FromSoftware has cemented its place as a leading developer of action RPGs, consistently delivering unforgettable adventures into grim, dark worlds brimming with both terror and wonder. While their innovative level and lore design are unparalleled, FromSoftware's enduring legacy will likely always be its bosses: incredibly challenging, often terrifying adversaries that push players to their absolute limits.
For their latest game, Elden Ring Nightreign, FromSoftware is doubling down on boss encounters. This roguelike-inspired cooperative game is purely combat-focused, with each playthrough presenting players with an increasingly difficult series of bosses. As revealed in the first trailer, some familiar faces from the Dark Souls series are returning, 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. Considering battles across their "Soulsborne" titles—Elden Ring, Bloodborne, Sekiro, Demon's Souls, and the Dark Souls trilogy—we evaluated not only the challenge but also the music, setting, mechanical complexity, lore significance, and more. What follows are our 25 favorites, judged across all 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)
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Conceptually, Demon's Souls' Old Monk is a brilliant example of FromSoftware's innovative approach to PvP multiplayer invasions. Instead of a standard AI-controlled boss, the Old Monk can be controlled by another player. While the challenge varies depending on the player's skill, this unique element serves as a constant reminder that enemy players can appear at any time, even during a boss fight.
24. Old Hero (Demon’s Souls)
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While many of Demon's Souls' bosses have been surpassed by later, more refined designs, its puzzle-like boss encounters remain fascinating highlights. The Old Hero exemplifies this; a tall, glowing, powerful ancient warrior who is blind. His attacks are indiscriminate, but his blindness makes evasion relatively easy. However, he can hear you, transforming the fight into a stealth-like experience. It's not difficult, following a pattern of sneaking in, attacking, and waiting for him to reset. Despite its simplicity, Old Hero is a unique encounter, laying the groundwork for later esoteric 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)
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Dragons are typically 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 scale and terror of later dragon encounters.
22. Ebrietas, Daughter of the Cosmos (Bloodborne)
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Bloodborne features many Lovecraftian creatures, but Ebrietas, Daughter of the Cosmos, best embodies the game's cosmic horror themes. A monstrous mass of tentacles, growths, and wings, she's the entity 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 lore suggests, her fight is thematically rich; her attacks involve ripping open the cosmos and unleashing arcane energy, while her blood inflicts Frenzy, a status effect that slowly drives you insane.
21. Fume Knight (Dark Souls 2)
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Arguably the hardest fight in Dark Souls 2, the Fume Knight combines speed and power. Dual-wielding a longsword and a massive greatsword, he later combines them into a giant flaming blade. While his difficulty is notable, he's also incredibly fun to fight. FromSoftware's duels typically pit you against either a fast or heavy opponent, but the Fume Knight masterfully blends both styles.
20. Bayle the Dread (Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree)
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Bayle the Dread is memorable for being one of the hardest bosses in a DLC already known for its difficulty. What truly elevates the fight, however, is the presence of the NPC ally, Igon. His intense hatred for Bayle, expressed both before and during the fight, adds another layer to this already thrilling encounter.
19. Father Gascoigne (Bloodborne)
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Every FromSoftware game has an early "proving ground" boss. Father Gascoigne in Bloodborne is arguably the best example. Mindless attacks will be countered with devastating gunshots and visceral attacks. Success requires mastering environmental awareness, controlled aggression, and using your own gun to parry—essential skills for later encounters.
18. Starscourge Radahn (Elden Ring)
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Elden Ring is full of spectacle, but few encounters match the scale of Starscourge Radahn and his vast battlefield. The 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)
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FromSoftware games are often melancholic, but few moments are as emotionally resonant as fighting Great Grey Wolf Sif. Artorias' loyal companion, guarding his grave, this fight is less about challenge and more about atmosphere and story, leaving a lasting emotional impact.
16. Maliketh, the Black Blade (Elden Ring)
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Maliketh is arguably one of the most aggressively relentless bosses in the Soulslike genre. His intense, high-speed attacks and long, multi-hit combos make for a consistently high-pressure encounter, even after his transformation.
15. Dancer of the Boreal Valley (Dark Souls 3)
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The Dancer of the Boreal Valley is visually stunning and mechanically unique. Her erratic attacks and unusually timed animations make her unpredictable and challenging, showcasing FromSoftware's animation prowess.
