Known generally as the Bridge Wyvern, the Hellkite Drake is not a true dragon but comes really close to being one. The dragon attacks all the players that pass from the Undead Parish and is exceptionally hard to fight against for newbies. This guide will help you know the specific strategies you can use to exploit its weaknesses.
The Hellkite Wyvern is first encountered after the Taurus Demon in the Undead Burg. It guards the bridge until it is killed. If you try to avoid it by running towards the sunlight altar, it will fly away and return whenever you are about to cross the bridge again.
The best way to get past the Dragon is Dark souls is by making all-or-nothing attempts at dashing through the bridge while it is distracted. There are also several other methods that can help you get past the bridge. Stick till the end to find out!
Do note that it is possible to stop Hellkite Drake from appearing if the player has the Master Key. However, this hack will only work if you follow a specific route before reaching the Dragon. With that said, let’s jump into ways to get past the Dragon in Dark Souls Remastered.
What is The Bridge Wyvern in Dark Souls Remastered?
Also referred to as a combination of Bridge / Hellkite / Red, and Dragon/ Drake / Wyvern, the Bridge Wyvern is an early game mini-boss in Dark Souls Remastered. It is originally not a True Dragon but a Drake. Drakes are underdeveloped imitators of the dragon race and can be considered their distant kin.
The Hellkite Drake’s primary purpose is to attack the players on the bridge leading to the Undead Parish. The Bridge Wyvern does make an initial appearance in the Undead Burg. However, it will guard the bridge till it is either killed or the player uses a roundabout way of approaching the Undead Parish.
Ways to Reach Undead Parish
If your end goal is to reach the Undead Parish then fighting and defeating the Dragon might not be your only option. You can reach the location first and come back later to defeat it with much better stats and upgraded weapons. With that said, this guide will be covering all the tips and tricks for you to reach past the Bridge Wyvern.
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Underneath the Bridge Route
A route beneath the bridge exists that can take you to Undead Parish without engaging the drake in battle. This is located close to the shortcut to Undead Burg bonfire. However, it is guarded by two Hollow Soldiers and is designed to drain your stamina little by little. If you are confident in a war of attrition then this route might suit you better than defeating the Bridge Drake.
You will have to face several Undead Rats along with the soldiers. There are no set rest points in your journey. The closest one is located to the Andre of Astora so make sure you keep a bunch of sustain items with you. Overall, this route can be much more punishing if the player dies en route to Undead Parish.
Distracting the Bridge Wyvern
This route is a high-risk high-reward venture. You will have to wait for the Wyvern to be distracted, take advantage of this short window and run straight to the bonfire below its perch. Do note that the dragon will be attacking you, therefore this approach is far riskier. A single successful hit can cost you your life so you will have to run like there’s no tomorrow.
Once you do reach the bonfire, the dragon will temporarily retreat. This in turn will grant you direct access to the Undead Parish. Simply raise the locked gate using the nearby level and you should be good to go. Once you’ve gotten stronger, you can come back to permanently dispatch the Hellkite Drake for good.
Using the Master Key
It is possible to stop the Drake from appearing if you manage to get your hands on the Master Key which is a starting gift in Dark Souls. The Master Key route is rather long but it is relatively safer than others. All you need to do is:
- Take the shortcut next to the elevator in New Londo Ruins. You will find yourself in the Valley of Drakes at the end of this shortcut.
- From there, go past the Undead Dragon and Blue Drakes and look for an elevator to the Darkroot Garden. This garden can be found near a bonfire by a Halberd Black Knight guarding the Grass Crest Shield.
- Now, you can either choose to go up Havel’s watchtower or continue to go up Darkroot Garden. Choose the second option and go past the Parish Titanite Demon by Andre of Astora.
- Keep on going till you reach the Parish.
Following the steps mentioned above can help you bypass the event trigger located at the very beginning of the Undead Burg. This can be found near the fog door where the Drake is supposed to perch. This does not mean that the event is gone, you can still trigger it at any point so take your time to come back stronger than ever!
Try attacking the Hellkite Dragon’s tail upon your first encounter. It will grant you the Drake Sword, which can go a long way in the early parts of the game. You can try equipping the bow in order to do this. Keep in mind that the Hellkite Dragon can be a nightmare to deal with so come back when you are strong enough.
All in all, the Hellkite dragon can be defeated in later portions of the game so your only aim should be to get past it. This can be done by either making a run for it or using different routes altogether. Whatever path you decide to go to, make sure to see it through the end. Come back with a better build to slay the pseudo-dragon once and for all!