Current Events > Just played the entire Dark Souls trilogy... time for some BOSS RANKINGS!

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6 - Pontiff Sulyvahn (DS3)


Sulyvahn was born and raised inside the painting yet had little use for his frigid homeland, since he had not yet experienced loss. Long ago, when Sulyvahn was yet a young sorcerer, he discovered the Profaned Capital and an unfading flame below a distant tundra of Irithyll, and a burning ambition took root within him.
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Born in the Painted World of Ariandel, Sulyvahn embarked on a journey that likely began with a search for purpose and ended with the conquering of Irithyll and the dismantling of the royal family of gods. Using a combination of his own natural sorceries and the fires of the Profaned Flame, Sulyvahn stands with Saint Aldrich of the Deep and rules Irithyll as a tyrant. Similarly to the comments about how Gwyn's presentation is used to such great effect, Sulyvahn gets a similar treatment as the choir quietly accompanies the glow of his weapons alighting in the distance. His character design is fascinating to look at, too, both graceful and violent. The branches sticking out of him always struck me as a unique and odd choice, but knowing he hails from Ariandel, they make all the sense in the world due to his resemblance to the tree women. The grand majesty of the cathedral in which you fight makes the whole thing a home run in presentation right off the bat.

As combat goes, Sulyvahn falls at about the same junction of your journey as Ornstein and Smough did in DS1, and similarly serves as a fitting test for all you've seen so far. He's a definite step up from anything you've encountered up to that point, and learning to duck, roll, and weave through his series of sweeps and gap-closers is very rewarding. A lot of the same perks from the Dancer fight are true here as well -- the battle is so graceful. Learning the timing to perfectly dodge his five-hit combo and following it up with a punishing attack of your own? That's the kind of stuff where Soulsborne combat really sings. Of course, as soon as you've gotten the hang of it, he channels his inner Darklurker and splits into two, and it's everything I wanted the Darklurker fight to be. You can make a choice to focus on Sulyvahn and disregard the clone, due to both being slightly less aggressive while the clone lives, or burn down the clone as quickly as possible so you can get back to your 1v1 with Sulyvahn. It's a neat gameplay choice where both options feel valid and purposeful. Emerging victorious leads to one of the biggest fist-pumps of DS3.

Sulyvahn isn't the hardest boss in DS3, but that doesn't mean he isn't hard. He's a big challenge presented in a phenomenally memorable fashion, and just as the Abyss Watchers prepared you for Sulyvahn, Sulyvahn is preparing you for aggressive bosses like the Nameless King and Champion Gundyr. If you're keeping score at home, the only five bosses that end up higher than him are all DLC or end-game encounters that pose a masterful challenge on top of the juicy lore. As such, everything about Pontiff Sulyvahn comes together in a cohesive package, one that makes him my favorite mid-game boss in the entire trilogy.

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WE'VE REACHED THE TOP FIVE! Get in your guesses now. First to get them right wins, uh... probably nothing, but I'll give you a shoutout when the list is done!

Your finalists, in alphabetical order:

-Champion Gundyr (Dark Souls 3)
-Knight Artorias (Dark Souls: Artorias of the Abyss)
-Nameless King (Dark Souls 3)
-Sister Friede (Dark Souls 3: Ashes of Ariandel)
-Slave Knight Gael (Dark Souls 3: The Ringed City)

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Well the only ones of those that belong in a top 5 (because only my opinion matters) are Champion Gundyr and Knight Artorias, so those will be one and two.
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I'll bank on Gael being numero uno, if only because he's my numero uno and I have lots of thoughts on him.

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DeadBankerDream posted...

Well the only ones of those that belong in a top 5 (because only my opinion matters) are Champion Gundyr and Knight Artorias, so those will be one and two.

That's funny, I kind of assumed Gundyr making the top 5 would be more controversial than the others. Of course that's only one opinion but still.

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Gundyr is easily the best "duel" type boss in the franchise, IMO. Or at least in the Dark Souls series. Might be in franchise competition with Maria.
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I've gone back and forth on #1 and #2 a lot. One's been set at #1 for the majority of the time, so I will probably stick with my gut, but I could have a change of heart. It's definitely between the two, though.

