The Soulsborne series of games are a challenge. You don’t need to be a genius to figure that one out. But that doesn’t mean they’re hard. In reality, they’re as difficult or as easy as you make them.
These titles, while not having a difficulty slider, do have difficulty options, andusing NPC summons is FromSoftware’s version of an easy mode.
That isn’t to say you’re not playing the game right by using them. Just play the way you want to play, fun is the point of this after all.
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Using some of the summons helps immerse you deeper in the world. Some of them even have questlines that tie into them helping you out, or vice versa. So if you see a sign on the ground, don’t hesitate to summon a little backup before you charge into battle.
This list will take into account the NPCs usefulness in battle, alongside their integration with the story and the events that they are involved in.
10Black Iron Tarkus — Dark Souls 1
Mightiest of the Berenike Knights
Summon Locations:
While in all honesty, there isn’t much to Tarkus, he is certainly a fan favourite due to his imposing figure and ruthlessness in battle.
In actuality, you can summon him just before the fight with the Iron Golem, and then sit back and relax while this brave warrior does all the fighting for you.
What’s cooler thana huge knight with a massive greatsword waging war in a David vs Goliath-style deathmatch? Not much. Unfortunately, Tarkus wouldn’t make it much further, perishing at the hands of the Painting Guardians in Anor Londo. He may be gone, but he is certainly not forgotten.
9Amnesiac Lapp — Dark Souls 3
“I Swear Upon My Birth Name That I Am Your Friend”
Not only is Lapp pretty darn useful during the boss fights of the Ringed City, but he also has a bizarre and frankly fascinating storyline that may leave your jaw hanging by the end.
Lapp is Patches! Oh, spoiler alert. I mean, come on, if you haven’t playedDark Souls 3by now, then what are you doing really?
The Demon Prince is certainly not an easy fight, andwhile Lapp isn’t going to slay the boss solo like Tarkus, he will certainly act as a pretty amazing meat shield, with his huge shield and Splitleaf Greatsword. And yes, he be chugging that flask.
The demons can be pretty relentless, so there’s certainly no shame in calling for some aid. I’m sure Lapp won’t trick you later on down the line… Right?
8Biorr of the Twin Fangs — Demon’s Souls
Brothers In Arms
WhileDemon’s Soulsmay not be the most challenging of the Soulsborne series, that doesn’t mean there aren’t some difficult fights. The Penetrator is certainly one of the trickiest due to his long range and resistance to magic.
If your health is low, and perhaps your dodging skills are somewhat lacking, consider rescuing Biorr to help you out. He will honestly steamroll this fight and give you a chance to send off someranged attacks from afar. Biorr is a bit of a tank, and can output some serious damage to boot.
But that’s not all. Later on,if he survives the Penetrator fight, he can also serve as a distractionto allow you to sprint past the fury of the Blue Dragon. He will probably die here, but it was an honourable death.
7Recusant Bernahl — Elden Ring
The Volcano Manor Awaits You
Bernahl is another NPC summon that doesn’t exactly have a lot of fights that he’s involved in. But the one fight that he can assist you in is certainly a tricky one, andhe definitely makes it a fair match.
If you aren’t abusing the sleep mechanic, the Godskin Duo is a notoriously annoying battle. Bernahl, however, will make this a 2v2, and due to his inherent tankiness, you will have more of a chance to catch your breath while he does some serious work.
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In addition, his story is a pretty good one, and if you choose to defeat Rykard beforehand, he will invade you in Crumbling Faram Azula later on. A friend and an enemy: watch out, because this old knight won’t go down without a fight.
6Sellsword Luet — Dark Souls 2
The Body Of A Mountain
The original NPC summons inDark Souls 2really weren’t that memorable, and their AI was pretty poor. Obviously, the original developers saw this when working on the remake,Dark Souls 2: Scholar of the First Sin, and decided to make some summons that actually put in the effort!
Sellsword Luet is one of those creations, and boy, wielding dual Greatshields of Glory, dressed in Havel’s armour,this man is the meaning of the word Tank!
