Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin Bosses Guide#
“Defeat one monster, and another rises in its place.”
Main Bosses#
Forest of Fallen Giants#
| Boss | Weakness | Recommended Strategy | Soul Reward |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Last Giant | Fire/Lightning | Fight from between its legs, dodge the stomp and the sweep | 10,000 |
| The Pursuer | Lightning | Take him down with the ballista (3 hits kill), his three-hit combo can be blocked | 18,000 |
The Lost Bastille#
| Boss | Weakness | Recommended Strategy | Soul Reward |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ruin Sentinels | Strike | Kill the first one on the platform before dealing with the remaining two | 12,000 |
| The Lost Sinner | Fire/Lightning | Light the torches on both sides to shrink the dark zone, roll through the lunge combo | 45,000 |
| Belfry Gargoyles | Strike | Kill the first gargoyle as fast as you can, never let them surround you | 18,000 |
Brightstone Cove Tseldora#
| Boss | Weakness | Recommended Strategy | Soul Reward |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prowling Magus and the Congregation | Area attacks | A crowd of smaller enemies — sweeping weapons shine here | 3,000 |
| The Duke’s Dear Freja | Fire/Lightning | Attack the head, run to the side when the laser spray starts | 42,000 |
Black Gulch#
| Boss | Weakness | Recommended Strategy | Soul Reward |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Rotten | Lightning/Dark | Wait for it to finish an attack, then hit the single arm — greatsword heavy attacks can interrupt it | 45,000 |
Earthen Peak#
| Boss | Weakness | Recommended Strategy | Soul Reward |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mytha, the Baneful Queen | Fire |
Iron Keep#
| Boss | Weakness | Recommended Strategy | Soul Reward |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smelter Demon | Strike | Flame-resist ring plus rolling through the combo strings | 30,000 |
| Old Iron King | Dark | Lure him into the double-hand slam at the platform edge, dodge the laser breath | 40,000 |
Drangleic Castle#
| Boss | Weakness | Recommended Strategy | Soul Reward |
|---|---|---|---|
| Looking Glass Knight | Lightning | Kill the invader it summons through the mirror, dodge the mirror reflections | 38,000 |
| Dragonriders | Strike | Kill the first rider, then deal with the second | 14,000+12,000 |
Shrine of Amana#
| Boss | Weakness | Recommended Strategy | Soul Reward |
|---|---|---|---|
| Demon of Song | Strike/Lightning | Attack its face when it leans out of the pool | 24,000 |
Undead Crypt#
| Boss | Weakness | Recommended Strategy | Soul Reward |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vendrick (optional) | None (affected by Giant Souls) | Collect at least 4 Giant Souls and hug his left leg for damage | 30,000 |
| Velstadt, the Royal Aegis | Dark | Fire resistance plus rolling to dodge — he is slow but hits very hard | 48,000 |
Dragon Shrine#
| Boss | Weakness | Recommended Strategy | Soul Reward |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ancient Dragon | Toes | Fight between its rear feet, sprint forward the moment it takes off | 120,000 |
Throne of Want#
| Boss | Weakness | Recommended Strategy | Soul Reward |
|---|---|---|---|
| Throne Watcher + Throne Defender | Kill the Defender first | Keep the two of them separated as much as possible, focus the Defender before the Watcher | 30,000+30,000 |
| Nashandra | Lightning/Strike | Dodge the curse orbs and dark magic, get in close but don’t get greedy | 110,000 |
| Aldia, Scholar of the First Sin | Strike | Fire resistance plus rolling through the fireballs, wait for his combo to end before attacking | 130,000 |
Optional Bosses#
| Boss | Location | Weakness | Advice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warlord | Beneath Majula | Strike | You can bait it onto the trap mechanism so it falls to its death |
| Ancient Guardian | Beneath Majula | ||
| Executioner’s Chariot | Huntsman’s Copse | Lightning | Hide in the alcoves and let the chariot crash into the wall |
| Royal Rat Vanguard | Grave of Saints | Area attacks | Clear the small rats first, then focus the boss rat |
| Royal Rat Authority | Grave of Saints | Head | Poison-resist gear plus sweeping weapons |
| Skeleton Lords | Huntsman’s Copse | Strike | Pick them off one by one, watch out for the crossbow skeletons |
| Giant Stone King | Earthen Peak | Lightning | Extremely weak — hit it with anything |
| Scorpioness Najka | Brightstone Cove Tseldora | Fire | Dodge the tail stabs, cutting the tail grants extra rewards |
| Golem | Before the Throne of Want | Strike | Dodge the fire breath |
