Knight Artorias

Knight Artorias
Location	Oolacile Township
Drops	Soul of Artorias
Health
NG	3,750
NG+	5,887
Souls
NG	50,000
NG+	100,000

"Thou shalt see further on, an Abyss was begat of the ancient beast, and threatens to swallow the whole of Oolacile. Knight Artorias came to stop this, but such a hero has nary a murmur of Dark. Without doubt he will be swallowed by the Abyss, overcome by its utter blackness... Indeed, the Abyss may be unstoppable..."

— Elizabeth

Knight Artorias (騎士アルトリウス), also known as Artorias the Abysswalker or Artorias of the Abyss, is a boss in Dark Souls. He appears exclusively in the Artorias of the Abyss DLC named after him.

Artorias was previously a mentioned character in the base game, in which the Chosen Undead must acquire Artorias' ring by slaying his former companion, Great Grey Wolf Sif. He is also a mentioned character in Dark Souls III, in which he is known as the "Wolf Knight", his real name seemingly lost to history.

Location

Knight Artorias is located in the coliseum area of Oolacile Township, at the end of the Royal Wood.

Description

By the time the Chosen Undead encounters him, Artorias is shown to have already been corrupted by the Abyss with his armor looking putrefied, oozing an aura of darkness. His crippled arm is likely the result of Artorias halting the spread from devouring his wolf companion by means of a now missing shield. He possesses a greatsword that has also been consumed, yet is still far from ineffective. Having lost his sanity, the knight moves about in an untamed, beastly manner as he howls beneath the blue shroud of his helm.

Lore

Dark Souls

The azure-blue armor of Artorias

Sir Artorias was among the premier knights at the service of Gwyn, Lord of Sunlight. Thanks to his unmatched skill with a greatsword and his indomitable will, he went on to become part of Gwyn's most trusted warriors, being granted a special soul. Artorias, along with Ornstein, Ciaran and Gough, thus formed the Four Knights of Gwyn; as a symbol of his association with the order, he was bestowed a magical ring with the wolf symbol, which strengthened his poise, making his fighting style with a greatsword more effective.

Artorias wore his distinctive azure-blue tassel armor as a symbol of pride and glory and brandished a greatsword and greatshield. Artorias was also a dear friend of Ciaran, his companion as another Knight of Gwyn. At one point Artorias met Sif, a great grey wolf, with whom he formed a deep bond. Artorias and Sif would brave the battlefields as companions; Sif even learned to fight with Artorias's greatsword, and acquired the power of his soul.

The Wolf Ring of Artorias

Sometime after Lord Gwyn sacrificed himself to link the fading First Flame, the Primordial Serpent Kaathe began searching for a human strong enough to become the Dark Lord capable of leading humans and usher in an Age of Dark. Kaathe eventually arrived in New Londo and managed to entice the Four Kings, powerful humans who had received a fragment of Gwyn's Lord Soul, into following his ideals, teaching them the art of Lifedrain. The Serpent's dark influence extended to their entire army: The knights of New Londo became Darkwraiths, servants of the Dark who learned the art of Lifedrain and used it to absorb humanity. The Four Kings opened an Abyss in the center of their city, with their Darkwraiths beginning to employ the Red Eye Orbs granted by Kaathe to plunder humanity and expand the reach of the Abyss.

The greatsword of Artorias

A nation of humans freed from the shackles of the Darksign, in possession of an army empowered by their boundless Dark Soul, represented an unparalleled threat to the gods of Anor Londo, who branded the Darkwraiths diabolical enemies of man and of every living thing. Artorias, as one of the Four Knights of Gwyn, was sent to fight the dark soldiers of New Londo, being granted a Silver Pendant to deflect the Dark of the Abyss he would face. However this did not prove sufficient to cross into the Abyss of the Four Kings, and Artorias was forced to forge a covenant with the "beasts of the Abyss", obtaining a ring that would allow him to cross the Abyss, but also cursed his sword in the process. Artorias thus became known as the "Abysswalker" and hunted the Darkwraiths, but failed to eliminate the Four Kings and close the Abyss of New Londo. Following Artorias's failure, an agonizing and terrible decision was made in order to contain the Abyss: flooding the entirety of New Londo, despite the realization that countless lives would be lost along with its prosperous culture. For this task, sorcerers were called forth and the feat was accomplished without evacuating the city's civilians, sealing away the Four Kings, their Darkwraiths and the entire population with them. The victims were cursed and became Ghosts roaming the ruins of their country.