14. Genichiro Ashina (Sekiro)
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The first encounter with Genichiro Ashina is a short but memorable fight that serves as a crucial test of the player's understanding of Sekiro's core mechanics. The rematch atop Ashina Castle is an epic duel, requiring mastery of parrying and deflecting.
13. Owl (Father) (Sekiro)
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The fight against Owl (Father) is both emotionally and physically challenging. His aggressive attacks, lethal gadgets, and teleportation abilities make him one of the hardest-hitting bosses in Sekiro.
Honorable Mention: Armored Core 6
While this list focuses on FromSoftware's "Soulsborne" games, it's worth acknowledging Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon. Three bosses stand out: AA P07 Balteus, a fast and challenging gatekeeper; IA-02: Ice Worm, a cinematic event-style boss; and IB-01: CEL 240, with a dramatic and fast-paced second phase.
12. Soul of Cinder (Dark Souls 3)
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The Soul of Cinder, the final boss of Dark Souls 3, embodies the essence of the series. This manifestation of past Lords of Cinder fights with unpredictable styles, culminating in a second phase that recreates the moveset of Gwyn, the final boss of the original Dark Souls.
11. Sister Friede (Dark Souls 3: Ashes of Ariandel)
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Sister Friede is a brutal three-phase fight, arguably the most punishing in the Dark Souls series. Her relentless aggression and the addition of Father Ariandel in the second phase create a challenging and memorable encounter.
10. Orphan of Kos (Bloodborne: The Old Hunters)
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Orphan of Kos is Bloodborne's most infamous boss, known for its terrifying speed and unpredictable combos. Its grotesque appearance and use of its own placenta as a weapon add to its unsettling nature.
9. Malenia, Blade of Miquella (Elden Ring)
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Malenia, Blade of Miquella, is arguably Elden Ring's most challenging and memorable boss, known for her deadly Waterfowl Dance and her second phase as the Goddess of Rot. Her difficulty and intricate moveset cemented her place in gaming culture.
8. Guardian Ape (Sekiro)
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The Guardian Ape is a comedic yet challenging boss. Its primal attacks and use of feces as projectiles are juxtaposed with its surprising second phase, where it reanimates after being seemingly defeated.
7. Knight Artorias (Dark Souls: Artorias of the Abyss)
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Artorias the Abysswalker is a tragic figure with a challenging and exhilarating boss fight. His rapid attacks and complex combos make him a memorable and significant encounter.
6. Nameless King (Dark Souls 3)
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The Nameless King is a perfect example of a Dark Souls boss. His two-phase fight, featuring a mounted dragon phase and a ground-based duel, is both challenging and visually stunning, accompanied by an iconic musical score.
5. Dragon Slayer Ornstein and Executioner Smough (Dark Souls)
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Ornstein and Smough established the two-on-one boss fight template, becoming a highly influential and memorable encounter due to its unique two-stage challenge where one boss absorbs the other's power.
4. Ludwig, The Accursed/Holy Blade (Bloodborne: The Old Hunters)
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Ludwig is arguably Bloodborne's most complex boss, constantly evolving throughout the fight with a vast moveset. His speed and aggression demand precise timing and skillful play.
3. Slave Knight Gael (Dark Souls 3: The Ringed City)
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Slave Knight Gael's fight is epic in scale and thematic significance. His two-phase battle, with its diverse attacks and dramatic setting, makes it a fitting conclusion to the Dark Souls trilogy.
2. Lady Maria of the Astral Clocktower (Bloodborne: The Old Hunters)
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Lady Maria is a technically masterful duel, requiring precise parrying and dodging. Her elegant moveset and intense second phase make for a memorable and challenging encounter.
1. Isshin, the Sword Saint (Sekiro)
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Isshin, the Sword Saint, is the pinnacle of Sekiro's combat system. His four-phase fight demands mastery of all the game's mechanics, culminating in a satisfying and rewarding experience.
Victory achieved. Prey slaughtered. Enemy felled. Our ranking of the top 25 FromSoftware bosses is complete. Did we miss one of your favorites? Let us know in the comments.
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