FromSoftware: Hardest Beast Soulsborne Bosses, Ranked (2024)

Fans of FromSoftware games like to refer to the developer's collection of titles as part of the Soulsborne genre. This is mostly defined by the world and combat design approach that the esteemed Japanese developer takes with their titles and is a mashup of the names of their Dark Souls and Bloodborne series. Boss fights are the main attraction and often serve as the make-or-break point for players looking to see the games through to completion.

Many of their games feature bosses that look like animalistic beasts, either serving as caged creatures or tortured souls simply looking for an escape. It's said that nothing's more dangerous than a cornered animal, and many of the beasts FromSoftware forces the player to defeat lend truth to it. These monsters are intimidating to deal with, especially thanks to FromSoftware's incredible work when it comes to animating these foes to be as wild and unpredictable as possible. Players need to focus on the battle at hand and not get comboed into oblivion by FromSoftware's hardest beast bosses that have become legendary battles.

Updated August 27, 2024, by Hamza Haq: The Shadow of the Erdtree DLC for Elden Ring is the newest offering from FromSoftware, adding bosses in the Land of Shadow to the pool of available choices when categorizing the hardest beast bosses in Soulsborne games. Two new beast bosses from the SotE DLC have been added to the article in this update.

21 Father Gascoigne

Bloodborne

• HP: 2,031
• Blood Echoes: 1,800
• Location: Tomb Of Oedon
• Drops: Oedon Tomb Key

Father Gascoigne is the boss who lets players know that Bloodborne is a completely different beast compared to Dark Souls. The combat demands that players are aggressive, and people who fail to get out of their defensive mindset will be punished by Father Gascoigne, especially when it comes to the second phase.

The first phase of this boss is fairly manageable. Players are able to inflict a decent amount of damage on this hunter, even if they're on the back foot. However, once he transforms into a beast, trying to hide behind tombstones won't work. Gascoigne will rip and tear through these obstacles, sending players back to the Hunter's Lamp over and over until they understand that the best way to counter this aggression is to stay on the offensive and perfect their dodges.

20 Armor Spider

Demon's Souls

• HP: 1,732
• Souls: 5,950
• Location: Smithing Grounds
• Drops: Hard Demon's Soul

Humans are afraid of many different things, but among the most common fears shared by all is that of spiders. Demon's Souls decided that having players fight an iron-clad eight-legged freak known as Armor Spider would be a neat surprise. This fight, due to it taking place in a mining shaft, feels claustrophobic.

The limited space makes it so timing and patience are key to overcoming both the webs and firebombs the giant spider has at its disposal. Finding a comfortable rhythm, taking what the openings provide, and not getting greedy can change an insufferable encounter into a dance of death.

19 Blood-Starved Beast

Bloodborne

• HP: 3,470
• Blood Echoes: 6,600
• Location: Old Yharnam
• Drops: Pthumeru Chalice

Players who are still getting used to Bloodborne's frenetic combat will find the Blood-Starved Beast to be an absolute pain to deal with. The only respite they have here is that this boss is optional, meaning that players won't have to deal with this abomination if they don't want to. Still, the reward of being able to access the Chalice Dungeon makes this beast worth taking on, with its flayed skin serving as a cloak of sorts that makes the beast even more harrowing to deal with.

Players should make it a point to add an antidote to their quick-use slot if they don't want to waste precious Blood Vials trying to heal any poison damage that this beast inflicts as the battle rages on. As long as players have their dodges timed to perfection and nail the countershot window, they should be able to take out this ultra-aggressive boss that punishes any Hunter who stays on the back foot, which is a statement that can be used to describe almost every foe in this challenging game.

18 The Duke's Dear Freja

Dark Souls 2

• HP: 4,220
• Souls: 42,000
• Location: Brightstone Cove Tseldora
• Drops: Soul of the Duke's Dear Freja

Dark Souls 2 was a mixed bag for many fans. Many players felt that FromSoftware added way too many bosses to the game. As a result, the pacing of the game suffered, and a lot of bosses became unfair mob battles that weren't all that stimulating and made these encounters more annoying than awe-inspiring.

