10 Worst Multi-Phase Soulsborne Bosses

In the Soulsborne Series, it’s common to find formidable figures serving as bosses. They are well-known for their ability to drive us to frustration, often compelling us to persistently try and fail, exclaiming, “One more try!” while we bang our heads on the desk in determination.

These bosses are unique because they challenge us with hardships, which ultimately makes us grow stronger and more self-assured at each stage of our adventure.

These bosses, tracing their origins back from ancient deities, lend vibrancy to the world and challenge us to elevate our strategies.

It’s understandable that not all boss fights in games of this kind will be instant classics, and it’s particularly frustrating when poorly designed bosses with numerous stages extend the battle unnecessarily.

This collection highlights some particularly frustrating and exasperating multi-stage boss encounters designed by FromSoftware.”

In this version, I aimed to maintain the original tone while using simpler language and avoiding jargon like “eyerollingly” or “sigh-inducing”. The focus is on emphasizing the frustration and exasperation that players may feel when encountering these multi-stage bosses.

This list, following the style of the SoulsBorne series, will focus on just three games – “Demon’s Souls,” “Dark Souls 1-3,” and “Bloodborne.” Enjoy!

10. Curse-Rotted Greatwood

That’s One Overgrown Weed

The Curse-Rotted Greatwood lands at position ten due to its distinctive appearance, but it’s hindered by several aspects.

is well known for having some pretty tricky bosses, though this one is more of a gimmick.

This massive tree appears almost indestructible, with just a few small bumps or growths scattered across its trunk. Break too many of these, and you’ll find yourself plummeting through what seems like the ground, facing its next phase of challenge.

Regarding the combat, if we disregard numerous low-tier adversaries that can be irritating, it essentially becomes a strategy of patience. Circumvent the tree while waiting for an opportunity, then strike swiftly and avoid being overwhelmed. Fortunately, interacting with the slippery tree is optional.

9. Micolash, Host of the Nightmare

Level 99 Agility

In essence, we’re dealing with another innovative idea from our leader, but its application leaves much to be desired. To put it straightforwardly, a significant portion of your time in this fight will likely be spent navigating corridors, evading enemies that seem to appear out of nowhere rather than engaging in direct combat.

Micolash undoubtedly enjoys sprinting, as evident. Moreover, he’ll lead you on a perplexing chase lasting beyond the time it takes to vanquish the toughest foe in battle.

Although he delivers some impressive dialogue, and theoretically, the battle seems intriguing, unfortunately, his attack repertoire falls short, making this boss encounter feel like a tedious task rather than an engaging challenge.

He gets bonus points for having a super-cool head cage though.

8. Dragon God

Hide and Seek: Dragon Style

This company is often known for its over-the-top managers, but it’s important to note that among them, none are as frustratingly cliché as the Dragon Deity.

Or, in a shorter version:

The company’s bosses can be quite theatrical, but none are more stereotypically annoying than the Dragon God.

For those accustomed to battling dragons in the Souls series, such as Midir and Sinh, you’re familiar with formidable foes that send a shiver down your spine. However, this isn’t like those encounters.

As enamored as I am by the majestic Dragon Deity, the battle’s essence is surprisingly simple: shattering debris here and there, followed by an occasional button press – yes, that’s all there is to it!

Based on the preview, you might anticipate a grand, fierce confrontation. However, dodging around pillars and playfully punching a deity doesn’t quite satisfy my expectations for an intense fight.

7. Deacons of the Deep

You Can Keep The Doll

I wouldn’t get involved with a room full of corrupt clergy, my friend. On the surface, the battle might appear challenging, but in practice, it’s just an annoyance because there are too many opponents crammed into the area.

In this battle, keep an eye out for a character radiating red light, as he’s known as the Deacon. Upon defeating him, locate the next one and continue this process. When you reach the midpoint, the genuine Deacon will appear accompanied by additional adversaries.

Frequently, you may find yourself in a situation where you’re surrounded, immobilized, and receiving repeated blows to the head along with being scorched by fireballs.

Or more casually:
Often, you might end up trapped, unable to escape, while getting hit over the head and bombarded with fireballs.

As a gaming enthusiast, I can’t help but feel a thrill when I wield a massive weapon and decimate a horde of enemies in one swift move. However, it seems that the excitement lies more in the spectacle than in the intricacies of gameplay. The boss encounters often boil down to a repetitive pattern of button mashing, offering little room for strategic thinking or skill-based challenges.

6. Royal Rat Authority

Rabid, Toxic Rats… Lovely

It seems there’s a recurring pattern: many minions seem to be following their leaders, which isn’t exactly a joyful experience, I must admit.

The bosses are always surrounded by a swarm of additional creatures; it’s not the most enjoyable part of the game, that much is clear.

