To his credit, Iudex Gundyr was a great way to kick things off - but, as far as Dark Souls bosses go, he was a bit of a pushover. It makes sense - he basically caps off the tutorial, before the game really starts - but anyone hoping for a challenge may find themselves wishing for an opponent that can actually put up a fight.
That's where Vordt of the Boreal Valley comes in. Sitting just in front of the gate that leads away from Castle Lothric, the towering, feral knight is a literal roadblock - and one that the Unkindled may have some trouble getting past.
If Iudex represented the Souls series' penchant for one-on-one duels, Vordt represents just how animalistic the bosses in Dark Souls III can get. The battle against Vordt represents a stark change from the measured pace of the first boss fight - combine that with a nasty status effect and ridiculous damage output and you've got a boss that'll stop players dead in their tracks. That's where our handy video guide comes in:
The sheer speed of the fight is sure to catch a lot of new players off guard. Vordt isn't a small guy, and yet he can launch himself from one side of the arena to the other in a matter of seconds - but, if you can keep your shield up and your finger over the dodge button, Vordt's speed shouldn't be much of an issue.
He's the kind of boss that you'll want to get up close and personal with: Vordt's size can actually come back to bite him, as players can simply hide underneath him and wail away on his stomach. Things do get a bit tougher once Vordt shifts into his second phase, but you'll barely even notice the Frostbite when the armored animal finally goes down.
Of course, Vordt is just one of many bosses: if you haven't quite made it past Iudex Gundyr, make sure to check out our guide to toppling Dark Souls III's first major foe, or our beginner's guides on character creation and combat training!
For more on Dark Souls III, head on over to our ever-growing coverage hub.
