10 Hardest Soulsborne DLC Bosses, Ranked

FromSoftware has created a few of the greatest expansions in gaming historical past, providing experiences typically equal to and even higher than their authentic counterparts.

From Artorias of the Abyss to Shadow of the Erdtree, every DLC is particular by itself deserves, although normally for a similar purpose: memorable and extremely difficult bosses.

As such, the studio tends to lift the bar with every new piece of extra content material, permitting for significantly better and extra satisfying challenges.

The Soulsborne video games are largely what they’re because of their expansions, and that speaks volumes to their high quality.

Thus, we have fun FromSoftware’s genius on a reasonably common foundation, and now it is time to rank the ten Hardest Soulsborne DLC Bosses.

10 Burnt Ivory King

A Combat Turned Into Conflict

Contemplating its bosses are the best within the historical past of Soulsborne video games, it is tough to think about a Darkish Souls 2 prospect for this record, nevertheless it does have a couple of candidates.

Nonetheless, I’ve prioritized the Burnt Ivory King above all of the choices as a result of I take into account it the toughest boss in your complete sequel, even past options like Fume Knight.

The combat begins from the second you step foot in Eleum Loyce, the place you could get better all of the knights that may show you how to within the battle and forestall it from being much more demanding.

Even so, the Burnt Ivory King is agile, would not offer you areas to heal, and its harm could be very excessive, fairly totally different from the bottom recreation’s fights, that are gradual and have many moments to get better well being factors.

Darkish Souls 2 could not have the hardest bosses, however examples just like the Burnt Ivory King remind us its expansions do current loads of challenges.

9 Knight Artorias

The Abyss is Terrifying

Darkish Souls is a recreation with considerate, slow-paced mechanics, the place protect use, and consciousness of your environment is significant to survival.

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However, once you land in Oolacile and encounter Artorias, all the pieces you discovered within the base recreation goes out the window, given the Abyss Walker is pure, continuous adrenaline.

As with Gwyn, Lord of Cinder, openings are restricted, and the slightest mistake is very punished, however Artorias is a degree above when it comes to assault patterns and endurance, particularly since you’ll be able to’t parry.

Due to this, solely doing an ideal combat is what lets you overcome Artorias. Something much less will finish in your demise, and the longest and most annoying boss runs in your complete recreation, though it is nonetheless the very best within the collection.

8 Ludwig, The Accursed

A Beast and A Knight

I am in all probability one of many few individuals who underestimates the issue of Ludwig, the Accursed, as a result of it has by no means taken me too many tries, however credit score the place credit score is due, it is a difficult encounter.

Usually talking, Bloodborne: The Previous Hunters has the very best common problem within the historical past of Soulsborne expansions, and Ludwig is certainly among the many class’s high.

If it weren’t for his transition into the second section, the place his actions turn out to be extra sleek, readable, and predictable, he’d in all probability be even greater, as his first section is absurdly demanding.

What’s clear is that he is a phenomenally designed boss, given he by no means feels unfair. In contrast to different entries on this record, Ludwig is rewarding and difficult however by no means irritating.

7 Messmer the Impaler

You Will Know Defeat As soon as Once more

Whereas it took me extra tries than any boss within the base recreation, I’ve blended emotions about Messmer the Impaler‘s problem.

Paradoxically, the variety of makes an attempt it took me to beat him did not replicate how I felt about every one, as I at all times knew what I needed to do to succeed.

In contrast to base recreation bosses like Malenia or Maliketh, which I beat extra shortly however with much less confidence, Messmer by no means felt all that imposing, though he turned my favourite boss in all of Elden Ring.

He is extremely designed and choreographed, so studying him is each pleasant and accessible. I consider Messmer is so well-rounded that it reduces his problem, which reveals how tough he might be if FromSoftware hadn’t put all of the love on the planet into him.

However, the numbers aren’t flawed, and no menace in the principle recreation made me replay the combat as a lot because the Impaler. Perhaps my emotions did not replicate that, however there isn’t any denying he beat me relentlessly for fairly some time.

6 Darkeater Midir

The Hardest Soulsborne Dragon

There are few bosses in my historical past with the Soulsborne video games which have made me cease enjoying for weeks, however I need to admit Darkeater Midir is certainly one of them.

Probably the most tough dragon FromSoftware has ever created is in Darkish Souls 3: The Ringed Metropolis, the place this wounded however highly effective beast lurks till you fall into its lair to tear you to items.

My greatest challenge is that Midir would not perform like the opposite dragons within the Soulsborne video games, as you need to combat him face-to-face as an alternative of chasing his ft and tail till his hit factors attain zero.

