You walk through Farron Keep, trudging through thick, toxic muck that slows your roll to a crawl. It’s miserable. Then, you hear it. The rhythmic clack-clack-clack of cold steel hitting steel behind a massive stone door. Most players think they’re ready for a fight, but they aren't ready for the Dark Souls 3 Watchers of the Abyss. This isn't just a skill check; it’s a tragic, self-inflicted execution that tells you everything you need to know about the cruelty of the Miyazaki-led world-building at FromSoftware.
The Abyss Watchers are the first "Lord of Cinder" you actually face in the game. They aren't giant monsters or gods sitting on high thrones. They are a legion of undead warriors who were so terrified of the spreading darkness—the Abyss—that they swore an oath to bury entire kingdoms at the first sign of it. Honestly, it’s some of the darkest lore in the series. They wore pointed iron helms and utilized a wild, breakdance-like fighting style inspired by Artorias the Abysswalker. But by the time you show up, the very thing they hunted has infected them. They’ve spent eternity killing each other in a loop because they can sense the Abyss inside their own brothers.
The Chaos of the First Phase: Why It Breaks Your Brain
When you first cross that fog gate, you see one Watcher finish off another. He turns to you, draws his Farron Greatsword and a jagged dagger, and the music swells. It’s beautiful. It’s also terrifying.
Unlike the boss fights that came before them—Vordt or the Curse-Rotted Greatwood—the Dark Souls 3 Watchers of the Abyss don't follow a predictable rhythm. About twenty seconds into the fight, a second Watcher rises. Now it’s a 2-v-1. You’re panic-rolling, trying to keep both in your line of sight, wondering if this is even fair. But then, a third one rises with red eyes.
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This is where the genius of the AI kicks in. That third Watcher? He’s been corrupted by the Abyss more than the others. He doesn't just want you dead; he wants everyone dead. If you play it smart, you can actually back off and let the red-eyed Watcher distract the main boss. It turns the arena into a chaotic free-for-all. It’s messy. It’s loud. It’s purely visceral. You aren't just fighting a boss; you’re witnessing a civil war in a room filled with corpses.
Mastering the Farron Greatsword Dance
If you want to survive, you have to understand their kit. They don't use shields. The Watchers use their daggers as a fulcrum, pinning them into the dirt to swing their massive ultra-greatswords in wide, sweeping arcs. It’s a low-to-the-ground style that makes them incredibly hard to hit with standard vertical swings.
- The Dash Attack: They love to slide across the floor. If you see dust kicking up, roll into the attack, not away.
- The Jump Slam: This is your best opening. When they leap into the air for a vertical slam, they linger for a second. That’s your window for a backstab.
- Parrying: Yes, you can parry them. It’s risky. If you miss, you’re losing 60% of your health bar. But if you nail the timing on their opening swing, the feeling of power is unmatched.
Most players struggle because they try to play defensively. You can’t. The Watchers punish passive players by closing the gap instantly. You have to be as aggressive as they are, dancing through the flames and finding the split second between their combos to land a hit.
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Why the Second Phase Changes Everything
Once you deplete the main health bar, the cinematic kicks in. The blood of the fallen Watchers flows together, fueling a single survivor. He stands up, his blade igniting with a trail of lingering fire. This is the true Abyss Watcher.
The difficulty spikes here because of the "fire trails." Every time he swings his sword, a secondary explosion of fire follows a fraction of a second later. If you roll too early, the sword misses you, but the fire catches you. It’s a classic FromSoftware trick to punish muscle memory. You have to delay your dodges. It’s a test of nerves. You’re standing in a burning cathedral, fighting a literal legend, and the soundtrack—composed by Yuka Kitamura—is screaming at you to feel the weight of this tragedy.
The Lore Most People Miss
The Dark Souls 3 Watchers of the Abyss are technically a collective. They are the "Undead Legion." They shared the wolf blood of Artorias to link the fire in a previous age. When you kill them, you aren't just killing one person; you’re ending an entire legacy of warriors who stayed true to their mission even as they went insane.
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They weren't "evil." They were just extreme. If a kingdom showed signs of the Abyss, the Watchers would literally level the entire city. That’s why Farron Keep is such a wreck. It’s why the surrounding woods are filled with Ghru—deformed descendants of the acolytes who once served the legion. The environmental storytelling here is dense. You see the bridge of Lothric in the distance, but down here, everything is stagnant and rotting. The Watchers were supposed to be the guardians, but they became the inmates of their own prison.
Actionable Tips for Taking Them Down
If you're stuck on this fight right now, stop banging your head against the wall and change your strategy.
- Get a 100% Physical Block Shield: If your dodging isn't perfect, a shield like the Lothric Knight Shield can save your life in Phase 1, though it’s less effective against the fire in Phase 2.
- Backstab Fishing: This is the "cheese" strategy that isn't really cheese. Their recovery frames are long. Walk behind them during their heavy overhead slams and punish them.
- Use Lightning or Frost: They are surprisingly weak to Lightning Urns or Gold Pine Resin. If you’ve been to the High Wall and found the Deep Battle Axe, it’s okay, but Lightning is the real king here.
- Summon Sirris or Black Hand Gotthard: If you’ve followed their questlines, their summon signs are right outside the door. Gotthard, in particular, is a tank and can draw aggro while you heal.
- Watch the Red Eyes: In the first phase, when the third Watcher rises with red eyes, stop attacking. Move to the edge of the arena. Let the boss focus on him. Use that time to use an Estus Flask or buff your weapon.
The Dark Souls 3 Watchers of the Abyss are a crossroads. For many players, this is where the game truly begins. It’s the moment you realize that Dark Souls isn't just about big monsters—it’s about the tragic figures caught in a cycle of fire and dark. Once you win, you head down into the Catacombs of Carthus, but the memory of that dual-sword dance usually sticks with players long after they’ve beaten the final boss.
To get the most out of your victory, take their soul to Ludleth at Firelink Shrine. You can transpose it into the Farron Greatsword. It has a unique moveset that lets you perform the same sliding, spinning attacks the boss used against you. It’s one of the most fun weapons in the game for a Dexterity/Strength hybrid build. If you prefer a more traditional heavy hitter, the Wolf Knight’s Greatsword is the other option, which deals extra damage to "Abyssal" enemies—perfect for the trials ahead in the Ringed City.