soon enough) and some are less than spectacular, but by and large, they tend to represent at least some good qualities of a Dark Souls boss fight.

Ancient Dragon represents the value of character in a Dark Souls fight. As a particularly old dragon, this boss doesn’t exactly make the greatest effort to see you killed, but what its fighting style lacks in challenge it makes up for in personality.

63. Vanguard (Demon’s Souls)

As the tutorial boss in Demon’s Souls, Vanguard is there to teach players a very valuable lesson that they will carry with them throughout the rest of the franchise. These games hate you and care more about seeing how your face expresses confused misery than they do entertaining you.

While Vanguard can technically be killed, most first time players will die fairly quickly and find that the game doesn’t truly start until they do. While later Souls bosses would do a better job in the valuable first boss role, Vanguard was a tremendous introduction to the nature of Demon’s Souls and eventually the franchise at large.

62. Blue Dragon (Demons’ Souls)

Blue Dragon is a perfect example of style over substance in a boss fight. This battle is an incredibly simple – some would argue tedious – affair that doesn’t come close to testing the considerable skills the player will have acquired by the time that they encounter this dragon in Demon’s Souls.

But damn is this a cool fight. Taking place upon the ruins of an ancient castle, this is the picture perfect atmosphere you always imagined when fighting a dragon. The Blue Dragon itself does an excellent job of fighting like you’d want a dragon to fight. It’s a little disappointing that the combat isn’t more epic, but this scratches that dragon fight itch in a big way.

61. Adjudicator (Demon’s Souls)

Of all the hulking masses in the Soulsborne series, I have a particular fondness for Adjudicator. Maybe that’s because he was one of the first of his kind, but the bosses’ broken weapon and ghoulish design do a fair job of announcing him as a threat. The fight itself does a good job of validating those claims, as the small space you have to work, combined with his sweeping style of attacks, can easily turn him into a nightmare worthy of his frightful appearance.

60. Dark Sun Gwyndolin (Dark Souls)

Dark Sun Gwyndolin is one of those bosses that becomes even more interesting when you really dive into the lore of the series. As the last god of Anor Londo, Gwyndolin has learned to become a master illusionist in order to preserve certain mystiques of the famed city.

She uses these tricks in her battle against you and also harkens back to the Armor Spider fight, as you must pursue Gwyndolin down a hall in order to finish her. Again, the unique nature of the pursuit isn’t fully taken advantage of and the fight itself is largely – though appropriately – window dressing, but it is a visually stunning encounter dripping in story.

59. Gaping Dragon (Dark Souls)

If personality goes a long way in making a Souls boss fight great, then the visual design can run the whole race. A cool-looking boss can overcome a lot of weaknesses in the fight.

The Gaping Dragon fight is actually a pretty solid one, but even if it weren’t, this imposing monstrosity and its constantly agape jaw filled with sword-like teeth that encompass nearly its entire being would still find itself a few spots higher on the list than most. Gaping Dragon will stick to your memories long after you’ve beaten it.

58. Ceaseless Discharge (Dark Souls)

Despite being named after the worst sounding STD ever – or perhaps because of it – Ceaseless Discharge proves to be a fairly memorable encounter. This giant beast bathed in flame and smoke accomplishes the first job of a Souls boss: making you say “Holy shit” with relative ease. This monstrosity uses its many arms and deadly fires to make quick work of even the best Dark Souls players. Well…ideally, anyway, as there is a fairly simple trick to beating him that most are quick to discover. It’s still a great design, though.

57. Iudex Gundyr (Dark Souls III)

It’s not easy being the first boss in a Souls game. They’ve got to welcome the player to the game in typical Souls fashion without being so tough that they’re discouraging. At the same time, they can’t overshadow what is to come.

Gundyr isn’t the best first boss in series history, but he’s not far off. The set-up to this fight – a statue picks up its spear and prepares for war – is fantastic and the battle is a great way for veterans and new players to get into a rhythm before the really tough stuff begin.

56. Lud and Zallen, the King’s Pets (Dark Souls II)

Amid a blinding snowstorm, the beast of darkness known as Lud descends upon you. From his first burst of magic missiles and quick strikes, he makes it clear that you are not in for an easy fight. It’s a statement that becomes all the more imposing when his twin brother, Zallen, joins the fray after you do a little too much damage to Lud.

