Bosses like The Watchdog run rampant in the top-down RPG difficult, boss-driven, Soulslike gameplay. Players need to be on their toes when facing the nonstop onslaught of bosses and their powerful abilities.
The very first boss that players come across in Eldest Souls is The Watchdog, a gigantic, bloodthirsty skeleton brandishing an enormous sword and shield. This monster uses a variety of techniques that close distance quickly, forcing players to rely on hit-and-run tactics while waiting for an opportunity to do more damage in a single moment. Here's a guide on how to defeat The Watchdog boss in Eldest Souls and move on to the next stage.
The Watchdog uses powerful combat techniques, but, once players understand the patterns, it should become easier to dodge these. The Watchdog has less range than The Guardian but is fairly aggressive when closing the distance between itself and the hero.
How to Defeat the Watchdog in Eldest Souls
At the start of combat, The Watchdog leads with a leaping slash capable of covering a short distance. This is a tactic to lure the player in during the boss's recovery period, giving it room to follow up with a counterattack. Within a fraction of a second, The Watchdog uses a long-distance thrust it then detonates to pull the player even closer. It would be best to dodge and keep moving outside The Watchdog's immediate reach. If the last move fails, The Watchdog may follow up with a lunge attack. By launching itself far with its sword fully extended, the Watchdog covers an incredible amount of range.
Aside from the initial sweeping slash, unlike later boss Azikel, God of Light, The Watchdog doesn't have any other sweeping moves, so remaining in its upper or lower strike zones should be fine. Players can attack during its recovery periods but should avoid staying too close once it moves around again. Staying within close range from the front or behind will result in a roar attack that glows red and covers 360 degrees around The Watchdog. This move does a lot of damage and stuns the player.
Another move to watch out for is the leaping slam. By jumping high into the air before crashing down, The Watchdog causes an AOE explosion similar to the glowing red roar. It can also cover a lot of distance with this technique, so dodging is essential. The boss's most troublesome move is an AOE attack that covers almost the entire arena. The Watchdog will stop moving, put its shield down, and raise its sword. The sword will collect lightning before it is thrust into the ground and spreads the electricity everywhere. Players likely won't be able to dodge this attack, but afterward, The Watchdog will be exhausted. Players can use this break to charge attacks and use Life Steal to replenish some health. They can also get a few free hits.
Attacking The Watchdog will cause it to adopt a defensive stance with a large, glowing over-shield. Fully charged attacks can bring these defenses down, but Bloodburst will deal enough damage to break them. Once players have brought The Watchdog's health down to half, it'll coat itself in a green film that behaves like a second defensive barrier. Regular attacks won't hurt the boss at this point. Players should lead with a charged attack instead. Once The Watchdog sits still with its over-shield and starts gathering bones around it, Bloodburst is the only way to break its defenses. Players should continue to force The Watchdog into a defensive stance to eventually defeat it and move forward on their quest to reach Eldest Souls' final boss.
Eldest Souls is available on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.