The Duke's Dear Freja is one such boss who can be irritating for this reason alone. On its own, the boss may not be that much of a challenge, which is why players also have to deal with numerous small spiders that can eat into their health bar if they're not careful enough. Thankfully, players can always equip a torch to scare these enemies into submission, letting them focus on the main boss instead.

17 Amygdala

Bloodborne

• HP: 6,404
• Blood Echoes: 21,000
• Location: Nightmare Frontier
• Drops: Ailing Loran Chalice

Bloodborne starts off with elements of gothic horror before showing its Lovecraftian influences as players slowly uncover the mysteries of this world. A great way this title creates its unsettling atmosphere is the Lesser Amygdalas that players can see hanging about in 'safe' areas like the Grand Cathedral, either after defeating Rom or attaining enough Insight.

If players decide to tackle the optional area of the Nightmare Frontier, then they'll have to deal with the area boss at the end — an Amygdala. This boss can be tricky to damage, as its second phase starts with the creature ripping off two of its arms to extend the reach of its attacks. That's pretty metal and also horrifying. The Defiled Chalice version of this boss is one of the toughest encounters in the entirety of Bloodborne.

16 Lud And Zallen, The King's Pets

Dark Souls 2

• HP: 5,070 each
• Souls: 56,000
• Location: Frigid Outskirts
• Drops: Soul of Lud, Soul of Zallen

Like the Maneaters of Demon's Souls or the Gargoyles in the original Dark Souls, Lud and Zallen in Dark Souls 2 are the token clone 2-for-1 boss fight in that FromSoftware title. Sure, fighting two giant sabertooth cats is tough enough on its own, but the part of the fight most players complain about is how poorly designed, and miserable everything leading up to the showdown is.

Like with most handicap boss fights, it's best to focus on one of the two in an effort to remove the advantage as soon as possible. In the case of the King's Pets, it's advised to rush down Lud and lower their health as much as possible before Zallen joins and changes the whole dynamic.

15 Bell Gargoyles

Dark Souls

• HP: 999 & 480
• Souls: 10,000
• Location: Undead Parish
• Drops: Gargoyle's Halberd, Gargoyle's Shield, Gargoyle Helm, Gargoyle Tail Axe (if tail is cut), Twin Humanities, Homeward Bone

While most players are used to boss fights against two enemies in the Soulsborne games now, there's no denying that most people were taken by surprise when they tried to ring one of the two bells to open the door to Sen's Fortress, only to encounter a Bell Gargoyle that stood in their way. The boss fight seemed simple enough despite the Gargoyle's tricky attacks, but things got really serious when another foe joined the fray.

What follows is a chaotic boss fight where players must learn how to juggle both bosses and try not to be taken by surprise while they focus on one foe. To make things worse, players can fall off from the boss arena, meaning that players can't just panic roll to avoid the attacks of these bosses. Doing so will lead to an embarrassing death that punishes players for being too wild and not having any positional awareness.

14 Vicar Amelia

Bloodborne

• HP: 5,367
• Blood Echoes: 15,000
• Location: Cathedral Ward
• Drops: Gold Pendant

Very rarely in games like Dark Souls, Elden Ring, or Bloodborne do players regret their actions in the heat of battle. Many of the challenges they face are meant to end with the player feeling a sense of accomplishment. That's hard to do with a boss like Bloodborne's Vicar Amelia.

This giant deer-like transformation will pull no punches in the small boss arena it calls home and isn't afraid to let the player know their attacks are inflicting pain. With each successful attack, not only will players see Vicar Amelia's health bar lower, but they'll be met with a sickening cry. It's a reminder that even though beasts can present as apathetic nightmare machines, they feel agony and despair all the same.

13 Elden Beast

Elden Ring

• HP: 22,127
• Runes: 500,000
• Location: Stone Platform
• Drops: Elden Remembrance

Typically, the final boss fight in a FromSoftware title has the most pomp and circ*mstance, operating in a very grandiose manner. For Elden Ring, that moment happens when the player comes upon Radagon of the Golden Order in his closed-off arena. Those who manage to overcome and defeat this lightning-wielding god among men will then have to take on a semi-transparent reptilian entity known as the Elden Beast.

The fight is more frustrating than it is difficult, as the boss will retreat and use long-range attacks in order to gain an advantage over the player. Elden Ring fans wouldn't have been so harsh on this fight if it preceded the encounter with Radagon instead of following it.

