Nameless King | Dark Souls 3 Wiki | Boss Guide, Location, Drops, Stats and Tips

DS3 Nameless King Video Strategies

Below are video strategies from our Youtube Partners:

• Bow+Heavy Weapon in KoS, Light Weapon+Buffs in NK (no healing)
• Nameless King Melee Co-Op Strategy Strength build, +5 Irithyll Sword, Cloranthy Ring, Prayer set

DS3 Nameless King & King of the Storm Attacks

 

General Tips  

1. More than anything else, the Nameless King will open up the fight by flying over your head. This is just an intimidation tactic and meant to throw off your lock-on.  Don't buy into it. Typically when entering he will land, making it seem like you can attack immediately. THIS IS NOT THE CASE. Unless you’re right on top of him as he lands, you will not get it and there’s a high chance he can land a horizontal swipe on you.
2. In the first phase, keep your lock on the King, and not his dragon, because he will be 90% of the opposition for his wider range of attacks, and frequency of attack. If he breaks your lock or it is messing with you, quickly unlock, rotate your camera, and then re-lock.
3. Staying under the dragon may SEEM like a safe strategy, but it's not. His feet will stomp you, and you will look stupid. If you have a bleed effect, this becomes viable, because his stomp attack is not frequent, but the dragon will still try to blow flames on you.
4. It is ideal to use no more than three Estus during the first phase of the fight. During the second phase, limit yourself to two Estus for when the Nameless King is above about 30% health because past that point, his arsenal of attacks widens up.
5. If you hit the dragon's head, be prepared to immediately sprint, and then roll spam, because that makes him more prone to flying upward. Staying under the dragon's belly brings up the probability, too. The AOE is about fifty feet maximum from the point of impact, and it can be avoided by combining sprinting, jumping, and then rolling out of the edge of the AOE. The dragon telegraphs this by slightly bringing one of his knees down, as if he is kneeling, pushing down his tail and quickly flying up, letting out a scream, so as soon as he starts this telegraph with that slight kneel, get to evading with the fleetest of feet!
6. If you miss an opening, be absolutely ready for the dragon to breathe fire downward. Again, this is because for every opening, he is very likely to do that attack!
7. As for phase two, the Nameless King has a maximum combo of ten to eleven strikes (eleven has never been seen by this contributor, but it's a safe bet), more likely in the form of spear thrusts. Use this to get an opening.
8. Nameless King has some very powerful spear attacks. When he stabs, it can go right through your shield most of the time, so it is befitting to roll backward, out of range, diagonal, or to the side. Dodge roll timing is much more precise than other attacks because the Nameless King waits for an opening, so the player really needs to have this down.
9. For essential equipment, the player should have a Lothric Knight Shield (Easy to get by purchasing it from Greirat. Other options exist, as well), or another kind of lightning shield, Grass Crest Shield (second slot), Ring of Steel Protection, Thunder Stoneplate Ring, Estus Ring, and Lloyd's Shield Ring. This will mitigate a lot of damage, and these pieces are quick pick-ups, that are virtually hassle-free. By all means, the player can also stack some lightning armor, as well. If the player is using a Chloranthy Ring, the Grass Crest Shield nullifies the need for it, because switching to it is extremely fast, for a stamina boost. The Chloranthy Ring, at later levels (provided the melee build is done correctly by leveling Vigor, Endurance, Strength, and Dexterity almost exclusively) becomes redundant for the pace of the game, including this boss fight, so the player should ditch it, and pick up the big boy toys (Plus, wearing flowers is hideous and cheap looking). Using an Ember will increase the effectiveness of the Estus Ring since it scales to a multiple of 20% more health.
10. If the player really wants to survive with a lot of health, he should stay some feet out of range of the Nameless King's spear, so he will fly up, and do a plunging lightning attack. He doesn't regenerate health, so this way, the player can take advantage of that to take out his health.
11. The Nameless King (second phase) has a lightning attack where he brings lightning down from the sky. Once his spear flashes with lightning, throw a double or triple dodge roll in rapid succession, and you should avoid it.
12. The Nameless King's lightning AOE in his second phase tends to spread out a lot. This is a ruse, as the attack only does damage on impact, so use this to roll.
13. One or two of the Nameless King's lightning attacks in his second phase has a post-attack where strands of lightning spread out. Roll into the region in-between these strands, and you will be good.
14. In the first phase, the Nameless King will surf on his dragon while it flies in a circular motion. You get a better chance of avoiding his lightning bolt if you roll in the direction the dragon is flying, because he likes to throw his lightning bolt into the opposite direction, in an attempt to seek on you. However, dodge rolling in basically any direction has a solid window, so this is not a big deal.
15. In reference to excerpt 9, it seems like that equipment doesn't offer a big buff, but how it works on paper, and how it works in-game is different because you get more hits before you are in the red-zone for being thwarted and killed. So definitely work your build as a lightning and physical tank build, and you will be fine.
16. The Nameless King has wind attacks. These are physical, and thus can be blocked with a 100% physical block shield, but rolling to the right or forward avoids them nicely. Like all the wind attacks, they move too slow to roll backward, so this is not advised, and please keep note that if you roll near the King, he will very likely try to hit you with his spear, so be ready to dodge roll. 
17. If you gauged this battle to be as hard as fighting Dragon Slayer Ornstein & Executioner Smough, or Manus, then you have got it spot-on, because that is how much danger that the Nameless King and his dragon are bringing.

