Highlights
- Evergaols house challenging bosses with unique mechanics and attacks, from swift Curseblades to gravity-manipulating Alabaster Lord.
- Combat styles vary from dodging icy gusts from Ancient Hero of Zamor to engaging in a dance of death with Black Knife Ringleader Alecto.
- Watch out for the deadly automatic crossbow of Blackgaol Knight and the swift spear attacks of Roundtable Knight Vyke in Elden Ring.
Roaming around the expansive world of Elden Ring you'll definitely stumble into some extremely difficult areas with equally difficult bosses. From Starscourge Radahn to Malenia, Blade of Miquella, there are plenty of bosses in open areas, but you might have noticed glowing purple sentinels surrounding a circular space.
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These are Evergaols, magical seals that are intended to imprison certain monstrous beings from ever getting out. Unfortunately, you can't summon Spirit Ashes to help you when fighting Evergaol bosses. So it is up to the lowly Tarnished to venture inside and put an end to these challenging foes once and for all.
Updated July 21, 2024, by David Franz: The Lands Between received a few more deadly prisoners with the release of Shadow Of The Erdtree. The newest bosses aren't in Evergaols but are instead in Gaols, which serve the same purpose of keeping threats to the status quo locked away. These additions offer new mechanics, weapons, and loot to delve into.
14 Battlemage Hugues
Fragile Mage With A Large Magic Hammer
Despite being located in a high-level area, Battlemage Hugues is not that hard to defeat. Found in Sellia Evergaol in Caelid, Hugues has close to zero defense, and it is quite easy to stagger and interrupt him from casting a spell.
But if you find that you're not fast enough, Hugues casts AoE spells, like his Glintstone shards or clouds that deal damage. He can also summon a large mallet which is easy enough to dodge. Your best bet is to pummel him to the ground before he could recover.
13 Adan, Thief Of Fire
Prometheus Of The Lands Between
Found in Malefactor's Evergaol in southern Liurnia of the Lakes region, the annoying part of this boss is that he's armed with his own Crimson Flasks. Adan wields a flail that metes out massive damage, though you can get behind him to deal a backstab.
As suggested by his name, Adan hurls flame spells. He uses the 'Flame of the Fell God' spell a lot, which are flame orbs that twirl around in the sky before exploding, so definitely avoid those. However, using a dex weapon that deals bleed damage and swift attacks is your best bet.
12 Bols, Carian Knight
Magical Giant Locked In A Small Room
The thing you have got to accept when playing Soulsborne games is that nearly everyone is bigger than you. But there are advantages to that, especially when fighting literal giants. Bols, Carian Knight is one such giant, found in Cuckoo Evergaol in Liurnia of the Lakes.
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Aside from his magical sword projectiles, Bols's combat mechanics are pretty much the same as other giants you encounter. From your regular foot stomps to slamming and sweeping his greatsword, your best bet is still staying near his feet, with the occasional dodges.
11 Curseblade Labirith
A Whirlwind Of Blades In Darkness
The first Shadow of the Erdtree boss on the list, Curseblade Labirith is a variation of the nimble Curseblade enemies found throughout the Realm of Shadow. You’ll likely have already faced your fair share of these enemies before you enter the Bonny Gaol where Labirith is located as there’s one near the very start of the DLC. This boss has a relatively low health pool, which surprisingly makes it feel easier than regular Curseblades.
Labirith does have a unique move that uses darkness to enshroud itself before attacking upon entering the arena. A shield or well-timed rolls will handily deal with this trickery. Strength builds with high stagger weapons or great shields will likely have little trouble with this boss, while dexterity and ranged users will need to be careful to avoid Labirith’s flurry of blows.
10 Alabaster Lord
Ancient Gravity Master
Yet another Evergaol boss in Liurnia of the Lakes, the Alabaster Lord is found in the Royal Grave Evergaol. This boss is armed with gravity spells, plunging his sword to the ground and releasing a purple wave.
Sometimes he'll fling a projectile at you, even casting a portal that summons meteor showers that can one-shot you if you do not dodge in time. His curved greatsword is also another factor you should not forget, since they deal quite hefty damage and are, at times, delayed attacks.
9 Lamenter
Shunned Heretic In The Realm Of Shadow
Lamenter is an NPC boss who primarily attacks with his fists and clones. Once you’ve lowered the boss’s health enough, it will spawn clones of itself that’ll throw out projectiles while you search for the real Lamenter. This foe also has a unique instakill feature if you don’t take out the clones or boss quickly enough.
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This fight is enjoyable and engaging since you can summon other players or your favorite spirit to go to town on the boss and all its clones. Its design encourages you to unleash your full offensive potential. It also drops the Lamenter’s Mask, a unique item that can transform you into a Lamenter.