Kaathe, following his failure with the Four Kings, arrived in Oolacile and manipulated its inhabitants into upturning the grave of Manus, a primordial man with an extraordinary Dark Soul and dark sorcery skills, who had been buried beneath the dungeons of their city, and resurrect him. Awakening to find his precious broken pendant missing, Manus was eventually driven mad and his Dark Soul went wild, transforming him into a dark beast eternally seeking his pendant. His immense mass of humanity out of control led to the manifestation of an Abyss that spread, threatening to devour the entire land. The Dark emanating from Manus not only generated countless Humanity Phantoms with a will of their own but also influenced the residents of Oolacile, making their humanity go wild and horribly mutating their bodies, bloating their head and opening them with cracks lined with innumerable tiny red eyeballs and protruding brain parts.

Artorias corrupted by the Abyss of Manus

As the Abyss continued to spread across the land of Oolacile, Knight Artorias arrived to halt its advance and confront Manus, as the Knight of Gwyn already had experience from fighting the Abyss and its creatures in New Londo. However, Artorias's silver pendant was stolen by Oolacile's inhabitants and hidden behind an illusory wall, depriving Artorias of protection against Manus's dark sorceries. Artorias, together with his trusted companion Sif, nevertheless faced Manus, but his strength proved insufficient to defeat the Father of the Abyss. Wounded in the battle, Artorias used his Cleansing Greatshield to form a magic barrier to protect Sif against the Dark. Artorias, his soul corrupted by the Abyss and his armor corroded, was left alone in his fight against the Abyssal creatures of Oolacile.

Manus at one point kidnapped Princess Dusk of Oolacile and imprisoned her deep within the Chasm of the Abyss. His prized pendant eventually came under the possession of a Chosen Undead in the future; Manus, driven by his unrelenting search for his pendant, snatched the Undead from the future and brought them into the old Oolacile. There, the Chosen Undead encountered Knight Artorias, who had retained only the very last vestige of his sanity in the battle against the Abyss, still desperate to put down the corrupted creatures of Oolacile. During the fight that ensued between him and the Chosen Undead, Artorias succumbed to the Abyss entirely, and was finally defeated by the Undead.

Ciaran, who had arrived at the arena where Artorias was corrupted by the Abyss, also requested the Soul of Artorias from the Chosen Undead who had finally put an end to the knight's suffering, with the intention of paying proper respects to her passed dear friend.

The Chosen Undead further journeyed within the Chasm of the Abyss where they finally defeated Manus and put him to rest. While Dusk was rescued in the process, she was driven by Elizabeth into thinking that she was saved by Artorias, preserving the honor and the legacy of the Wolf Knight. Nevertheless, Dusk came to recognize the Chosen Undead's similarity to the fabled knight, and developed doubts of her own as to her true savior.

Sif defending the grave of Artorias.

As centuries passed, the ruins of Oolacile overgrew into the "Darkroot Garden", where the remnants of the ancient Guardians of the city still patrol the area as Stone Knights. Sif survived the battle with Manus thanks to the intervention of the Chosen Undead. The wolf inherited Artorias's divine greatsword and the magical ring that had allowed the knight to cross the Abyss. The wolf settled in the forest where Artorias's tomb had been erected and, wielding his companion's sword in his jaws, continued to fight to guard Artorias's rest, slaughtering the numerous Undead who arrived with the intention of plundering the tomb of the legendary knight.

In addition, Artorias and Sif had become trusted friends of Alvina, a white Great Feline that had lived for centuries since the early Age of Fire. After Artorias's death, Alvina founded the Forest Hunter covenant, a clan of hunters bound with the aim of protecting the Darkroot Forest where her friend rested and Sif resided from the many adventurers who invaded it to seek the tomb of the legendary knight. Alvina would try to dissuade those who ventured into the region, advising them not to seek Artorias's tomb and that his legends were only fabrications and fairy tales.

Dark Souls III

An Abyss Watcher.

Artorias's legacy of battling the Abyss lived on through the ages into the days of Lothric. While the name of the "Wolf Knight" was seemingly lost to history, there were many who swore themselves into a new covenant with the goal of fighting Abyss's abominations. These warriors would come to be known as Farron's Undead Legion, The Abyss Watchers. It was said that the Undead Legion vowed to partake of "wolf blood", binding their souls into one that traced its roots to Artorias, the first Abyss Watcher, in an eternal mandate to hold back the tides of the Abyss. They imitated the fighting style of their first master, becoming known for their wild, ferocious style which employed the unusual combination of an ultra-greatsword and a parrying dagger.