How to fight and beat the Nameless King

Strategy 1 (Melee)

This boss deals a considerable amount of lightning damage in both phases, so any lightning-resistant gear or rings are highly beneficial in this fight. Avoid metallic armors if possible, as they can increase your vulnerability to lightning attacks.

The first phase consists of the Nameless King riding atop his Stormdrake, the King of the Storm. This boss requires constant attention to camera angles. It is crucial to be aware of what both the rider and wyvern are doing at all times. Having the camera locked on one or the other at the wrong time can be disastrous. It is advised to keep the wyvern at some distance until you go in for one or two hits, then retreat to maintain a good view of both and time your responses appropriately. The wyvern will sometimes flip behind you, requiring you to adjust your position to keep your relative vantage point. The Nameless King will occasionally attempt to hit you with his swordspear. Depending on your position, roll or block accordingly, and watch out for his two or three-hit combos. The Stormdrake itself will bite at you and attempt to roast you with its flames. Avoid these attacks and aim for the Stormdrake's head, as damage to the legs and body is minimal compared to blows directly to the beast's head. A good opportunity to land several hits on its vulnerable spot is when the Stormdrake is about to rear its head for a flame attack. Rush towards its body and hit the neck area just below the rider, ensuring you keep your distance from the fire-spewing head. If the Stormdrake flies into the air, it will do one of two things: unleash a fiery breath attack directly beneath it or circle around you while the Nameless King hurls Lightning Spears at you. If it stays in one spot in the air, move away to avoid its breath attack until it lands again. The breath attack hits almost directly below the drake's body, so a good rule of thumb to avoid it is to run in the direction its head was facing when it took off, as this is likely the shortest path to safe ground. If it begins to circle you, keep an eye on the Nameless King; his Lightning Spears are intimidating but can be dodged. Repeat these tactics until the Stormdrake is dead, triggering a cutscene that signals the start of the second phase.

In the second phase, you will face the Nameless King himself. He is fast and deadly, so a medium to light equipment load is recommended if you plan on roll-dodging his attacks. With enough attacks, he will be staggered, allowing you to perform a riposte. He is vulnerable to additional attacks during the following recovery animation, providing an opportunity to deal extra damage or heal if needed. Equipping the Carthus Bloodring and staying on his left side (your right) can be an effective strategy. Continuously roll-dodge his attacks until you see an opening to strike. His attack patterns are varied, but with practice, you can anticipate and avoid his most dangerous moves. Remember, maintaining high stamina and timing your dodges are key to surviving this phase.

Be particularly wary of:

• His lightning strike attack. He telegraphs this by taking out his weapon and slowly brandishing it to the sky. With an approximately 1-second delay after he finishes, a lightning strike will be summoned directly over you, dealing heavy damage. This attack must either be dodged with perfect timing or blocked by a shield with high lightning resistance (which will drain all stamina). (An easy trick to avoiding this attack altogether is to unlock the camera and face both your character and the camera away from the boss until you hear both audio queues.) 
• His waist-level charged lunge.  This attack cannot be blocked or dodged sideways, though it can be rolled through.  

 

Strategy 1.5 (Easy KotS Melee)

Using a two-handed Lightning Lothric Knight Greatsword +9, it is possible to kill the King of the Storm in just four hits, allowing you to practice the much more difficult Nameless King fight while conserving most of your Estus Flasks. Landing two fully charged heavy attacks to the wyvern's head will stagger him, allowing you to perform a riposte. As he recovers from the riposte, you will have just enough time to land a running light attack to his head, finishing him off. The best times to land fully charged heavy attacks are during the King of the Storm's grounded fire breath attack and immediately after the Nameless King's lightning slam attack, provided you dodge roll towards him. However, due to the Nameless King's high lightning defense, the Lothric Knight Greatsword performs poorly against him. Therefore, it is recommended to switch to a different weapon for the second phase of the fight.