5th, 4th, and 3rd I've got pretty locked in.

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Recap for this page on 92nd-6th:

Centipede Demon
Royal Rat Vanguard
Demon Firesage
Prowling Magus & Congregation
Pinwheel
Belfry Gargoyles
Twin Dragonriders
The Gank Squad
Royal Rat Authority
Blue Smelter Demon
Dragonrider
Ruin Sentinels
Covetous Demon
Mytha, the Baneful Queen
Scorpioness Najka
Giant Lord
Iron Golem
The Bed of Chaos
Lud & Zallen, the Kings Pets
Skeleton Lords
Old Dragonslayer
Deacons of the Deep
Halflight, Spear of the Church
The Last Giant
Moonlight Butterfly
The Pursuer
Flexile Sentry
The Rotten
Guardian Dragon
Demon of Song
Ancient Dragon
Nashandra
The Lost Sinner
Bell Gargoyles
Throne Defender & Throne Watcher
Ancient Wyvern
Looking Glass Knight
Vendrick
Aldia, Scholar of the First Sin
Asylum Demon
Stray Demon
Capra Demon
Taurus Demon
Ceaseless Discharge
Seath the Scaleless
Nito
Crystal Sage
Old Iron King
Yhorm the Giant
Elana, the Squalid Queen
The Dukes Dear Freja
Velstadt, the Royal Aegis
Crossbreed Priscilla
Sanctuary Guardian
Executioners Chariot
Curse-Rotted Greatwood
Gravetender Greatwolf
Dark Sun Gwyndolin
High Lord Wolnir
Gaping Dragon
Chaos Witch Quelaag
Iudex Gundyr
Smelter Demon
Vordt of the Boreal Valley
Aava, the Kings Pet
Old Demon King
Darklurker
Black Dragon Kalameet
Dragonslayer Armor
Oceiros, the Consumed King
Aldrich, Devourer of Gods
Sinh, the Slumbering Dragon
Demon Prince
Great Grey Wolf Sif
Four Kings
Dancer of the Boreal Valley
Sir Alonne
Soul of Cinder
Burnt Ivory King
Ornstein & Smough
Manus, Father of the Abyss
Fume Knight
Darkeater Midir
Abyss Watchers
Twin Princes
Gwyn, Lord of Cinder
Pontiff Sulyvahn

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Im rooting for Artorias as number one even though it probably wont be, because its the only one of those five bosses Ive ever fought :)

The feeling I got after I beat Pontiff the first time was unlike anything else I've ever experienced. I really felt like he was unbeatable solo at first.

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Pontiff was the first time in DS3 I had to grind. Up until that time I hadn't leveled up my health (herald starting class) and after about 60 tries I had to concede that I just couldn't do it. So I grinded the Irithyll knights for about 10 levels and did him in the first try after that.

Fantastic boss.
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My top two of the ones left would be Gael and Nameless King, but I admit that I've never done Artorias since I quit playing DS1 before the DLC dropped.

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I dont even remember anything about Champion Gundyr except hes just like the tutorial boss but stronger (and without the black ooze I think?). Not very memorable for me. Id rank him the same as the Asylum Demon that you fight when you revisit the Undead Asylum.

Artorias was really cool at the time but is a lesser version of a handful of duel fights that came later and are already in the top 10.


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DeadBankerDream posted...

Pontiff was the first time in DS3 I had to grind. Up until that time I hadn't leveled up my health (herald starting class) and after about 60 tries I had to concede that I just couldn't do it. So I grinded the Irithyll knights for about 10 levels and did him in the first try after that.

Fantastic boss.

Unlike the roadblock boss from DS1 (O&S), theres other areas you can explore before fighting the Pontiff to level up. The Dungeons, the Capital, and Smouldering Lake if you havent been there yet.

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DeadBankerDream posted...

Pontiff was the first time in DS3 I had to grind. Up until that time I hadn't leveled up my health (herald starting class) and after about 60 tries I had to concede that I just couldn't do it. So I grinded the Irithyll knights for about 10 levels and did him in the first try after that.

Fantastic boss.

the summons really help against him. them drawing some attacks definitely compensates for the additional health he gets. he was too spicy solo for me too

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radical rhino posted...

