Boss fights are arguably the biggest draw of any game made by FromSoftware, and it’s clear that that’s very much going to be true in Elden Ring as well. The upcoming action RPG does, of course, have plenty else going for it, from its open world setting to the fact that George R.R. Martin worked on it, but even so, the boss fights are going to be a crucial part of the experience. Thanks to the game’s trailers and, more importantly, its closed network test, we’ve been able to get a proper look at several of Elden Ring’s bosses. It goes without saying that the full game is going to have many, many more that haven’t yet been revealed, but even so, taking a look at each of the bosses that we know of so far is an interesting activity, especially with the game’s launch right around the corner. So here, that’s exactly what we’re going to do.
SOLDIER OF GODRICK
The Soldier of Godrick is a boss fight only in name. This is the very first boss we encountered in Elden Ring’s closed network test, nestled in the tunnels of Fringefolk Hero’s Grave. Not only is the fight optional, it’s also incredibly easy- he doesn’t hit very hard, dodging his attacks isn’t too difficult, and he goes down pretty easily. This encounter is essentially meant as a tutorial, so by default, it doesn’t do much to make an impression as a boss fight.
GODRICK THE GRAFTED
Godrick the Grafted is the final boss of Stormveil Castle, a location that those who played the network test will be familiar with, and he’s made appearances in trailers as well. Visually, there’s more than enough to him to catch the eye, from the many arms he has grafted on to his body to the massive axe he wields. It’s not hard to imagine how thrilling and challenging a boss fight against such a character would be. Interestingly, in the second phase of the fight, Godrick also grafts a dragon head onto one of his arms, which he uses to grab at you with hard-hitting attacks and breathe fire at you.
DEMI-HUMAN CHIEFS
A single Demi-Human Chief probably wouldn’t be too tough to deal with, but encountering two of them at the same time as you do in Dissenter’s Cave in the closed network test sure does make things a little more interesting. The Demi-Human Chiefs have a few rather unpredictable attack patterns up their sleeves, which can make managing your stamina while blocking a little tricky, while the fact that there’s two of them coming at you at once obviously things a tad bit more challenging.
PUMPKIN HEAD
Many players who explored every inch of Elden Ring’s closed network test were rewarded with this boss fight, which sticks out thanks purely to its unique design. The appropriately named Pumpkin Head sets himself apart from other bosses in the game with his premise, while the fact that he puts up a decent fight with some pretty hard-hitting attacks only adds to his value. FromSoftware has a knack for cramming memorable optional bosses into their games, and this seems like yet another example.
BURIAL TREE WATCHDOG
The Burial Tree Watchdog has divided FromSoftware fans in the lead-up to Elden Ring’s launch, and its not hard to see why. Conceptually, the idea of fighting a large feline stone guardian sounds exciting, and the fight itself has a lot to like in terms of how it’s been designed. That said, there are many who aren’t the biggest fans of the beast’s rigid animations and the unintentionally hilarious effect that has. Either way, it at least stands out in memory.
BEASTMAN OF FARUM AZULA
Found at the Groveside Cave, the optional fight against the Beastman of Farum Azula is one of the more challenging boss fights in Elden Ring’s closed network test. Blocking his attack consumes healthy chunks of your stamina and dealing with his surprisingly aggressive and fierce attacks can be a little tricky at times. Of course, fighting with ranged attacks makes the entire encounter significantly easier- something to keep in mind for when the full game arrives.
BLOODHOUND KNIGHT DARRIWIL
Without a doubt, Bloodhound Knight Darriwil is one of the most grueling fights in the Elden Ring closed network test. He moves fast and erratically, so much so that it can be nearly impossible to hit him at times. Blocking his attacks too much also results in a deadly status effect, while dodging them isn’t exactly easy either, given the fact that spotting him while he moves is easier said than done. On top of that, this boss fight doesn’t allow spirit summons either.
FLYING DRAGON AGHEEL
There’s nothing quite like a good boss fight against a formidable dragon in a FromSoftware game. Elden Ring has at least one (probably more)- Flying Dragon Agheel is an optional boss fight at the Dragon-Burnt Ruins in Limgrave, and definitely one worth seeking out. Regardless of how you approach the fight, it remains one of the more challenging ones in what we’ve seen of Elden Ring so far. In a nutshell, the dragon very much lives up to the impression it makes with its fearsome look.
STONEDIGGER TROLL
The Stonedigger Troll definitely seems to be one of Elden Ring’s easier boss fights so far, with neither excessive speed or strength being threats for players to deal with here. That said, it can put up a fight in other ways, from some AoE attacks that can do plenty of damage to the fact that melee characters can essentially only land one attack on him at a time before having to back off for a few moments.
MARGIT THE FELL OMEN
If you played Elden Ring’s network test, there’s very, very little chance that you didn’t fight Margit the Fell Omen, because you can’t get into Stormveil Castle until defeat him- which is easier said than done. Margit’s attacks are ferocious and deal crippling amounts of damage, while his long attack combos require precise timing to dodge, which can be a little hard to nail down. As can often be the case with challenging From boss fights, things with Margit do get slightly easier if you’re playing as a ranged character- but only slightly.
GRAVE WARDEN
Found in the Murkwater Catacombs, the Grave Warden is an optional boss fight that doesn’t make too much of an impression, especially when compared to some of the other big bads we’ve already seen in the game. Though it does have a couple of decent attacks up its sleeve, by and large, wailing on it with melee damage doesn’t take too long to bring it down, especially if you have summon a spirit to distract it.
TREE SENTINEL
There’s plenty to love about the boss fight against the Tree Sentinels in the open fields of Limgrave. Figuring out his attack patterns isn’t particularly tricky, but dealing with his attacks and finding the right windows to deal damage of your own is still enjoyable- which, of course, boils down to the encounter’s solid design. If you’re playing a ranged character, hitting him with your attacks from a distance while riding on your mount makes thing pretty easy- though of course, that’s pretty fun as well.
LION GUARDIAN
Found in Stormveil Castle, the Lion Guardian makes a strong impressive with its formidable appearance, and then makes good on it by turning out to be quite a thrilling boss encounter. It moves fast and it deals out several attacks that can be deadly, so it’s crucial to head into the fight well-stocked and prepared for at least a few retries, if not more. The Lion Guardian is an optional boss fight, but Souls veterans will surely want the satisfaction of beating it nonetheless.
MANY ARMED KEY MASTER
The Many Armed Key Master is another one of the bosses found in Stormveil Castle in the closed network test, although if you were to judge it on the basis of how challenging the fight is, it’d be more of a miniboss. Its erratic attack patterns and its ability to lunge and leap across distances can make things a little tricky at times, but by and large, dealing with its attacks doesn’t prove to be too challenging. Of course, like most other Elden Ring that we know of so far, the Many Armed Key Master’s visual design also deserves praise.
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