Another effective strategy for this fight is to summon a friend. While the King of the Storm is focused on your summon, use the Dragon Slayer Greataxe (acquired from the Dragon Slayer Armor boss fight) weapon art against the wyvern's head. The wyvern can be staggered in three hits if landed successfully. This can be done without a summon, but it is slightly more challenging. An easy way to execute this solo is to wait for a fire breath attack, during which you can perform two, possibly three, weapon art slams if you are quick. Since the Dragon Slayer Greataxe is a heavy strength weapon, you might consider equipping a lighter weapon, such as a longsword or Lothric straight sword, for the upcoming Nameless King fight.

 

Strategy 2 (Sorcerer)

This is one of the easiest bosses for sorcerers, as the dragon (Phase 1) is highly vulnerable to magic damage, and the Nameless King himself (Phase 2) is not resistant to magic. Considering that this is an endgame boss and assuming you have endgame stats and a build (60 INT, Court Sorcerer's Staff +10, all the essential sorcerer rings, etc.), this fight becomes much more manageable.

In the second phase, employ a similar strategy against the Nameless King. Although this phase is trickier due to the King's increased aggression, his range is not overly extensive. Dodging his attacks and staying out of the melee zone should be manageable. Lock onto him and continue using Crystal Soul Spears. If you find yourself struggling with health, consider equipping the Thunder Stoneplate Ring to reduce lightning damage, as the Nameless King's primary damage type is lightning.

 

Strategy 2 (Magic / Ranged)

Keeping away from the boss but still able to lock onto him is key here. In the first phase, learn to dodge his lightning spears and follow-up air-to-ground attacks. When dodging his landing attack, lock onto the Nameless King, not the dragon's head. Aim to complete your roll to the side of or under the dragon's neck base. Once positioned, lock onto the dragon's head and stay underneath it to fire away. If the dragon takes flight, listen for the audio cue of its scream, signaling a fire breath attack. Start running away immediately to avoid the flames. If you manage to keep the dragon at range and it frequently performs its flying attack straight at you, the dragon's head will be motionless for a brief period after the attack, providing an excellent opportunity for you to unleash your spells.

In the second phase, maintain your distance and keep shooting. Run sideways as soon as you see the Nameless King raise his dragonslayer swordspear to execute the shockwave attacks, as these are wide and difficult to dodge. Anticipate his moves early to stay damage-free. If you prefer a more defensive approach, consider equipping a greatshield, which can tank his shockwave attacks and reduce the need for evading.

The purpose of ranged combat is to pick him apart from a safe distance. There is an optimal distance where he will be open for attacks as he slowly walks towards you. Circle him to maintain a range where you can lock on and shoot. Be mindful of the background; there are two buildings you should use as landmarks. If you don't see one of them while back-walking, you're approaching the narrow edge of the map and may need to re-center yourself to a safer distance. If the Nameless King gets too close, watch for his telegraphed wind-up attack and roll through it. Keep rolling away as he recovers to return to a safe sniping range.

 

Alternative Magic Phase 1 Strategy

If your build has a mixture of Intelligence and Faith, like a Pyromancer, the sorcery Dark Edge is extremely powerful in the first phase of the fight. Focus your target on the dragon's head rather than the rider and take advantage of the many possible openings. Safe times to cast include after the aerial-to-ground strike, during or after the fire breath attack by dodge rolling to your right through the flames and getting in close before casting, after the electric ground strike, and after the second sideswipe. However, there are unsafe times to cast as well. These include after the dragon leaps over you and lands on your opposite side, after landing from the aerial lightning spear and stab combo, after landing from the aerial fire breath, after one standing ground strike since this can combo into sideswipes, and after one sideswipe as a return sideswipe may follow. It's crucial not to get greedy and to keep an eye out for safe openings. With around three solid strikes to the dragon's head, you can trigger the stagger animation and land another free blow. Focus on avoiding the dragon's close-range attacks and wait for the right moments to cast your spells. Staying disciplined and patient is key to making the most of your casting opportunities.

 

Strategy 3 (Bow and Heavy Weapon in KoS, Light Weapon+Buffs in NK)

As soon as you enter the boss arena, run forward for a while but not too close to where the boss lands (about half a stamina bar's distance). This way, the boss won't attack you immediately, giving you time to use your bow and try to hit the head of the King of Storms. After the boss flies behind you, switch to your heavy-hitting weapon and always aim for the head.

