He isn't just another boss. When you finally reach the foot of the Erdtree in Leyndell, Ashen Capital, you aren't just fighting a king. You're fighting the very concept of "The Tarnished."
Hoarah Loux is the name behind the crown. Most players know him as Godfrey, the First Elden Lord, the guy with the spectral lion on his back. But honestly? The lion is a leash. The crown is a cage. When he rips that lion apart halfway through your encounter, he isn't getting stronger—he’s getting back to his roots. He is becoming the chieftain of the Badlands again.
The Man Behind the Golden Mask
Before the Golden Order, before Marika, and before the Erdtree dominated the skyline, there was just a guy. A really, really strong guy. Hoarah Loux was a bloodthirsty warrior, a barbarian who lived for the "ceaseless lust for battle," as the Godfrey Icon talisman puts it. Marika didn't marry him because he was noble. She married him because she needed a hammer to smash the Fire Giants and the Storm Lord.
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He was her ultimate weapon.
But a weapon that won't stop swinging is a problem once the war is over. To make him "regal" enough to sit on a throne, Marika grafted Serosh, the Beast Regent, onto his back. That spectral lion isn't just a pet; it’s a literal suppressor. It was designed to keep his inner Hoarah Loux in check so he could play the part of a dignified Lord.
Then the tragedy happens. Or the plan. It depends on how you read the lore. Once his last worthy enemy fell—the Fire Giants were dead and the Storm Lord was defeated—the "hue of his eyes faded." He lost his Grace. Marika stripped it from him, making him and his warriors the very first Tarnished.
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He was kicked out. Exiled. He spent centuries in the Badlands, dying and fighting, only to be called back by the same Grace that abandoned him.
How to Survive the Hoarah Loux Fight
The transition happens at 50% health. Godfrey tosses the axe. He kills Serosh (which is genuinely metal). He stands before you bare-chested and ready to catch these hands.
Phase one is a rhythm game. Phase two is a wrestling match.
- The Grabs are Lethal: You've probably seen the "Z-slam" memes. If he catches you, he’s going to launch you into the stratosphere and power-bomb you. The trick? Dodge into him. If you dodge away, his reach will almost always snag your hitbox at the end of your roll.
- Jump, Don't Roll the Earthquakes: When he slams his hands into the dirt and the ground turns into a magma-colored crater, do not roll. Jump. Jumping gives you more I-frames (invincibility frames) against ground-based shocks and lets you land a heavy jumping attack while he’s recovering.
- The Roar is a Warning: When he lets out that massive scream, it’s not just for show. It knocks you back and usually precedes a massive arena-wide shockwave.
Honestly, the most important thing is to stop panic-rolling. Hoarah Loux is designed to "roll-catch" players who spam the circle button. He waits. He delays. He tracks. You have to wait for the actual swing, not the wind-up.
Why the Surname Loux Matters
You've probably met Nepheli Loux in Stormveil or the Roundtable Hold. If you were wondering if the shared name is a coincidence, it isn't. The game implies she is a descendant of his line from his time in the Badlands. This makes her "Tarnished royalty." It's why Kenneth Haight is so obsessed with her being the rightful ruler of Limgrave.
It also adds a layer of sadness to the fight. You aren't just killing a legend; you're killing the patriarch of the people you’ve been helping all game.
Strategy: What Most People Get Wrong
Most guides tell you to keep your distance. That's a mistake.
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If you stay far away, Hoarah Loux will use his "vacuum" grab or his leaping slams. These are much harder to time than his close-range punches. If you stay glued to his hip, you can circle-strafe half of his punches without even rolling.
- Weaknesses: He is surprisingly susceptible to Bleed (Hemorrhage) and Frostbite.
- Slash Damage: In phase two, he has no armor. Seriously, use a curved sword or a katana. Anything that cuts.
- The Shabriri Summon: If you’ve followed Shabriri’s questline, you can summon him for this fight. He’s a tank and can take a few of those grabs for you, giving you breathing room to heal.
Hoarah Loux represents the raw, unfiltered power of the Crucible—the era before the Golden Order refined everything into "holy" light. Fighting him is like fighting the history of the Lands Between itself. He’s the only boss who acknowledges your strength with genuine respect. "Brave Tarnished... Thy strength befits a crown." He isn't mad you're there. He's just happy to finally have a worthy fight again.
Actionable Next Steps:
To prepare for this encounter, ensure your Vigor is at least 50-60 to survive a single grab. Equip the Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman found in Miquella’s Haligtree to negate the massive physical damage he deals. If you are struggling with the timing of his stomps, practice your jumps on the smaller "Godrick the Grafted" style shockwaves earlier in the game; the timing is nearly identical. Once he is defeated, take his Remembrance to Enia at the Roundtable Hold to claim the Axe of Godfrey or the Hoarah Loux's Earthshaker Ash of War.