Look, we've all been there. You’re standing in front of a fog gate, hands sweating, wondering if the next thing behind that white mist is going to be a pushover or a controller-breaking nightmare. Honestly, Dark Souls 3 has one of the most consistent boss rosters in the history of the genre, but keeping track of them is a headache. Between the hidden areas, the "wait, I can fight her now?" moments, and the two massive DLCs, the actual Dark Souls 3 boss list is longer than you might remember.
It isn’t just about the 19 bosses in the base game. If you’re a completionist, you’re looking at a grand total of 25 unique encounters once you include Ashes of Ariandel and The Ringed City.
💡 You might also like: Pokemon Red Cheats GameShark: Why We Still Use Them Decades Later
Some are mandatory. Others? You could play the game ten times and never see them if you don't know where to hit a specific bridge or gesture at a specific carpet.
The Mandatory Path: No Way Around These Guys
You’ve gotta kill these to see the credits roll. Basically, the game forces you into these fights to prove you're worthy of linking the flame (or putting it out, if that’s your vibe).
Iudex Gundyr is your first hurdle. He’s the gatekeeper. For most veterans, he’s a parry-fest, but for a newcomer, that second phase—where he turns into a giant mass of black Abyss sludge—is pure trauma. It’s a literal "welcome to Dark Souls" moment.
Then you’ve got Vordt of the Boreal Valley. He’s the big chilly dog at the bottom of the High Wall. Pro tip: stay under his butt. It sounds gross, but it’s the safest place in Lothric.
The Abyss Watchers are the first "real" Lord of Cinder you’ll hit. This fight is incredible because it’s basically a battle royale. The Watchers start killing each other, which is great for you until the second phase kicks in and the survivor starts leave trails of fire with every swing.
The Mid-Game Grind
Once you’re past the Catacombs, things get weird.
- High Lord Wolnir: He’s a giant skeleton in a dark room. Most people hate this fight because it’s a "gimmick." Just break his bracelets. Don't get caught in the vape cloud he breathes out; it'll melt your health bar in two seconds.
- Pontiff Sulyvahn: This guy is the ultimate skill check. If you can parry, he’s manageable. If you can't? Well, you're going to see his purple and fire swords in your dreams. He’s aggressive, he doesn’t have a "cooldown" phase, and he summons a clone of himself. It's a lot.
- Aldrich, Devourer of Gods: Everyone talks about the arrows. The "Arrow Rain" in phase two is basically a death sentence if you don't keep running. He’s actually eating Gwyndolin from the first game, which is why he looks like a weird slug-man wearing a crown.
Dark Souls 3 Boss List: The Optional Ones You Missed
You’d be surprised how many people finish the game without ever seeing the Nameless King. He’s hidden away in Archdragon Peak, and getting there requires you to find a specific "Path of the Dragon" gesture and sit next to some statues in the Irithyll Dungeon. It's cryptic as hell. Honestly, he’s widely considered the hardest boss in the base game. Riding a storm drake? Check. Throwing lightning like a god? Check. Delayed attacks that mess with your muscle memory? Double check.
Then there’s Oceiros, the Consumed King. He’s optional, but you need to kill him to reach the Untended Graves, which leads to Champion Gundyr. Champion is basically Iudex Gundyr but without the Abyss sludge. Instead, he just kicks you in the face. Repeatedly. He’s one of the most "fair" fights in the game because it’s just a pure test of your dodging and parrying.
Old Demon King is another one people skip. He’s hiding in the Smouldering Lake below the bridge you break to get to Wolnir. He’s a sad fight, honestly. By the time he gets low on health, he loses the strength to even swing his hammer and just kind of slumps over, exploding in a final desperate blast.
The DLC Power Creep is Real
If you think the base game is tough, the DLC bosses are on another level entirely. FromSoftware really went wild here.
In Ashes of Ariandel, you only get two bosses. Sister Friede is the standout. Three phases. Three! You think you’ve won after the second phase, the screen fades to black, and then she stands back up as Blackflame Friede. It’s a marathon of a fight.
💡 You might also like: Stuck on Today's Wordle? Here is the NYTimes Wordle Today's Word and How to Solve It
The Ringed City is even crazier.
- The Demon Prince: A two-on-one fight that turns into a giant fireball-throwing nightmare.
- Halflight, Spear of the Church: This one is weird because it’s actually a PvP fight. The "boss" is usually another player summoned into your world. If you’re playing offline, it’s just an NPC, which is kind of a letdown.
- Darkeater Midir: The dragon. He has a massive HP pool. He breathes lasers. He’s the reason many people never platinumed this game.
- Slave Knight Gael: The final boss of the entire series. It’s just you and him at the end of the world. It’s perfect.
Why Order Matters (Sorta)
Technically, you can tackle the Dark Souls 3 boss list in a few different ways. You can actually fight the Dancer of the Boreal Valley right at the start of the game if you kill the old lady in the chair. It’s a bad idea for a first-timer, but for speedrunners, it’s the standard route to get high-level titanite early.
Most players will go: Gundyr -> Vordt -> Greatwood -> Sage -> Deacons -> Watchers.
But once you hit the Boreal Valley, you have choices. Do you go to the Profaned Capital for Yhorm first, or do you head to Anor Londo for Aldrich? It doesn't matter for the ending, but Yhorm's fight is way easier if you’ve finished Siegward’s questline. Seeing the Onion Knight walk in with his own Storm Ruler is one of the best moments in the game.
👉 See also: Why the Monopoly Board Game Credit Card Versions Changed Everything (and Kind of Ruined Friendships)
Common Misconceptions About the List
People often think Ancient Wyvern is a "real" fight. It’s not. It’s a puzzle. You run through a gauntlet of snake-men, climb a ladder, and drop-attack its head. If you try to fight it on the ground with a sword, you’re going to be there for three hours chipping away at its toenails.
Another thing? The Curse-Rotted Greatwood. You don't have to kill it. It’s optional. But if you don't, you can't transpose boss souls into weapons. So, while the game doesn't force you to pop those weird gross sacks on the tree's belly, your build will probably suffer if you don't.
Actionable Tips for Your Next Run
- Fire is your friend early on: Almost everything in the first three areas (Gundyr, Vordt, Greatwood) is weak to fire. Buy those firebombs.
- Don't ignore the side paths: If you don't explore the Smouldering Lake or Archdragon Peak, you're missing out on about 20% of the game's best content.
- Respec at Rosaria: If a boss is walling you, don't be afraid to change your stats. Moving points from Strength to Vigor can literally be the difference between getting one-shot and surviving with a sliver of health.
To truly conquer the game, you need to treat the bosses like a rhythm game. Every swing has a beat. Once you stop panic-rolling and start watching their hands instead of their health bars, the list starts feeling a lot less intimidating.
Grab your Estus, ember up, and head back in. The Soul of Cinder is waiting.