Artorias was really cool at the time but is a lesser version of a handful of duel fights that came later and are already in the top 10.

He gets a little boost for being one of the coolest lore figures in Souls and being the OG aggressive high-speed duelist that inspired SO many others on this list. Otherwise you're right that mechanically he's probably outclassed by Sulyvahn.

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Morning bump, well start the top five today.

How would you guys like the end of the list to be revealed? Obviously I think if I post #2 separately from #1, its a little anticlimactic because everyone will know who won. Should I just post the last two simultaneously? Last three? Open to thoughts.

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save the last two for the same post imo

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Blackstar110 posted...

WE'VE REACHED THE TOP FIVE! Get in your guesses now. First to get them right wins, uh... probably nothing, but I'll give you a shoutout when the list is done!

5 Gundyr
4 Artorias
3 Friede
2 Gael
1 NK

TheGreatEscape posted...

save the last two for the same post imo

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TC you spend more tiem doing recaps every couple of post than doing the actual ranking, this feels liek anime filler :V

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orcus_snake posted...

TC you spend more tiem doing recaps every couple of post than doing the actual ranking, this feels liek anime filler :V

I do one recap every 50+ posts for a fresh page and it takes about 12 seconds. The rankings posts (smaller groups of ten or one big writeup for the top 12) usually take 20-30 minutes where I can sit down uninterrupted, gather my thoughts, and write


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orcus_snake posted...

TC you spend more tiem doing recaps every couple of post than doing the actual ranking, this feels liek anime filler :V

ur mom is anime filler

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5 - Champion Gundyr (DS3)


Once, a champion came late to the festivities, and was greeted by a shrine without fire, and a bell that would not toll. The Belated Champion was bested by an unknown warrior. He then became sheath to a coiled sword in the hopes that someday, the first flame would be linked once more.
...

The passage of time is always a bit of a nebulous concept in Dark Souls, whether that be when we are ripped into the past by Manus and become the unsung savior of Oolacile, or in the cataclysmic melting pot of time and space that serves as the backdrop for the Ringed City content. Perhaps the most jarring and unexpected of all instances of time-travel occurs right after the fight with Oceiros, when you drop through an illusory wall and end up in a version of Firelink Shrine from the past. You find a world where the fire was not linked in time and the onset of an Age of Dark has begun -- and who else awaits you but the tardy would-be-firelinker himself, Gundyr. We know that the choice at the end of Dark Souls 1 is a false one; link the flame and it will one day fade again, let it go out and it will one day spark from an ember. This implies that after this champion failed to link the fire in time, he was fated to serve as an iudex (judge) for a hopefully more successful champion in the next cycle after being put down by... the same Ashen One who traveled back in time to defeat him in the first place? It's all a bit arcane and hard to discern, but for those who relish the trippier aspects of Souls lore and the concept of light/dark cycles, the Untended Graves and Gundyr make for quite a meal to sink your teeth into, providing a wide base for endless speculation.

However, while I find that kind of thing pretty cool to think about, Gundyr's lore is not what draws me to him. While his lore and "spectacle factor" are all well and good, Champion Gundyr has a worthy claim to being the best pure 1v1 duel in the trilogy. I can't decide if I would quite go that far, but I would have to think long and hard about it when simply taking the flow of combat in isolation. Right when the fight begins, he'll put you on your heels with an impressive step up from the Iudex version of the battle, but you haven't seen anything yet. He pauses, his eyes flash red, and this guy goes absolutely Super Saiyan. You are given virtually no time to breathe, and if you want to down an Estus Flask, you better be sprinting at full speed away from him and hope you bait one of his (ever-so-slightly) slower recoveries and hop right back into it. He can close gaps with the best of them, and every split second counts.

What really makes him stick out to me among the "Rest of the Best" is that when I beat him, I had no idea whatsoever what his health was at. I couldn't spare the glance down to the bottom of the screen. I think I used no estus, maybe one flask. He'd flattened me several times, and in the take where I emerged victorious, it was just me and him right up in each other's grills and the fight ended in what I'm guessing was less than a minute, given that my Carthus Flame Arc lasted a good bit after his death. That, to me, is the ultimate compliment to the fight, where truly being in the groove is this electrifying high-stakes duel where there is no retreat, there is only aggression and outpacing your deadly opponent. In fact, on this playthrough of the trilogy, Gundyr (and later Slave Knight Gael) struck me as the first steps in the development of Sekiro -- not necessarily in raw mechanics, but the relentless flow of the combat and breaking his poise by being just a sliver even more relentless clearly comes from the same inspiration that led to future bosses like Genichiro and Owl.