This is certainly a case of a multiple boss fight done right. Not only is the atmosphere and combat incredible, but the relationship between the two bosses, as well as with a boss that you’ll fight later in the game, adds a sense of scope to this fight that you should get from the best Dark Souls bosses.

55. Velstadt, The Royal Aegis (Dark Souls II)

Draped in the golden armor of a Spartan king and wielding a gilded mace that’s as big as he is, Velstadt is an absolutely imposing figure that is somehow even tougher than he looks. This boss’s range of attack is frightening and the speed at which he arrives there is even worse. Try to hide behind the pillars in the room and you’ll find them quickly turned to dust with you shortly joining them.

A great boss fight tests your skills without feeling cheap. While Velstadt’s incredible athleticism and dominating power leave him very few weaknesses, there is a pattern here for the player to discover and exploit in such a way as to best him. Doing so is a great feeling, though it carries with it a ping of regret for seeing a great boss go.

54. Guardian Dragon (Dark Souls II)

Trapped like a rat in his cage, you encounter Guardian Dragon trapped in his…ummm…cage. This giant canary cage will soon become your prison, as you face a dragon that seems especially pissed off at his predicament.

The confines of this dragon fight certainly help to add to its grandeur, but the boss itself proves to be one of the more lovably traditional dragons in the series. He’s spry, he flies, he breathes fire, and he does it all while forcing you to make the most of your slightly limited space to beat him. This isn’t the greatest of the Souls dragon fights, but it’s a fairly good standard for them.

53. Iron Golem (Dark Souls)

After dodging the many traps, tricks, and general troll antics that plague Sen’s Fortress, you would think that finally making it to the top of that twisted domain and going face to face with a lumbering iron guardian would be a welcome change of pace.

Instead, the Iron Golem proves to be the last trap of the fortress, as his absurdly high health pool and fondness for taking half of your life in a single hit become immediately apparent. There are summon and elemental options that can make this fight a bit easier, but if you’re going in solo, then you will find a tough – but doable – fight ahead of you.

52. Dancer Of The Boreal Valley (Dark Souls III)

The next few bosses from Dark Souls 3 are difficult to rank given the degrees of excellence that separate them. The Dancer of the Boreal Valley fight is odd in that the boss itself doesn’t move particularly fast. However, if you happen to get caught by one of his attacks, he launches into a swift flurry of follow-up swings that will likely kill you an instant.

That system makes defensive strategies more important than ever, which will either drive you crazy or make you appreciate the simplistic beauty of this battle. Regardless, it’s a clever boss battle.

51. Manus, Father of the Abyss (Dark Souls)

Although the text specifically refers to his elemental standings, I’m always fond of pointing to the section of the Dark Souls guide on Manus that simply states: “Weaknesses: None”

As the final boss of the Dark Souls expansion, Manus most certainly holds his own against the difficulty of any fight that has come before by giving players a fight that will ask absolutely everything of them. Unless you have built specific character skills to insane degrees, you can be guaranteed that you will be pounding your fists in frustration at least once before the Father of the Abyss finally goes down.

50. Old Dragonslayer (Dark Souls II)

Ah, now here is a callback that I can certainly get behind. Old Dragonslayer is little more than a gussied up version of Dragonslayer Ornstein from Dark Souls, but do not be so quick to believe your fight against him will tread the same ground. Even without the help of his best good friend, Executioner Smough, Old Dragonslayer proves to be a more than worthy opponent on his own, thanks to his blinding speed and incredible attack range via his spear.

49. Champion Gundyr (Dark Souls III)

Champion Gundyr is one of the few instances of a repeated boss in a Souls game done well. As the more “advanced’ version of the first boss in Dark Souls 3, Champion Gundyr brilliantly expands upon everything the game’s excellent first boss fight does well while standing on his own as an excellent encounter.

The one possible knock against this boss is that it skirts that line between “cheap” and “tough.” His attacks are insanely fast and perhaps a touch too powerful. Still, every Souls game needs a fight or two like that, and Champion Gundyr is a great example of the style.

48. Demon in Pain & Demon From Below & Demon Prince (Dark Souls III)

Considering how high the bar is for multiple enemy boss fights in the Souls universe, there’s no room for a multi-foe fight that feels anything less than special. Fortunately, Demon Prince clears that bar.

What makes this boss fight work is how fair it is. That’s an odd compliment to pay to a Souls boss, but this is one of the few multi-opponent fights that doesn’t feel like it was designed just to make you angry. Instead, it’s a brilliant use of foes with complimenting styles that will challenge you without making you wish the fight was just over with.

