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The Curse-rotted Greatwood is an optional boss in Dark Souls III.

In-Game Description

Ever since its establishment, all manner of curses have managed to seep into the Undead Settlement. The worst of them were sealed away inside a spirit tree, but eventually the curses took their toll.

Description[]

This boss is a large tree with humanoid limbs, covered in pus-filled sacs. It is being worshiped by the citizens of the Undead Settlement.

Lore[]

The Greatwood was once a spirit tree which the residents of the Undead Settlement would use in desperation to seal away the worst of their curses. However, these curses eventually took their toll on the tree, creating this abomination.[1]

Location[]

Found in the Undead Settlement, at the end of a big courtyard and surrounded by a multitude of peasants.

From the Dilapidated Bridge, head into the graveyard where the Giant Archer shoots arrows; enter the house on the opposite end and climb up the stairs to the second floor. Keep following this path until reaching a crumbling church and turn left at the corner to find the courtyard.

Strategy[]

Upon entering the courtyard, the Greatwood is initially dormant at the far end of the area. Upon awakening, it will attempt to crush the player with its arms and legs whilst also leaking a poisonous liquid from its underside. It will also bombard the player with the putrid sacs that hang from its branches, filled with decomposing corpses. All of its attacks are well-telegraphed but the most efficient method is dodging. Unlike other bosses, the Greatwood can only be damaged by attacking the growths on its body.

To trigger the second phase of the battle, at least one of the growths covering the boss must be destroyed, the easiest one being the growth on its belly. The hollows will attempt to distract the player but will often be killed by the trees attacks, meaning the hollows can often be ignored in favor of attacking the growths. The boss will smash the floor, dropping the player into the Pit of Hollows. The player will not take any damage but any surviving hollows will perish.

During the second phase, the Greatwood becomes more aggressive and a long, white hand emerges from its front. This hand can perform a powerful grab attack so it is safer to remain at the side of the Greatwood. Some of the growths may be hard to reach with melee weapons, so ranged attacks and spells can be effective. The boss will be stunned once with each growth destroyed, enabling the player to attack its front unmolested or target another growth.

Whilst risky and a fairly longer process, the player can continue to deal damage to the Greatwood by attacking the hand and the wound in its chest, rather than destroying the growths.

Drops[]

Item Soul of the Rotted Greatwood
Soul of the Rotted Greatwood
Transposing Kiln
Transposing Kiln
Drop Rate Guaranteed Guaranteed

Notes[]

  • Affected by Alluring Skulls.
  • The Greatwood is an optional boss, however, defeating it rewards the player with the Transposing Kiln, which is required to forge boss soul weapons.
  • If the player wishes to join the Mound-makers covenant, then it is advised do so before defeating the boss. Hodrick, the character who inducts the player into the covenant, is located in the pit below the boss arena and will be killed when the floor collapses. His corpse is visible after the fight. It is, however, possible to join the Mound-makers covenant later in the game.
  • The arm that emerges in the second phase resembles the Clawed Curses found in the Grand Archives.
  • Pestilent Mist will damage the boss without destroying any egg sacs.

Trivia[]

  • The weapons transposed from the Soul of the Rotted Greatwood are manifestations of curses found within the belly of the tree, rather than weapons related to the tree itself. This sets the transposed weapons apart from typical boss soul transpositions.
  • There is another tree in the Undead Settlement which is being worshiped in a similar manner by the inhabitants, and it is found earlier in the area than the Greatwood: there are multiple wrapped corpses hanging from its branches and an Evangelist and several hollows are found at its base, praying to it, similar to the procession of hollows that another evangelist leads to the Greatwood. However, this one is merely an inert tree and not an enemy.

Gallery[]

Videos[]

Music[]

Dark_Souls_3_OST_-_Curse-rotted_Greatwood_(Complete)

Dark Souls 3 OST - Curse-rotted Greatwood (Complete)

References[]

  1. Item description of the Soul of the Rotted Greatwood.
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