Gundyr does not quite have the chops in his story or his spectacle to be as phenomenally memorable as the remaining four on this list, but as far as combat is concerned, I couldn't really argue with anyone who thinks he's the best pure duelist in the trilogy. He's got a case, and he's a TON of fun. All that said... damn that kick of his straight to hell.

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My SL1 run hit a brick wall at Champ Gundyr. I can't parry the DS3 bosses very well at all, and it's basically required at that low a level. There's no room for error at all.

Also, I never figured out how to dodge his opening charge in the second phase. I pretty much consider it inevitable damage.
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UnholyMudcrab posted...

My SL1 run hit a brick wall at Champ Gundyr. I can't parry the DS3 bosses very well at all, and it's basically required at that low a level. There's no room for error at all.

Also, I never figured out how to dodge his opening charge in the second phase. I pretty much consider it inevitable damage.

You can roll to the side. The timing is tight, but fast rolling may help (not like armor makes much of a difference without the flat defense boosts from stats).

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Ive never tried SL1 runs but they sound like a good challenge for sure. Maybe someday.

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No Sphere Grid No Overdrive is my favourite Dark Souls 3 challenge play.
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DeadBankerDream posted...

No Sphere Grid No Overdrive is my favourite Dark Souls 3 challenge play.

Don't even TALK to me unless you've beaten Dark Souls 3 NSGNSNCNONENNENBB

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Im gonna forget this topic exists before he gets to number 1.

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radical rhino posted...

Im gonna forget this topic exists before he gets to number 1.

Track it.

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DamionDL posted...

Track it.

Or just look at your active posts too. I never really found use for the tracking feature in my ten years on this site, when the active messages list exists. That little page thing that tells you when you a new post has been made is so damn useful, it's what makes me like this site more than Reddit, wish they had something similar.

I forgot how much backtracking has to be done is Dark Souls 1 before you can warp.

I keep noticing this and I am yet to see anyone else talk about this. It happens in Demon's Souls, Dark Souls 1-3 and Bloodborne.

When you discover more of a stage, the entire place lights up a lot brighter than when you first got there so you can now see more of the stage further into the distance. Makes stages appear less scary too.

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I wish more than anything From would have the balls to make a new game with no warping and an even more interconnected world than DaS1.

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Zodd3224 posted...

I wish more than anything From would have the balls to make a new game with no warping and an even more interconnected world than DaS1.

The backtracking isn't fun though. Just tedious. You're way overleveled when you have to run back to these areas to buy spells, do covenant stuff etc.

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KINDERFELD posted...

The backtracking isn't fun though. Just tedious. You're way overleveled when you have to run back to these areas to buy spells, do covenant stuff etc.

I don't agree. Dark Souls 1 is fantastic because it feels enormous and connected, but once you know where you're going and have shortcuts unlocked, you're probably never more than five minutes away from one end of the world to the other on foot. I love that. It's the #1 thing I miss from DS1. The instant warping is the following games is made necessary by their more linear worlds and by the fact that you can level up at any bonfire rather than needing to come back to Firelink, but the original system of there being no easy "escape to home base," you're out there in the world and your only refuge is this bonfire... I miss that a lot in the newer games.

Also DRUMROLL

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Blackstar110 posted...

I don't agree. Dark Souls 1 is fantastic because it feels enormous and connected, but once you know where you're going and have shortcuts unlocked, you're probably never more than five minutes away from one end of the world to the other on foot. I love that. It's the #1 thing I miss from DS1. The instant warping is the following games is made necessary by their more linear worlds and by the fact that you can level up at any bonfire rather than needing to come back to Firelink, but the original system of there being no easy "escape to home base," you're out there in the world and your only refuge is this bonfire... I miss that a lot in the newer games.

