Iudex Gundyr is a Boss in Dark Souls 3. He is the first boss that players will encounter. This Dark Souls 3 Iudex Gundyr Guide features locations, strategies and videos on how to defeat Iudex Gundyr easily, as well as tips, weaknesses, trivia and lore notes for the Iudex Gundyr boss. Iudex Gundyr is a large humanoid clad in heavy armor and attacks the player using a large halberd. Players will find a sword embedded in his chest when they first encounter him. After being brought down to a certain health threshold, a giant black mass emerges from his neck that gives him access to additional attacks. This boss is not optional and the player will have to face him in order to gain access to Firelink Shrine.

Iudex Gundyr Boss Guide

As a beginning boss, Iudex Gundyr has a lot of telegraphed attacks that can be consistently sidestepped, dodged, or parried, allowing players to get used to the game’s unique combat mechanics. Iudex Gundyr is weak to Fire Damage – and so it is recommended that players make use of the Firebombs they obtain in the tutorial area to defeat him quickly. Bosses are unique and challenging Enemies that drop Boss Souls capable of being transformed into powerful Weapons, Spells, and Items for the player.

Lore

Gundyr, corrupted by the abyss, spends eternity testing unkindled to see if they are worthy to Link the Flame. He was once an unkindled himself but arose too late to fulfill his duty, never meeting his Fire Keeper, who had been buried within the tower behind Firelink Shrine with the Estus Ring. The flame had already gone out and the bells failed to ring which started a new dark age. As the player character travels through the illusion door, they go back in time to the dark age to face Champion Gundyr at his prime (note: this is fan speculation, it’s not proven). This is where they defeat him as the unknown warrior mentioned in the description of Soul of Champion Gundyr, sheathing within him a Coiled Sword and sealing his fate. A prisoner with an unbreakable halberd hoping that one day an unkindled will rise and relink the flame once more. The Pus of Man that possesses him is a form of The Abyss. A Pus of Man behaves like an amalgamation of small morsels and maybe like a Mass of Souls, or perhaps some amalgamation of Humanity. 

How to Fight and Beat

Strategy 1 (Melee)

Once the Coiled Sword is removed, the player will have a brief opportunity to get a few attacks in before the boss, Iudex Gundyr, begins his assault. If the player wields a weapon with a Weapon Art that provides a buff, it is recommended to use it before removing the sword. Remember, this boss fight is designed to teach new players the basics of combat in Dark Souls 3. Consistently blocking all of Gundyr’s attacks with one of the starting classes is nearly impossible due to stamina constraints. Therefore, rolling through or parrying his attacks is crucial to winning this fight. Observe and learn the boss’s attack patterns to identify when he is vulnerable and strike during those moments. A reliable strategy to dodge most of Gundyr’s attacks is to circle around to your right with your shield up. This positioning causes many of his attacks to miss, but be ready to dodge quickly to avoid his grab attack. In the second stage of the fight, Gundyr becomes faster and gains increased attack range. His moves become more aggressive, so stay vigilant and adapt your strategy accordingly. Continue to circle strafe and look for openings to attack while avoiding his powerful new moves.

Strategy 2 (Melee)

If the player has trouble defeating Iudex Gundyr, it is recommended to keep your distance and bait him into performing attacks that are easily dodged, leaving him vulnerable to counterattacks. Another effective strategy is to stick to his left side or back, which allows for an easier kill by avoiding many of his frontal attacks. Once Gundyr transforms in the second phase, maintain the same strategy of circling and attacking from his left or back. However, take advantage of his newly acquired weakness to fire. Using the Firebombs found in the tutorial area can significantly expedite the fight, dealing considerable damage and making the second phase more manageable.

Strategy 3 (Magic/pyromancy)

Contrary to their melee counterparts, sorcerers and pyromancers will have a much easier time by maintaining maximum distance from Iudex Gundyr. This strategy will likely trigger Gundyr’s Jump and Slice attack, one of his easier moves to evade. This is especially advantageous in Phase Two, when it can be challenging to keep track of his attacks. During Gundyr’s recovery from this attack, it is safe to cast a spell. Sorcerers can take advantage of the hard-hitting Heavy Soul Arrow during Gundyr’s waking animation and continue to cast it throughout the fight, provided they maintain proper distance and time their spells during Gundyr’s longer recovery periods. If the opportunity for Heavy Soul Arrow isn’t present, Soul Arrow will also suffice. For pyromancers, the main source of damage will be Fireball, an excellent choice given Gundyr’s weakness to fire. However, pyromancers must be particularly cautious about when to cast their spells, ensuring they only cast one orb at a time to avoid being caught during casting. A good tactic is to bait Gundyr into his Jump and Slice attack and use his recovery time to cast.