47. Abyss Watchers (Dark Souls III)

It’s tempting to rank this boss fight much higher than this. The problem with this boss fight is that it ultimately plays out like a standard battle against a “dude with a sword.” My god, the man even utilizes flaming sword attacks.

The really, really cool thing about this fight, though, is the lore behind it. The Abyss Watchers are bound by some kind of curse that forces them to battle forever. In lieu of an actual opponent, they will just fight each other. The sight of these foes alternating between attacking you and each other is a wonderfully chaotic – and memorable – piece of boss design.

46. Soul Of Cinder (Dark Souls III)

Outside, of Bloodborne’s memorable final battle, there’s arguably no better final boss in the Souls universe than Soul of Cinder. That’s kind of a backhanded compliment, but it should take nothing away from the quality of this encounter.

Actually, Soul of Cinder is one of the best one-on-one battles against a single weapon-wielding boss in series history. Soul of Cinder’s ability to change his attack patterns based on what weapon he’s wielding means that players must be able to read and react in a way that even the most challenging of Souls fights don’t demand from you. It’s also kind of awesome to see Soul of Cinder adopt Gwyn’s moveset and music during the final phase.

45. Aava, the King’s Pet (Dark Souls II)

Aava is a white tiger in a snowstorm, and that alone makes this fight automatically pretty impressive. Aava fights in the way you would expect a tiger to fight, meaning a lot of incredibly deadly lunge attacks complemented by devastating AOE abilities and ice magic spells. You know, just like you expect a tiger to fight…in Dark Souls.

44. Darkeater Midir (Dark Souls III)

Dragons in Dark Souls DLC release have traditionally been humorously difficult. Darkeater Midir is arguably the most absurdly difficult of all the Dark Souls DLC dragons.

After spending quite a large portion of a level dodging Midir’s attacks, you finally get to do battle with him. At this point, you’ll likely discover that Midir can kill you in just a few hits while you don’t’ seem to be able to do much damage to him at all. However, across the multiple encounters that make up this fight, you’ll find that Midir is just as tough as he needs to be to make this boss feel as epic as he is.

43. The Last Giant (Dark Souls II)

Dark Souls II may have had a few too many boss fights, but they certainly started things off right with this encounter. The Last Giant is not particularly difficult in comparison to other first Souls bosses, but there is an emotional element to this encounter that elevates it above many others. The Last Giant’s painful wails tell a story of its tortured past and painful obligation to fight on once more. It’s a memorable showdown.

42. Darklurker (Dark Souls II)

Darklurker is a demonic angel that’s only accessible if certain conditions within the Pilgrims of Dark covenant are met. Like many bosses that Dark Souls hides deep within its adventure, he’s quite the challenge.

Darklurker is one of the best magic-based bosses in the franchise due in part to its incredible variety of attacks that follow a pretty erratic pattern. Taking down this foe can be done easily if you build your pyromancer attack to its highest level, but everyone else will soon discover why Dark Souls II was not eager to present Darklurker so openly.

41. Afflicted Graverobber, Ancient Soldier Varg, Cerah the Old Explorer (Dark Souls II)

There’s just something about bosses with great names, and I’ll be damned if this isn’t a memorable series of names.

Each of these bosses perfectly encapsulates the three kinds of deadly in Dark Souls. One is a highly skilled archer, one is a powerhouse bruiser, and the other is a speed-based assassin that will most likely kill you when you’re focusing on the other two. It’s a fantastic example of how to take full advantage of a multi-character fight setup.

40. King Vendrick (Dark Souls II)

Much like The Last Giant, a big part of what makes King Vendrick great is the implied story of the battle. This decrepit old king attacks you slowly with a great sword that was perhaps once as mighty as he was. Beating him isn’t a challenge from a combat standpoint, but getting past the emotion of having to topple a former great, as he enters one more fight for survival that he probably no longer wishes for, is a challenge in and of itself.

39. Demon of Song (Dark Souls II)

Although I’m not sure how a giant toad creature earned the title of Demon of Song, this is still one fascinating boss. The gimmick with this fight is that the Demon of Song is able to shield its skull-like face from the player by tucking into its armor skin. The only time it’s really vulnerable is when it is attacking you, which means that your dodging game has to be on point. It’s not that different from most fights in theory, but the fantastic visual design boss does the job of selling this fight as something special.