When the second part of the fight starts, switch to your light weapon (such as a rapier or anything with high DPS) and use the Carthus Beacon pyromancy, which boosts damage with consecutive hits. Equip the Pontiff's Right Eye ring for an additional damage buff with consecutive hits, and any other buffs you can. The Nameless King is very tanky and has high health, but if you can deal good damage quickly, you get two riposte opportunities, making the fight much easier.

However, you must be very skilled at rolling and managing your stamina. Typically, do not attack more than once or twice even if you have a good opening. The boss usually performs 2-3 hit combos, so after the second attack, wait a moment to ensure he won't attack a third time before taking your opening.

 

Strategy 4 (Faith with Lightning and Dark Blade)

The King of Storm is weak to lightning. A high Faith character (60) can annihilate the King of the Storm with Sunlight Spear or Lightning Arrow using an upgraded talisman or chime of their choice. Yorshka's Chime provides the best buff, while the Canvas Talisman also offers an excellent buff along with the Unfaltering Prayer weapon art. Hurling the spears or shooting the arrows at the King of Storm will end him very quickly. As noted elsewhere, a maxed Lothric Knight Greatsword on a Faith/Strength character with a buff can kill him in four heavy attack hits followed by a riposte. For the Nameless King, using Human Pine Resin or Dark Blade on a fast weapon will break him down quickly, particularly if you have the Blindfold Mask. Melee characters can rely on this strategy as well; for example, I used Human Pine Resin on Grave Warden Twinblades. At 60 Faith with the Sunlight Straight Sword on NG, this strategy will be highly effective. The Crucifix of the Mad King is also rewarding if you have your timing down.

 

Nameless King DS3 Lore Theories

• The Nameless King is possibly Gwyn's firstborn: a fearsome, dragon-slaying war god, founder of the Covenant of Sunlight and master of Ornstein, from the time of the ancient lords that had his deific status revoked and his name stripped from the Annals after an unnamed incident.
  • According to the lore of the nameless king's armor, soul, and weapons, he was a dragon-slaying god of war and heir of lightning that sacrificed everything to ally with the Ancient Dragons, taming a stormdrake who fought with him in countless battles.  His weapon is the predecessor to both the spear and sword and his armor bears resemblance to that of the First Lord. These facts strongly support the idea that he is Gwyn's firstborn.  Gwyn's firstborn being Ornsteins master explains both the similarity of their movesets and the armor found after beating The Nameless King. The statue of the Heirs to the Sun is a statue of Gwyn's Firstborn, which heads the covenant, and the statue carries what appears to be a swordspear, although it looks different from the Dragonslayer Swordspear.
  • Faaram, the war god worshipped by the Forossan knights, could be the name of Gwyn's firstborn, and therefore The Nameless King, who is the only god of war mentioned in the series.  The knights of Forossa were called the Lion Knights, fitting elements of both The Nameless King and Ornstein's designs. In Dark Souls 2 you can find lion-men in the Shaded Woods. Their manes are very similar to the hair of the Nameless King.
• Ornstein's spear and armor are found nearby, which could suggest that he was slain by The Nameless King (unlikely, since the armor isn't attached to a dead body), or that Ornstein forsook his duty as a dragonslayer after meeting him, as it is found in much the same way that Siegward's armor is found after Yorm is slain.  Bizarrely, the absence of a body and the proximity of the armor to the Nameless King could indicate that the foe the player fights is not the man the armor describes, but instead Ornstein impersonating that man, although there is not much evidence to support this. 
• It is unclear if the Stormdrake The Nameless King rides is The King of The Storm, being the primary force you fight in the first part of the battle, or if The King of The Storm is the title of the man you fight and by slaying his stormdrake you deprive him of this title, making him The Nameless King.
• Statues of The Nameless King abound in the area where The Ancient Wyvern is fought, indicating that he is a being of great worship among those that wish to become dragons.
• Due to the strange nature of Archdragon Peak, being a place cut off from the rest of the world and being reached through falling asleep while meditating, it is unclear if it or those within actually exist or are instead some kind of collective dream among those that desire to become dragons, as many elements of Dark Souls III, from the Forlorn to Miracles, come from stories being believed strongly enough to become real.  Being sent into a dream of glorious conquest is the final answer Siegmeyer obtains from The Descendant of Dragons in Ash Lake in Dark Souls I, who is also the originator of the dragon covenant, and Archdragon Peak could be this or a similar dream. 
  • In this context, the ringing of the bell, awakening the dreamers, and its role in summoning The King of Storms is incredibly odd and open to multiple interpretations. 
    • It is possible, given the extremely surreal circumstances through which the player summons him, that The Nameless King the player fights is not the real Firstborn Son of Gwyn but some kind of collective conception of him by the dreamers, an idealized version called to defend the dream from destruction 
    • Alternatively, he could be the awakening from the dream, effectively a midpoint between nightmare and reality being called by the bell, representing both the slayer of dragons and the loss of those that worked with dragons.
    • Of course, either of these could still be the case regardless of if The Nameless King is real or not.
    • The player ringing the bell mimics how a bell was rung to rouse the player from the dead at the beginning of the game, perhaps implying that The Nameless King was dead and revived via a similar mechanism, or perhaps being simply a poetic parallel.
  • Regardless of interpretation, the arrival of the player, the slaying of the Ancient Wyvern, and ringing of the Bell to destroy the dream of dragonhood strongly parallels the rise of those empowered by flame and their attempt to wipe out the dragons at the dawning of the age of fire, and the arrival of The Nameless King to fight the player mirrors his arrival to fight Gwyn during the war.
• The hollowed appearance of The Nameless King and its implications is a detail of some significance.  He does not speak, a trait shared by Hollows who have lost their sanity, but this on its own is not enough evidence.  If he is the Firstborn son of Gwyn, this may be a result of him being stripped of his inheritance, as though the fire of his lordship were ripped from him, but this is contradicted by his ability to continue to use lightning.  It is possible that he was branded with the sign of the undead, as this appears to be the case for all of the warriors that follow him.
• The Serpent-Men in the area could indicate that Sen's Fortress belonged to the nameless king, suggesting his name may have been Sen.

