Bosses are often the best parts of what a video game has to offer. They might present a challenge beyond what normal enemies can provide, serving as a litmus test for the player’s understanding of game mechanics. In some cases, bosses are just as much about the emotional stakes of the story, making you face off against a looming threat or an old friend turned rival.
Their presence as gatekeepers to further progress can sometimes frustrate players, blocking those who are missing information or who are less skilled from further experiencing the story or gameplay. But humans are nothing if not inventive, and many have found ways to circumvent or trivialize even the toughest of fights—whether the developers intended it or not. Out of every big fight we could think of, here are the dumbest ways we’ve killed video game bosses.
There are MAJOR PLOT SPOILERS for the following games: Elden Ring, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, Silent Hill, and Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain.
Commander Niall – Elden Ring
A Friendly Scrap
Commander Niall in Elden Ring is an extremely tough fight in most circumstances. To even reach him, you must first fight your way through the gauntlet that is Castle Sol, and only then will you be able to challenge Niall. The second you step through the fog wall to meet him, things get tense. Not only are you trapped in an arena with a deadly foe that can take you out in just a few hits, but he also summons two separate Banished Knights—powerful warriors who are deadly in their own right.
Taking this fight as a three-on-one is an easy way to find yourself back at the last Grace you visited, but there is one neat trick you can use to help you: Bewitching Branches. These special items allow you to turn a pierced foe into a temporary ally, and those formidable Banished Knights are among the enemies most susceptible to the effect. As soon as a knight has been bewitched, they’ll turn on Niall and try to take him out.
While this only works until Niall reaches 50% health (that’s when phase 2 begins, and the knights disappear), it trivializes the hardest part of the fight, giving you a much better chance to come out the victor.
Darth Malak – Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic
Just A Few More Steps
Darth Malak is the final boss of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, and he is a tough one. He starts the fight by using Force Immunity, making him resistant to all the player’s Force abilities. On top of that, he has high attack and health stats, and powerful Force abilities of his own. Once you bring his health down a bit, Malak will even use the captive Jedi in the arena to restore his health.
Rather than take him on in an honorable duel, your best bet is to blow him up with some mines. The trick here is to place all your mines on the walkway leading up to Malak prior to speaking with him, then start the conversation. Once he starts feeding on the Dantooine Jedi, you’ll first have to destroy the containers yourself. Then just walk over the mines, and Malak will instantly be brought to heel. With a remake in the works, who knows if they’ll keep this strategy in place.
Rocksteady – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (NES)
Boxed In
Bebop and Rocksteady are the longstanding henchmen of Shredder, the primary antagonist of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise. In the Nintendo Entertainment System game Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the first level has players navigating a city and some sewers to confront the two lackeys, as they have kidnapped April O’Neil. While Bebop is easy enough to dispatch partway through the level, Rocksteady can be a bit more challenging.
First and foremost, he can charge forward to hit players, and any body-to-body contact will damage the Turtles. This charge includes jumping in the air, making avoiding it slightly more challenging. Out-ranging him is unlikely as well, since he comes equipped with a gun and will fire at players from a distance.
Thankfully, there is one simple way to come out of this fight unscathed. First, make sure you’re playing as Donatello, as his bo staff is integral to the strategy. Next, jump onto the boxes on the right side of the screen. Finally, point downward and attack into the arena. A bit of timing is required to land these hits, but this allows players to come out completely unhurt.
The Reaper – Persona 5
Vaccines Have Been Proven To Be Effective
The Reaper in Persona 5 is one of the toughest threats within Mementos. While it is an optional boss, the Reaper will only appear if players have spent more than five minutes on a single floor within Mementos, and it will begin chasing the player to initiate a confrontation. This can be avoided by going to the next floor, but players may find themselves face-to-face with the angel of death regardless.
When this happens, it might be the end of the line if the player isn’t a high enough level and doesn’t have some powerful personas on hand. However, if the Reaper is defeated, the player is granted a massive amount of experience. Luckily, there’s a way to make this an easy win, at least in the original Persona 5.
The Reaper is susceptible to a status ailment called “Despair,” which prevents it from attacking for three turns, instantly killing it at the end of the third turn. An easy early-game way to do this is by heading into Mementos during Flu season, which has a chance to inflict the Reaper with the status at the start of combat, netting you all the exp your heart desires.
Capra Demon – Dark Souls
Nothing Like A Bit Of Home Cooking
The Capra Demon fight in Dark Souls is one of the most infamous boss fights in history; its notoriously small boss room, combined with the hyper-aggressive dogs and the boss itself, makes it as much about planning as it is about execution. For the unsuspecting or ill-prepared Hollow, the Capra Demon may as well be a fast-travel to your last bonfire.
Luckily, there’s an easy way to beat this boss and obtain the Key to Depths without ever setting foot in the arena: Dung Pies. While a Firebomb will also do the trick, Dung Pies are a much more fun way to end this notorious demon’s reign of terror, and the merchant who sells them is only a short jaunt away. Each Dung Pie thrown will build up the status effect “Toxic”, which will slowly drain the enemy’s HP when triggered. They’re just getting what they deserve, really.
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