38. Nashandra (Dark Souls II)

This franchise has something of a reputation for the final boss in the game not being the best boss in the game (although we will get to a notable exception to that rule soon), and while that holds true for Nashandra, this is still a good fight.

After beating Throne Watcher and Throne Defender, you are immediately thrust into a battle with Nashandra. As if her giant scythe wasn’t a big enough issue, she also possesses some truly wicked dark magic that can kill you in an instant. The threat is real during this fight, which keeps you on your toes until the very end.

37. Maneater (Demon’s Souls)

Uh oh, here they come. It’s the Maneaters.

Couldn’t resist. As the first real Souls fight to force players to face multiple bosses at once, this encounter managed to frustrate the very best of players. Many players resort to fairly cheap measures to defeat them to this day. True joy comes from beating these painful reminders of just how much Demon’s Souls hates you.

36. Penetrator (Demon’s Souls)

Somewhat dubious naming aside, I have a soft spot in my heart for Penetrator because I have a soft spot in my heart for more traditional one-on-one boss fights, and this one is one of the very first – and best – in the series.

The penetrator is one of those bosses that just make you say, “What a badass,” the moment you see him. His massive blade is capable of covering an almost absurd amount of real estate, and he has the speed needed to punish those that think of running. Penetrator may not have many tricks up his sleeve, but he doesn’t need them to serve as one of the greatest bosses in the franchise.

35. Old King Allant (Demon’s Souls)

With his white and gold military outfit and angelic wings made of light, your first impression of the old king may be that he is a gentle soul fighting for good. In reality, he’s a real hard ass that’s fighting to kill you as soon as possible. Old King Allant’s attack pattern is a fairly simple one, but every move he uses is simply devastating. The range he is able to cover with his blade strikes and area attacks is simply absurd. Regardless, the set-up to this fight makes it feel so very suitable for a final encounter.

34. Fume Knight (Dark Souls II)

Fun fact about the Fume Knight: according to statistics released by From Software, he was responsible for more player deaths than any other boss in Dark Souls II and defeated 93% of challengers.

Beyond that astounding difficulty, a big part of what makes Fume Knight stand out is his giant smoke and flame sword, as well as his dark knight armor. This is one of those great fights where you really do have to die a few times before you stand a chance of beating this intimidating foe. As punishing as he may be, he never feels all that frustrating to fight, which is a tremendous accomplishment.

33. Black Dragon Kalameet (Dark Souls)

Though a part of me is glad that someone at From Software finally decided to make a dragon a contender for the toughest boss in the game, a larger part of me just hates Black Dragon Kalameet.

Kalameet is the kind of boss that would invite you out to dinner and then ask you to pick up the check. He’s just plain mean, and if his high health pool doesn’t get you down, the fact he can easily trap you into a number of killing moves will. Beating this boss makes you feel like you should feel after beating a legendary dragon.

32. Capra Demon (Dark Souls)

I love Souls fights that make you feel like you’re solving a little puzzle, and that’s exactly what we have here. As soon as you enter the Capra Demon’s tiny domain, you are attacked by both the Capra and his hell hounds. The challenge here is to discover how to defeat these fast moving enemies in such a tiny space while they are attacking you with uncommon ferocity. It’s a subtle concept, but it adds a lot to this fight, as most remember being caught off guard and instantly killed by this boss at least once.

31. Old Iron King (Dark Souls II)

Ah, now this is how you do a giant flaming demon in a pit of lava right. Old Iron King certainly isn’t the most difficult fight in the franchise, but the moment this hulking demon rises from the depths of a lava pool and stares you down, a sort of Zelda-like vibe washes over you. Like Amygdala, Old Iron King is a throwback boss in many ways that provides a welcome break from the series’ tendency to rely on more agile enemies.

30. Burnt Ivory King (Dark Souls II)

To borrow a comment I’ve heard elsewhere, what makes the fight against Burnt Ivory King so special is that it’s not really a fight at all. It’s a battle. It’s a war.

You start this battle by having to take down a legion of knights devoted to the king. Now unlike some other fights of this nature, what makes this one different is that the mob and the boss are not entirely separate. You must be able to manage both the mob and the Ivory King at the same time at some point even though they are arguably equally formidable. This slight twist to the formula results in a memorable battle with one of the game’s very best.

