Ancient Wyvern

Learn how to defeat the Ancient Wyvern boss in Dark Souls III. This guide provides strategies and tips to overcome this challenging foe and progress through the game.

You'll eventually reach the Dragon-kin Mausoleum area, where you'll face the Ancient Wyvern. This boss is more of a spectacle than a true challenge, designed to be a bit of a puzzle rather than a straight-up fight.

Stats / Weaknesses:

• HP: Approximately 2,700 (this can vary slightly between playthroughs).
• Weaknesses: The Ancient Wyvern doesn't have significant elemental weaknesses that are practical to exploit during this encounter. Its primary weakness is the environment itself.
• Resistances: Highly resistant to most forms of damage.

Phases:

1. Phase 1: The Approach
   You'll enter the area and the Ancient Wyvern will be perched on a ledge above. It will likely breathe fire down at you. The goal here is to carefully make your way across the bridge and through the courtyard, avoiding its attacks.
2. Phase 2: The Plunge
   Once you've navigated the area and reached the far end of the courtyard, you'll find a broken railing. If you position yourself correctly and time your jump, you can perform a plunging attack onto the dragon's head, dealing massive damage and likely ending the fight.

Strategy:

• Patience is Key: Don't rush across the bridge. The Wyvern's fire breath has a wide area of effect. Stick close to the walls and use any cover available to avoid taking damage.
• Lure and Dodge: The Wyvern will often breathe fire in predictable patterns. Observe its movements and use the brief moments it's not breathing fire to advance.
• The Plunging Attack: The most effective way to defeat the Ancient Wyvern is to get to the broken section of the railing at the far end of the courtyard. From there, you can jump down onto its head. This is a critical hit and will deal a huge amount of damage. If you time it right, it can one-shot the dragon.
• Beware of Adds: While you're trying to reach the plunging attack spot, you might encounter some lesser enemies. Deal with them quickly or try to run past them if possible, as your main focus should be reaching the dragon.
• If You Miss: If you don't manage to land the plunging attack, the Wyvern will become hostile and you'll have to fight it more directly. This is significantly harder, as it has a lot of HP and powerful attacks. It's highly recommended to retry the plunging attack strategy rather than engaging in a direct fight.