The Royal Pet Supervisor can be quite a hassle, as he tends to leap onto you while you’re attempting to deal with the pesky rats that come with him. To make matters worse, there’s a good chance you’ll have another struggle on your hands when it comes to managing his camera equipment.

This encounter bears some resemblance to a less appealing variant of Sif from the series. His actions and the method of defeating him are similar, his appearance isn’t particularly pleasing, and he lacks the emotional impact of vanquishing Sif.

Plus, did I mention, extra rats?

5. The Witch of Hemwick

Double, Double, Toil And Trouble

Although multi-phase bosses can be thrilling, there are instances where I find myself feeling perplexed instead.

It’s common to anticipate a supervisor to become formidable opponents, similar to Ornstein and Smough, switching forms or intensifying their tactics, making the battle feel like facing two bosses simultaneously. Blast it, Maliketh! (Informal)

As a gamer, let me tell you, this isn’t your typical epic boss battle. Instead, it’s more like a never-ending parade of witches. Once I take down one, here comes another. Each one is as sluggish and dull as the last, making for a rather tedious fight.

It can be disappointing since the atmosphere and setting of this battle are captivating, with mysterious shadowy figures adding to the suspense as you desperately look for the Witch. However, when you finally locate her, it’s underwhelming, and by the time you defeat this boss, you might feel as disheartened as I do.

4. Twin Dragonriders

Dragonriders? Where Are The Dragons?

The initial Dragon Rider, often the subject of humor or internet jokes, can usually be defeated in a straightforward manner – merely by allowing him to leap from the arena into a watery demise.

Hold on, here’s an interesting twist! Originally, the Dragonriders were sluggish and cumbersome, but now, as we approach the final round, this battle seems more like a farce.

From my experience as a gamer, when I come across these adversaries who are barely hanging on with their remaining health, I know that there are much more formidable opponents waiting for me down the line.

If you manage to hurt the initial Dragonrider sufficiently, the subsequent one may descend to confront you, which could seem advantageous; however, it simply means that you’ll be attacked by both simultaneously, making the battle potentially simpler for you.

It appears as though this battle has been repetitively used, suggesting that the development team may be lacking in creative inspiration for fresh concepts.

3. Maneaters

Fly, Fly, Fly Away.

Here’s another pair of challenging bosses. I understand your concerns, but this really is the final one, I promise. The Maneaters display the same level of difficulty as the Bell Gargoyles from Dark Souls 1.

This battle resembles a common trope where, being at low health, I’ll call forth another duplicate enemy as the boss.

However, while Dark Souls 1 introduces a distinct ranged gargoyle that changes based on its prior damage, in this game, it appears to be the same foe. Its tail attack lacks the appeal of the original, and the distance between attacks is less gratifying.

In addition, the primary inconvenience you’ll encounter during this battle is likely the ledge that you might accidentally fall from while attempting to evade. However, provided the boss hasn’t fled and returned yet, of course.

Instead of crafting two distinct Maneaters with varying strategies, the current battle design falls short of creating an engaging and intriguing experience.

2. Celestial Emissary

Bobbleheads From The Stars

In larger entities, a harsh descent often awaits – a lesson this superior figure experienced firsthand. Indeed, this confrontation with the boss in Bloodborne was not only straightforward but also rather amusing in its difficulty.

In this terrifying game with ear-piercing shrieks from grotesque mutated creatures and mind-bending cosmic monstrosities, it’s unusual to find something like this.

At first, when you step into the arena, you won’t recognize the actual boss among the enemies unless you attack them all, and then the genuine one will grow significantly larger.

Well, it’s clear that he appears twice as comical now, and he’s not exactly a threat either. You could either take swipes at his legs as the rest of them shuffle about, or guide him towards the entryway and use the archways to your advantage.

Here’s another instance where the challenge level is intentionally boosted by swarming you with multiple underlings all at once. Yet, it remains surprisingly easy to handle.

1. Bed of Chaos

The Legendary Marathon Run-Back

In Dark Souls 1, there aren’t numerous multi-phase battles with bosses, but the few that do occur tend to be quite spectacular.

Absolutely, for every peak, there’s a trough. When I speak of lows, we’re talking about hitting rock bottom, or perhaps even scraping the very bottom of the barrel, my friends.

In the vast collection of games known as the Soulsborne series, the Bed of Chaos is consistently ranked among the most detested bosses by players. This dislike extends to seasoned veterans who can conquer the game without guidance.

To put it simply, where should I start my journey? It’s a leap from the edge that sends you sprawling, the ground giving way under your feet. There’s that irritating twig right smack in the middle to land on, or maybe those towering pillars of scorching fire to navigate around.

This boss only has 1 HP, yet three whole stages? Bonkers.

This teetering tree now shares company with the Curse-Rotted Greatwood, becoming part of the most frustrating and invulnerable “weak point” bosses across the entire series. But there’s nothing more satisfying to me than finding peace for that pesky tree by eliminating its existence.

2025-03-21 18:10