Dark Souls 3: Complete Walkthrough & Boss Guide
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🗺️ Main Story Walkthrough
Tick off each step as you go — your progress saves locally, no account needed.
The opening area teaches rolling and stamina. Iudex Gundyr is the tutorial boss — punish his halberd combos, then dodge through his Phase-2 black-serpent transformation. Reach Firelink Shrine, your hub.
Explore the High Wall for the Estus Shard and the path to Vordt, a frost beast that charges around the arena in Phase 2. Stay under him and strafe; frost builds on you, so keep moving.
Work through the Settlement (free a NPC, find the Cleric questlines). The optional Curse-Rotted Greatwood boss is a multi-target fight — break the egg-sacs, then attack the exposed core when it crashes through the floor.
Through the Crucifixion Woods and the poisonous Farron Keep (light three braziers), reach the Abyss Watchers. Phase 1 has them infight each other — let them thin out. Phase 2 adds fire to the lone Watcher.
A sprawling cathedral level. The Deacons boss is a crowd fight — kill the red-glowing deacon (the curse jumps between them). Phase 2 they gather around Archdeacon Royce; AoE and bleed help.
Through the Catacombs of Carthus and Smouldering Lake, cross to Irithyll of the Boreal Valley. Pontiff Sulyvahn is a major skill check — his mirror-image clone in Phase 2 doubles his combos. Stay locked on and roll through, punishing single openings.
Climb to Anor Londo. Aldrich teleports and rains homing soul-arrows (run in a curve) and a flame cloud in Phase 2. Close distance and punish his tail/body during melee windows.
The Dancer of the Boreal Valley (accessible early via Vordt's area) opens Lothric Castle. Inside, the Twin Princes Lothric & Lorian require killing both — Lorian revives Lothric unless you finish them together. Bring fast attacks.
Clear the Grand Archives (lower the bookshelves), then enter the Kiln of the First Flame. Soul of Cinder cycles through every class moveset in Phase 1, then becomes Gwyn (the original DS1 final boss theme) in Phase 2 — parry-able if you're skilled.
The Ashes of Ariandel and Ringed City DLCs add the three-phase Sister Friede and the franchise-capping Slave Knight Gael — widely considered the best boss in the series. Bleed and patience win Gael; punish his cape-sweep recovery.
⚔️ Boss Guides
Iudex Gundyr
Phase 1
Halberd combos and a long-reaching thrust. Roll through and punish 1-2 hits.
Phase 2
A black serpent erupts from his chest with sweeping lunges and an overhead slam. Stay close and to his side; the slam leaves a long punish window.
Pontiff Sulyvahn
Phase 1
Twin curved swords (one fire, one magic) with long, deceptive combos and a charge.
Phase 2
He summons a mirror clone that mimics his attacks, effectively doubling the pressure. Lock onto the real Pontiff (the clone is translucent), roll through his combos in the same direction he swings, and punish only after the full string ends. Patience over greed.
Aldrich, Devourer of Gods
Patterns
Aldrich teleports around the arena and fires a barrage of homing soul-arrows — sprint in a wide arc to make them miss. He also slams with Gwyndolin's moonlight greatsword.
Phase 2
Adds a falling flame-arrow rain that chases you — keep running until it stops, then close and punish his body/tail. Stay glued to him to limit his ranged spam.
Dancer of the Boreal Valley
Patterns
Slow, sweeping flaming-sword arcs with delayed timings designed to bait early rolls. Phase 2 she dual-wields and chains a long, relentless combo.
Strategy
Roll late into her swings due to the delayed wind-ups. Get 1-2 hits between combos — do not greed. In Phase 2, roll through the entire spinning combo before attacking.
Twin Princes (Lothric & Lorian)
Phase 1 (Lorian)
The teleporting prince swings a flaming greatsword with delayed timings. Stay close to limit his teleports.
Phase 2
Lothric climbs onto Lorian's back and revives him if Lorian falls — you must kill Lorian and then finish before Lothric resurrects him. Burst Lorian, then rush Lothric. A ranged option (throwing knives, spell) helps interrupt the revive.
Soul of Cinder
Phase 1
Cycles through swordsman, pyromancer, sorcerer, and cleric movesets — adapt to whichever he draws. Punish the caster stances hard.
Phase 2 (Gwyn)
He adopts Gwyn's lightning-infused combo from Dark Souls 1, complete with the iconic theme. The combo is parry-able if you know the rhythm; otherwise roll through and punish the final swing. Heal during his teleport reset.
Slave Knight Gael (DLC)
Phase 1
Feral, lunging greatsword attacks and a crossbow. Bait the leaping slam and punish the long recovery.
Phase 2
He gains a sweeping cape attack and faster combos — stay close, roll through, punish 1-2 hits.
Phase 3
Adds red lightning AoE from the ground and a meteor crossbow volley — keep moving and close distance. Bleed melts him; patience and stamina management win this franchise-defining fight.