The Smelter Demon is an optional Dark Souls 2 boss found in Iron Keep. Another blue version of this boss is located elsewhere in the game, too. This is a seemingly simple boss, but as you progress in the fight, the challenge gets ramped up quite a lot. You must know how to endure and reach the finish line in one piece.
Luckily, both versions of this boss are somewhat similar, so we’ll tackle both of their strategies in this guide.
Fighting Smelter Demon in Dark Souls 2
The Smelter Demon is a walking armor with a horrific horned head and a space between his chest and legs where a fire burns profusely. He also has a giant sword that he wields pretty fiercely.
There is a Red Smelter Demon in Iron Keep and a Blue Smelter Demon in Iron Passage.
The blue Smelter Demon is the same as the Red Smelter Demon, but it is engulfed in a blue magic flame instead of a fire coating. Other than that and a few differences in resistances and weaknesses, all of their attacks are the same, albeit the blue version’s attack patterns are slightly different.
They are a straightforward boss with a sword and a few explosive attacks thrown into the mix. However, once he loses one-third of his HP, he will begin the second phase, where he roars, and his chest fire gets bigger.
Although the attacks in this phase remain similar, the boss will start radiating damage. Whenever you venture inside this radius, you will start receiving minor tick damage over time. The Red version deals fire damage, and the Blue version deals magic damage in this phase.
When his health reaches 50%, the Smelter Demon will stab himself through his chest fire and pull out a burning sword. From now on, the damage output of the fire-coated sword goes through the roof. On top of that, some of the previous attacks are altered with special effects.
Since you face the red version quite early in the game, chances are you won’t stand a chance. If you don’t have fire-resistant equipment on you at this point better to leave this boss for later.
Keep these tips in mind when facing Smelter Demon in Darks Souls 2:
- He is extremely weak to Strike damage type. Blunt weapons will work wonders against this boss.
- He is immune to Bleed and can not be backstabbed or parried.
- Since this boss consistently deals fire damage, it is best to wear armor with better fire resistance stats, like the Hexer set.
- The Gyrm Greatshield will negate 100% fire damage, meaning you can turtle up behind it without worrying about any damage.
- The Flash Sweat pyromancy will decrease some damage from the boss’s attack, especially when he lights up his sword.
- You can summon two NPCs to this boss fight: Lucatiel of Mirrah and Manhunter O’Harrah.
- There is no point attacking while he’s transitioning into the next phase. He will receive next to no damage during the animation.
- Some extra tips for the Blue Smelter Demon:
- For this boss, wearing equipment that raises magic damage negation is advised. Havel’s Greatshield (magic infusion) and Rebel’s Greatshield will make this fight a cakewalk.
- This boss version is weak to the same Strike damage type and Dark damage.
- Carry some Small Blue Burr to increase magic resistance.
- You can summon Steel-willed Lorrie and Drifter Swordsman Aidel
Boss Strategy
During phase one of the Smelter Demon, you don’t have to worry about fire. This phase is about baiting the Smelter Demon’s attacks. Create a bit of distance, and he’ll try to stab you. Dodge to the right and land a couple of quick hits.
He’ll go for his slash combo if you stay close and move to his right. This combo usually ends with an overhead slash or a plunge, sometimes with an area-of-effect (AOE) impact. When he starts his horizontal slashes, dodge right. Roll immediately after he begins moving to slash (timing is key).
With practice, you’ll dodge these consistently. For the overhead slash, watch for a slight pause; if you roll too early, he’ll track and hit you. When he goes for a plunge, dodge as usual. If he leaps high, get clear of the AOE, but if it’s a short jump, dodge in close for a few hits. After you do some damage or wait a bit, he’ll transition to phase two.
The next phase kicks off with the Smelter Demon powering up. Take this moment to heal up with an Estus Flask or life gem. His attacks won’t change much, but his body now radiates constant fire damage, which will chip away at your health.
To avoid damage buildup, limit yourself to one or two strikes at a time. Avoid getting pinned against walls, the fire damage can add up fast. Stick to the same strategy as before, but keep an eye on your health. Heal whenever he pauses for an AOE, even if you’re feeling confident. Keep this up, and soon you’ll begin the final phase.
In phase three, the Smelter Demon sets his sword ablaze. Now, things get intense since he can easily one- or two-shot you with his sword. Every attack must be dodged precisely, or you risk immediate death. Prioritize survival over extra hits; sometimes, it’s better to heal than to swing.