29. Pontiff Sulyvahn (Dark Souls III)

Another personal favorite of the Souls bosses, it’s hard to figure out exactly where to place Pontiff Sulyvahn. While it’s difficult to identify the individual elements that make him so special, it’s the way that everything comes together that makes this battle one of the best.

Not only is Pontiff Sulyvahn an incredibly important part of Dark Souls lore, but he’s one of the absolute toughest bosses in series history. Pontiff Sulyvahn’s elegant dual-sword attacks are a quick as they are deadly. His combos follow no easy-to-learn pattern and there’s almost no way to “cheese” him. In other words, he’s everything a Souls boss should be.

28. Executioner’s Chariot (Dark Souls II)

Sometimes Dark Souls can try too hard or get too cute with its more creative boss fights. While ambition is always admirable, the worst of these outside the box fights will just have you wishing for simpler times.

Executioner’s Chariot is a great creative boss fight, however. This giant Roman chariot piloted by a demon traverses a circular room and can instantly kill you if you get in its way. Defeating it is a matter of working your way up the room slowly until you are able to flip a switch that will derail the chariot and allow you to fight the tough demonic horses that pilot it.

27. Old Hero (Demon’s Souls)

Your mileage regarding the actual fight with Old Hero is going to depend on your use of an item known as the Thief’s Ring. With this ring, the fight is a rather easy one and without it the encounter is arguably one of the more difficult in the game.

Regardless of your decision, Old Hero manages to impress through his character. This blind behemoth glows radiantly from infused power and walks slowly just listening for you to approach so he can smite you. The Thief’s Ring can help you mask your steps, but even with it, this fight proves to be memorable simply because of how the character’s attacks are derived from his personality.

26. Gravelord Nito (Dark Souls)

Not only does Gravelord Nito have arguably the greatest nickname of all Dark Souls bosses (Ravelord Nito knows how to party y’all), he also serves well as essentially the series’ grim reaper.

The master of death looks the part of a Dark Souls boss with his giant hair coat covered with bones, and he lives up to the expectations we have for the battle itself by infuriating players with his ability to summon an army of skeletons at will. Brimming with personality and backstory, Nito is an incredible addition to the Souls universe.

25. Crossbreed Priscilla (Dark Souls)

Residing over the secret painted world in Dark Souls is Crossbreed Priscilla. Priscilla was exiled due to her crossbreed origins and distinguishes herself from other bosses both through an almost pleasant personal demeanor and an ability to stay invisible through much of the fight, forcing you to watch her footsteps in the snow.

Priscilla may technically be an optional boss, but both her and the world she calls her domain are so fascinating that she must be pursued despite the lack of obligation to do so.

24. Chaos Witch Quelaag (Dark Souls)

As Dark Souls players make their way through Blighttown cursing all the while, they are also thinking that the area’s boss had better end up being something pretty special. Luckily, Chaos Witch Quelaag is special. This beautiful woman that so happens to have the body of a spider is one of the more visually striking bosses in the game and backs her memorable looks up with a rather tricky fight that often requires assistance or a particularly strong weapon to beat. The fact that losing to her makes you trek through a portion of Blighttown again makes her especially cruel.

23. Gwyn, Lord of Cinder (Dark Souls)

Oh, Gwyn. Opinions will always be divided as it concerns Gwyn.

While Gwyn can be beaten fairly easily using your parry ability, it’s important to consider that the parry maneuver itself isn’t that easy to pull off and that the fight is set-up incredibly well. The atmosphere of this fight is an oddly peaceful one that only adds to the classic sword fight nature of this encounter. Gwyn can certainly destroy the unprepared player, but even if you manage to defeat him with relative ease, this is one final fight that nails the feel of an epic encounter.

22. Seath the Scaleless (Dark Souls)

Few bosses in Dark Souls have as interesting a story as Seath does. Born an albino dragon without scales, Seath betrayed his fellow dragons and was granted immortality that he would have otherwise never enjoyed without his scales.

The first time you meet Seath, he cannot be killed. The next time you meet him, you must destroy his source of health regeneration before engaging with this dragon in a tight area that makes his already powerful area attacks all the more devastating. Seath was the facilitator of a great many events in Dark Souls lore and toppling him feels significant because of that.

21. Sinh, the Slumbering Dragon (Dark Souls II)

At the risk of spoilers for those who have not already figured it out, Sinh is the final dragon on this boss list and therefore my favorite dragon in the franchise.

