Highlights
- Underrated bosses in the Soulsborne universe offer a great introductory experience and leave a lasting impression on players.
- Bosses like Dragonslayer Armour and True Monk provide intense fights and unique challenges that test players' skills.
- Deacons of the Deep and Pursuer may not be difficult bosses, but they offer satisfying victories and valuable practice for future encounters.
In the Soulsborne universe, some of the best boss fights that players will encounter will be done very early on. With the size of some of the Soulsborne games and the dozens of bosses fought along the way, it's easy for certain bosses to slip away into the shadows, and not be appreciated enough.
Some of these underrated bosses provide a great introductory demonstration to players looking to fully grasp certain mechanics. Despite being underrated, these bosses provide some very memorable moments, and the impressions they leave on fans are long-lasting.
10 Full-Grown Fallingstar Beast (Elden Ring)
The Full-Grown Fallingstar Beast is the last obstacle that blocks the players' path to Volcano Manor in Elden Ring. It can serve as a pretty intense fight against many players. With the beast being encountered in an optional area, there may be some who may have never had the luxury of encountering it, but players entering the area for the first time should know that they can simply avoid the beast and continue to Volcano Manor if they wish to.
The boss also shares many similarities with Astel, Naturalborn of the Void. Astel frequently uses gravity magic during battle, and shares many physical similarities to the Fallingstar Beast in its face, mandibles, and general rock-based structure. This further suggests the idea that they could both be from the same species, or the Fallingstar Beast could eventually evolve into an even larger entity like Astel. With some pretty fun attacks to counter and a charge attack that feels amazing to dodge or counter, The Full-Grown Fallingstar Beast, paired with a brilliant theme, is one of the most underrated encounters in Elden Ring.
9 Dragonslayer Armour (Dark Souls 3)
With an entrance that quickly establishes the Dragonslayer’s strength and his command over lightning, he immediately proves to be an efficient warrior who can easily kill the player in a few hits with his devastating attacks. While he does have some moves that leave him vulnerable for the player to punish, the Dragonslayer can instantly swing back the fight into his favor, with some brutal swings from the enormous Dragonslayer's Greataxe in Dark Souls 3.
The fight feels truly rewarding to beat, as players would initially expect the Dragonslayer to be sluggish, but he is one of the fastest enemies in the entire game.
8 Tower Knight (Demon's Souls)
As the Tower Knight is one of the first few bosses in Demon's Souls, it goes without saying that this boss is sure to make an impression. The sheer size of the boss alone will have players in awe as it makes its way toward them, and they'll want to find the weakness in his legs as soon as possible.
For what is a relatively easy battle, the Tower Knight has an unforgettably unique design and an introduction that sets him up to be an absolute powerhouse. Players should take their time, enjoy the arena, the added chaos of fighting off multiple enemies, and the theme, and they will find the Tower Knight becomes an opponent they look forward to facing.
7 True Monk (Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice)
When the True Monk meets Wolf at the bridge before the gorgeous Fountainhead Palace, they will stop at nothing to stop him from getting through, making for a violent encounter in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.
With three deathblows required to take the True Monk down for good, players must deflect well and be consistent to wear down the boss. If the player times it correctly, they can climb up the tree as the boss transitions into its second phase, and stealth attack from above to take out its second deathblow. This boss reinforces the importance of timing deflects and serves as a brilliant obstacle in the way of progression that can easily be overlooked by equally incredible bosses.
6 Deacons Of The Deep (Dark Souls 3)
When the players make it to the end of the Cathedral Of The Deep and enter through the fog gate, dozens of deacons rise from the ground. As they emerge, unsuspecting players can be caught off guard, in a moment of horror as they anticipate how much of a threat the group poses.
While the battle is one of the easiest in the entire franchise, fighting through the cathedral and taking on the group of Deacons makes for a satisfying victory, and the deacons slowly making their way toward the player is nothing short of terrifying.
5 Pursuer (Dark Souls 2)
The Pursuer can be found very early on in Dark Souls 2, and the location for this battle is set on the picturesque Pursuers Platform, overlooking a gorgeous ocean at the edge of the Cardinal Tower.
While not a difficult boss by any stretch, the Pursuer has a skillset that allows players to develop an understanding of the game's dodging mechanic, making him, effectively, a boss that trains players for the more difficult dangers yet to come. Players will also encounter other variations of the Pursuer as standard enemies going forward, so the fight further serves as great practice for future encounters with them.
4 Elemer Of The Briar (Elden Ring)
Adorning armor wrapped in thorns to resemble guilt, Elemer of the Briar was condemned to die at the hands of the Marais family in their own castle. Elemer evaded execution by brandishing the Marais Executioners Sword, whereby he earned himself the moniker of Bell Bearing Hunter, tracking down merchants and killing them for their bell bearings.
Elemer is an incredibly fun boss to fight, and his diverse combat pattern and skillset make for a lengthy battle with a satisfying opponent. Many players will find themselves in awe as he uses his Eochaid-learned weapon magic in battle, and they will be eager to best Elemer in battle and brandish the Marais Executioner's Sword themselves.
3 Godrick The Grafted (Elden Ring)
Beginning the fight with a spine-chilling intro and the incredible delivery of the line "I command thee kneel!", Godrick The Grafted is one criminally underrated boss that the player will inevitably encounter in The Lands Between.
Not only does Godrick have an interesting attack pattern that forces players to utilize a new jumping mechanic, but he also is one of the coolest-looking characters in the entire game. In his second phase, Godrick cuts off his own arm and grafts it to a nearby dragon head, where he utilizes his new-found limb, and its dragon breath, in battle. In a world full of bosses of tremendous power and hundreds of hours of gameplay, it's easy to understand how quickly Godrick can be forgotten, but players should not dare underestimate the Lord of all that is golden.
2 Mergo's Wet Nurse (Bloodborne)
Having six blades certainly makes this boss terrifying to face. As it can be difficult to get in close due to the constant slashing blades, taking the time to learn her moves, which can be somewhat slow at points and fairly predictable, will make this fight a satisfying one to see through to the end.
Mergo's Wet Nurse is also susceptible to fire damage, so those looking to gain an instant advantage in Bloodborne should look to use fire weapons, Hunter Tools, or consumables in the opening moments of the fight. While not as notorious as bosses such as the Orphan of Kos or Lady Maria, Mergo's Wet Nurse proves herself to be capable of devastation, so players should not be too overconfident or assume she will be a pushover.
1 Chaos Witch Quelaag (Dark Souls)
While Chaos Witch Quelaag is a very early-game boss in Dark Souls, she makes for an oddly terrifying opponent. Born of the witch of Izalith, Quelaag and her sister, The Fair Lady, were horrifically mutated by the chaotic flame, and both of them would have their upper torsos fused into giant spiders as a result.
Quelaag ruthlessly guards her domain, killing anything that would dare enter, forever attempting to keep her blind and docile sister from harm. The fight itself is a fairly straightforward one, and players shouldn't need to employ too much strategy to defeat her, as her own attacks often leave wide gaps that players can easily punish.