FromSoftware has truly mastered the art of the expansion, consistently delivering experiences that often eclipse their original masterpieces. From the tragic depths of Artorias of the Abyss to the mythic heights of Shadow of the Erdtree, each DLC carves its own legend, primarily through bosses that are both unforgettable and brutally challenging. The studio has a knack for raising the bar, turning each new piece of content into a crucible for even the most seasoned players. As 2026 rolls on, these monumental challenges remain the gold standard for difficulty in gaming. So, let's dive into the pantheon of pain and rank the ten hardest Soulsborne DLC bosses that continue to test our limits and break our controllers.
10. Burnt Ivory King: A Fight Turned Into War
Who would have thought? A boss from Dark Souls 2 actually makes the list! In a game often criticized for its easier boss roster, the Burnt Ivory King stands out as a monumental exception, arguably the hardest challenge in the entire sequel, even surpassing the infamous Fume Knight. The battle begins long before you face the king himself; you must first scour the frozen wastes of Eleum Loyce to recruit knights for your army. Forget a simple duel—this is a war of attrition. Even with your spectral allies, the Burnt Ivory King is a relentless force: agile, punishing, and offering zero breathing room for healing. His aggressive style is a stark departure from the base game's slower pace, serving as a brutal reminder that Dark Souls 2's expansions didn't pull their punches.
9. Knight Artorias: The Abyss is Terrifying
Dark Souls teaches you patience, shields, and careful positioning. Then you meet Artorias the Abysswalker in the Oolacile township, and he gleefully tosses that playbook into the void. This fight is pure, unadulterated adrenaline. Like Gwyn, Lord of Cinder, opportunities to strike are scarce and mistakes are costly, but Artorias cranks everything up a notch with his ferocious attack patterns and sheer endurance. Oh, and forget trying to parry him—that's not an option here. Victory demands near-perfect execution. Anything less sends you on a frustratingly long trek back from the bonfire. Despite the pain, many still consider this duel one of the absolute best in the series. Go figure!
8. Ludwig, The Accursed: A Beast and A Knight
Bloodborne: The Old Hunters boasts the highest average difficulty of any Soulsborne DLC, and Ludwig the Accursed is a towering pillar of that reputation. Some players might find his rhythm, but make no mistake, he's a tricky beast. His first phase is a chaotic, terrifying onslaught from a malformed horror. The saving grace? His glorious second-phase transition, where he regains his sanity and sword, trading wild beastiality for a more readable, yet deadly, knightly duel. This phenomenal design means the fight never feels unfair—it's punishing, rewarding, and a masterclass in boss evolution.
7. Messmer the Impaler: You Will Know Defeat Once Again
Ah, Messmer the Impaler. A boss that creates a fascinating paradox. For many, he required more attempts than any boss in the base Elden Ring campaign, yet he never felt overwhelmingly imposing like Malenia or Maliketh. Why? His choreography is so impeccably designed that reading his moves is a genuine pleasure. He's a dancer, and you're learning the steps. This incredible polish might actually reduce the perceived difficulty. Don't let that fool you, though. The data doesn't lie. The sheer number of replays he forced upon players cements his place as a top-tier challenge and, for many, the most stylish and favorite boss in the Lands Between.
6. Darkeater Midir: The Hardest Soulsborne Dragon
Some bosses make you take a break for a few hours. Darkeater Midir made some players quit for weeks. This is FromSoftware's ultimate dragon challenge, lurking in the depths of Dark Souls 3: The Ringed City. The core issue? He breaks all the dragon-fighting rules. You can't just hack at his ankles. To win, you must stare the beast in the face, attacking his head while dodging a never-ending barrage of fire breath, dark lasers, and lightning-fast swipes. There is no downtime. Midir is an endurance test of focus and precision, a magnificent spectacle that honestly and brutally beat many players into submission.
5. Sister Friede: A Three-phase Headache
Dark Souls 3 gave us many gifts, and Sister Friede was a gift of pure, unadulterated torment. The fight is a marathon across three distinct phases. You finally best her and Father Ariandel in phase two, breathe a sigh of relief... only for Friede to rise again, blackflame erupting around her. That moment broke spirits. Years later, veterans can breeze through the first two phases, but that third phase remains a terrifying gauntlet of speed and aggression. She is a permanent threat, a benchmark that separates the good from the great.