The reasons why are numerous, but ultimately boil down to the way that Sinh encapsulates the best parts of other dragons throughout these games. He fights like a dragon, he’s tough like a dragon should be tough (seriously, Sinh will straight up destroy you with ease), and his background and position as an end-boss are both worthy of the mystique these creatures carry. He’s everything you want a dragon boss to be.

20. Asylum Demon (Dark Souls)

I mentioned earlier that being the first boss in one of these games is one of the toughest jobs in the Souls universe. It’s a position made all the more difficult by the fact that all first bosses will have to be compared to Asylum Demon.

Asylum Demon asks a lot out of Dark Souls players early on. You’ve barely had time to discover how the game works by the time you face him. Yet, the difficulty of this boss is so perfectly balanced as to force the player to engage in a trial by fire without completely burning them to the point of never wanting to play again. He is the perfect introduction to one of the greatest games ever.

19. Smelter Demon (Dark Souls II)

There is a legitimate argument to be made that Smelter Demon is the most difficult Souls boss ever designed. His attacks are capable of covering nearly the entirety of the arena you fight him in, leaving you with very little options in terms of escape. Twice during the encounter he is able to increase his already notable defense and strength skills to the point where you begin to wonder if he is actually broken. A single mistake can cost you everything. Perfection is the only way past this optional monster.

18. Sir Alonne (Dark Souls II)

I love the idea of a samurai in the Dark Souls universe, and that’s exactly what this boss is. Decked out in samurai armor and wielding a samurai sword, you encounter Sir Allone in a cathedral-like setting at dawn (or perhaps dusk) atop a mirrored tile floor.

Everything about this fight just feels so right from a presentation perspective. Of course, it should be noted that Sir Alonne is incredibly difficult. Though not cheap by any means, you could easily go into this fight with two companions and have a tough time beating this warrior.

17. Slave Knight Gael (Dark Souls III)

Considering that Slave Knight Gael is a fan favorite boss, and arguably the final boss of the Dark Souls series, his ranking might be questioned by a great many Souls fans. However, there are just a couple of bosses that improve upon what makes the Slave Knight fight so great.

Still, in terms of what is asked of the player, this is as good as final bosses get. Slave Knight is a relentless foe whose multiple phases somehow only expand the boss’s already imposing power level. He’s theoretically interesting, his arena is fantastically designed, and Slave Knight’s animation is some of the best of any Souls boss.

16. Lorian, Elder Prince & Lothric, Younger Prince

Lothric, Younger Prince and Lorian, Elder Prince, more commonly known as the Twin Princes, join forces to offer one of Dark Souls 3’s most memorable battles. This multi-boss fight also offers some of the best visual storytelling in the game.

There’s a certain tragedy that accompanies the image of Lorian crawling on his knees, even if he is still more than capable of defending himself. Once Lothric joins the fight by riding on Lorian’s back and contributes his bag of tricks, this fight instantly becomes one of the most challenging and intriguing of any Souls game. It’s an emotional experience that is bolstered by some excellent music.

15. The Pursuer (Dark Souls II)

The easiest way to describe The Pursuer is that he’s the Nemesis of the Dark Souls universe. Much like Resident Evil 3’s resident stalker, The Pursuer can be encountered several times during Dark Souls II. Although his glowing red eyes, floaty movements, and intimidating stature may never fail to impress, you’ll begin to dread these encounters as this boss is no joke to fight. The fear of when you might encounter The Pursuer next elevates him above more prominent foes.

14. Maiden Astraea (Demon’s Souls)

There is no boss like Maiden Astraea in the entirety of this franchise or in all of gaming. Maiden Astraea isn’t a boss in the traditional sense. She doesn’t attack you and in fact admonishes you for trying to kill her. The only real challenge in this fight is a fairly tough, lone guardian knight. The maiden herself can be killed in a few hits. But the way that this fight makes you question the nature of your actions as well as the position of this potentially innocent character also makes it a lone voice of morality in the Dark Souls universe.

13. Looking Glass Knight (Dark Souls II)

Not every Souls fight has to present itself as epic in order to be epic. Yet, there is something to be said for fights that feel like something special before the battle even begins.

Such is the case with Looking Glass Knight. Atop a crumbling stone summit in the midst of a lightning storm, you fight this giant, metal knight and his mirrored shield. The reflection of the lightning off of the knight’s armor as well as his ability to make dark minions emerge from his shield make this one of the more visually pleasing fights in the series and goes to show that not every great Souls fight needs to make you want to tear your hair out.

