Summary
Tough boss fights andDark Soulsare synonymous with each other. The franchise’s incredible fights and unique settings have made for one of the most recognizable and cherished franchises in recent memory. Part of that praise comes from how many ways players can topple the challenges the franchise presents. Bothregular enemies and bossescan be tricky to deal with, with the latter bringing a ton of pain to players every single time.
Defeating the game’s hardest bosses rewards their soul, a powerful item that can grant a large sum of currency or new weapons and spells. These weapons are some of the most unique in the series, yet all are not created equal. Some of these weapons are meta-defining, while others are not worth the hassle. However, thebest boss weapons inDS3end up being quite worthwhile for obvious reasons.
Updated on June 29, 2025, by Ritwik Mitra:Dark Souls 3 is a satisfactory conclusion to one of the greatest gaming trilogies of all time. The return of Hidetaka Miyazaki was welcomed by the masses, especially for players who felt like the previous game in the series didn’t live up to the mark. The promotion of quality over quantity coupled with logical level design was a much-welcome return for fans of the Dark Souls series, and it helped that thebestboss weapons in DS3were a blast to mess around with. Players who conquer these immense challenges are rewarded with powerful weapons that can turn the tide of battle in no time.
Skill: Falling Bolt
The Nameless King is one of the most cinematic and engaging boss fights inDark Souls 3, featuring two hard-as-nails phases where players must employ all their skills to take out Gwyn’s disgraced firstborn. The reward for this is a ton of satisfaction and the opportunity to get their hands on one of thebestDS3boss weapons.
The Dragonslayer Swordspear may not have the best moveset of all the boss weapons players can acquire in the game, but people won’t mind as long as they exploit the massive reach of this weapon to demolish their foes. The weapon art is quite cinematic as well, letting players summon lightning from the heavens to add insult to injury.
17Gundyr’s Halberd
Skill: Champion’s Charge
Players who felt like Iudex Gundyr was an easy boss fight with a lot of potential will love theirconfrontation against Champion Gundyr. The swift and deadly nature of this boss makes it a lot of fun for him to engage in battle. There aren’t many bosses that will make players cheer as they get bounced in the air and smashed to oblivion. Players who best this optional foe can forge his iconic halberd to lay waste to their foes.
It’s one of thebestDS3boss weaponsthat boasts incredible weapon art. Players charge into foes before unleashing a sweeping attack that hits for major damage and can knock enemies off their feet. This, coupled with the immense reach of this weapon, makes it clear why so many people find Gundyr’s Halberd to be one of the most underrated weapons in the game.
16Moonlight Greatsword
Skill: Moonlight Vortex
One of the most iconic weapons in FromSoftware’s history, it’s easy to see why most players would love to get their hands on the Moonlight Greatsword. Unleashing magical attacks with this weapon and laying waste to the player’s foes is something that never ceases to be entertaining in any game, andDark Souls 3is no exception here.
Players must beat Oceiros, the Consumed King to get their hands on thebestDS3boss weaponaround. The strong charged attack unleashes a magic beam, while the weapon art unleashes a blast of magic that lays waste to the player’s foes. Players should invest in both Dex and Faith to make the most of this powerful blade.
Skill: Shield Splitter
The Rotted Greatwood is one of the first bosses players battle against inDark Souls 3. This boss is pretty manageable and somewhat gimmicky, letting gamers dispose of this unique foe to gain access to either the Hollowslayer Greatswordor Arstor’s Spearwith relative ease.
While some people find the Greatsword to be the superior option in every way, players who don’t mind going for a fresh change of pace will find Arstor’s Spear to be right up their alley. It’s easily one of the most underrated weapons around, letting players heal themselves after defeating every foe, though this restorative effect is a minor one.
Skill: Stance Of Judgment
Pontiff Sulyvahn is one of the most epic boss encounters inDark Souls 3that will throw players in for a loop. The interesting moveset of this boss coupled with his penchant for peppering players with tough magical attacks makes him a foe to be reckoned with.
Players who finally manage to defeat this boss have the distinguished honor of using his Soul to create the Greatsword of Judgment. This magical weapon hits like a truck and is perfect for those who are pursuingan Intelligence buildwhile dumping points in either Strength or Dexterity to be on the safe side.
A truly incredible weapon that fans sing praises about even now, the Dragonslayer Greataxe is one of the most powerful Boss Weapons players can get their hands on inDark Souls 3. The fact that players can only get their hands on this weapon at the end of the game can be a little upsetting, but that’s a small price to pay for a weapon that will fulfill all of a gamer’s power fantasies.
The sheer amount of damage this weapon deals with each swing more than makes it worth the wait. The additional damage bonus in the lightning department also makes this weapon more fun to use and something that players will love to mess around with in NG+.
12Firelink Greatsword
Skill: Ember
Fans ofElden Ring’s Blasphemous Blade will be more than happy with what this sword brings to the table. It’s a powerful weapon that hits like a truck, and imbuing this sword with Ember to deal fire damage makes it even more engaging to use. The stat requirements for this blade aren’t all that demanding strength, barring some investment in Strength, and players will have to invest in boththis stat and Dexterityanyway to make the most of this build.
While some people may be disappointed that this weapon lacks some over-the-top combos that would make it a blast to use, the Firelink Greatsword’s thematic connection to the iconic elements of theDark Soulsfranchise makes it a great weapon to use. It’s a shame that this weapon can only be obtained after defeating the final boss of the game, but an NG+ run is always welcome.
11Storm Curved Sword
Skill: Tornado
The Nameless King is one of the toughest bosses FromSoftware has ever made, and fighting this imposing foe makes for one of the best moments in the game by far. Players have to fight against one of the most important figures in the lore ofDark Souls, with this epic battle leading to them getting their hands on a boss Soul that yields a pretty impressive weapon.
The Storm Curved Sword is a powerful weapon, but it’s tricky to use. Players have to invest a lot of time to learn the moveset of this weapon and how the Weapon Art can decimate enemies when used correctly. Dex builds will love using this weapon to flex on their foes, with the moveset being tough for most players to handle.
Skill: Parry
One ofthe coolest-looking weaponsin the game, the Farron Greatsword is formed from the souls of the Abyss Watchers. This boss fight is extremely cinematic and showsDark Souls 3at its finest, hiding some heartbreaking lore as players fight against the men who wanted to follow in Artorias' footsteps but took things a little too literally.
The Farron Greatsword comes paired with a dagger that adds to the incredible look of this weapon. Most people would fall in love with this weapon just because of how incredible it feels to use, allowing the Ashen One to wallop their enemies without too many problems.
Skill: Elfriede’s Stance
The Ashes of AriandelDLC attained a mixed reception upon launch, with many players criticizing it for its short length. However, there’s no denying that the boss fight capping off this wonderful DLC is easily one of the best battles in the entire game. Fighting Friede across three lengthy and amazing stages makes for a great time, with this boss being incredibly challenging in every way. Players have to measure their hits, dodge properly, and land as much damage as possible to not be overwhelmed by this boss.
The reward for completing this DLC is the opportunity to forge Friede’s Great Scythe, which is easilythe best scythethat players can use by a country mile. It hits like a truck, and the weapon art allows players to augment their attacks with frost damage while obliterating an enemy’s health bar in no time flat.
