| Iudex Gundyr | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
||
| NG |  HP |
 Souls |
| 0 | 1,037 | 3,000 |
| 1 | 3,561 | 15,000 |
| 2 | 3,917 | 16,500 |
| 3 | 4,095 | 16,875 |
| 4 | 4,273 | 18,000 |
| 5 | 4,629 | 18,375 |
| 6 | 4,807 | 18,750 |
| 7 | 4,985 | 19,125 |
| Weaknesses | ||
| Resistances | ||
This boss has different resistances depending on if you hit the original body or the Pus of Man. |
||
| Immunities | ||
Lore
This sword is only bequeathed to chosen ash, as judged by the Iudex, who awaits the arrival of ash as a scabbard.
— Description of Coiled Sword
General Information
This is the tutorial boss for Dark Souls III. It displays what the player should expect regarding boss phases in the game and how the fight may drastically change.
This boss fight is mandatory.
Location
Found in the Cemetery of Ash on the route to Firelink Shrine. He is an immobile statue until you pull the Coiled Sword from his chest.
Summons
- None.
Drops
Moveset
Both Phases
Phase One
- Strong Sweep
- He will sweep his halberd in front of him. The attack is delayed, so delay your roll so you aren't caught out.
- Jump and Smash
- When the player is too far from him, he will jump forward and smash his halberd at the player's position.
- Fast Sweep
- Similar to Strong Sweep but faster. Used as a recovery move.
- Jump and Pierce
- Similar to Jump and Smash, but he will pierce the ground rather than smash it. Recovery from this move is slow, so use it as a opportunity to attack.
- Rapid Slice
- Slices the ground in front of him quickly, multiple times. Used as a follower from Jump and Smash.
Phase Two
- Pus of Man Release
- Upon dropping below 50% health, the squirming growth on Gundyr's back will mutate into a dark, serpentine creature, with a massive claw and tail.
- This is called a Pus of Man.
- He will attack with both of his appendages, which greatly extend his reach.
- Sweep
- He will use his tail to sweep across the arena. Get behind him to avoid the sweep.
- Overhead Smash
- He will jump towards the player and smash his tail down. Dodge to the side to avoid this.
Strategies
Melee
As the first boss of the game, blocking is a poor strategy due to the player's lack of Stamina early on. Dodging through his sweeping attacks will greatly increase your odds of success. He is parryable during his first phase.
For his second phase, it is best to roll forward through his sweeping attacks, avoiding his grab and utilising invincibility frames to survive.
Ranged
Keep at a distance and attack during his recovery phases. During his second phase be careful of his extended reach.
Using Firebombs or similar fire consumables will help deal damage to him during his second phase as his Pus of Man growth is weak to fire.
Notes
- Must be defeated before the player can reach Firelink Shrine and to receive the Coiled Sword, the item allowing instanteous travel between bonfires.
- "Iudex" is Latin for "Judge."
- Works well with the introduction of the fight being a parallel to the Arthurian legend of the sword in the stone. The player takes out the coiled sword out of the iron armored Gundyr and is judged by him to see if he is worthy to inherit/link the First Flame. This is the first step the player must take.
References
* Tested with 400 pure attack rating of this type on NG+7
See Also
In other games
- Old King Doran (Demon's Souls, similar visual design and also tests the player's worth to wield a sword)
