Dark Souls Archthrones Angel of Gertrude Boss Fight Guide

Dark Souls Archthrones draws inspiration from most, if not all, of its predecessors in the Souls series, paying homage to various elements, including boss design featuring formidable humanoid figures clad in armor and wielding large weapons. One such boss, the Angel of Gertrude, exemplifies this homage, presenting a significant challenge with its array of new and unique moves.

If you're struggling to overcome the formidable Angel of Gertrude and seek insights into its moves and vulnerabilities, read on. Below, we'll provide a comprehensive breakdown of tips and strategies to help you defeat this boss in Dark Souls Archthrones.

Dark Souls Archthrones Angel of Gertrude Boss Fight Overview

The Angel of Gertrude boss awaits to the right and up the grand staircase, starting from the primary War-Torn Village bonfire in the Queen of the Bountiful Archthrone. However, initially, the door leading to the boss will be locked. Thus, you'll need to navigate the area, veering right toward the direction of the imposing stairs to unlock the door from the rear. 

Once unlocked, you'll gain access to the boss via the grand staircase from the main bonfire. However, exercise caution due to the ballista situated at the top of the stairs. We recommend hugging the right side to evade ballista fire and the presence of Lothric Knights patrolling the staircase.

Initially, the encounter with the Angel of Gertrude involves battling a straightforward large humanoid knight wielding a substantial sword and utilizing magic attacks. However, the second phase introduces complexity as it summons a secondary Angel armed with a large spear, necessitating additional tactics. Let's delve into their abilities before exploring strategies for defeating the Angel of Gertrude.

The Angel of Gertrude Phase 1

• Blade Thrust: The boss executes a forward lunge, aiming to strike you with its blade directly.
• Angelic Stomp: The boss raises its foot, slamming it onto the ground, unleashing a burst of light magic that inflicts area-of-effect damage.
• Blade Combo: The boss initiates a sweeping strike, followed by two additional swings that track your movement.
• Angelic Blades: Charging light magic, the boss releases circular disks of energy toward you, potentially unleashing multiple disks if you attempt to retreat.
• Angelic Sweep: The boss teleports, reappearing in the air, then swoops down in a linear path to slash you with its blade.
• Teleport: The boss can vanish from sight and reappear elsewhere, sometimes attacking during the teleportation or simply repositioning itself.

The Angel of Gertrude Phase 2

• Second Angel: The second angel utilizes comparable abilities to the first, but its reach is extended due to the use of a lance/spear weapon.
• Second Angel's Slam: The second angel performs a slam attack, spinning its spear overhead to charge light energy before slamming the ground, causing an explosion of light magic.
• Angelic Light: One of the angels levitates in the air, summoning pillars of light that inflict damage as they converge into a concentrated beam.

There are several approaches to tackle this fight, and depending on your skill level, it can be relatively straightforward. One highly effective method for both Phase 1 and Phase 2 (when the boss reaches 50% health) is to parry either of the angels' strikes with your shield, then swiftly counter with a riposte to deal significant damage.

If you opt for this strategy, it's advisable to focus on isolating one angel at a time during Phase 2. This allows you to bait out attacks, parry them, execute a riposte, and repeat until the angel is defeated. However, this tactic assumes familiarity with the boss's moves and survival long enough to reach Phase 2. For those new to the boss, let's review some general fight tactics.

Firstly, it's wise to only engage the boss after it has completed an attack sequence. Rushing in to attack prematurely often results in the boss interrupting your assault, leaving you vulnerable to counterattacks. Instead, maintain a close distance from the boss, dodging its combos and angelic blade attacks before capitalizing on openings to inflict damage.

Be vigilant when the boss ascends into the air, signaling an incoming sweeping attack, which may occur following a teleport. Fortunately, when the boss teleports, a faint white blur traverses the arena, indicating its reappearance location. Adopt a cautious approach until Phase 2, when the second angel is summoned. Utilize the fountain to the right of the arena strategically, either maneuvering one angel around it to obstruct the other or separating them to engage individually.

The fundamental strategy remains consistent, as the angels do not introduce additional moves aside from the slam and Angelic Light attacks. These can be evaded more effectively when facing only one angel. With practice, you can incorporate occasional parry-riposte maneuvers to expedite the fight. Stay mindful of your distance, evade ranged attacks, and capitalize on openings to emerge victorious against the Angel of Gertrude boss in Dark Souls Archthrones.