How Many DS2 Bosses with DLC? 42 Total Bosses

As an avid Dark Souls 2 player and content creator focused on providing expert guides about the Souls series, I can definitively state there are a total of 42 bosses in Dark Souls 2 when you include all DLC content packs.

This number breaks down as:

• 32 bosses in the Dark Souls 2 base game
• 3 additional bosses added in Scholar of the First Sin
• 7 bosses spread across the three Dark Souls 2 DLC packs

Below I will analyze this boss count more closely across different versions of the game, assess boss difficulty in detail, and showcase interesting player data related to boss completion rates across the Dark Souls community.

Base Game Boss Breakdown

The original Dark Souls 2 on Xbox 360 and PS3 contained 32 base game boss encounters. These consisted of early game bosses, 4 central ‘Great One‘ bosses tied to obtaining their Lord Souls, and various optional end-game bosses found in locations like Black Gulch and the Undead Crypt.

Scholar of the First Sin brought the base game boss count to 33 with the addition of the underwater battle against the Sinh, Slumbering Dragon in Brightstone Cove Tseldora.

Here is the full list of base game bosses:

I have marked bosses like Vendrick, Ancient Dragon, and Darklurker as optional since they are not directly tied to progression and require more obscure unlock conditions. But they still provide memorable and challenging encounters for those that do seek them out!

DLC Boss Breakdown

The real highlight in terms of Soulsborne bosses comes from the three Dark Souls 2 DLCs – which raise the total boss count from 33 to 42. Each DLC added 3 additional bosses along with new areas, enemies, and weapons/armor to expand the core game.

The DLC boss breakdown is:

• Crown of the Sunken King: Elana, the Squalid Queen | Sinh, Slumbering Dragon | Cave of the Dead
• Crown of the Iron King: Fume Knight | Sir Alonne | Magus and Congregation
• Crown of the Ivory King: Aava, King‘s Pet | Lud & Zallen | Burnt Ivory King

Many critics and Soulsborne fans view the DLC bosses as the best in Dark Souls 2 – offering complex movesets, lore connections, and spectacular visual settings.

I will analyze some of the fan-favorite DLC bosses including Fume Knight, Sir Alonne, and Burnt Ivory King later in this article.

Dark Souls 2 Boss Statistics

To demonstrate real data on the challenge these bosses pose, here are some statistics related to boss attempt counts and defeat percentages within the Dark Souls 2 community:

As expected, notorious DLC bosses like Fume Knight and Burnt Ivory King top the list here with the lowest defeat percentages.

Seeing these community-sourced statistics shows how mightily these DLC bosses tested players – requiring 10+ million attempts from the fanbase before even half could defeat them!

Let‘s analyze what makes these battles so difficult next.

Hardest DS2 DLC Bosses

While I could dedicate an entire article analyzing each DLC boss in-depth, I want to spotlight a few standouts here that gave players nightmares:

Fume Knight

• High HP Pool combined with heavy physical/fire damage attacks
• Delayed Greatsword Attacks to confuse player dodge timing
• Transition to Phase 2 gains damage buffs and larger AOE potential

Fume Knight is infamous for a reason – I have personally died to him over 80 times in my various playthroughs! His massive health bar allows him to shrug off attacks as he pelts you with deadly sword combos and flame pillars.

And if you do mange to reach Phase 2, heaven help you!

Lud and Zallen

• Tough Route through Frigid Outskirts filled with deadly ice horses
• Dual Tiger Boss Fights attack relentlessly with magic and shockwave attacks
• Snowstorm Effect obscures vision during battle

Reaching Lud and Zallen is a nightmare due to the hellish Frigid Outskirts – and then you have to face down TWO boss tigers?! Their nonstop aggression and AOE attacks flank you from both sides as you struggle to dodge and find openings to strike.

This fight epitomizes unfair difficulty design that will make you want to throw your controller!

Burnt Ivory King

• Stunning Visual Reveal as Burnt Ivory King emerges dramatically from lava
• Persistent Health Drain from your Charred Loyce Knights dying
• Relentless Multi-Target combat fighting knights AND the boss

After the epic sight of the Burnt Ivory King manifesting through the chaos of the Old Chaos, the relentless pacing of this battle kicks off. As your assisting charred knights perish, your own health drops – forcing you to constantly be on the offensive stopping the king‘s attacks while bashing the glowing portals to stop the health drain.

The visual spectacle combined with unique health mechanics come together to craft an incredible boss battle!

Closing Thoughts on DS2 Bosses

While Dark Souls 2 has its share of mundane base game bosses, the addition of the Crown DLCs supplements the experience with some of the most memorable Souls bosses yet conceived. Fantastically designed spectacles like the Fume Knight and Burnt Ivory King are worth the price alone – while beasts like Lud/Zallen push you to overcome unreasonable odds.

In total, 42 epic boss encounters await Tarnished warriors willing to suffer through Drangleic and beyond in Dark Souls 2 and its award-winning DLC! Let me know what bosses stood out most to you in the comments below!