8 Ancient Hero Of Zamor
Graceful Duelist With Ice Attacks
Ancient Hero of Zamor in the Weeping Peninsula is the epitome of deadly grace and elegance. Fighting her is akin to dancing, since she deftly swerves oncoming attacks with ease, and twirls about dealing damage with her curved sword.
She blows icy gusts that coat the ground before exploding and giving you frostbite damage. Once you get her health down to half, she powers up, releasing a snowstorm and being generally faster and more aggressive. Patience is crucial, but to first access this boss, you will need one Stonesword Key.
7 Demi-Human Swordmaster Onze
Acrobatic And Aggressive With A Bit Of Magic
A standout boss in the Realm of Shadow's Gaols, Demi-Human Swordmaster Onze is a somersaulting opponent that duels with style. Onze is aggressive and uses his mobility to stay in close range. He attacks with a unique attack pattern with his frost sword that’ll keep the Tarnished on their toes.
Onze is a very small opponent, even by demi-human standards, leading to him getting staggered easily. His attacks can often be interrupted with simple light or heavy attacks and continued pressure will lead to a stance break. This boss is fast-paced with flashes of Sekiro, but ultimately is cut too short due to a low health pool.
6 Bloodhound Knight Darriwil
Owner Of An Incredible Sword
An early-game boss, Bloodhound Knight Darriwil can be found at the Forlorn Hound Evergaol in Limgrave. Armed with the powerful Ash of War Bloodhound's Step and the skill Bloodhound's Finesse, Darriwil is a quick and hard-hitting foe.
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If you've not advanced much in the game or upgraded your weapon, then you will have a hard time with this boss. But you can actually call for help when dealing with him. Simply look for Blaidd in Mistwood Ruins by performing a 'snap' gesture you can obtain from Merchant Kalé at the Church of Elleh. You'll meet Blaidd, who says he's looking to kill Darriwil, at which point you can return to Darriwil's Evergaol and Blaidd will be there to help.
5 Godefroy The Grafted
The Forgotten Descendant Of Godfrey
If you're intimately acquainted with Godrick the Grafted's moveset, then his kin Godefroy the Grafted will be extremely predictable. Equipped with the exact same combat mechanics, the only difference is Godefroy doesn't have a second phase, so you don't need to worry about dragonfire attacks from his arm.
Located in Golden Lineage Evergaol in the Altus Plateau, Godefroy does a similar whirlwind aerial roll before slamming to the ground. His weapons have large range and massive attack power, so avoid his swings and slams, basically repeating what you did to triumph against Godrick.
4 Blackgaol Knight
A Harsh Introduction To Shadow Of The Erdtree
While not found in a Gaol, the Blackgaol Knight finds its way onto the list due to its name. This boss is located near the start of Shadow of the Erdtree and is a great introduction for everything to come.
The Blackgaol Knight’s arena is littered with bloodstains from the victims of his automatic crossbow. The rapid attack will more than likely one-shot any tarnished with a low Scadutree Blessing level. Additionally, the Blackgaol Knight has a sword with projectile attacks, making it lethal at any range. This boss poses a challenge that’s worthwhile for the full armor set and sword that it drops.
3 Roundtable Knight Vyke
Previous Inheritor Of The Frenzied Flame
Armed with a spear and red lightning attacks, Roundtable Knight Vyke is an indomitable foe. Located in Lord Contender's Evergaol in the Mountaintops of the Giants, Vyke can also heal himself like Adan.
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With his spear, Vyke is extremely swift, and the damage he deals is quite hefty. He hurls wide AoE attacks with his Dragonbolt lightning, driving them to the ground and causing it to be wreathed with lightning. To defeat this boss, arming yourself with weapons like the Bloodhound's Fang and using Bloodhound's Finesse is handy when dealing with Vyke.
2 Alecto, Black Knife Ringleader
Assassin That Caused The Shattering
As the leader of the Black Knife Assassins, expect this boss to be swift and deadly with her attacks. Not only is she a melee combatant, but she also has an AoE attack that can one-shot you if you're near. Like Black Knife Tiche, she bathes her blade with the Rune of Death and hurls it at you, which gradually drains your HP.
Located in Ringleader's Evergaol in Liurnia of the Lakes, you can parry and backstab this boss but of course, timing is key. She bobs and weaves both in the air and on the ground like no other, dealing attacks in an elegant dance of death with her Black Knife.
1 Crucible Knight
A Harsh But Fair Teacher
The Crucible Knight in Stormhill Evergaol is a literal tank, with impeccable range and damage. His first phase is already hard enough, with swift pokes, thrusts, and using his shield to fling you up, and everything he does deals a lot of damage.
But during his second phase, he grows wings and reveals a dragon tail out of nowhere when you try to attack him from behind. At times, he'll launch himself in the air and swoop down with his sword pointed straight at you. The Crucible Knight is most likely the hardest Evergaol boss you can find in the Lands Between.
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