4. Slave Knight Gael: The Most Relentless Foe
If Dark Souls 3's DLCs are masterpieces, Slave Knight Gael is the crowning jewel. He represents the most difficult challenge in the entire Dark Souls trilogy. Why? He has no obvious weaknesses. He is a master of all trades: speed, power, health, complex movesets, and intelligent AI. Beating him is like trying to out-perfect perfection itself. He takes the "flawless execution" requirement of Artorias and applies it to Dark Souls 3's significantly faster combat engine. Alongside Sister Friede, he utterly eclipses the base game's final boss, offering a larger-scale, more intense version of that ultimate challenge.
3. Laurence, The First Vicar: A Punishing Nightmare
For a select group of players, only two bosses have ever forced them to put the game down and walk away for an extended period: Sister Friede and Laurence, the First Vicar. Laurence is Bloodborne's lesson in humility. You think you know how to fight beast bosses after Cleric Beast or Amelia? Think again. Staying behind him is a fantasy, especially in his nightmarish second phase where he loses his legs, becomes a crawling torso of lava, and attacks with infamously weird hitboxes. Unlike the tragic duel with Gehrman, Laurence is pure, frustrating chaos—a fight many respect but few claim to love.
2. Orphan of Kos: The Only Fight That Never Gets Easy
Time does not heal all wounds, especially not those inflicted by the Orphan of Kos. No matter how many builds you try or speedruns you watch, this tragic finale to The Old Hunters remains a heart-pounding, sweat-inducing ordeal. It is arguably one of the hardest bosses in video game history. The Orphan is erratic, unpredictable, and can delete your health bar in a single, devastating combo. Its second phase is a storm of aggression, erratic leaps, and arena-wide lightning. If Gehrman is a graceful duel, this is a desperate, primal struggle for survival where victory often feels like a miracle.
1. Promised Consort Radahn: The Maximum Exaggeration of Difficulty
And here we are. The pinnacle. The apex predator. For veterans with over a decade of Soulsborne experience, Promised Consort Radahn presented a challenge of a completely different magnitude. His initial, pre-nerf version in Shadow of the Erdtree was, quite simply, the most difficult experience the studio has ever crafted. He made Malenia, the Orphan, and even Sekiro's Isshin look manageable by comparison. The fight was a sensory overload: blinding holy light, complex and sometimes inescapable attack patterns, and performance issues that added to the chaos. He defeated players more times than any boss before him. While post-launch balancing has refined him into an outstanding and fair final boss worthy of his legend, the original struggle—often requiring well over 100 attempts—remains the single hardest trial for any FromSoftware fan. It was brutal, it was punishing, and it was unforgettable.
| Rank | Boss Name | Game | Key Trait |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | Burnt Ivory King | Dark Souls 2 | Epic army battle, no healing windows |
| 9 | Knight Artorias | Dark Souls | Relentless speed, no parry option |
| 8 | Ludwig, The Accursed | Bloodborne | Two-phase beast/knight transformation |
| 7 | Messmer the Impaler | Elden Ring | Flawless choreography, high death count |
| 6 | Darkeater Midir | Dark Souls 3 | Face-to-face dragon combat, endless aggression |
| 5 | Sister Friede | Dark Souls 3 | Three-phase marathon, spirit-breaking reveal |
| 4 | Slave Knight Gael | Dark Souls 3 | No weaknesses, perfect execution required |
| 3 | Laurence, The First Vicar | Bloodborne | Lava phase, frustrating hitboxes |
| 2 | Orphan of Kos | Bloodborne | Erratic, unpredictable, one-hit potential |
| 1 | Promised Consort Radahn | Elden Ring | Overwhelming sensory and mechanical challenge |
So there you have it, the hall of fame (or infamy) for DLC difficulty. These bosses represent FromSoftware at its most ambitious and punishing. They're the fights we curse, the victories we cherish, and the stories we tell for years to come. In 2026, they remain untouched as the ultimate tests of skill, patience, and sheer willpower. 🗡️🛡️💀