DLC Boss Guides#
Crown of the Sunken King#
| Boss | Weakness | Strategy | Souls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elana, the Squalid Queen | Strike | Kill the summoned minions as a priority, dodge the dark orbs | 45,000 |
| Sinh, the Slumbering Dragon | Pierce | Stay at its rear flank, poison-infused attacks work well, dodge the poison spray | 75,000 |
Crown of the Old Iron King#
| Boss | Weakness | Strategy | Souls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sir Alonne | Dark | ||
| Fume Knight | Strike | Block and roll — there are plenty of backstab windows | 50,000 |
| Blue Smelter Demon | Strike | A blue version of the Smelter Demon — magic resistance matters more | 36,000 |
Crown of the Ivory King#
| Boss | Weakness | Strategy | Souls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ivory King | Dark/Lightning | Shut the four flame gates first, then it becomes a team fight | 90,000 |
| White Priestess | Dark | ||
| Lud & Zallen | Dark |
Boss Difficulty Rankings#
| Difficulty | Bosses |
|---|---|
| ★ | Prowling Magus and the Congregation, Giant Stone King, Royal Rat Vanguard |
| ★★ | The Last Giant, Warlord, Skeleton Lords |
| ★★★ | Ruin Sentinels, Mytha, Scorpioness Najka |
| ★★★★ | The Lost Sinner, Looking Glass Knight, Velstadt |
| ★★★★★ | The Pursuer, Smelter Demon, Demon of Song |
General Boss Fight Tips#
- Always place a summon sign before the boss door — many bosses allow NPC summons
- Stock up on Estus Flasks and Life Gems — at least 10+ flasks and 20 life gems
- Dark magic works on most bosses — dark damage is extremely strong in this game
- Circle-strafe — hugging the boss’s back and circling left/right dodges most attacks
- Don’t swap Boss Soul Weapons carelessly — confirm the usage before trading; many are strong but have high requirements
- The Flame Quartz Ring will save your life — there are a huge number of fire-damage bosses
Boss Soul Drop Table#
| Boss | Souls | Boss Soul Weapon | Recommended Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Last Giant | 10,000 | None | — |
| The Pursuer | 18,000 | ||
| Ruin Sentinels | 12,000 | None | — |
| The Lost Sinner | 45,000 | ||
| Old Iron King | 40,000 | ||
| Smelter Demon | 30,000 | ||
| The Duke’s Dear Freja | 42,000 | Moonlight Greatsword | Mage builds |
| The Rotten | 45,000 | ||
| Looking Glass Knight | 38,000 | None | — |
| Demon of Song | 24,000 | None | — |
| Velstadt | 48,000 | ||
| Vendrick | 30,000 | King’s Greatsword | Strength builds |
| Nashandra | 110,000 | Chime of Want | Hex builds |
| Ancient Dragon | 120,000 | None | — |
| Sir Alonne | 90,000 | ||
| Fume Knight | 50,000 | ||
| Ivory King | 90,000 |
Boss Weakness Strategies#
| Boss | Most Effective Damage | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|
| The Last Giant | Fire/Lightning | Dragon-type weakness |
| The Pursuer | Lightning | Low magic resistance |
| The Lost Sinner | Fire/Lightning | Fire damage works well |
| Old Iron King | Dark | Lowest dark resistance |
| The Duke’s Dear Freja | Fire/Lightning | Spiders fear fire and lightning |
| The Rotten | Lightning/Dark | Lowest dark resistance |
| Velstadt | Dark | Lowest dark resistance |
| Sir Alonne | Dark | Lowest dark resistance |
| Ivory King | Dark/Lightning | Dual-element weakness |
Boss Battle Item Recommendations#
| Item | Use | How to Get |
|---|---|---|
| Estus Flask | Restores HP | Obtained at the start |
| Life Gem | Heal in combat | Buy from merchants |
| Green Moss | Stamina recovery+ | Buy from merchants |
| Flame Quartz Ring | Must-have against fire bosses | Merchants / chests |
| Dark-resist gear | Must-have against dark bosses | Various areas |
| Bow and arrows | Lure enemies / ranged damage | Buy from merchants |
| Human Effigy | Restore human form to summon NPCs | Enemy kills / Explore |
| Poison Moss | Cures poisoning | Drops in poison areas |
Boss Difficulty Analysis#
| Difficulty | Bosses | Common Traits |
|---|---|---|
| ★ Easy | Prowling Magus and the Congregation, Giant Stone King, Royal Rat Vanguard, Warlord | Low HP, slow, one-dimensional movesets |
| ★★ Medium | The Last Giant, Skeleton Lords, Royal Rat Authority, Ancient Guardian | Medium HP, basic skills required |
| ★★★ Hard | Ruin Sentinels, Mytha, Scorpioness Najka, Dragonriders | High HP, complex movesets |
| ★★★★ Very Hard | The Lost Sinner, Looking Glass Knight, Velstadt, Executioner’s Chariot | High damage, strategy required |
| ★★★★★ Extreme | Smelter Demon, Demon of Song, The Pursuer | High HP + high damage + complex AI |
| ★★★★★★★ Nightmare | Sir Alonne, Lud & Zallen, Ivory King | Extremely high damage + complex mechanics + long fights |