Dark Souls III was the culmination of the franchise that put FromSoftware on the map as an industry-leading developer of action-adventure role-playing games. Though Demon's Souls greatly inspired Dark Souls, it was the follow-up franchise that built a large cult following.
Many of the bosses in the series are considered difficult, but there are enemies that can be just as difficult for players. This stays true in Dark Souls III, and newcomers should be aware of which enemies can quickly become overwhelming and set the player back in both souls and confidence.
10 Mimic
The Mimics in Dark Souls III pay homage to the same enemy that caught tons of players off-guard in the original Dark Souls. These enemies appear to be normal chests, but when the player tries to open them, it becomes clear that they're actually hideous tricksters.
With long limbs and a small body, they appear fragile and weak, but the set of moves and range they have at their disposal can quickly catch the player off guard. Once defeated, though, players will be able to collect the item they were holding in their heads, which looks exactly like a wooden chest.
9 Hollow Manservant
Fans of Dark Souls may laugh at this entry and wonder how the Hollow Manservant could ever feel like a boss. The truth is, these things can be stonewalls for new players as their aggressive multi-strike attack patterns can quickly dismantle somehow who isn't familiar with how punishing Dark Souls III can be.
Some of them wield saws, while others wield giant clay pots. Depending on the player, one of the types can be much more difficult and stress-inducing than the other simply due to combat preference.
8 Elder Ghru
Many of the bosses in Dark Souls III and the series, in general, tend to have a presence about them. It's hard to describe it exactly, but it's a feeling you experience when you know you opponent is someone or something notable. The Elder Ghru inhabit Farron Keep and these large magic users feel like the gods worshiped in the Pagan religion.
Their staffs aren't just tree branches, but appear to be actual trees that they pull out of the ground, root and all. Their stature and the fact you must fight them in a poison swamp make them quite a headache to deal with.
7 Great Crab
On the Road to Sacrifices, you'll come across giant crustaceans called Great Crabs that at first glance appear to be somewhat non-hostile and peaceful. That perception doesn't last long as the moment you get near them, they attack ferociously in a sideways manner indicative of crab-like movement.
They swing often and their aggressive approach is matched with good power output. Since they don't move like anything else in the game, it's common for them to provide a hefty challenge even in the late game stages of the experience.
6 Pus Of Man
In addition to having a disgusting name, the Pus of Man appears at first to be simple hollowed soldiers but will morph into these amorphous amalgamations of man, serpent, and dark energy.
The power differential between a regular hollowed enemy and these monstrosities will catch even the most poised players off guard. The best strategy in terms of dealing with them is to strike hard and quickly before it's able to change forms and morph. Its pre-change form is simply a normal hollowed soldier and will go down quite easily.
5 Boreal Outrider Knight
A typical trend in Dark Souls and other FromSoftware titles is the game design philosophy of turning bosses into normal enemies over the course of a game. You initially fight a boss called Vordt of the Boreal Valley who is a corrupted and mutated Boreal Outrider Knight.
Later in the game, you will fight miniboss versions of Boreal Outrider Knights that have a moveset centered on sweeping attacks and a quick-paced move that forces you to block and constantly be moving. Their attacks inflict Frost damage so it's important to avoid getting hit at all costs.
4 Deep Accursed
Dark Souls in general did a great job subtly adding horror elements, which often came as a result of enemies moving in off-putting ways. The Deep Accursed are mini-bosses in the third game that look like giant werewolf spiders and move in a terrifyingly sporadic manner.
Luckily there are only two of them in the entirety of Dark Souls III, with one living in the Cathedral of the Deep and the other haunting the indoor roof of the grand hall in Anor Londo's iconic cathedral from the first game.
3 Sulyvahn's Beast
If you've ever wondered what the cross between a wolf, a crocodile, and a spider would look like, Dark Souls III has that covered. Sulyvayn's Beasts are the result of experiments by Pontiff Sulyvayn on the Outrider Knights who were tasked with protecting Irithyll from outside threats.
The ribcage of these beasts is ripped wide open, which greatly resembles the Gaping Dragon, a boss from the original Dark Souls. Sulyvahn's Beasts present a challenge as their power is met with a level of speed and movement uncommon in the Dark Souls franchise.
2 Havel Knight
Havel the Rock is a fan favorite enemy in Dark Souls that reappears in Dark Souls III in his iconic armor, sporting his giant hammer and stoic shield. Unlike his appearance in the original game, this takes place near the latter parts of Dark Souls III so players will be much more prepared and powerful.
That doesn't mean the encounter's easy, and his presence alone makes it feel much more like a boss fight than many of the other enemies in the area do. Once you defeat him, you'll be rewarded with his weapon Dragon Tooth and his shield, appropriately titled Havel's Greatshield.
1 Carthus Sandworm
Down in the depths of the Smouldering Lake, not only can you run into the last living demon in The Old Demon King, but you can experience a video game version of the cult classic film Tremors.
The Carthus Sandworm is a giant worm that navigates the Smouldering Lake in a set pattern that has it emerging from and sinking into the ground at set points. It can be avoided and outright ignored, but curiosity is natural for humans and those individuals will quickly learn that the Carthus Sandworm is much more powerful and stocky than many of the other beasts in Dark Souls III.