Dark Souls is a trilogy of incredible video games that fans can't get enough of. The first game was a landmark entry that is still hailed by many as the best one in the series, Dark Souls 2 had some interesting ideas that made up for Miyazaki's absence, while the final game in the trilogy served as a fitting conclusion.

Stills of Manus, Gwyn, and the Nameless king from the Dark Souls franchise
Dark Souls: 8 Most Epic Boss Fights In The Series

For a series famed for its difficult boss fights, the Dark Souls games put in a lot of work to also make these boss fights really epic.

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Given how this series focuses on challenging battles that push players to their very limits, it's easy to see why some of these bosses can be very tricky to deal with. It takes both brains and brawn for players to get past these encounters without dying over and over again.

8 The Bed Of Chaos

A Puzzle Boss That's More Annoying Than Required

Dark Souls Bed of Chaos fire sprouting from the wooden body
  • Appears In: Dark Souls
  • Health: 2
  • Souls: 60,000
  • Location: Lost Izalith
  • Drops: Lord Soul

Dark Souls isn't a game known for its parkour, which is why the Bed of Chaos is such an infamous boss. Players must navigate a crumbling arena where death awaits them at any point if the ground gives way under them.

Players must head to both sides of the arena and take out the orange orbs they see before making a mad dash toward the core of the tree and nailing a perfect jump to reach the heart. Without a guide, this can be downright impossible to figure out and makes Bed of Chaos too tricky for its own good.

7 Dancer Of The Boreal Valley

Her Nimble Combos Can Be A Pain To Handle

Official screenshot of the Dancer Of The Boreal Valley boss in Dark Souls 3.
  • Appears In: Dark Souls 3
  • Health: 5,111
  • Souls: 60,000
  • Location: High Wall of Lothric
  • Drops: Soul of the Dancer

After defeating three Lords of Cinder, players can interact with Emma in the cathedral near the start of the game to trigger her death followed by an ominous cutscene. This is when the Dancer of the Boreal Valley makes her unwelcome entrance, surprising players who were up to their necks in Souls from the previous boss fight.

This nimble boss is no joke and can glide around the arena as she launches lengthy combos that hit like a truck. The trickiest part of this fight is stamina management, since there are only so many times players can dodge and block before their guard is opened and they face the full brunt of a deadly chain of attacks that can take them out in no time.

6 Champion Gundyr

His Moveset Is Tailored To Humiliate Players Who Underestimate This Boss

dark souls 3 champion gundyr
  • Appears In: Dark Souls 3
  • Health: 4,956
  • Souls: 60,000
  • Location: Untended Graves
  • Drops: Soul of Champion Gundyr

Iudex Gundyr is an easy boss meant to ease players into the combat of Dark Souls 3. After uncovering the Untended Graves, players can encounter another optional version of Gundyr who will surprise players with his robust and epic moveset.

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Dark Souls 3: 8 Heaviest Weapons, Ranked

If comically oversized weapons are your thing in Dark Souls 3, these are the ideal way to smash through enemies—just keep an eye on that stamina bar.

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Players reliant on tried-and-tested tactics will be surprised to see that Champion Gundyr has an answer to every attack. Getting juggled by this boss feels both epic and frustrating as players smartly pick their attack windows against this tricky boss.

5 Capra Demon

A Frustrating Boss Fight That Takes Place In A Claustrophobic Arena

dark souls capra demon
  • Appears In: Dark Souls
  • Health: 1,176
  • Souls: 6,000
  • Location: Demon Ruins
  • Drops: Demon Great Machete, Homeward Bone, Key to Depths

One of the most notorious bosses in all of Dark Souls, the difficulty of Capra Demon stems from the claustrophobic area players must fight him in. To make things worse, he's accompanied by two dogs who rush at the Chosen Undead from the very moment they cross the fog gate.

Swift reflexes and a fair bit of luck are imperative to get past this tricky boss. It's a frustrating battle that beats into players how to manage enemies in tight spaces by making them die over and over again until they finally learn.

4 Ornstein And Smough

Taking On This Duo Is A Nerve-Wracking Affair, With Both Phases Being Quite Tricky To Deal With

Dark Souls Ornstein and Smough
  • Appears In: Dark Souls
  • Health: 1,642/2,981 (Ornstein), 2,645/4,094 (Smough)
  • Souls: 50,000
  • Location: Anor Londo
  • Drops: Leo Ring, Soul of Ornstein/Soul of Smough (depends on who's killed last)

One of the most epic and challenging boss fights in all of Dark Souls, Ornstein and Smough are no joke. This duo makes up for each other's weakness, with Smough prioritizing slow close-range attacks that hit like a truck while the Dragonslayer covers large distances swiftly with his spear.

To make things worse, the surviving member of the duo becomes stronger and regains all their health after their partner is killed. Managing both combatants in the first phase and amending one's strategy for the second phase is quite tricky and will force players to employ everything they've learned to beat this boss.

3 Darkeater Midir

A Hard-Hitting Boss Who's A Nightmare To Deal With

Darkeater Midir can cover the whole arena in flame
  • Appears In: Dark Souls 3: The Ringed City
  • Health: 15,860
  • Souls: 150,000
  • Location: The Ringed City
  • Drops: Soul of Darkeater Midir, Spears of the Church

As one would expect from any FromSoftware DLC, The Ringed City features some of the hardest locations and enemies players can tackle in the game. This includes a fight against Darkeater Midir that's no joke.

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Fists and Claws are rather uncommon melee choices in Dark Souls 3, yet they offer unique strengths and special benefits for those who master them.

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This dragon hits like a truck and can one-shot unprepared players with a bevy of damaging attacks. Unless players are willing to learn from each death, this tricky boss will leave them tearing their hair out after the umpteenth death.

2 Artorias The Abysswalker

The More Buffs He Acquires, The Harder He Is To Deal With

dark souls knight artorias
  • Appears In: Dark Souls: Artorias Of The Abyss
  • Health: 3,750
  • Souls: 50,000
  • Location: Oolacile Township
  • Drops: Soul of Artorias

Arguably the greatest boss fight in Dark Souls history, Artorias is a tragic figure that most fans will empathize with after learning his story. However, all of this empathy will be thrown out of the window when players see just how aggressive this boss is.

It's almost like a Bloodborne boss wormed its way into Dark Souls, with players having to counter Artorias with an aggressive playstyle where they make the most of any attack window that opens up. This is a must since Artorias will buff himself regularly as the fight goes on, to the point where a single sword slam is all it takes to deplete the Chosen Undead's health.

1 The Nameless King

A Boss Fight Who Takes No Prisoners

The Nameless King is Fire Lord Gwyn's lost child
  • Appears In: Dark Souls 3
  • Health: 4,577 (King of Storm), 7,100 (Nameless King)
  • Souls: 80,000
  • Location: Archdragon Peak
  • Drops: Soul of the Nameless King

An epic boss encounter against Gwyn's exiled son, the Nameless King enters the boss fight on a dragon. Ironically enough, defeating the King of the Storm leads to the Nameless King taking on players by himself in the second phase, which is arguably harder.

The Ashen One must be at the top of their game to deal with the relentless offense of this lightning-charged boss. It's arguably the trickiest encounter in Dark Souls and one that fans must be ready for once they enter the optional area of Archdragon Peak.

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    Dark Souls Player faces off against the Demon Firesage in Demon Ruins
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    March 11, 2014
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    T for Teen: Blood and Gore, Mild Language, Partial Nudity, Violence
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    March 24, 2016
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    WHERE TO PLAY

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