Gwyn, Lord of Cinder, is the only boss the Dark Souls Wiki lists as parriable in the original Dark Souls, including Remastered. Dark Souls II has a longer list of commonly cited parryable bosses, but no source confirms it is complete. Dark Souls III has an 11-entry boss table with specific limits on several entries. In all three games, a parryable boss does not mean every attack can be parried, and a successful parry does not always open a riposte.
Quick answer by game
| Game | Parryable bosses named | How complete the list is |
|---|---|---|
| Dark Souls (original and Remastered) | Gwyn, Lord of Cinder (the only one listed) | Listed as the only parriable boss by the Dark Souls Wiki parry page |
| Dark Souls II | 13 commonly cited bosses (community wiki list) | Not confirmed as exhaustive; some entries may depend on version or attack |
| Dark Souls III | 11 entries in the Dark Souls III Wiki boss table | Dedicated table with boss-specific caveats; revision dated 28 December 2021 |
Terms that change the answer
- Parry: countering a melee attack with a parry-enabled tool so the enemy is briefly open.
- Riposte: the follow-up attack that a successful parry can set up. Most enemies can be riposted, not all of them.
- Partial parry: a parry that only partly works, which can happen when your timing meets the enemy’s recovery frames or an attack that cannot be fully parried.
- Parry-enabled tool: a weapon or shield that supports parrying. Dark Souls II requires one; the Dark Souls III entry is covered below.
Dark Souls and Dark Souls Remastered
The Dark Souls Wiki parry page lists Gwyn, Lord of Cinder, as the only parriable boss in the first game. His grab attack cannot be parried, so a parry plan for Gwyn should account for that attack separately.
Nintendo’s UK product page for Dark Souls Remastered says: “With the right timing, you can even repel attacks from bosses!” That confirms boss parrying exists in Remastered, but the page does not name any bosses. The Gwyn name and grab exception come from the community wiki, not from Nintendo.
Dark Souls II
The Dark Souls II Wiki’s mechanics page says most physical attacks can be parried. The exceptions are jumping attacks and certain two-handed or heavy-weapon attacks. Parrying requires a suitable weapon or shield and precise timing.
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A community wiki list for Velstadt names the following commonly cited parryable bosses, captured around July 2026:
- The Pursuer
- Dragonrider
- Old Dragonslayer
- Ruin Sentinels
- Belfry Gargoyles
- Skeleton Lords
- Mytha
- Velstadt
- Afflicted Graverobber
- Ancient Soldier Varg
- Cerah the Old Explorer
- Throne Watcher and Defender
- The Lost Sinner
Treat this as a practical, provisional list. It is not shown to be exhaustive, and an entry may apply only to some attacks or versions. The mechanics page does not provide a full boss table to check it against.
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- Dark Souls: Remastered - Dark Souls Remastered contains the main game plus the Artorias of the Abyss DLC.
- Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin - The second installment of the series includes the base Dark Souls II game plus all three DLC: Crown of the Sunken King, Crown of the Old Iron King, and Crown of the Ivory King.
- Dark Souls III: The Fire Fades - The complete Dark Souls III experience includes the award-winning base game and both DLC chapters: Ashes of Ariandel and The Ringed City.
Dark Souls III
The Dark Souls III Wiki’s boss table is the most explicit of the three. Read the limit column before assuming a whole fight is parryable.
| Boss | Scope stated in the table | Limit stated in the table |
|---|---|---|
| Iudex Gundyr | Includes phase two | No other limit stated |
| Crystal Sage | Listed | No limit stated |
| Deacons of the Deep | Includes Archdeacon Royce | No limit stated |
| Abyss Watchers | Listed | No limit stated |
| Pontiff Sulyvahn | Includes the clone | No limit stated |
| Dragonslayer Armour | Only its weapon arts are parriable | Cannot be riposted |
| Champion Gundyr | Listed | No limit stated |
| Lorian, Elder Prince | Listed | Cannot be riposted |
| Sister Friede | Listed | Partial parries only |
| Champion’s Gravetender | Listed | Follows the same rules as a player parry; no boss-specific limit stated |
| Halflight, Spear of the Church | Listed | Follows the same rules as a player parry; no boss-specific limit stated |
The Dark Souls III parry reference names the Buckler among parry-capable small shields. It is one option, not a requirement.
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Checking a boss before you rely on a parry
- Confirm which game you are playing. “Dark Souls” without a number means the first game.
- Find the boss in the matching section above and note whether a parry claim is listed.
- Identify the attack. In Dark Souls II, jumping and certain two-handed or heavy-weapon attacks are not expected to parry. In the first game, Gwyn’s grab is excluded.
- In Dark Souls III, check the table limit for the boss, including phase or clone notes.
- Check whether the table says a riposte is possible. If it does not, treat a successful parry as a defensive gain rather than a guaranteed opening.
How current these lists are
- The Dark Souls III table reflects a wiki revision dated 28 December 2021. If a boss behaves differently, compare it with the current wiki page.
- The Dark Souls II list is a community compilation captured around July 2026, not a developer statement.
- The Dark Souls Wiki parry page and the Dark Souls II mechanics page were checked in October 2026.
- Nintendo’s UK product page is official, but it describes the mechanic without listing bosses.
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