12 Watchdog Of The Old Lords

Bloodborne

• HP: 3,528
• Blood Echoes: 1,696
• Location: Pthumeru Chalice - Layer 3
• Drops: Central Pthumeru Chalice

Most people who encounter the Watchdog of the Old Lords when they delve into the Chalice Dungeons for the first time won't really understand why people consider this boss to be one of the hardest in the series. While this first encounter is pretty easy as long as players dodge the boss' well-telegraphed attacks, things take a turn for the worse when players encounter the souped-up version present in the Defiled Chalices.

With a health bar that's shaved in half, players must avoid pretty much every attack from this boss if they don't want to be one-shot by its attacks. It's a true test of patience that's just a taste of things to come, with the Defiled Chalices being some of the hardest dungeons to complete in the game simply because of their lower pool of health.

11 Maneaters

Demon's Souls

• HP: 2,790 each
• Souls: 13,880
• Location: Upper Latria
• Drops: Mixed Demon's Soul

As with many game developers, FromSoftware has a history of repeating some design elements or choices from game to game. One such case is having the player face off against two copies of the same boss at the same time. Most fans of Soulsborne games will point to the Gargoyles in the first Dark Souls as the first form of this, but it was actually the Maneater fight in Demon's Souls where this cruel joke was established.

They move in such a sporadic manner, and it doesn't help that they'll often fly into the air and hang out for a bit. Add to this that the entire fight takes place on a narrow bridge with little railing, so the chance of getting knocked off into the abyss is way too high.

10 Beast Clergyman

Elden Ring

• HP: 10,620
• Runes: 2,400
• Location: Bestial Sanctum
• Drops: Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone

Boss fights in FromSoftware games where the twist or evolution of the fight comes out of nowhere tend to be the ones that stick with players long after they've rolled credits. Despite Elden Ring having dozens of spectacular showdowns, when players come across the Beast Clergyman, it feels like a moment of culmination.

Those who manage to overcome the vicious and primal aggression of the Beast Clergyman will be rewarded with the reveal of it being Maliketh, the Black Blade in disguise. The second phase keeps the aggression but morphs it into an attacking style that is much more fluid and timed in a way to catch the player off guard.

9 Guardian Ape

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

• Deathblows Required: 2
• XP: 3,000
• Location: Sunken Valley Passage
• Drops: Memory: Guardian Ape, Slender Finger

The Guardian Ape fight in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is arguably the game's most memorable. After players defeat the ape and celebrate, the giant beast rises from the dead, and the second phase of the fight begins against a headless version of the giant primate. This boss fight happens to be one of the harder challenges in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice simply because players don't see the second phase coming.

FromSoftware is as brutal as they are talented, and they thought it'd be fun to add an optional fight later in the game where players must not only take on the Headless Guardian Ape but do so while also fighting a female ape that presents itself as the original ape's companion.

8 Slave Knight Gael

Dark Souls 3

• HP: 15,037
• Souls: 120,000
• Location: Filianore's Rest
• Drops: Soul of Slave Knight Gael, Blood of the Dark Soul

Dark Souls 3 is a game that served as a great conclusion to one of the best gaming trilogies of all time. The game may have been a bit too linear for some people, but players who forgave the title for its rudimentary level design enjoyed a truly great game with a faster combat system, excellent lore additions, and some callbacks to the first game that was truly impressive in every way.

The first DLC for the game, Ashes of Ariandel, didn't receive the warmest reception from fans, who weren't huge fans of the expansion's mediocre content. Thankfully, The Ringed City made up for the first DLC's defects by adding a wondering area for players to explore, full to the brim with great additions to the Dark Souls lore and ending with a boss fight against one of the best enemies in the game, Slave Knight Gael. This enemy fights like a beast early on before becoming more human-like in his approach, and his new moveset is a genuine treat to witness.

7 Darkeater Midir

Dark Souls 3

• HP: 15,860
• Souls: 150,000
• Location: The Ringed City
• Drops: Soul of Darkeater Midir, Spears of the Church

After The Old Hunters DLC turned out to be one of the greatest expansions ever released for a game, players were hyped to see what Dark Souls 3's DLCs brought to the table. However, while Ashes of Ariandel was engaging in its own right, there's no denying that the boss encounters featured in this additional piece of content felt rather tame in comparison to what FromSoftware had shown before.

