FromSoftware Final Boss Tier List

Posted by By our-little-miss-is-home February 1, 2025 6 Views 10 Min Read
FromSoftware Final Boss Tier List



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One of FromSoftware‘s most renowned strengths is its vast array of excellent boss fights. FromSoftware’s best bosses don’t just offer striking visual designs, but intricate, complex gameplay mechanics as well, resulting in an encounter that’s intense, challenging, and memorable.

While all boss fights should ideally have an impressive blend of distinct mechanical and visual design, it’s especially important when it comes to a game’s final boss. A final boss should be the climactic culmination of everything that’s come before it, offering the ultimate test of skill and leaving players satisfied with the entire experience. FromSoftware has delivered more than its fair share of excellent final boss fights.

This tier list contains both the final bosses from FromSoftware’s base games as well as those in any post-launch DLCs or expansions.

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  • Burnt Ivory King (Dark Souls 2: Crown of the Ivory King)
  • Soul of Cinder (Dark Souls 3)
  • Slave Knight Gael (Dark Souls 3: The Ringed City)
  • Isshin, The Sword Saint (Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice)
  • Gehrman, The First Hunter (Bloodborne)

The Burnt Ivory King was the final boss of Dark Souls 2‘s final DLC, and he left quite a lasting impression. This fight sees players face off against the greatsword-wielding king and his never-ending waves of loyal Loyce Knights who step out of fiery portals in the round arena. What makes this fight so special is the ability to call in previously rescued uncorrupted Loyce Knights who battle alongside the player, turning the encounter into an epic war.

At the time of its release, Dark Souls 3‘s Soul of Cinder was the final boss in the Dark Souls trilogy, and he was the perfect celebration of the series. Along with the unique ability to switch movesets mid-fight, the Soul of Cinder’s encounter is accompanied by a goosebump-inducing score that ties the entire trilogy together with just a few simple piano keys.

With the release of its two DLCs, Dark Souls 3 (and the entire Dark Souls trilogy) found a new final boss. Arguably, Slave Knight Gael is an even better boss fight than the Soul of Cinder. Though his moveset and score aren’t quite as nostalgic, the intensity of Slave Knight Gael’s feral attacks lead to an incredibly memorable duel.

Though Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice has some tough boss fights, there’s a significant ramp-up for the game’s final encounter. Isshin is a true test of skill, requiring near-perfect parries and dodges, encouraging the use of a variety of Prosthetic Tools, and even testing the player’s ability to deflect lightning. Sekiro‘s Isshin is exactly the type of challenge that a final boss should offer.

Bloodborne has no shortage of phenomenal boss fights, and Gehrman is widely considered to be one of the best. Much like Sekiro‘s Isshin, Gehrman is the perfect foil to the player, delivering a final challenge that feels like a perfect culmination of the game’s mechanics and narrative themes.

A-Tier: A Thrilling and Challenging Final Fight

  • Old King Allant (Demon’s Souls)
  • Fume Knight (Dark Souls 2: Crown of the Old Iron King)
  • Sinh, The Slumbering Dragon (Dark Souls 2: Crown of the Sunken King)
  • Sister Friede (Dark Souls 3: Ashes of Ariandel)
  • Orphan of Kos (Bloodborne)
  • Promised Consort Radahn (Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree)

Though Old King Allant is technically the penultimate boss of Demon’s Souls, his “True” version doesn’t really put up much of a fight, making the Old King the de facto final boss of the game. And he’s a great one at that, delivering powerful, fast blows that can easily catch the player off-guard. Allant’s visual design is also simple but effective, concealing his power behind a facade of regality.

Fume Knight and Sinh may not have the same cinematic quality as their Burnt Ivory King sibling, but they’re still great boss fights in their own right, being excellent final challenges for their respective Dark Souls 2 DLCs. Similarly, though Sister Friede’s boss fight isn’t quite as climactic as Slave Knight Gael’s, it still offers one of the best duo fights in FromSoft history, which is no small feat.

Bloodborne‘s DLC ends with the infamously difficult fight against the Orphan of Kos, and while it’s an incredibly memorable fight, it’s not quite as satisfying as the one-on-one duel with Gehrman.

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree‘s Promised Consort Radahn is another infamously challenging final boss fight that features some fascinating lore, but the sting of the fight is taken away by Radahn’s appearance in Elden Ring‘s base game. Though the Promised Consort version features a different moveset, it’s still a little too similar to justify a spot in the S-tier.

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B-Tier: A Solid Test of Strength

  • Gwyn Lord of Cinder (Dark Souls)
  • Manus (Dark Souls: Artorias of the Abyss)
  • Moon Presence (Bloodborne)
  • Radagon/Elden Beast (Elden Ring)

The Kiln of the First Flame is one of the most atmospheric locations in FromSoftware history, and the lore behind it is still some of FromSoft’s story work, but the fight against Gwyn itself is far from perfect, with the boss being infamously easy to parry. The final boss of Dark Souls‘ DLC, Manus, also resides in an atmospheric arena and also has some fascinating lore behind him, but he has the unfortunate job of coming after Kalameet and Artorias, two of the most beloved bosses in FromSoft history.

As an optional final boss, Bloodborne‘s Moon Presence offers a visually-stunning fight that’s worth the extra effort to unlock, but much like with Manus, Gehrman is an incredibly tough act to follow, and Moon Presence seems oddly weak and underwhelming by comparison.

Elden Ring‘s Radagon/Elden Beast fight is another similar tale. Though its accompanying score is impactful and the arena is suitably epic, the Radagon/Elden Beast fight just doesn’t hold a candle to the likes of Maliketh, Dragonlord Placidusax, Radahn, and Malenia.

C-Tier: A Fine But Forgettable Fight

  • Nashandra (Dark Souls 2)
  • Aldia (Dark Souls 2: Scholar of the First Sin)

Dark Souls 2 is home to plenty of underrated bosses, but unfortunately, its last two fights aren’t its strongest. Nashandra has a striking visual design, but her curse-afflicting attacks are tedious to deal with, and once players know they need to destroy the black orbs she summons, her fight becomes much easier. Aldia, the optional final boss from Dark Souls 2‘s Scholar of the First Sin edition, can evoke a chilling atmosphere but its moveset is extremely limited, leaving an underwhelming final impression.

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