Boss fights are a core part of every Souls title. Reaching as far back as Demon's Souls, FromSoftware has done much to iterate on their boss design. Many agree that the boss fights in later Souls titles are top-notch, but it took a lot of experimentation to reach that point.

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Many boss fights in the franchise focus around gimmicks, mechanics that dictate a fight rather than an enemy's moveset. Most of these fights are frankly terrible, but there are a few cases where these gimmicks made up for an otherwise lackluster fight. Ranging from Yhorm to wyverns, here are ten gimmicky fights in the Souls series that we loved.

10 Yhorm The Giant (Dark Souls 3)

Onion Knight facing down Yhorm the Giant

As an actual fight, Yhorm the Giant is one of Dark Souls 3's low points. The fight consists of either hacking away at his ankles for a dozen minutes or using the Storm Ruler's unique attack to take the Giant down.

Yet, the resilience of Yhorm further complements his character. Yhorm is revered by many for his courage and combat skills. That can be seen with his ruthlessness with his unique machete during the fight. His weakness is the Storm Ruler, both a throwback to the Storm King fight in Demon's Souls as well and a way to make the fight enjoyable while still respecting lore. When all of these elements are coupled with Siegward of Catarina's final quest step, this otherwise mundane boss fight has become a fan-favorite amongst lore enthusiasts.

9 Fume Knight (Dark Souls 2)

Dark Souls 2 Fume Knight fight.

Fume Knight is easily one of the hardest bosses in the entire Souls franchise. This is mainly due to his devastating range of attacks, but many forget that Fume Knight does have a large gimmick.

Surrounding the outskirts of Fume Knight's arena are four Ashen Idols that can only be destroyed with Smelter Wedges found throughout the DLC. Failing to destroy these idols will result in Fume Knight healing himself during the fight, one of the only bosses in the Souls franchise to do so. The fight against Fume Knight is so well crafted, though, that it more than makes up for this gimmick.

8 Deacons Of The Deep (Dark Souls 3)

Dark Souls 3 Deacons of the Deep boss fight.

Instead of facing a single foe with deadly attacks, Dark Souls 3's Deacons of the Deep are a group of hollows that don't take kindly to large weapons or area-of-effect spells.

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One of the Deacons in this fight will have a red aura and glowing eyes denoting his possession. Killing this Deacon will reduce the health of the boss. To make this fight move quickly, players are encouraged to kill dozens of these foes at once. Powerful spells and greatswords do wonders here. It's a great change of pace when compared to the one-on-one duels the series relies on.

7 Ancient Wyvern (Dark Souls 3)

Dark Souls 3 Ancient Wyvern enemy.

Taking down a massive dragon with a sword or spell seems like a horrible idea if these mythical creatures were real. Some dragons in the Souls franchise go down in this fashion, but FromSoftware decided to change it up somewhat with the Ancient Wyvern fight in Dark Souls 3.

Instead of slashing at a wyvern until it dies, players must climb up the entire arena before slaying the Ancient Wyvern with a plunging attack. The fight is certainly anticlimatic when compared to other DS3 fights. That said, being able to kill a wyvern with a single attack is one of the most memorable parts of exploring Archdragon Peak.

6 Dark Sun Gwyndolin (Dark Souls)

Dark Souls Gwyndolin boss fight.

Simply finding Gwyndolin's boss arena is a journey. To face this hidden Dark Souls boss, players will either need to obtain the Darkmoon Seance Ring or kill the illusion of Gwynevere in her throne room.

Doing the latter will plunge Anor Londo into darkness, making most friendly NPCs hostile while revealing the path to Gwyndolin's fight. As for the fight itself, Gwyndolin will fire dozens of arrows at the player while teleporting down an infinite hallway. Players need to wait for the right moment to strike, close the gap, then land a few strikes before Gwyndolin teleports. The rhythm this fight encourages makes for an unforgettable experience.

5 The Pursuer (Dark Souls 2)

Dark Souls 2 The Pursuer boss fight.

Some will argue that The Pursuer from Dark Souls 2 is an uninspired melee boss. It can be argued that the main boss fight with this foe is rather mediocre, yet the Pursuer's gimmick makes up for it.

The Pursuer lives up to its name by stalking the player throughout their journey, returning time and time again to face the player once more. In the Scholar of the First Sin version of the game, there are ten Pursuers total that players can face—one of which only appears in NG+. The Pursuer is a great point of reference that demonstrates just how powerful the player is becoming throughout their playthrough.

4 Executioner's Chariot (Dark Souls 2)

Dark Souls 2 Executioner's Chariot boss fight.

The Executioner's Chariot fight in Dark Souls 2 is a good example of how to make a puzzle-focused fight enjoyable. This enemy will barrel through the arena, killing any friend or foe that gets in its way.

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To defeat this boss, the player will need to close a gate to destroy the chariot. This will cause the horse to rise from the chariot and fight the player. Should players damage the chariot instead of lowering the gate, it will be unable to jump across a gap in the arena. The horse will hold on to a ledge, allowing the player to hit the boss for an easy kill. Fighting the boss with either strategy is a blast.

3 Crossbreed Priscilla (Dark Souls)

Dark Souls Crossbreed Priscilla

Crossbreed Priscilla is an optional boss in the original Dark Souls. She turns herself invisible frequently during the fight to land easy hits on the player.

To avoid her attacks, players can either keep an ear out for her movement or look for footprints that appear in the snow. When her footprints get near the player, they can attack her to decloak her and get some damage in. Such a simple gimmick helped make the already great Painted World of Ariamis one of the best locations in the Souls franchise.

2 Maiden Astraea (Demon's Souls)

Demon's Souls Maiden Astraea cutscene.

Maiden Astraea isn't hostile in any capacity. When players walk through the fog gate, they will need to either get past her bodyguard, Garl Vinland, or get creative with killing the Maiden from a distance.

Players can take Garl directly at the start of the fight through a plague-infested swamp or take a longer route around him. The Maiden will die to any attack regardless of damage, so players can use a bow or spell from a distance to snipe the Maiden. This will bypass the fight with Garl entirely.

Alternatively, players can defeat Garl and talk to the Maiden. She will kill herself after a few dialogue exchanges, ending the fight without having to land a killing blow. It's such a creative and emotional boss fight that shows just how ruthless and inhumane the protagonist is. This is definitely one of From Software's best boss fights.

1 Burnt Ivory King (Dark Souls 2)

Dark Souls 2 Burnt Ivory King boss.

Dark Souls 2's Crown of the Ivory King DLC has arguably the coolest boss fight in the entire franchise. The final boss of this DLC resides deep under the town of Eleum Loyce, complete with an army of knights. To defeat the Ivory King, players must first recruit an army of their own.

The entire DLC is spent gathering three Loyce Knights that can help close the portals that the Ivory King gets his reinforcements from. To begin the fight, players jump down a massive chasm alongside their recruited Loyce Knights into the bowls of the earth. Each Loyce Knight will rush towards a portal and freeze it, preventing normal minions from spawning. When the minions are dealt with, the Burnt Ivory King will spawn from a giant portal, wielding what can only be described as a fantasy lightsaber.

Having to recruit a squad of knights to counter the Burnt Ivory King's forces makes for a jaw-dropping spectacle during the final encounter. This is a rare instance where a gimmick enhances an experience rather than detracts.

NEXT: 10 Most Unique Bosses In Dark Souls History