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For other uses, see Demon (disambiguation).

The Asylum Demon is a boss in Dark Souls, located in the Northern Undead Asylum. It is the first boss in the game to be encountered by the player.

Location[]

The Asylum Demon is found in the Northern Undead Asylum. It will attack the player in the exit room that lies immediately after the first bonfire, through the first set of large double-doors. It can be first seen standing above the room before it jumps down to attack the player.

Description[]

The Asylum Demon wields a Demon's Great Hammer, an intimidating weapon molded from stone archtrees. The demon has an almost draconic appearance, with spotted blue-green scales all over its body and a pair of stubby wings on its back. It sports a tail and horn-like growths portrude from its legs and arms. Dark red eyes are accompanied by a set of large teeth that are revealed by the demon's permanently exposed gums.

Lore[]

The Asylum Demon is a greater demon spawned from the Bed of Chaos, the entity that appeared following the attempt of the Witch of Izalith to make a power similar to the First Flame using her Lord Soul. The attempt was successful and she create the Flame of Chaos but Izalith and her powerful soul became a seedbed for a new lifeform: the mother and source of all demons[1][2][3]. After its birth, the Asylum Demon managed to survive the war that the Silver Knights of Gwyn, Lord of Sunlight waged against its kind[4] and at some point it was able to escape from the ruins of Lost Izalith, bringing its Demon's Great Hammer, made from the stone archtrees, with it[5]. The demon wandered Lordran until it came to reside in the Northern Undead Asylum, the prison designed to keep Undead locked away from the rest of the world until the end of time[6][7], and that became its domain.


Strategy[]

The first encounter with the Asylum Demon is optional and it is highly advised for first-time players to escape the room to avoid confrontation. However, if the player has obtained Black Firebombs as a starting gift, they can be used to defeat the demon relatively quickly, requiring just 5 of them (in NG). Killing the Asylum Demon within this first encounter will yield the Demon's Great Hammer.

Should the player avoid the first encounter, they will have to endure the mandatory second encounter with the Asylum Demon. However, the player can gain a massive advantage by using a plunging attack from the ledge above the boss. This will typically deal 1/4 of its health bar, varying depending on which weapon is used. Take note that wielding one's weapon two-handed is recommended for the plunging attack, as it will increase the damage of the attack. Furthermore, players should not stand upon the platform for too long because the demon will eventually leap up and destroy the platform, potentially killing the player.

On New Game Plus, the Asylum Demon can be easily defeated in the first encounter as the player retains all of their equipment from their previous playthrough.

Notes[]

  • Players can escape from the Asylum Demon's fight on the first encounter, by going through the doorway on the left-hand side of the room, just as one can do so for the initial fight with Seath the Scaleless. However, on the second encounter, it is impossible to do so.

Boss information[]

Attacks[]

The attacks of the Asylum Demon are similar to, if not the same as, the Vanguard Demon's from Demon's Souls.

Butt Slam[]

Dmg phy Dmg mag Dmg fire Dmg lght Attack Type Parryable Tracking Speed
305 0 0 0 Normal No Both Slow

The Asylum Demon flies up, pauses, and then allows itself to fall, dealing massive damage if it hits. Very easy to dodge, as it is well telegraphed. Has a slight area of effect.

Hammer Drive[]

Dmg phy Dmg mag Dmg fire Dmg lght Attack Type Parryable Tracking Speed
190 0 0 0 Normal No Neither Slow

Used by the Demon when the player is standing right in front of it. Impossible to dodge if standing in front of it.

Hammer Swing[]

Dmg phy Dmg mag Dmg fire Dmg lght Attack Type Parryable Tracking Speed
190 0 0 0 Normal No Neither Medium

A horizontal swing of the Asylum Demon's hammer. Has poor tracking, and is easy to avoid.

Hammer Backswing[]

Dmg phy Dmg mag Dmg fire Dmg lght Attack Type Parryable Tracking Speed
205 0 0 0 Normal No Right Medium

Used when the player is side-stepping to its right. Can be dodged by rolling at the last second.

Hammer Scoop[]

Dmg phy Dmg mag Dmg fire Dmg lght Attack Type Parryable Tracking Speed
205 0 0 0 Normal No Left Medium

Used when the player is side-stepping to its left. Once again, rolling at the last second allows the player to dodge it.

Hammer Smash[]

Dmg phy Dmg mag Dmg fire Dmg lght Attack Type Parryable Tracking Speed
248 0 0 0 Normal No Neither Medium

A downward smash. Has a large range, but is fairly easy to avoid.

Leaping Hammer Smash[]

Dmg phy Dmg mag Dmg fire Dmg lght Attack Type Parryable Tracking Speed
275 0 0 0 Normal No Neither Medium

Used when the player is far away from the Demon. Before attacking, the Asylum Demon will flutter it's wings. Easy to dodge.

Double Hammer Swing[note 1][]

Dmg phy Dmg mag Dmg fire Dmg lght Attack Type Parryable Tracking Speed
200 0 0 0 Normal No Neither Medium

A combo of Hammer Swings. It has slightly better tracking than it's predecessor, and may be followed up with a Hammer Smash attack.

Defenses[]

Physical Defenses Elemental Defenses Resistances
Regular Defense Strike Defense Slash Defense Thrust Defense Magic Defense Fire Defense Lightning Defense Poison Toxic Bleed
83 83 83 83 62 66 54 C C D

These stats are sourced from FuturePress's Official Dark Souls Strategy Guide.


Drops[]

Item Wpn Demon's Great Hammer
Demon's Great Hammer
Big Pilgrim's Key
Big Pilgrim's Key
Humanity
Humanity
Drop Rate Guaranteed
(First encounter only*)
Guaranteed
(Only after talking to Oscar)
Guaranteed

*Defeating the Asylum Demon before picking up the player's class weapon will grant a Demon's Great Hammer. The Big Pilgrim's Key the Asylum Demon would drop otherwise is given by Oscar in this case.

Trivia[]

  • The Stray Demon is an optional variant of this boss, fought by revisiting the Asylum later in the game. It shares moves with the Demon Firesage, which also resembles the Asylum Demon
  • The Asylum Demon shares its battle soundtrack with Taurus Demon and Demon Firesage.
  • The Asylum Demon is a callback to the Vanguard tutorial boss from Demon's Souls, as it displays nearly identical behavior.

Gallery[]

Footnotes[]

  1. Damage is listed per swing.

References[]

  1. Quelana of Izalith dialogue: "… Say, you. I have a request, but… My mother, Izalith, was once one of the primordial Lords. She found a soul by the First Flame and became a Lord with its power… And then, my mother tried to light a Fire of her own with that power… She couldn’t control it. The Flame of Chaos engulfed my mother and younger sisters and made them into a seedbed for grotesque life."
  2. Lord Soul description: "Soul of the Bed of Chaos that is the mother of the demons. One of the Lord Souls that was found at the beginning of the Age of Fire. A witch tried to make a “First Flame” from a soul and created a warped beast of chaos fire. That power that became a bed for all the demons is sufficient to occupy the Lordvessel."
  3. Chaos Storm description: "Art of the Flame of Chaos which consumed the Witch of Izalith and her daughters. Erects localized chaos fire pillars. The ambition of the witch who tried to make a “First Flame” birthed a seedbed for grotesque life and a Flame of Chaos."
  4. Black Knight Shield description.
  5. Demon's Great Hammer description.
  6. Opening (Dark Souls) dialogue.
  7. Undead Asylum F2 East Key item description.
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