Considered a global success since its release in February 2022, Elden Ring has become FromSoftware's latest masterpiece, bringing the classic difficulty reminiscent of the Dark Souls games to a whole new world and level. The unforgiving setting of the Lands Between naturally spawns a whole host of difficult bosses to overcome, and while some are certainly easier to defeat than others, there are those that stand out due to their disturbing designs or generally terrifying actions.
It is not always possible to enjoy every twisted detail about these monsters due to the intensity and pacing of the ensuing fights, but these instances certainly still help to encapsulate the horrors of the Lands Between and Elden Ring.
10 The Grafted Scion Is The First Glimpse At The Disturbing Concept Of Grafting
The Grafted Scion is the boss that is meant to kill you at the beginning of the game, with many players not realizing this and simply assuming that they are in for a horror show of a ride for the rest of the game. It is possible to kill the creature at such a low level, but this is normally left to the Souls veterans and more skilled players, as it is possible to rematch the Grafted Scion at a later stage anyway.
This monstrosity immediately introduces the concept of grafting to the game, although many players will be focusing on dodging its quick attacks rather than looking at its features. It has multiple human limbs mashed together that not only look terrifying but also allow it to wield several weapons at once.
9 Godrick Is A Horrifying Assortment Of Human Limbs & Later A Dragon Head
The Grafted Scion at the beginning is a precursor for Godrick the Grafted, one of the main bosses players face early on in the game and the first Shardbearer you can gain a Great Rune from following his defeat. Unlike the Scion, Godrick's use of grafting initially seems more like decoration than him wanting a sword in each arm, and it makes for a scary and disturbing aesthetic.
The halfway stage of the fight even sees him accessorize even further, chopping off his own arm and replacing it with a fire-breathing dragon's head, leaving players watching on in disbelief as they have to get ready for the next phase.
8 The Deathbird & Death Rite Bird Bosses Are Pure Nightmare Fuel
The Deathbird is a recurring optional boss found in various locations throughout the Lands Between and is a sight to behold, albeit a horrifying one. It isn't necessarily the hardest of bosses, especially if the player utilizes the trusty steed Torrent, but the general design and the sudden jerking of its movements make it seem like something out of a horror movie.
However, there is also the Death Rite Bird boss which takes everything that is scary about the Deathbird and turns it on its head. Both instances have grotesque birdlike forms with a skull, but the Death Rite Bird has more gravitas about it, especially with the carnage it brings with its Black Flame.
7 Malenia Strikes Fear In Players Due To The Sheer Difficulty Of Her Fight
Malenia, Blade of Miquella, is not the traditional embodiment of a scary or creepy boss, yet the battle with her has all the intensity, gravitas, and anxiety needed to get players worked up. This rings especially true when one wrong move has the potential to spell defeat due to the sheer ferocity and tenacity of her attacks.
The terror of this battle comes from its difficulty curve compared to other boss battles in Elden Ring, and thus has to be mentioned as one of the scariest bosses, for reasons other than looks or demonically unnatural movements.
6 Dragonlord Placidusax Is A Colossal Two-Headed Dragon
Dragonlord Placidusax may well be an optional boss, but it is definitely worth visiting in the Crumbling Farum Azula for the sheer spectacle of the chaotic beast. As a colossal two-headed dragon, it is one of the hardest bosses of the entire game, with frighteningly quick movements for its size and devastating offense.
The Dragonlord Placidusax commands the huge battlefield and is accompanied by incredibly dramatic music. There is so much intense carnage going on that it has to be considered as one of the most epic battles of the entire game. However, this does not take away from how terrifying this monster is.
5 The Ulcerated Tree Spirit Is Aggressive & Erratic
The Ulcerated Tree Spirit is undeniably one of the scariest bosses in Elden Ring for a multitude of reasons. A corrupted and deformed tree doesn't sound like a traditional basis for a disturbing boss, but this one found in both Mt. Gelmir and in the Giant's Mountaintop Catacombs is unpredictable with bizarre movements and a body that resembles a draconic, serpentine, and insectoid hybrid.
Its sheer size takes up most of the camera from the close-quarters arena and this perspective of the beast makes for an even more intense boss fight, especially when it begins flailing uncontrollably.
4 The Elden Beast Is The Enormous Final Boss
The realization of players after they defeat Radagon of the Golden Order that this tough boss is merely the beginning of the end is a typically unforgiving move in FromSoftware games, especially with the main bosses and their multiple phases. With no respite between the two fights, the Elden Beast arises from where the slain Radagon lays motionless.
The Elden Beast is colossal in size with a shiny cosmic aura about it, but the sheer spectacle of it all is quickly brought back to reality with its surprisingly quick and dangerous movements. With the lingering dread of having to do redo a two-phase endgame boss fight with just one mistake, the bizarre final boss is undoubtedly one of the scariest of the entire game.
3 The Erdtree Burial Watchdogs Have Unnerving Features & General Movement
The Erdtree Burial Watchdog is a boss that can be found in multiple locations, mainly residing in the depths of catacombs. They are another example of optional bosses that can be easy enough to defeat with enough preparation, but it doesn't change the fact that they are terrifying.
From the design of a feline-canine hybrid holding a sword to its janky and unnatural movements that don't always fit a certain pattern, it makes them stand out as memorable bosses. On the subject of standing, the Watchdog will, at points, stand up and walk on two legs, which looks even more horrifying given the style of its movement.
2 Rykard Lord Of Blasphemy Somehow Makes An Already Scary Serpentine Boss Even Worse
The God-Devouring Serpent boss seems to be scary enough, being a large monstrous snake with unnerving movements and sudden lunges and all, but it is the second phase that showcases the true horror of this boss.
Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy eventually reveals himself as a face that appears next to where the snake was once in control. He even draws a giant sword from the dead snake's mouth. The intensity of both the battle and the ferocity of the flames that are engulfing the battlefield increase greatly when Rykard appears, and there are too many terrifying components to think about in the heat of such a scary battle.
1 Astel Naturalborn Of The Void Is A Cosmic Monstrosity
The boss named Astel, Naturalborn of the Void, is the amalgamation of many different aspects and concepts of nightmare fuel wrapped into one entity, from the human skull to the mashup of multiple types of insects, it also makes use of otherworldly powers, including a Cosmic Laser and a Meteor Shower.
While Astel, Naturalborn of the Void is considered a Legend Boss, there is another Astel called Stars Of Darkness, that is just considered a Field Boss and is found at a different location near the Yelough Anix Tunnel Site of Grace, yet it still possesses the horrifying features of the main legend.