His main strength is his ability to draw attention and keep it. And what’s more, unlike certain other summons whom you only meet once, he will assist you with a bunch of key fights throughout your journey. If you’re struggling to get past the Looking Glass Knight’s shield, consider summoning Luet, and take the boss out from behind!
5Slave Knight Gael — Dark Souls 3
Consumed By The Dark
Gael is a fascinating character, acting as both the final boss of the Ringed City DLC, but also a friend who you’re able to summon for 2 particularly ruthless boss fights.
To those struggling with the infamous 3-stageSister Friede boss fightin the Ashes of Ariandel DLC, you may summon Gael to make this fight just a little fairer. He deals a good amount of damage, andwhile he definitely won’t solo this fight, he will help you consistently reach stage 3, where the 1v1 will be more fair.
In addition, he can help you with the Demon Prince boss too, where he will perform far more valiantly, dealing some serious damage. Of course, once you have to face him later on, well, that’s when the serious fight begins. This character’s tragic story and eventual downfall may make you shed a tear by the end.
4Valtr, Master Of The League — Bloodborne
Vermin Slayer, Beast Eater
Valtr is certainly one of the most powerful NPCs you’ll want to look out for when making your way through the DLC ofBloodborne. He can be summoned for two particularly brutal boss fights, and he definitely won’t let you down.
If you’re struggling with Laurence or Ludwig (don’t worry, we’ve all been there), Valtr can make these fights considerably easier, ashe does a good whack of damage while taking their attention.
What’s more is that he wields the Whirligig Saw, which is undoubtedly one of the coolest weapons in the game. Now, if only you could summon him for the Orphan of Kos… that’s just wishful thinking!
3Drake Warrior Igon — Elden Ring
Curse You, Bayle!
Anyone who has read Moby Dick will certainly understand this man’s pain. In actuality, Igon references Captain Ahab and his search for the whale, which is a pretty interesting nugget.
While Igon might not be the most useful NPC summon in the world,his story and his incredible voice lines are just so iconic, I couldn’t help but take some time to shower this character with love. In fact, while I don’t usually like playing with summons, this is the one fight where I think summoning Igon is mandatory, so he can exact his just revenge on that terrible Dragon!
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Anyone who was playingElden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtreeon release knows about all the memes and compilations that came out, and oh, was it sweet. In terms of epic cinematic battles imbued with emotion and passion, the struggle against Bayle, fighting alongside Igon, was one of the richest in all of Souls' history, and I won’t forget it for some time.
2Bashful Ray — Dark Souls 2
Binocular Enthusiast
Now sliding to the other end of the scale, we have Bashful Ray, who, while not having much story to speak of, is one of the most useful NPCs I have ever come across.
Not only can you use him to clear out annoying areas with a lot of enemies, but you can also bring him to a bunch of boss fights, too, where he will demonstrate his ridiculous abilities.
Ray will attack head-on with a pair of Umbral Daggers or fight with pyromancies from a distance.Not only this, but he has a crazy amount of HP and can heal himself too! Ray really is a Jack of all trades, and a fantastic partner who will assist you in some of the hardest bosses in the game.
Scholar of the First Sin really made these NPC summons worth using, and now they feel like a core part of the world, with personalities and motivations.
1Solaire of Astora — Dark Souls 1
Praise The Sun!
Of course, Solaire had to be at the top of this list. Next to bonfires, he’s almost the mascot of the Soulsborne genre at this point.
But this fame isn’t unwarranted. Not only can Solaire be summoned for a good number of fights and make an impact, too, but he also has a seriously tragic story.
For those who want to engage in jolly cooperation and save Solaire from an untimely infection by Sunlight Maggot, they will be handsomely rewarded, as Solaire can even assist you against theGreat Lord Gywnhimself.
Whether it’s his strangely optimistic attitude in a land of death and decay, his super-snazzy outfit, or even just the countless memes he’s generated,Solaire has become a real icon of the series, and we’re grateful to have him by our sides as we rush into the frenzy. Sometimes I, too, think to myself, if only I could be so grossly incandescent.
