Alright, fellow Tarnished, let me tell you about my experience facing Knight Artorias in Elden Ring: Nightreign's Forsaken Hollows DLC. I've been through this battle more times than I can count, and let me be honest - this guy hasn't lost his touch one bit. He's still that same legendary warrior we remember, but now he's brought some new tricks to the Lands Between that will seriously test your teamwork.

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Getting to the Big Fight

First things first - you can't just waltz into Artorias' arena whenever you feel like it. He's a Day 2 boss tucked away in The Dreglord expedition, which means you've got some homework to do first. My crew and I learned this the hard way - you need to complete The Balancers' expedition with any character before this bad boy even shows up on your radar. It's like the game's way of saying "are you sure you're ready for this?"

Phase One: Learning His Rhythm

When you first enter that arena, Artorias means business from the get-go. He'll often start with this straight-line thrust attack that covers way more ground than you'd expect. Pro tip from someone who's eaten dirt multiple times: don't dodge backwards. Seriously, he'll just keep coming like a freight train. Instead, roll to the side and position yourself for a counter-attack.

His basic sword combos are actually pretty manageable once you get the timing down:

  • Single heavy swings - Slow but massive range

  • Three-hit combos - Dodge rhythmically, not spammily

  • The tell-tale head tilt - This is your warning for the 360° spin attack

That last one is crucial - when you see him hold his weapon and tilt his head back for a second, get the heck out of Dodge. This is your perfect window to unload any ranged attacks or spells you've got.

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That Iconic Jump Attack - Still Brutal

Oh boy, the jump attack. If you've faced Artorias before, you know exactly what I'm talking about. He'll leap into the air and come crashing down with his sword not once, not twice, but three times in a row. The trick here is the rhythm - there's a slight pause between each jump, so you can't just panic roll.

What worked for my team:

  1. Designate one person as the "bait" - Artorias focuses on one player during this

  2. Others should position for backstabs during recovery frames

  3. Time your rolls - roll, pause, roll, pause, roll

  4. Melee users need to be patient - don't get greedy!

Phase Two: When Things Get Real

Once you chip away about 40% of his health bar, things get spicy. Artorias will start charging energy until he creates this small explosion around himself. My first time seeing this, I thought "oh cool, visual effect" and proceeded to get launched into next week. Don't be like me - create distance when you see him powering up.

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This phase introduces some nasty new mechanics:

Attack Type How to Counter Team Strategy
Black Projectiles Run sideways, don't dodge Split up to divide tracking
Faster Movements Maintain spacing Communicate positions constantly
Enhanced Combos Learn new timings Take turns drawing aggro

The New Nightmare Moves

Here's where Artorias really shows he's been training since we last saw him. He gains two new attacks that will test your reaction times:

The Charged Slam & Grab

  • You'll see energy flowing around him as he charges

  • He jumps high for a single, devastating ground slam

  • If you're too close, he can GRAB you (yes, it hurts)

  • Roll away the moment he starts descending

  • The grabbed character gets exploded and thrown - not fun!

The Five-Hit Combo from Hell

  • His sword leaves a purple/pink trail as warning

  • The timing is deliberately erratic to catch panic rollers

  • Dodge pattern: first hit → wait 2 seconds → dodge two quick ones → pause → dodge fourth → longer pause → dodge final long-reaching strike

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My Co-op Survival Strategy

After countless attempts with different groups, here's what consistently works:

Team Composition Matters

  • At least one ranged character for safe damage during spin attacks

  • Tank with high poise to survive occasional hits

  • Healer/support for sustainability

  • Everyone needs decent mobility

Communication is Key

  • Call out when you're targeted by jump attacks

  • Warn teammates about incoming spin attacks

  • Coordinate healing and buff timings

  • Designate safe zones for phase transitions

Patience Over Greed

  • Artorias punishes over-aggression hard

  • Take turns attacking rather than swarming

  • Learn when to back off and heal

  • Recognize when it's better to survive than deal damage

Honestly, facing Artorias again in 2025 feels like reuniting with an old friend who's been hitting the gym way too hard. He's familiar yet fresh, challenging yet fair. The satisfaction when you finally take him down with your friends? Absolutely worth every failed attempt.

Remember, Tarnished - this isn't a race. Learn the patterns, communicate with your team, and most importantly, don't get discouraged when you inevitably get smacked around a few times. Artorias has been doing this longer than most of us have been playing Souls games, after all.

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go help another group of adventurers who just discovered why we call this fight "the dance of death." See you in the Hollows!