That break from behavior felt very uncomfortable to me, particularly since Midir by no means ceases to assault. Whether or not it is his fireplace breath, his lethal rays, or his lightning-fast claws, stopping to breathe will not be an choice.

So, I really like him passionately, however he symbolizes one of many few moments the place Darkish Souls truthfully beat me down.

5 Sister Friede

A Three-phase Headache

I acknowledge that Darkish Souls 3 is essentially chargeable for the trilogy being the most effective, however I’ll always remember the harm Sister Friede did to me.

Once I managed to beat the second section, seeing the boss rise from the bottom as soon as once more broke my coronary heart in a approach only a few Soulsborne video games have ever performed in my life.

It wasn’t till years later that I used to be capable of beat her third section usually. Till then, I resorted to firing arrows from afar and making the most of her exploitable AI as a result of I wasn’t capable of defeat her face-to-face.

There comes a degree the place you are able to do the primary two phases with out taking harm, however the third… That is one other story, one which makes Sister Friede a menace even to essentially the most skilled gamers.

4 Slave Knight Gael

The Most Relentless Foe

Darkish Souls 3’s DLCs are masterpieces and idyllic examples of the right way to create unimaginable bosses, with Slave Knight Gael being on the high.

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In reality, it stands as essentially the most tough problem in your complete trilogy, because it’s one of many uncommon instances the place the boss has no weaknesses in any respect.

On the subject of pace, toughness, harm, complexity, sturdiness, AI, and so forth, Slave Knight Gael is the king of every class. As with Artorias, the one resolution is ideal efficiency, besides Darkish Souls 3 is extremely sooner than Darkish Souls.

Regardless of Soul of Cinder’s notable problem, bosses like Sister Friede and Gael outdo it by providing the identical model of problem however on a bigger scale, undeniably proving why they’re among the many greatest bosses within the recreation.

3 Laurence, The First Vicar

A Punishing Nightmare

Together with Sister Friede, Laurence, The First Vicar is the one boss within the Soulsborne video games who has compelled me to drop the sport and are available again weeks later to beat him.

Bloodborne: The Previous Hunters is understood for punishing those that suppose they will beat its bosses the identical approach as within the base recreation, and Laurence is a good instance of that.

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In contrast to his counterpart Amelia, it is virtually inconceivable to seek out his again to assault, a lot much less in his hellish second section, the place he turns into a spectacle of lava and assaults with bizarre hitboxes.

Whereas Gehrman, The First Hunter is a sleek encounter between two colleagues who wish to save the opposite, Laurence is a irritating mess I am going to by no means be satisfied to like.

2 Orphan of Kos

The Solely Combat That By no means Will get Straightforward

Regardless of what number of years cross, I’ll at all times dread the second in Bloodborne’s DLC the place you need to face the Orphan of Kos, one of the vital tough bosses in your complete historical past of video video games.

Though I’ve performed the sport quite a few occasions with totally different builds and watched dozens of speedruns, The Previous Hunters’ ultimate and tragic encounter at all times makes me sweat blood.

It is erratic like no different Soulsborne enemy, with an unpredictable second section and an amazing capability to wipe out your well being factors with only one assault.

If Gehrman’s boss combat is a fragile problem, this can be a combat for survival you solely find yourself overcoming by means of divine intervention.

Between the benefit with which it strikes out of the participant’s imaginative and prescient, the premature lightning bolts it summons all through the world, and its determined screams, the Orphan of Kos is a nightmare in each sense of the phrase.

1 Promised Consort Radahn

The Most Exaggeration of Issue

Regardless of spending over a decade enjoying the Soulsborne video games incessantly, I’ve by no means tried a problem that even comes near the issue of Promised Consort Radahn.

Except for being on a very superior aircraft to Radagon and the Elden Beast, Radahn’s return was as surprising because it was devastating. No boss in this kind of recreation has ever managed to defeat me as many occasions as Miquella’s lord.

Malenia, the Orphan of Kos, and even Isshin aren’t as much as the unfair expertise of Shadow of the Erdtree‘s finale. With low frames, blinding rays of sunshine, and infrequently inescapable assault patterns, it was merely brutal.

Fortuitously, Promised Consort Radahn was balanced and is now an excellent ultimate boss, with the diploma of demand anticipated for an icon of its magnitude.

Regardless, the greater than 100 makes an attempt it frustratingly took me to defeat its authentic model will perpetually be the toughest factor I’ve performed as a FromSoftware fan.

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