The Abyss Watchers established dominion over Farron Keep, the swampland once known as Oolacile or Darkroot Garden. Here they closely guarded what was once the Chasm of the Abyss, the cradle of Manus and a seedbed for Abyssal beasts; these headquarters would also have been in close proximity to Artorias's tomb. The Watchers gained notoriety due to their scorched-earth approach to containing outbreaks of the Abyss, destroying kingdoms at the first sign of exposure. Nonetheless, many would enlist as their followers in a bid to partake of wolf's blood and become part of the Undead Legion.

At the close of a period in the Age of Fire, The Abyss Watchers linked the First Flame, becoming Lords of Cinder. An indefinite amount of time later, the destined Lord of Cinder Prince Lothric refused to link the First Flame, which led to Lords of Cinder from the past being exhumed from their graves, to once again serve as kindling for the Flame. The Abyss Watchers refused to once again sacrifice themselves to the Flame, instead returning to Farron Keep, leaving their throne at Firelink Shrine empty.

At the time of the Ashen One's arrival at Farron Keep, the Abyss Watchers were being corrupted by the Abyss one by one, forcing the remnants to put down their own corrupted brethren, echoing the fate of Artorias. The Ashen One would eventually fell every Abyss Watcher; with none left alive to bear the Blood of the Wolf, their collective soul manifested within a single Watcher, seeking to uphold their duty to the end. This last Watcher too was defeated, and the Soul of the Blood of the Wolf captured.

Artifacts

• Soul of Artorias
• Set of Artorias
• Wolf Knight Set
• Greatsword of Artorias
• Wolf Knight's Greatsword
• Greatshield of Artorias
• Wolf Knight's Greatshield
• Wolf Ring
• Silver Pendant
• Cleansing Greatshield
• Covenant of Artorias
• Greatsword of Artorias (Cursed)
• Abyss Greatsword

Melee Strategy

While this boss is rather difficult to predict, he does have a few signs for his attacks, and well-timed rolls prove useful here. Being able to fast-roll is highly advised but not necessary. The player can place themself away from him by about twice his reach at all times, even for melee.

Aerial Attacks

See below for attack name references

When he uses his Somersault Slam attack, the player will want to roll to the right as the camera tilts upward while locked onto him. The player can do this three times and then get in one or two attacks (based on one's weapon) after the third attack lands. Avoid attacking after his Steadfast Leap. Instead use that opportunity to heal or get some distance from him.

Standing Attacks

When he uses his Overhand Smash, roll to the right. While he leaves himself open for a few frames, he will usually follow up with his Spinning Slash attack. Therefore, it is best to get some distance from him instead as the Spinning Slash attack is difficult to get away from when it begins.

Charging Attacks

With his Charging Slash move the player will always want to roll backwards from where he intends to land the attack. After successfully dodging this attack, the player will be able to get one or two hits on him.

His Heavy Thrust attack will need to be side dodged. Depending on which way he turns during the charge, the player will need to dodge the opposite way. After the dodge, he has a long recovery time and the player should be able to get two or three hits in.

Abyss Sludge

When the player is behind Artorias, he may use his Abyss Sludge attack. This move does little damage but can stun and even knock down players with little to no poise. If timed right, the player can roll forward through the attack and get a hit on him, then immediately retreat.

Wrath of the Abyss - Buff

After Artorias has lost 1/3 of his health, he will start to use his Wrath of the Abyss power up. If left alone, he will do much more damage after he completes the power up for 90 seconds, potentially one-shotting the player. If the player can get close fast enough, they can Poise break him out of his charge up by dealing 90 Poise damage as his usual 130 Poise value is reduced during his buff animation. If the player doesn't do enough Poise damage fast enough, he will hit them with an area of effect blast attack that will knock the player on their back. The best bet is to use a decent Poise damage weapon and stop him from gaining his attack buff. If using a low Poise damage weapon, check the Poise Damage Values of your weapon to calculate the beast way to deal 90 poise damage to him via a combination of light and heavy attacks.

If you are a lower level and unable to find a means of staggering during Artorias' charge-up, you can place a headshot and force him out of his animation using a bow. Headshots with bows, crossbows, and other types of throwables deal additional poise damage in general, but will stun Artorias. If you succeed in hitting him in the head, he will stand up and continue the fight. To help time this tricky attack, watch for Artorias to roll backwards twice, as this is the only time that he will do it before attempting to charge up; use this time to arm and aim your shot. The power of the bow and arrow do not need to be high. Avelyn is very good for interrupting his charge-up, you'll be able to shoot twice before he completes it, be sure to aim for his head and you will be able to stun him in a single hit. Avelyn deals the full poise damage for each bolt that impacts, for a total of 60 poise damage.