Also DRUMROLL

What makes the backtracking uneventful is, its the same enemies that drop nothing useful, same placement, same little bit of souls and all I care to do is reach one merchant who is buried down there. Now, to prevent the boring backtracking, I just amass a shitload of souls so I can purchase and do everything in one swoop and never return until side quest stuff.

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4 - Knight Artorias (DS1 - Artorias of the Abyss)


Artorias, deeply scarred by the Abyss, used his greatshield to form a barrier to protect his compatriot Sif. The legend that Artorias repelled the Abyss only told half the story. It seems that he was defeated, and his honor preserved, by some unsung hero, who is the true victor of the Abyss.
...

While all three Dark Souls games have memorable characters, the first comes out on top, headlined by beloved icons like Solaire, Andre, and Siegmeyer, supported by others like Big Hat Logan, the Primordial Serpents, and Lautrec. Those characters are all interactable NPCs, and their unique VA and sidequests elevate them to those heights. What makes Artorias so unique in that regard is that he places among that pantheon of the most memorable Souls characters with no sidequest, no dialogue, nothing at all to give him a boost. Fittingly, Artorias is held in such esteem by the Souls community for the same reason he is held in such esteem by others in-game -- his legacy. The world believes Artorias sacrificed everything and successfully defeated the abyss, a hero and a martyr to go down in history. We, however, know the truth. He failed. He was corrupted and needed to be put down, killed by us and his work finished by us. We revere him nonetheless, partially for the tragic failure of his heroics, but also because of his bond with Sif, who he laid down his shield to protect as a final act. This knight of Gwyn might not be the abyss-conquering hero the people of the Souls world remember him as, but he is made no less brave by us knowing his secret, and no less noble for his defeat. We preserve his honor, and that makes for an extremely iconic moment in Souls.

But enough about that nerd crap, let's talk combat.

Artorias is a beast. The granddaddy of aggressive duelists, you can pick up traces of Artorias influence in fights like Gael, Gundyr, Nameless King, Abyss Watchers, Fume Knight... basically all of them. When they designed Artorias, they set a precedent for a change of pace from the bosses of the base game. Allowing clear windows for estus? Forget it. He's coming after you and he can close the gap in a heartbeat. He can leap in the air, he can whirl around, and of course, he can just clobber you the old-fashioned way. Gwyn has shades of this, but is easily parried and a touch less acrobatic while being in a larger arena. I also love how you are presented with a difficult choice when he goes to buff himself up -- this is one of your only clear opportunities in the whole fight to re-buff your weapons, heal up, anything you need to do, but you might regret letting him get that ability off rather than staggering him out of it, not to mention the free window to pummel him a bit. In this sense, good play rewards more good play. You don't need to spend that time getting your own act together if you've been playing well up to that point.

Knight Artorias is one of the most iconic fights in Souls history for a reason. He's a phenomenal lore figure, a great tragic character, and an absolute monster of a fight that blazed the trail for so many of the best FromSoft has ever done. No list would be complete without him in the top ten at minimum, and I couldn't see putting him any lower than five. He's that good.

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I never played the Dark Souls DLC, but I heard that Artorias was inspired by Guts, and he's of course Sif's master, and the pillar in which the Abyss Watchers based themselves on, so I definitely appreciate his character

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No dispute with the analysis. Every post-Dark Souls aggressive duel/brawl boss fight can be traced to Artorias' DNA in some fashion or another with respect to the pacing and flow of the fight.

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g0ldie posted...

I never played the Dark Souls DLC, but I heard that Artorias was inspired by Guts, and he's of course Sid's master, and the pillar in which the Abyss Watchers based themselves on, so I definitely appreciate his character

Are you serious?

Now I'm going to be playing this game and paying much closer attention to these details!!!


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I think it's mostly the armor and some of Artorias' moves that were inspired by Guts and his Berserker Armor



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Yet another fun fact: You learn from the description of his sword in later games that Artorias is left-handed. His left arm is broken and hanging limply during the fight, which means that he's kicking your ass with his off-hand the entire time.

Probably my second favorite fight in the series behind Raime
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Okay, so I'm guessing Friede is next, then Nameless and Gael at number 1.

