FromSoftware has ascended to the forefront of action RPG development, crafting unforgettable journeys through grim, dark worlds brimming with both terror and wonder. While their innovative level and lore design is unparalleled, their enduring legacy will likely always be their bosses: incredibly challenging, often horrifying adversaries that test your skills to their absolute limits.
For their latest game, *Elden Ring Nightreign*, FromSoftware is doubling down on the boss encounters. This roguelike-inspired co-op game is purely combat-focused, with each playthrough presenting players with increasingly difficult boss battles. As the first trailer revealed, some familiar faces from the *Dark Souls* series are making a return, including the formidable Nameless King.
This isn't a list of the *hardest* bosses. This is a list of the *greatest* bosses in FromSoftware history. To determine the best, we considered battles across FromSoftware's "Soulsborne" titles – *Elden Ring*, *Bloodborne*, *Sekiro*, *Demon's Souls*, and the *Dark Souls* trilogy. We evaluated not only the challenge but also every aspect of the fight: music, setting, mechanical complexity, lore significance, and more. What follows are our 25 favorites, judged across these criteria.
This isn't a list of the most difficult bosses. This is a list of the *greatest* bosses in FromSoftware history.
25. Old Monk (Demon’s Souls)
Conceptually, *Demon's Souls’* Old Monk is a brilliant example of FromSoftware's approach to PvP multiplayer invasions. Instead of a standard AI-controlled boss, the Old Monk can be controlled by another player. While the difficulty varies based on the player's skill, it effectively reminds you that enemy players can appear at any time, even during a boss fight.
24. Old Hero (Demon’s Souls)
While many of *Demon's Souls’* bosses have been surpassed by later, more refined designs, its puzzle-style encounters remain fascinating highlights. Old Hero exemplifies this; a tall, glowing, powerful ancient warrior who is blind. His attacks are indiscriminate, but his blindness makes evasion relatively simple. However, he can hear you, transforming the fight into a stealth-like experience. It's not difficult, following a pattern of sneaking in, striking, and waiting for him to reset. Despite its simplicity, Old Hero is unique in FromSoftware's history, foreshadowing later bosses like *Elden Ring's* Rennala and *Sekiro's* Folding Screen Monkeys.
23. Sinh, the Slumbering Dragon (Dark Souls 2: Crown of the Sunken King)
Dragons are often formidable bosses in FromSoftware games, but early dragon encounters in *Dark Souls* and *Demon's Souls* felt more like prototypes. *Dark Souls 2's* Sinh, the Slumbering Dragon, marks a turning point. This incredibly difficult fight, set within a poisonous cavern and accompanied by soaring music, established the epic and terrifying standard for future dragon encounters.
22. Ebrietas, Daughter of the Cosmos (Bloodborne)
Yarnham is filled with Lovecraftian horrors, but none embodies *Bloodborne's* cosmic horror themes quite like Ebrietas. A mass of tentacles, growths, and wings, she's the creature worshipped by the Healing Church and the source of Blood Ministration, making her central to the game's narrative. While not as terrifying as her backstory suggests, her fight is thematically rich; her most devastating attack tears open the cosmos, and her blood inflicts Frenzy, a status effect that slowly drives you mad. It's pure Lovecraftian horror.
21. Fume Knight (Dark Souls 2)
Arguably *Dark Souls 2's* hardest fight, the Fume Knight combines speed and power. He dual-wields weapons, using a longsword for rapid attacks and a greatsword for heavy damage. He later combines them into a giant flamesword. While his difficulty is notable, he's also incredibly fun to fight. FromSoftware's duels typically pit you against either a fast or a heavy opponent, but the Fume Knight masterfully blends both styles.
20. Bayle the Dread (Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree)
Bayle the Dread is memorable on its own, being one of the hardest bosses in a challenging DLC. However, what truly elevates it is the presence of the NPC ally, Igon. His intense hatred for Bayle, expressed both before and during the fight, adds another layer of excitement to this already thrilling encounter with a monstrous dragon.
19. Father Gascoigne (Bloodborne)
Every FromSoftware game has an early boss that tests your understanding of the mechanics. *Bloodborne's* Father Gascoigne is arguably the best example. Mindless attacks are punished, requiring players to learn environmental awareness, controlled aggression, and gun parrying – crucial skills for future encounters.
18. Starscourge Radahn (Elden Ring)
*Elden Ring* is full of spectacle, but few encounters match the scale of Starscourge Radahn and his vast battlefield. The fight's ability to summon numerous NPC companions adds to the epic feel, making it a truly memorable and inventive encounter.