Boss Information

Attacks

Steadfast Leap

				Attack Type	Parryable	Tracking	Speed
???	-	-	-	Physical	No	Both	Slow

Artorias crouches, then leaps high into the air towards the player, causing damage in a small area of effect around him. Rolling or moving towards him instead of away can increase one's chance of successfully dodging before he lands.

Somersault Slam

				Attack Type	Parryable	Tracking	Speed
???	-	-	-	Physical	No	Both	Medium

Artorias somersaults into the air after which he slams his sword down vertically. He can repeat this up to three times. Roll to the side to avoid it. The player can be stun-locked in this combo.

Overhead Smash

				Attack Type	Parryable	Tracking	Speed
???	-	-	-	Physical	No	Both	Medium

Slams his sword overhead and towards the ground; high staggering power that leaves his guard open for a short time after it lands.

Charging Slash

				Attack Type	Parryable	Tracking	Speed
???	-	-	-	Physical	No	Both	Medium

Artorias moves toward the player while swinging his sword 360 degrees. He presents an opportunity to be attacked after the player dodges his swing.

Heavy Thrust

				Attack Type	Parryable	Tracking	Speed
???	-	-	-	Thrust Physical	No	Right	Medium

Pauses before performing a heavy, medium range thrust towards the player. If it connects, it can hit twice, dealing heavy damage and knocking the player to the ground.

Spinning Slash

				Attack Type	Parryable	Tracking	Speed
???	-	-	-	Physical	No	Both	Medium

Artorias quickly spins, completing a full revolution. It has the potential to connect twice.

Abyss Sludge

				Attack Type	Parryable	Tracking	Speed
???	-	-	-	Physical	No	Both	Fast

Artorias throws a staggering sludge in a wide arc, a few feet in front of him. Usually performed if positioned behind him.

Wrath of the Abyss

				Attack Type	Parryable	Tracking	Speed
-	???	-	-	Magic	No	AoE	Slow

Activates in intervals after approximately 20% of his total health is reduced. After rolling away, he will slowly build up dark magic energy, presenting ample time for retaliation, potentially staggering him, or to apply augmentations to one's weapon or self. A single Sunlight Spear can stagger him and prevent this build up from finalizing. If the player does not stagger him, he will release an explosion that does magic damage in a mid-ranged area of effect all around him. Artorias' attack speed, area of effect and damage are enhanced for a limited time afterwards. These effects can stack. 

In addition to the health thresholds, this attack has a time interval between uses, in that if Artorias is left undamaged for a period of time, he will re-activate Wrath of the Abyss.

Defenses

Physical Defenses				Elemental Defenses			Resistances
???	???	???	???	???	???	???	S	S	S

These stats are sourced from FuturePress's Official Dark Souls Strategy Guide.

Drops

Item	Soul of Artorias
Drop Rate	Guaranteed

Notes

• All of Artorias' overhead attacks hit the player while on the ground or during roll animation, ignoring invincibility frames — except for rolls with the Dark Wood Grain Ring.
• The Set of Artorias is sold by Domhnall of Zena after he is defeated.

Non-canon lore

Unused dialogue

Artorias is silent in Artorias of the Abyss safe for a few grunts and moans, but actually possesses his very own set of unused voice lines hidden in the game's database; his voice has an otherwordly echo to it, denoting his advanced state of corruption by the Abyss, although the presence of coherent dialogue indicates that he would have retained much of his memory and personality.

His removed audio can be roughly divided into three categories: the first are wordless sound bites, consisting of coughs, screams and unusued grunts and moans likely meant to play during his boss fight.

The second group consists of lines that would have seemingly preceded the fight, likely to be said in the following order: "Whatever thou art, stay away", "Soon, I will be consumed", "By Them, by the Dark." Whether they would have played during his introduction cutscene, or if Artorias could have been talked to as a regular NPC prior to his fight, is unclear; in the later case, some of his wordless audio in the first group might have been meant to play once his previous dialogue was exhausted.

