Dark Souls 2 Enemies Guide - Part 1

Dark Souls 2’s difficulty comes hand in hand with the sheer amount of differing enemies you have to face. Here we’ll take a look at all the enemies you’ll face on your journey in Drangleic and Dark Souls 2. Respawn limits are a new feature to the franchise, so if you can’t find an enemy that is listed in a certain area, you’ve more than likely made them extinct.

(Note: this Dark Souls 2 list of enemies does not include bosses. There is however an article dedicated to Dark Souls 2 bosses, located here).

Things Betwixt

Kobold
The Kobold is a small dog-like creature that resides in the long grass in the valley just ahead from where you first spawn. They are passive in nature and will not attack unless you do. As you’re first starting the souls they yield are useful, but if you can help it do not get outnumbered by them when attacking. With low defence and health stats they shouldn’t pose too much of a problem.

Ogre
The Ogre is an optional enemy in Things Betwixt. For an enemy as big as it is, it has a decent amount of speed. To find him you’ll need to take the path left ahead of the bridge to the hut. It is recommended that you don’t face him if you’re first starting, but if you are determined to prove yourself there are a few tactics to help you deal with him.

He has more than a few attacks so reading his patterns can be difficult. His standard attack is swinging his arms at the player 3 times. A variation of this attack will happen when he swings his arms twice then falls onto his back attempting to squash you. He will also do this if you have managed to strafe behind him, so beware. He also has an uppercut attack and a deadly grab attack that will almost certainly kill you if you don’t dodge it. He is weak to ranged weapons so putting distance between yourself and him is a good idea if possible.

Hollow
Similar to the player, Hollows are also affected by the Undead curse. However they have completely succumbed to it and lost all traces of their humanity. As an enemy they will not prove very difficult to slay. The main issue with Hollows are taking note of what type of hollow you are facing. The majority will be melee fighters but there are a few archers in the area so be sure to take cover when needed.

Majula

Boar
Small pigs waiting to be made into bacon by your hand. That’s about all she wrote for these poor guys. They’re only hostile once you get very close to them, but lower-level players are advised to avoid them as they can be tough targets to hit and deal out strong damage in the early game.

Skeleton
Found in the basement of the Mansion you unlock by meeting Cale. Also one of the very few Dark Souls 2 enemies that drop human effigies. Fairly fast and a little resistant to physical attacks, they really shouldn’t cause you too many problems.

Forest of Fallen Giants

Hollow Infantry
These hollows are more hardened than their normal counterparts but still aren’t much of a challenge as long as you pick them off one at a time. Be warned against purely blocking their attacks – they have guard break attacks that will deal a lot of damage if they catch you. Rolling/strafing is a great tactic for these pesky guys.

Heide Knight
Another enemy who you probably want to revisit rather than take on early is the Heide Knight. Luckily, they are a Dark Souls 2 enemy who won’t attack unless you hit them first (quite relieving when you see them for the first time). The main tactic for taking these guys down is luring them into attacks and dealing damage in-between their recovery.

Hollow Soldier
Continuing the progressive difficulty of Hollow enemies are the Hollow Soldiers. The main difference between these and their counterparts are that they are well equipped with shields and a main weapon. Similar to their predecessors their strength comes in numbers, so isolating them is a good place to start. Blocking their attacks works very well as it will create an opening for you to attack. Some of them are also equipped with Firebombs to throw at the player, so try not to have your back turned on them unless you like being toasted.

Flame Salamander
Another enemy you’ll definitely want to revisit later is the Flame Salamander. A massive amount of HP and hugely damaging attacks make them an enemy who would prove difficult even later in the game. Luckily you won’t come across them too many times in the game, and a lot of them are in optional areas. As with any enemy though, they are not invincible. Melee builds aren’t really recommended when fighting Flame Salamanders, but with enough skill and patience it’s very possible to slay them – just make sure you have a greatshield capable of consuming large amount of physical and fire damage. Ranged and sorcery builds will have a field day against them as long as you ensure you don’t get caught by their fireballs.

Ironclad Soldier
When you’re first starting, these guys are very tough. The most imposing enemy you’ll have seen so far will back it up with strong defence as well as devastating, powerful attacks. Dodging well is a must as it is incredibly difficult to get them in a position where you can really hack at them for a lot of damage. Patience is vital when figuring out their attacks as they can all do severe damage. Do not be afraid to bait the attacks and roll away to study attacking openings (just make sure you’re not carrying too much weight, speed is very useful against the Ironclads).



The Lost Bastille

Undead Dog
Just like their ‘human’ counterparts, their strength comes in numbers. Generally weak and not very powerful, they can be a pushover if you dominate them before they deal any attacks. However, any attack they do land will increase your bleed meter which you’ll want to avoid being full at all costs.

(Remember, Dark Souls 2 enemies stop spawning after you have slain them enough times – the Undead Dog may be the first one you notice as you make your way through The Lost Bastille)

Mummy Gaoler
Tall, ugly and equipped with a big lance, Mummy Goalers do look like someone you wouldn’t want to tangle with. While their attacks can do a decent amount of damage to the player, they are slow and clumsy – often leaving themselves open to backstab attacks. Another bonus is that unless you attract them a long way from their spawn point they will generally be alone for you to fight mano-a-big-mummy-guy.

Royal Swordsman
Another enemy type that travels in packs and possibly the first enemy who will incur a few choice words when first encountered. While being relatively weak to all attacks their own damage dealing techniques are fatal if you leave yourself open to them. Blocking and picking your time to attack is crucial. Their lances grant them a long reach so attacking a whole pack can become very tricky. Again try to isolate and kill as much as possible. They also come equipped with a crossbow to stamp their authority on being incredibly annoying.

Undead Citizen
If the Royal Swordsmen weren’t enough for you to get aggravated, the Undead Citizens will make your blood boil if you don’t deal with them quickly. Through the game there are different variants of these guys but they largely stay the same. They do a standard arm swing attack which is quite frankly pathetic, and another belly flop attack (explodes and knocks you down) which is quite frankly infuriating. Never let them get too close to initiate the belly flop attack if you can help it – if you’re a melee build make sure you get the timing of your swing right. You do not want to be taking regular damage from the belly flop attack. It is possible to block this attack with a decent greatshield, but it will drain a lot of stamina.

Belfry Luna

Dwarf Bellkeeper
Not a particularly challenging enemy as you can overpower them with attacks quite easily. They do however tend to hit quite hard. Their low reach makes dodging a fairly comfortable experience. At the top of the bell tower there are 4 of them waiting for you, try not to drag all of them into combat at once as it can make life difficult.

Sinner’s Rise

Water Giant
The only new enemy here, a fairly high amount of HP and variation of attacks make the Water Giant a difficult opponent. Another enemy type who you definitely do not want to fight in a group. Their attacks are fairly slow but pack quite a punch. Also, their large tail means they have scope to hit the player if you are behind or to a side of it. Baiting their attacks, getting in a few quick hits and rolling away is the order of the day here.

Heide’s Tower of Flame


Old Knight
Whilst the Old Knights are the only enemy here, there are a couple of variations in terms of the weaponry they possess. The more common knight will wield a sword and shield whilst another will just come with a humungous mace. As you can probably guess from their size they are capable of hitting quite hard if they connect. They are however quite slow in recovery between attacks meaning you can hack away for a good amount of damage before retreating. Sorcerers will be in their element here as they are quite weak to magic.

Click here to continue on to the second part of our Dark Souls 2 Enemies Guide!

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