So you mustered up the spirit to finally take on the hardest video game series out there, Dark Souls. You wake up in a decrepit prison and go on to explore the Undead Asylum. This is where you fight the Asylum Demon in Dark Souls Remastered. Do not worry if this seems like a daunting encounter at first. We got you!
We will try to equip you for this battle but it is one where you have to understand the reality of the game and accept your fate in the inevitability of the “YOU DIED” screen!
Fighting Asylum Demon
Asylum Demon is the first boss of Dark Souls Remastered. It is a tutorial boss, designed as an onboarding exercise for its new passengers on this hellish train.
The boss’s first encounter will shock you to your core as his surprise landing will scare the bejeezus out of you. And to boot it, you will only have a broken sword hilt as your weapon at this point in the game. You will deal minimal damage and run around the arena like a headless chicken.
Fret not for you are required to bail this initial encounter. There is a small exit on the left side of the arena where you can get out before getting pummeled. Afterward, you’ll scour the rest of the Undead Asylum, receive your class’s equipment, and soon come across the real boss fight fog gate.
Traversing it will initiate the second encounter, and this time, you must defeat the Asylum Demon. It might be hard to accept but this boss is extremely easy compared to what’s waiting for you later. This boss is highly telegraphed; thus, reacting to its moves is pretty straightforward.
This whole fight is conceived to show you the ropes of Dark Souls Remastered combat mechanics, especially the dodging. You cannot parry Asylum Demon’s attack so don’t even bother.
Just power through it, understand his attack patterns and learn from your deaths. All this practice will come in handy for what’s to come.
Boss Strategy
The second encounter against Asylum Demon starts on a ledge hanging over his head. This is a deliberate attempt to force you to use a plunging attack. Just walk over the ledge and press the attack button in the air to deal more than a quarter of HP damage to the boss.
From here the strategy is pretty straightforward. You want to try and stay behind the Asylum Demon, if possible, or at least on the side of him preferably on the side away from which he is swinging so that you are not getting hit by his attack.
You’ll need to pick your openings carefully because you don’t want to trade damage, especially this early in the game, as you probably won’t have enough healing to survive.
One of the best opportunities to put in damage is the Flight Slam attack. Make sure he doesn’t land on you and then sprint in and attack him for a few hits before he gets back up.
If you really want to play it safe, you can just wait until he does this over and over and you’ll never take any damage.
The fight is easier for Pyromancers and Sorcerers. Make sure to save most of your spell charges for the boss encounter. Now you just have to maintain a safe distance from the boss and keep firing your spells to bring him down in a jiffy.
Sorcerers have a better casting range. They can stand farther away and let their spells rip the boss apart. While Pyromancers will have to look for a sweet spot in the middle. Their spells are mid-ranged so you are required to stay a little close to the boss inside his attack danger zone to ensure guaranteed hits.
Most of the time, the boss will be defeated by the maximum number of spell charges. If you happen to miss some shots or don’t have enough charges then use your melee weapon to finish the job.
Moveset
Here are all the Asylum Demon’s attacks you have to look out for and their suitable reactions:
- Flight Slam: The boss flies in the air, hovers, and then comes crashing down on its butt. The attack has a small area of effect.
- Reaction: As soon as you see him fly up, back off. Wait for him to land and use the long recovery time to put in some damage.
- Hammer Drive: When you are standing in front, the boss will attempt to drive his hammer into you.
- Reaction: Do not stand in front of this attack. Dodge to the sides.
- Swing: A horizontal hammer swing.
- Reaction: The attack’s tracking is bad so moving away slightly will ignore it completely.
- Backswing: Swings his hammer backward when you are on its right side.
- Reaction: Time your dodge right when the hammer is about to land.
- Scoop: Scoops his hammer towards you when you are on its left side.
- Reaction: Time your dodge right when the hammer is about to land.
- Smash: Smashes his hammer downwards. Has a relatively longer range.
- Reaction: Dodge to the side.
- Leaping Smash: When you are further away, the boss will flutter his wings and try to charge at you with a smash at the end.
- Reaction: Dodge to the side when his leaping finishes to avoid the upcoming attack.
- Double Swing: A double hammer swing combo. He might chain a Smash attack afterward.
- Reaction: Stick to his backside to avoid it somewhat, but this attack has better tracking than his other attacks, so get ready to adjust your dodging.
How to Cheese the Asylum Demon in Dark Souls Remastered
Cheesing Asylum Demon is pretty simple if you just pick the Black Firebombs as your Starting Gift. This means you have to give up more valuable gifts like the Master Key or the Old Witch’s Ring.
However, defeating the boss with the Black Firebombs in the first encounter will reward you with his Demon’s Great Hammer.
Once you pick the said Starting Gift, equip it to your quick-use slot before entering the Asylum Demon’s arena the first time. When the boss lands, start lobbing the bombs at him. Successfully landing 5 Black Firebombs will bring down the boss in mere seconds.
Rewards for Defeating the Asylum Demon
These are all the things you get after beating the Asylum Demon in Dark Souls Remastered:
- 1x Humanity
- Big Pilgrim’s Key. If you kill the boss on the first try then you must find Oscar in the Undead Asylum to get this key. The boss will drop it only when defeated in the next attempt.
- Demon’s Great Hammer. Only if you defeat the boss in the first attempt. Easier to obtain in NG+ for souls newbies.
- 2,000 Souls