12. Sister Friede & Father Ariandel (Dark Souls III)

It’s honestly a coin flip between this boss and the final Dark Souls 3 boss on this list. While there is one Dark Souls 3 boss I like slightly better, this is still one of the best-designed boss fights in Souls history.

Sister Friede and her incredibly scary companion Father Ariandel will test the best Dark Souls 3 players in a way that few other bosses in the game do. Each phase of this three-phase fight is vastly different, thematically amazing, and build off each other in ways both subtle and grand. Defeating Friede’s final form is a true badge of honor.

11. Bell Gargoyles (Dark Souls)

Given that many fans of this series got their first taste of these games courtesy of Dark Souls, the Bell Gargoyles have a special place in many gamers hearts as the first time they felt they had accomplished something impossible.

The first Bell Gargoyle you must fight is tough enough, but by the time that the second joins the battle, you will swear that you have been given an impossible fight to win. Slowly, though, you begin to get closer and closer to victory and realize that you can do this. When that victory blow finally occurs and you get to ring that bell that you know will echo into other worlds, the feeling is indescribable.

10. Flamelurker (Demon’s Souls)

Given that I’d like to elaborate on these final ten picks a little more, I almost moved Flamelurker out of the top 10 considering that the words I have to say about it may not be fit to print.

Nevertheless, you can’t talk about the greatest bosses in these games without including the Demon’s Souls boss that made nearly every single player regret their purchase at least somewhat. Flamelurker is as close as From Software can come to designing a simply unfair boss fight without making it actually impossible. He can close the gap on you in half of a second and the few hits he allows do little to impact his overall health.

This is a brutal, punishing fight that just so happens to make you feel like you can beat anything these games can throw at you. You’re not wrong.

9. Nameless King (Dark Souls III)

There’s a strong argument to be made for Nameless King’s title as the best boss battle in Dark Souls history. That argument won’t be made here, even if the research that went into this list left me wondering if he is perhaps worthy of that honor.

Here’s what I will say about Nameless King. In a series that doesn’t often dip its toes into the waters of traditional grandeur, the idea of an ancient dragon slayer riding his tamed dragon companion amongst his kingdom in the clouds is about as beautiful as a Souls fight gets.

While Nameless King is also a very challenging boss fight, it’s the ways that this fight challenges you that make it so special. Nameless King’s ability to swiftly strike with devastating AOE attacks will leave you wondering if you’ve somehow stumbled into a truly impossible situation. You haven’t, but beating this boss does make you feel as great as any victory in any Souls game.

8. Storm King (Demon’s Souls)

Storm King is not a difficult fight. It always feels necessary to get that out of the way before praising a Souls boss, given that the easier boss fights tend to hold a less than favorable position among many.

The thing about the Storm King, though, is that it is anything but forgettable. The Storm King itself is a giant flying manta ray surrounded by a small army of manta rays. Though they may seem largely invulnerable to attack – or even impossible to attack at first, you’ll find that what you need to do is grab a special sword in this area that allows you to successfully damage your enemies with powerful ranged strikes.

The concept of a boss specific weapon is a fascinating one, and combined with the aerial army you must take down, helps to ensure that this fight is one that you will never forget long after that frustrating generic beast has left your mind.

7. Four Kings (Dark Souls)

The Four Kings were the rulers of New Londo before they succumbed to an evil power. Now they rule over the ruins of a formerly great kingdom and have taken a ghostly form that barely resembles their former selves.

The mechanics of this fight are interesting. Taking place in the almost total darkness of the abyss, you really don’t have a sense of location or scale to work with. Furthermore, the Four Kings share a health bar and – based on how you deal damage – can appear all at once or not at all. All of this makes for a confusing fight that easily overwhelms players who are trying to adjust to a battle that none other has quite prepared them for.

What really makes this fight special, though, is how it scales. No other fight in the game scales in difficulty on subsequent playthroughs quite like this one, giving it a special place in the hearts of many hardcore Dark Souls players.

6. Lost Sinner (Dark Souls II)

Had the Lost Sinner not had a special mechanic, I believe she would still be ranked high. She’s not only pretty awesome looking but so happens to be one of the most accomplished swordsmen in a series with no shortage of them.