17. Great Grey Wolf Sif (Dark Souls)
FromSoftware games are often melancholic, but few moments are as emotionally resonant as fighting Great Grey Wolf Sif. Artorias' loyal companion, guarding his grave, evokes a powerful sense of atmosphere and story, leaving a lasting impression.
16. Maliketh, the Black Blade (Elden Ring)
Maliketh is arguably one of the most aggressively designed bosses in Soulslike history. His relentless attacks and multiple phases create a high-intensity fight that remains incredibly memorable.
15. Dancer of the Boreal Valley (Dark Souls 3)
The Dancer of the Boreal Valley is visually stunning and mechanically unique. Her unpredictable attacks and unusually timed animations keep players constantly on their toes, making for a challenging and memorable fight.
14. Genichiro Ashina (Sekiro)
The first encounter with Genichiro Ashina, set in a moonlit reed field, is memorable despite its short duration. The later rematch atop Ashina Castle is an epic duel that tests your mastery of Sekiro's parrying and deflecting mechanics.
13. Owl (Father) (Sekiro)
Fighting Owl, Wolf's father, is a physically and emotionally challenging encounter. Owl's aggressive attacks, lethal gadgets, and ability to teleport make this one of Sekiro's most difficult and memorable boss fights.
Honorable Mention: Armored Core 6
While this list focuses on FromSoftware's "Soulsborne" games, *Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon* deserves recognition. Three bosses stand out: AA P07 Balteus, a challenging gatekeeper; IA-02: Ice Worm, a cinematic battle utilizing allied NPCs; and IB-01: CEL 240, with its dramatic and fast-paced second phase.
12. Soul of Cinder (Dark Souls 3)
The Soul of Cinder embodies the essence of *Dark Souls*. As the final boss, this amalgamation of Lords of Cinder fights with unpredictable styles, culminating in a second phase that recreates the attacks of Gwyn, the final boss of the original *Dark Souls*, making it a fitting and nostalgic conclusion.
11. Sister Friede (Dark Souls 3: Ashes of Ariandel)
Sister Friede is a brutal three-phase endurance test, arguably the most punishing in the *Dark Souls* series. Her relentless aggression, combined with the second phase's addition of Father Ariandel, makes for an unforgettable and incredibly challenging fight.
10. Orphan of Kos (Bloodborne: The Old Hunters)
Orphan of Kos is *Bloodborne's* most infamous foe. This terrifyingly fast boss utilizes unpredictable combos and organic weaponry, making for a truly nightmarish encounter.
9. Malenia, Blade of Miquella (Elden Ring)
Malenia has become a cultural phenomenon. This incredibly challenging two-phase fight, featuring her iconic Waterfowl Dance, is visually spectacular and deeply rooted in *Elden Ring's* lore.
8. Guardian Ape (Sekiro)
The Guardian Ape is comedically grotesque, using farts and feces as attacks. However, its shocking second phase, where it reanimates after being decapitated, is a brilliant and unexpected twist.
7. Knight Artorias (Dark Souls: Artorias of the Abyss)
Artorias is a tragic figure with a challenging and exhilarating boss fight. His rapid attacks and tricky combos make defeating him a significant accomplishment.
6. Nameless King (Dark Souls 3)
The Nameless King is a perfect example of a *Dark Souls* boss. His challenging but fair fight, split into two phases (a dragon mount and a grounded duel), is visually stunning and musically unforgettable.
5. Dragon Slayer Ornstein and Executioner Smough (Dark Souls)
Ornstein and Smough established the two-on-one boss fight template. Their difficulty and unique mechanic of one absorbing the other's power after death make this a legendary and influential encounter.
4. Ludwig, The Accursed/Holy Blade (Bloodborne: The Old Hunters)
Ludwig is arguably *Bloodborne's* most complex boss. His constantly evolving moveset and relentless attacks require players to master the game's aggressive combat style.
3. Slave Knight Gael (Dark Souls 3: The Ringed City)
Slave Knight Gael's fight feels truly epic. His two phases, a brutal melee and a ranged onslaught, and his connection to the overall *Dark Souls* narrative make this a momentous and unforgettable conclusion.
2. Lady Maria of the Astral Clocktower (Bloodborne: The Old Hunters)
Lady Maria is a technically masterful duel. Her swift attacks, use of twin swords and a pistol, and powerful blood abilities create a highly intense and memorable fight.
1. Isshin, the Sword Saint (Sekiro)
Isshin, the Sword Saint, embodies *Sekiro's* refined combat system. This four-phase battle, combining swordplay, gunplay, and lightning attacks, is a perfect representation of the game's unique and exhilarating combat, making it FromSoftware's finest boss fight.
Our ranking of the top 25 FromSoftware bosses is complete. Let us know your thoughts!