The third group consists of what would have likely been Artorias' dying words, spoken after his defeat; recognizing the Chosen Undead's worth, he begs them to stop the Abyss. Notably, he adresses Sif, saying "there you are", although whether it is a dying vision or Sif might have actually been present is unknown. With his very last words, he says "All of you... Forgive me", lamenting that he has "availed to nothing".

Click to see Unused Dialogue (Contains Spoilers)
Line 1 Whatever thou art, stay away. Line 2 Soon, I will be consumed. Line 3 By Them, by the Dark. Line 4 Thou are strong, human. Line 5 Surely thine kind are more than pure dark. Line 6 I beg of thee... The spread of the abyss... Must be stopped. Line 7 Ah, Sif, there you are... [cough] All of you... Forgive me... Line 8 For I have availed you nothing...

Dark Souls: The Age of Fire

Dark Souls: The Age of Fire is a comic book series published in 2018, depicting events explicitly stated to be non-canonical.

Artorias slaying an Everlasting Dragon during the war.

The prologue of The Age of Fire is set during the war waged against the Everlasting Dragons that ended the Age of Ancients and brought about the titular Age of Fire. During a devastating battle, a dragon burns alive most of a squad of Gwyn's Silver Knights, with only one, Arkon, lucky enough to have been missed by its attack. As Arkon stands frozen in terror, Artorias suddenly emerges and swiftly beheads the dragon before leaving without a word; Lord Gwyn coincidentally returns at this point, and, presuming that it is Arkon who has slain the dragon, congratulates and grants the title of "Dragonkiller" upon the Silver Knight, who is too shocked to correct him.

Many years later during the Age of Fire, shortly after the fall of Izalith to the Flame of Chaos, a group of Dragon Knights serving Gwyn and led by Dragon Knight Gravis arrives in New Londo in an attempt to negociate assistance against Izalith, unaware that the Four Kings have been convinced to rebel against Gwyn. They are attacked by a group of Darkwraiths and Skeletons, who slay all but Gravis and hired mercenary Wurdow; as they prepare for a last stand, the two are rescued by Artorias, who decapitates all foes surrounding them. As Gravis expresses her surprise and gratitude, Artorias points them to the gate they had entered to silently order them to leave, and progresses deeper into New Londo alone.

Artorias (right) facing a newly-blackened Arkon.

Later, around the same time Gwyn links the First Flame, Artorias again crosses path with Arkon, this time in Oolacile. By that time, corruption by the Flame of Chaos caused Arkon's armor to turn black and left him to wander seemingly aimlessly, causing Artorias to mistake him for a Darkwraith. He easily defeats the other knight, but eventually recognizes Arkon and informs him that Gwyn requires more help than ever and has called all of his knights to him as "a great darkness has fallen upon Lordran". In spite of the ways he was changed, Arkon declares that he will answer the call.

Trivia

• Artorias's introduction cinematic is similar to that of the Penetrator in Demon's Souls, who impales a Fat Official and then tosses its corpse at the player.
• Great Grey Wolf Sif wields the Greatsword of Artorias in the fight against the Chosen Undead.
• Unusually for bosses, Artorias does not drop any form of Humanity. Other bosses that do not drop Humanity are Gwyndolin and Gwyn.
• As Berserk happened to be among the favorite mangas of Hidetaka Miyazaki (the director of the Dark Souls franchise), it's no surprise there are allusions to the aforementioned manga series in the game series proper. In Knight Artorias' case, he may very well influenced by Guts the Black Swordsman;
  • Knight Artorias' pose in promotional artwork of Artorias of the Abyss DLC of Dark Souls eerily resembles Guts' own in his Berserker Armor as depicted in artwork of Voluma 28 of the Berserk manga series.
  • Both are associated with enormous canines, though their dynamics contrasted greatly (Knight Artorias and Great Grey Wolf Sif were good friends, unlike Guts and Beast of Darkness whose relationship was antagonistic, true to the latter's nature as the former's personified rage and hatred).
  • Knight Artorias's behavior and fighting style after being corrupted by the Abyss could be compared to Guts' own when the latter is completely under the influence of Berserker Armor.

Gallery

Promotional image

Promotional screenshot

Promotional screenshot

Promotional screenshot

Promotional screenshot

Sensing the player

About to throw the Bloathead

Cover art for Dark Souls: The Age of Fire, with Artorias front and center.

Artorias' eyes.

3D Model

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Videos

Artorias Intro

Introductory cutscene

Dark Souls - Artorias's Intro With Dialogue

Intro intervowen with cut dialogue lines.

Music

Dark Souls — Knight Artorias by Motoi Sakuraba