But again, the Lost Sinner’s mechanic does certainly elevate it. See, if you fight Lost Sinner before fighting the Belfry Gargoyles, you will have to do so in the dark. This not only makes tracking the boss difficult, but it also makes locking on impossible. If, however, you beat the Belfry Gargoyles first, then you will receive an item that lets you light the room and make the fight a little more manageable.

This is a fascinating twist on the on the Metroidvania style of gameplay. Here your progress isn’t directly impeded by choosing one path before another, but rather indirectly so as to encourage you to explore the game further for a better option.

5. Old Monk (Demon’s Souls)

Did your friend’s ever play that trick on you when you were younger where they used the second NES controller to move the ducks in Duck Hunt just out of your reach? The Old Monk is a modern take on that concept.

See, Old Monk is just a vessel. When you enter the arena, another player is summoned to take over as the old boss and attempt to kill you. Your fight against him, then, is actually a PvP fight. Depending on the player that inhabits the vessel, this fight can be quite challenging. At the same time, getting to play as The Old Monk yourself can be a particularly rewarding experience if you get to take out the frustrations you endured against the next player in line.

The unique nature of this fight means that it doesn’t always work as intended, but it’s such an incredibly innovative concept that to not remember it as a truly great moment in game design would be a crime.

4. Sif, the Great Grey Wolf (Dark Souls)

Sif is the loyal companion of Artorias the Abysswalker who died long ago. This great wolf guards the grave of its former master and even holds Artorias’ greatsword in its mouth during this battle.

Even if you don’t know this going into the fight, there is a tragedy to this encounter that cannot be ignored. Sif may be a truly challenging boss, but due to the beauty of the wolf’s design and the excellent aesthetic qualities of the battleground, you do feel that striking down this great wolf is somehow wrong. It doesn’t help that Sif starts to visibly limp and suffer when it gets low on health

Elements of character and lore have turned otherwise decent fights into memorable ones, and this is a truly great fight that becomes special when you consider those aspects. It’s impossible to forget.

3. Knight Artorias The Abysswalker (Dark Souls)

Sif may be an excellent guardian, but it is nothing compared to its master. This is one of the greatest characters in the entirety of franchise mythology. This is Knight Artorias the Abysswalker.

Knight Artorias was either an incredible hero or a tremendous villain depending on your time and perspective. What was never denied was his prowess as a warrior, which will be made abundantly clear as you try to tangle with this expert of sword and shield. Implemented as part of the Dark Souls additional content, Knight Artorias was designed to tax even the most capable of players and does so with seeming ease.

Given the incredible amount of lore surrounding this character, you would think that it would be impossible for this fight to lie up to expectations. It doesn’t. It exceeds them triumphantly.

2. Tower Knight (Demon’s Souls)

Tower Knight is special to the franchise if you played these games in order of release. He was the boss that invoked the greatest feeling a boss in these games can invoke. The feeling of helplessness. The feeling of “What now?”

This incredible giant wields a spear and shield that is nearly as large as he is. Even better, he is flanked by archers that are able to take you down before the Knight ever gets a chance. Beating him is a multi-step process, but there is no real gimmick or trick to this fight. For sure you will need to accomplish certain goals before the boss can be toppled, but the brilliance here is that the game manages to present you with a series of seemingly insurmountable obstacles and forces you to deal with them one by one.

Yet, the really special aspect of this fight is the daunting scale of the Knight itself. This design has been copied many times, but no other hulking giant has ever inspired as much well-deserved fear as this Souls standout.

1. Dragon Slayer Ornstein & Executioner Smough (Dark Souls)

In a way, it feels unimaginative to name Dragon Slayer Ornstein and Executioner Smough the greatest boss fight. Doing so is tired, a little boring, and even a cliche. It’s like saying that Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all-time.

But do you know why people say that? Because it’s true. Ornstein and Smough are two bosses designed to perfectly complement each other while being individually intimidating. The fight against them comes after you’ve made it through one of the game’s toughest areas and the battle takes place in a majestic cathedral setting. These bosses are designed to be able to kill you from a million different angles and will have done so many times over before you finally beat them.

At the start of this list, I said that ultimately these decisions come down to a feeling. While I was speaking abstractly – as I’m fond of doing – here I mean a very literal, very specific feeling. The feeling of finally toppling Ornstein & Smough is unmatched in the entirety of the franchise. Their greatness is a universal acknowledgment that may never be topped or equaled.