During this phase, his main new attack is an overhead slash that leaves a line of fire. Always dodge to the right when this happens, if you roll backward, the fire trail will catch you. Besides that, stick to the same strategy as before. With enough patience and focus, you’ll finish this phase and defeat the Smelter Demon.
For a mage build, the simplest way to take on this boss is to summon any NPC, like Lucatiel, and let them take on the distraction role. Once they grab the boss’s attention, that’s your cue to back up to the farthest point in the arena and start casting spells.
Keeping a good distance means he’ll mostly ignore you and stay locked on Lucatiel. She can tank most of his damage, so don’t worry about her.
Just be ready to dodge any occasional long-range attacks that come your way. Otherwise, stay back and rain down your spells until the Smelter Demon is defeated.
Moveset
To fight both versions of the Smelter Demon effectively in Dark Souls 2, you must learn their attack patterns and how you should react to each:
| Attack | Description | Reaction |
|---|---|---|
| Sword Charging Thrust | Quickly charges toward you with his sword sticking out. | Dodge to the side fast since the attack comes out in a snap. |
| Fiery Sword Slam | He grabs his sword with both hands, raises it above his head, and drives it vertically into the ground in front. In the fiery phase, the slam sends out fire trails on the ground that lingers for some time. | Dodge away and out of range of the slam. For the other powerful version, back off and dodge to the side when the fire trial is about to reach you. The attack’s unusual delay can make things hard to read and react accordingly. |
| Leaping Sword Plunge | He goes airborne and attempts to land on you, shoving his sword into the ground. If you are close to the impact, he can perform an AoE explosion from where his sword is stuck. | When he jumps, pick a side and start sprinting until he lands and is done with the explosion. |
| Plus Shaped Combo | He swings his sword horizontally and then quickly performs a vertical slam, similar to the Fiery Sword Slam. | Dodge into the first attack and then back off from the next strike. |
| Dual Slashes | Two quick horizontal swords swing in opposite directions. He might chain it with either the Leaping Sword Plunge or Sword Charging Thrust. | Dodge to the left for the first swing, then back up for the second swing and get ready for whatever is his next attack. |
| Radiation | In the second phase, he will start emitting an AoE, causing tick damage when you get close to him. The red version emits fire damage and the blue version emits magic damage. | Avoid standing too close for no reason. You have to endure this phase to whittle away his HP and begin the final phase. |
Rewards for Defeating Smelter Demon
Taking out the Smelter Demon will give you all these goodies in Dark Souls 2:
- Smelter Demon Soul – You can trade it in to get either the Smelter Sword ultra greatsword or the Aged Smelter Sword ultra greatsword.
- 32,000 Souls
How to Cheese the Smelter Demon in Dark Souls 2?
There is a simple yet effective way to cheese the Smelter Demon without even breaking Dark Souls 2. This cheese works for the blue and red version of the boss. For this trick you need the Toxic Mist or Poison Mist pyromancy and the Gyrm Greatshield (Red Version) or Havel’s Greatshield with magic infusion (Blue version). And just in case, carry some healing items to survive this strategy.
Equip the pyromancy and the respective shield and enter the boss arena. Quickly rush towards the boss and cast the Poison Mist spell. You may have to cast it again to apply the effect. The Smelter Demon is highly susceptible to poison.
Once it is applied and you see his health bar drain, dual-hand the shield and put it up. The Gyrm Greatshield has 100% physical damage reduction and 100% fire damage reduction, while the magic-infused Havel’s Greatshield is similar, only replacing the fire defense with 100% magic damage reduction.
This means protecting yourself with the respective shield will ensure no damage from Smelter Demon’s attack will go through. You only have to watch for the explosive and jumping attacks, but for the rest, you can simply turtle up behind the shield and watch as the poison eats away the boss’s HP.
Occasionally, you have to put it down to restore stamina, but that’s pretty easy to achieve in the window between attacks.
Soon, without even lifting a finger, the Smelter Demon will succumb to the toxins and die.
The Smelter Demon in Dark Souls 2 is more than meets the eye. This standard knight-type boss packs quite a punch and can make quick work of you if you are unaware of his repertoire. With that said, as you can see above, once you know his tricks, he turns into one of the easier bosses in the game.