Fans ofFromSoftwaregames like to refer to the developer’s collection of titles as part oftheSoulsbornegenre. 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 theirDark SoulsandBloodborneseries.Boss fightsare 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 byFromSoftware’s hardest beast bossesthat have become legendary battles.
Updated on June 14, 2025, by Gerardo Molina:The Soulsborne universe is full of different challenging enemies that put players' skills to the test at every turn. Although some are humanoid and normal in size, others are much larger and have bestial qualities that make them formidable. Beast enemies have been around the Soulsborne universe since the early days of the most popular franchises within it, so it makes sense that they keep making appearances with every new installment that’s released. In some instances, their size is just a psychological element that developers use to trick players into thinking that they’re up for a huge challenge, even when they’re not. However, in others, the challenge is there.
26Father Gascoigne
Bloodborne
Father Gascoigne is the boss who lets players know thatBloodborneis a completely different beast compared toDark 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.
25Armor Spider
Demon’s Souls
Humans are afraid of many different things, but among the most common fears shared by all is that of spiders.Demon’s Soulsdecided 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.
24Blood-Starved Beast
Players who are still getting used toBloodborne’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.
23The Duke’s Dear Freja
Dark Souls 2
Dark Souls 2wasa 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.
22Amygdala
Bloodbornestarts 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 ofBloodborne.
21Lud And Zallen, The King’s Pets
Like the Maneaters ofDemon’s Soulsor the Gargoyles in the originalDark Souls,Lud and Zallen inDark Souls 2are 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.
20Black Blade Kindred
Elden Ring
Black Blade Kindred is a recurring boss inElden Ring, twice in the game. In the end-game, with a level 100-150 character, these bosses are a joke, but they can seem to be insurmountable obstacles in the early game.
Owing toElden Ring’sopen-world design, it’s possible to stumble across a Black Blade Kindred before they are ready to face it. They have devastatingly fast attacks, deceptively long reach, and can fly to close distances. With high enough DPS and tanking ability, it’s possible to brute force these fights, but they are death sentences for glass cannon builds.
19Bell Gargoyles
Dark Souls
While most players are used to boss fights against two enemies in theSoulsbornegames 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.
18Vicar Amelia
Very rarely in games likeDark Souls, Elden Ring, or Bloodbornedo 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 witha boss likeBloodborne’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.
17Full-Grown Fallingstar Beast
TheFull-Grown Fallingstar Beastis one of the most challenging enemies in the entirety ofElden Ring, as it’s a much more powerful version of the otherFallingstar Beaststhat players will encounter throughout their playthrough. This particular enemy can be found at the top of Mt. Gelmir and it has a very large health pool for the part of the game where players have to face it. Making this boss optional was a great choice by FromSoftware, as it can be really difficult to defeat, and it would have been frustrating to have it be part of the mandatory requirements to progress through The Lands Between. That said, it’s not recommended for players to skip it, as it yields great rewards, including 21,000 Runes, 1x Somber Smithing Stone (6), 1x Smithing Stone (6), and the Fallingstar Beast Jaw weapon, which can be great for Strength builds.
Luckily, there’s a Site of Grace near its boss arena, which makes the challenge of getting to it much less daunting, especially considering that players will most likely have to face it several times before emerging victorious. The Full-Grown Fallingstar Beast is strong against Standard, Slash, Strike, and Piercing damage and is also immune to Hemorrhage and Frostbite. However, it’s weak to Magic, Fire, Lightning, and Holy attacks, so players struggling with it in excess might want to try those types of elemental damage to bring it down.
