While many of the boss fights in the initial release of Dark Souls 3 didn't follow up its predecessor Bloodborne with similarly fast-paced combat, much of the DLC managed to hit the same highs as the PS4 exclusive title. This includes Ashes of Ariandel, which followed in the footsteps of other Dark Souls DLC to add some of the most impressive boss fights in the series.
In the case of Ashes of Ariandel specifically, Dark Souls 3 introduces players to Sister Friede early as a seemingly friendly NPC before having her return as a brutal boss fights for the end of the DLC campaign. This three-phase fight pulls elements from all over the FromSoftware catalog, being one part Crossbreed Priscilla and one part Lady Maria, with a hint of Giant Lord tossed in for good measure.
Sister Friede Embodying the History of FromSoftware
It isn't entirely uncommon for FromSoftware to draw on previous games to influence boss design moving forward or even revisit enemies that had previously been cut like the revival of Elden Ring's Ulcerated Tree Spirit. However, few enemy designs draw from the history of the developer as much as Sister Friede and her rapid-paced, scythe-wielding combat. This has resulted in a boss who is more than a rehash of old material but instead manages to elevate some concepts that had grown dated into the more active game engine.
The most obvious example of older Dark Souls DNA that influences Sister Friede is that of Crossbreed Priscilla, an optional boss from the first title found in the Painted World of Ariamis. Both attack the player with scythe-type weapons, and more importantly, they both have the ability to temporarily turn invisible and sneak up for a heavy hit from behind. Of course, in every way that the two are similar, Sister Friede and Crossbreed Priscilla also differ thanks to the faster pace of Dark Souls 3 as a whole.
On the side of speed, Dark Souls 3 is much more akin to its predecessor Bloodborne than it is to any other title in the actual Souls series. Given that the two work on roughly the same engine, it isn't exactly a surprise for parts of these games to play similarly, but Sister Friede is still special in that she is the boss that feels to be the most designed like any eldritch horror. This comparison is strongest with Bloodborne's Lady Maria, who stands as a strong challenge with quick combos and a handful of high-flying attacks. In fact, Sister Friede almost appears to copy one of Lady Maria's attacks directly in her third phase, jumping into the air and crashing onto the player with a swirl of flames.
Three Phases as a Test of Endurance
Not many bosses in FromSoftware's long list of games have three entire phases to fight through, either on a single health bar or multiple. So, when going up against Sister Friede for the first time, it can easily be a surprise to see her revived after taking down the first health bar and spurring Father Ariandel into action. This forces the player into an endurance battle where an errant use of the Estus Flask in the first phase means that they'll have fewer chances against the later phases.
The whole fight then comes to a head in the third phase, as Sister Friede enters her strongest and fastest mode so far, preparing to quickly dispatch the player with black fire. This is when Sister Friede is able to best channel the Lady Maria design, including taking whichever signature attacks also work well with the double scythe combat. By elevating these designs so impressively, FromSoftware managed to make Dark Souls 3's DLC some of the best content across the developer's large catalog.
Dark Souls 3 is available now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.