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UnholyMudcrab posted...

Yet another fun fact: You learn from the description of his sword in later games that Artorias is left-handed. His left arm is broken and hanging limply during the fight, which means that he's kicking your ass with his off-hand the entire time.

Probably my second favorite fight in the series behind Raime

that's actually really neat, i did not know that.

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UnholyMudcrab posted...

Yet another fun fact: You learn from the description of his sword in later games that Artorias is left-handed. His left arm is broken and hanging limply during the fight, which means that he's kicking your ass with his off-hand the entire time.

Probably my second favorite fight in the series behind Raime

Right, which is all the more reason to leave the shield to protect Sif. Dude only had one functioning hand.

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Fresh page recap.

TOP THREE FOR BEST BOSS IN THE DARK SOULS TRILOGY (alphabetical):
-Nameless King, DS3
-Sister Friede, DS3AoA
-Slave Knight Gael, DS3TRC

BEST DARK SOULS 1 BOSS:
-Gwyn, Lord of Cinder

BEST DARK SOULS 1 DLC BOSS:
-Knight Artorias

BEST DARK SOULS 2 BOSS:
-Darklurker

BEST DARK SOULS 2 DLC BOSS:
-Fume Knight

BEST DARK SOULS 3 BOSS:
-Nameless King

BEST DARK SOULS 3 DLC BOSS:
-TBD

RANKINGS (92nd-4th):
Centipede Demon
Royal Rat Vanguard
Demon Firesage
Prowling Magus & Congregation
Pinwheel
Belfry Gargoyles
Twin Dragonriders
The Gank Squad
Royal Rat Authority
Blue Smelter Demon
Dragonrider
Ruin Sentinels
Covetous Demon
Mytha, the Baneful Queen
Scorpioness Najka
Giant Lord
Iron Golem
The Bed of Chaos
Lud & Zallen, the Kings Pets
Skeleton Lords
Old Dragonslayer
Deacons of the Deep
Halflight, Spear of the Church
The Last Giant
Moonlight Butterfly
The Pursuer
Flexile Sentry
The Rotten
Guardian Dragon
Demon of Song
Ancient Dragon
Nashandra
The Lost Sinner
Bell Gargoyles
Throne Defender & Throne Watcher
Ancient Wyvern
Looking Glass Knight
Vendrick
Aldia, Scholar of the First Sin
Asylum Demon
Stray Demon
Capra Demon
Taurus Demon
Ceaseless Discharge
Seath the Scaleless
Nito
Crystal Sage
Old Iron King
Yhorm the Giant
Elana, the Squalid Queen
The Dukes Dear Freja
Velstadt, the Royal Aegis
Crossbreed Priscilla
Sanctuary Guardian
Executioners Chariot
Curse-Rotted Greatwood
Gravetender Greatwolf
Dark Sun Gwyndolin
High Lord Wolnir
Gaping Dragon
Chaos Witch Quelaag
Iudex Gundyr
Smelter Demon
Vordt of the Boreal Valley
Aava, the Kings Pet
Old Demon King
Darklurker
Black Dragon Kalameet
Dragonslayer Armor
Oceiros, the Consumed King
Aldrich, Devourer of Gods
Sinh, the Slumbering Dragon
Demon Prince
Great Grey Wolf Sif
Four Kings
Dancer of the Boreal Valley
Sir Alonne
Soul of Cinder
Burnt Ivory King
Ornstein & Smough
Manus, Father of the Abyss
Fume Knight
Darkeater Midir
Abyss Watchers
Twin Princes
Gwyn, Lord of Cinder
Pontiff Sulyvahn
Champion Gundyr
Knight Artorias

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Reminder that I'll post #3 separately when I write that up but then #1 and #2 will be posted simultaneously to not ruin the suspense. #3 will come either later tonight or tomorrow.

Thanks to everyone for tagging along on this so far, it's been fun. I'm glad that you've obliged me taking my time with it -- I only wanna do a ranking writeup when I really have time to get my thoughts out in a way I'm satisfied with as opposed to just crapping out the list, especially for the top 12. I love doing this kind of thing so it's been neat having an audience for it.

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Honestly, it's been one of the best "Top" lists I've read on this site. Kudos!

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