Part of the appeal of FromSoftware’s Soulslike series is that there are many more ways to overcome obvious adversity than it first appears. While the challenge of the series is famous, the number of options that players have is less so.
Chief among this help is what other characters in the game will offer a player in need. This often requires the player to complete some sort of relevant quest first, which can make the fact that there’s help available at all more obscure. The memorable among these characters usually stand out both because of their stark personalities, and their incredible utility in this area.
There are a number ofdifferent summonsinDark Souls 2that go forgotten due to the lack of quest associated with them, with players perhaps finding the only thing memorable about Bashful Ray to be his name.
Despite that, he is incredibly useful, able to give the player a huge amount of breathing room by distracting enemies on the way through various areas. InDark Souls 2where enemy density is famous, this is invaluable.
A nightmarish twist on the friendly, early NPC that players often encounter in FromSoftware games - the fact that Alfred is so ready to help the player with boss encounters can only further solidify the trust that people feel towards him.
While following his questline can cast him in a much less positive light, that doesn’t stop him from being incredibly useful with early-game bosses, especially by drawing the attention of the relentlessly aggressive Blood-Starved Beast.
The two bosses that allow players to summon Gael are Sister Friede, who hasthree consecutive phasesand health bars, and the Demon Princes, who start as two entities with different health bars before joining together for a second phase with a fresh health pool.
Unlike usual NPC summons in these games, Gael doesn’t cost anything like a Humanity or an Ember, the drawback is that these hefty encounters are given yet more health.
The Radahn Festival is a highlight ofElden Ringfor many players, and part of that comes down to the grandscale of the scene- charging into battle against a monstrous opponent with allies players have met throughout the game.
What makes Blaidd stand out here is that he’s capable of dealing much more damage than any of the other allies. That is useful, but it does mean when he goes down, it might be a priority for players to summon him again before Radahn turns the tides.
6Hawkwood the Deserter - Dark Souls 3
Obscure But Powerful Ally Against Late Game Bosses
While many players might glance at Hawkwood, only to deem him the latest line in a series of crestfallen knights that Dark Souls isknown for producing, taking the time to investigate the character might pay off down the road.
While he can only be summoned in Archdragon Peak to help with the area for his own quest-related purposes, Hawkwood’s real time to shine comes when you face the fallen king of Lothric, where he can tackle the brunt of the encounter.
5Recusant Bernahl - Elden Ring
A Straightforward Solution To Godskin Duo
Godskin Duo is infamous in theElden Ringcommunity. Not only are the two entities both individually difficult fights, but the fight doesn’t even end when they are both defeated, instead summoning themselves until a larger health pool has been diminished.
Bernahl offers a simple answer, not only capable of distracting the Godskin Duo, preventing the player from being the sole target of aggression but also of dealing plenty of damage.
Summons are often easily missable inDark Soulsbecause there aren’t as many obvious benefits to being human in the same way that there is to use an Ember inDark Souls 3.
Black Iron Tarkus is both very powerful and a free summon, not requiring any sort of attached quest, and he can mostly take care of the Iron Golem boss by himself, without player interruption.
3Maneater Mildred - Dark Souls
A Much-Needed Crux in Blighttown
While many players are likely aware of Mildred dueto her invasionthat comes at an inopportune time - right when the player is crossing the swamp and being attacked by various monsters - she can be an ally as well as an enemy.
Queelag can be very difficult due to the earliness of when the player encounters her. Therefore, having someone powerful to even the odds can prevent players from getting stuck here.
2Valtr, Master of the League - Bloodborne
A Summon For The Most Challenging DLC Bosses
Many ofBloodborne’smost famous bosses come from its DLC. Ludwig and Laurence are both known for being very difficult and while other summons are available, none are as powerful as Valtr.
The Whirligig Sawis a popular weaponwith players because of its design and its power. This happens to be exactly what Valtr brings to the table, which can be of enormous benefit to those who are finding the challenge of these bosses too great otherwise.
1Solaire of Astora - Dark Souls
An Iconic Summon For The Most Iconic Bosses
There are few characters in gaming as popular as Solaire of Astora. On top of being a bright and friendly personality encountered early in an unforgiving world, he can also offer much more practical help.
In particular, he can do so with famously challenging bosses. The duo Ornstein & Smoughare well-knownfor their difficulty, but having a powerful ally to split their aggression is a game-changer. In addition, having a trusted character help with the final boss can be a positive note to end this adventure on.
