If you add up all the games FromSoftware has made over the years, you can tot up multiple masterpieces and dozens of memorable bosses, but alsomultiple annoying enemies.
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FromSoftware’s games have provided some of the most memorable cooperative experiences in gaming.
With hundreds of different mobs, not all of them are fun to fight—some due to conscious design,others because they’re just a headache.
While I don’t mind knights that kill you in one hit or archers that knock you down from miles away, I draw the line at teleporting dogs and reindeer appearing out of nowhere.
To be honest, the irritating cases I can mention are numerous, so I’ll just vent my issues through this list ofthe ten most annoying Soulsborne mob enemies.
10Basilisk
The Icon of Annoyance
First appearance
Dark Souls
Location(s)
Depths, The Great Hollow, Ash Lake
TheBasiliskisnot only one of the most recognizable figures in theDark Soulsseries, but also one of the most feared.
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If I had to describe my first experience with them in The Depths, I felt more anxious than annoyed, especially because ofthe threat of being cursed and losing half of my health bar.
Nevertheless, I feel the community has exaggerated how irritating they can be. Although they attack in groups, they have low health and no poise, so dispatching them isn’t that complicated.
Yet,they are the first thing that comes to mind for the Soulsborne community regarding the word ‘annoying’, so it was a must on this list.
9Frozen Reindeer
Hatred’s Embodiment
Dark Souls 2
Frigid Outskirts
Every time I make a list involvingDark Souls 2, I always have to insist it’s an underrated masterpiece, but that’swithout considering the Frigid Outskirts.
The co-op area in the Crown of the Ivory King DLC is the most awful thing I’ve ever seen, mainly because of theFrozen Reindeer. It doesn’t matterwhat buildI have, as going through the site is always a real pain.
They’re powerful, have a huge health bar, appear out of nowhere, and make a ton of noise, sothey make you feel anxious just at the thought of having to go back there.
In truth, these hassles are not higher on the list because the area is optional, and their difficulty lies more in the Frigid Outskirts' poor visibility than in their design.
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Dark Souls 3
Irithyll Dungeon
Many areas ofDark Souls 3ensure it’s arage-inducing game, though none compare to Irythill Dungeon, thanks to theJailers' existence.
These enemies chase you around the area while reducing the size of your health bar just by being in their range of vision, so they are aesthetically terrifying and also mechanically problematic.
If they get close enough to you, it’s practically an instant death becausetheir grab is difficult to predict and even more difficult to dodge.
Thanks to mechanics like the bow, you’re able to separate them from their groups and take them one-on-one, but there are so many that it’s impossible to get through the Irythill Dungeon without adding several deaths to your tally.
7Blowdart Sniper
An Inopportune Placement
Blighttown
Plenty of enemies in the Soulsborne games are annoying just because of the environment, as the Frozen Reindeer in Dark Souls 2 and the Anor Londo Archers in Dark Souls can exemplify.
However, theBlowdart SnipersinDark Soulsare a special case. Not only are the circumstances inconvenient given the area’s terrain and low visibility, but they also seem to have a perfect aim that prevents them from ever missing their shots.
If you don’t have aBlooming Purple Moss Clumpto cure the Toxic status, going through Blighttown will be even more traumatic, so I highly recommend you bring some.
6Lesser Runebear
Harder Than Many Major Bosses
Elden Ring
Open field areas, forests, and caves
It’s not unusual for some basic enemies to be tougher than certain bosses, but theLesser RunebearsinElden Ringare an anomaly even among those.
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FromSoftware games go from challenging to downright condescending with these absurdly simple fights.
Granted, they aren’t anywhere near as powerful as Malenia or Messmer, but the difference is, when I’m not in a boss arena, I’m not expecting a boss level enemy to pop up out of nowhere.
They’re erratic, have a huge hitbox, and deal massive damage, making them a nightmare to deal with, which Is perhaps why Shadow of the Erdtree had the common courtesy to make these enemies fully-fledged bosses.
Luckily, you can ride Torrent to fight them, but even then, their charges are miles long, so you can never be confident against these annoying monsters.
5Bonewheel Skeleton
Fast, Deadly, and Unpredictable
The Catacombs, Painted World of Ariamis
After all these years, I believeDark Souls' Pinwheel isan easy boss because FromSoftware knows they went too far with thecreation of the Bonewheel Skeletons.
Despite going with heavy armor, over-leveled status, and years of knowledge of the Soulsborne formula,I still find myself overwhelmed by their speed and erratic attacks.
It’s certainly satisfying when you dodge them in a row with superhuman reflexes, but doing so is as difficult as it is unreliable.
Therefore, there won’t be a day when I go intoThe Catacombsor thePainted World of Ariamiswithout fearing a group of skeletons will run me over, regardless of what I do.
A Race of Irritating Beings
TheImpsfromElden Ringare a combination of theLesser Runebear’s strength and unpredictability with the Bonewheel Skeleton’s size and agility.
These beings are the ultimate inconvenience in the game—they ambush you, dodge almost every single attack you make, throw things at you from unreachable places, and induce bleeding before you can blink.
There are various types of Imps, and they are all as annoying as possible. From the basic ones with their hatches to the giants that throw fireballs,they’re always in groups and go out of their way to make you miserable.
The Ultimate Roll-catcher
Ruins, castles, and catacombs
Even thoughElden Ringhas some of thebest combat in an open-world game,Revenantsare frustrating enough to make you want to turn off the console when you see them.
They’re fast, can create poison clouds, teleport, and have attacks you can’t dodge despite how much you spam the roll button;these abominations are simply wicked.
you’re able to use Healing Incantations to take them down quickly, but if you don’t have a Faith build and have to resort to traditional melee combat, you’re in for a surprise.
Thus,the best tactic will always be to run away, without a doubt. If it weren’t for the fact that there are so few lurking in The Lands Between, they would have topped this list comfortably.
2Starved Hound
Dogs Are Not Anyone’s Best Friend
Cemetery of Ash, Firelink Shrine, High Wall of Lothric, Undead Settlement, Road of Sacrifices, Cathedral of the Deep, Untended Graves
Dogs in Soulsborne games have always been a problem, butDark Souls 3’sStarved Houndsdeserve a special mention for how annoying they can be.
Besides being everywhere in Lothric,they literally teleport behind the player, which explains why they’re able to catch up with you despite how much you run.
While it may not be an intentional mechanic on FromSoftware’s part, and as much as I thinkthe game deserved the GOTY of 2016, it’s no coincidenceDark Souls 3’s dogs are by far the most hated.
They’re neither valuable enough to grind hard-earned kills nor are they harmless enough to ignore. You’ll die whether you’re trying to fight them or run away from them, so they’re one of the most irritating things out there.
1Winter Lantern
Generational Trauma
Bloodborne
Nightmare Frontier, Nightmare of Mensis, Fishing Hamlet
While I loveBloodborne, I hate two things about it with a passion: farming vials and theWinter Lanterns(and thatthere’s no remake, but that’s for another time).
Needless to say, it’s an enemy consciously positioned to be annoying, to scare the player away and make them feel the world of Yharnam’s true terror.
With this in mind, it’s flawless.I genuinely feel dread every time I hear them sing in the distance, even more so when their eyes glow, and they extend their arms for their despicable grab attack.
Considering they also induce Frenzy, which is probably the most irritating status effect FromSoftware has created,it’s clear to me that the Winter Lanterns are the most annoying mob enemy in the history of Soulsborne games.
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