All of this changed with The Ringed City DLC, which satiated most players' demands for a great piece of DLC for Dark Souls 3. An optional boss in this expansion pack that would hurt and humiliate players over and over again is Darkeater Midir, a truly daunting boss fight that will make players beg for the torture to end as he continues to stomp and decimate many unlucky Ashen Ones over and over again.

6 Laurence, The First Vicar

Bloodborne

• HP: 21,242
• Blood Echoes: 29,500
• Location: Nightmare Grand Cathedral
• Drops: Beast's Embrace Rune

The Cleric Beast will serve as the first boss for many Bloodborne players. While this wild beast is a decent introduction to the game's combat, most people feel that this boss comes too early and isn't a substantial threat to players who are familiar with how the game works.

Players who want to fight an endgame variant of the Cleric Beast will find their wishes answered in The Old Hunters DLC, where one of the optional battles is against Laurence, the First Vicar. This is essentially a fiery version of the Cleric Beast that somehow becomes harder after splitting in half, making players tear their hair out until they finally enjoy a satisfying victory against this abomination.

5 Divine Beast Dancing Lion

Elden Ring

• HP: 22,571
• Runes: 120,000
• Location: Belurat, Tower Settlement
• Drops: Remembrance of the Dancing Lion, Divine Beast Head

With Shadow of the Erdtree, FromSoftware seems to have taken the claims that Elden Ring is the easiest of the Soulsborne games as a direct challenge, ramping up the DLC difficulty to an extreme level. Nowhere is this more evident than in the bosses of the Shadow Realm.

The first major boss players encounter in SotE is the Divine Beast Dancing Lion, located at the top of Belurat, Tower Settlement. The Divine Beast serves as a true test of skill for players fresh into the Land of Shadow. With an unpredictable moveset, multiple elemental forms with unblockable attacks, AoE damage, and a tendency to one-hit KO players lacking sufficient Scadutree Blessings, the Dancing Lion turns into a true menace.

4 Manus, Father Of The Abyss

Dark Souls

• HP: 6,665
• Souls: 60,000
• Location: Chasm of the Abyss
• Drops: Soul of Manus, 10 Humanity

Dark Souls was a great game, so fans were understandably elated to find out that the game was going to receive a DLC that expanded on the game's lore even more. This led to the release of the Artorias of the Abyss DLC, which features some of the game's toughest and most beloved boss fights.

The DLC ends with a battle against Manus, Father of the Abyss, who is huge yet ridiculously aggressive. This malicious being can be a pain to deal with owing to how fast he is, but players who learn his moveset and figure out the best way to dodge his attacks will be able to defeat one of the toughest beast bosses developed by FromSoftware.

3 Ludwig, The Accursed/Holy Blade

Bloodborne

• HP: 16,658
• Blood Echoes: 34,500
• Location: Underground Corpse Pile
• Drops: Guidance, Holy Moonlight Sword

Bloodborne on its own is considered by many in the Soulsborne community to be FromSoftware's most difficult game. That notion became stronger when The Old Hunters DLC was released, an expansion that included multiple bosses much more difficult than anything in the base game. Ludwig, the Accursed & Holy Blade is a deformed horse-like beast that is filled with anger and misery.

The level of aggression and power one-shot attacks Ludwig possesses make him quite the challenge. As an untamed beast of sorts, he's plenty to deal with, but just when players catch a rhythm in the fight, he changes the whole dynamic of the fight by wielding a giant sword and attacking with it.

2 Messmer the Impaler

Elden Ring

• HP: 38,981
• Runes: 400,000
• Location: Shadow Keep
• Drops: Remembrance of the Impaler, Messmer's Kindling

Messmer the Impaler, the final boss of Shadow Keep—the second major Legacy Dungeon in SotE—is one of the toughest challenges in the DLC and a true test of build viability. Armed with a fiery spear, Messmer's moveset is quick, relentless, and unforgiving, giving players little time to breathe between his devastating combos.

Defeating him without resorting to cheese tactics demands near-perfect reaction time to dodge his lightning-fast strikes. At half health, Messmer begins to incorporate his beast form, a giant snake, into his attack patterns, making an already difficult fight even more challenging.