Nameless King Dark Souls 3 Notes

• Dragonslayer Greatshield makes the fight much easier if your build supports it. A Spirit Tree Crest Shield or Lothric Knight Shield will also work if your build cannot support greatshields.
• Carthus Bloodring is effective for dodging lightning attacks' large hitboxes, as well as delayed melees.
• This boss uses physical, lightning, and fire abilities, making building an armor set against him difficult.
• Because each phase, King of Storms and Nameless King, is resistant to what the other is weak against, and each rewards and punishes close up and ranged fighting differently, creating a single build to navigate the fight is incredibly difficult.
• In the first phase of the fight, any weapon arts that have a large vertical hitbox can inflict normal damage to the stormdrake, as long as they are under the torso, an example is the Dragonslayer's Greataxe weapon art, which calls down a bolt of lightning and has a very high hitbox, but has a high FP cost. 
  • One would think that this would make the Stormruler effective against the first phase, just as The King of Storms was weak against the Storm Ruler in Demon's Souls, however, the extremely low damage of The Stormruler in Dark Souls III makes this not the case.

 

Nameless King Dark Souls 3 Trivia

• The name King of Storms is a reference to the identically named King of Storms boss in Demon's Souls.
• Several of the Nameless King's abilities and armor pieces mirror Ornstein, Gwyn, and Artorias from Dark Souls I.
• The Nameless King's arena is in the sky, and its fog-gatelike floor is not counted as a normal floor by the game. Dropped souls will appear outside the boss room on the nearest solid land, along with messages. Summon signs cannot be used on this floor.
• Looking upon the bridge after the fight reveals several bloodstains from other players, suspended in the air.
• When the stormdrake dies, the Nameless King's hand shakes just before he stabs him.
• Only one God of War is definitively mentioned in the series lore, with there being no precedence of overlapping domains of deities, so the true identity of the Nameless King may be Faraam, the God of War, and the god depicted on the Wargod Shield, but this is not directly stated.
• The story of The Nameless King is very similar to that of the Japanese Storm god Susanoo, the son of the head god Izanagi that was banished from Heaven after offending his sister, Amaterasu, Goddess of The Sun.  During his travels on earth, Susanoo famously slew the dragon Yamata-no-Orochi, and is therefore often known as The Dragonslayer, and the weapon he crafted from the dragon's tail, Kusanagi, was a large sword capable of generating whirlwinds, much like the swordspear of the Nameless King (as well as the dragon tail weapons in the series).  The long flowing hair of The Nameless King and his wrapped garb, with him standing atop of clouds, is highly evocative of many depictions of Susanoo in ancient japanese artwork and the flowing white hair of the headpiece in particular resembles that used by actors in Kagura plays, which often retell the story of Susanoo slaying Yamata-No-Orochi.
• The sound The Nameless King's weapon makes when striking the ground is the same as the parry sound effect.
• Much like Ornstein, The Abyss Watchers, Yuria, and others, it is unclear if the fact that the character's hat comes with his hair attached means that it is decorative and the person is actually bald underneath.
• Curiously, the nature of the Nameless King, of a lightning-infused dragonslayer that instead slays only men, is paralleled and forshadowed in the description of The Dragonslayer Axe.
• The concept of a rag-wrapped individual that embodies sovereignty as they lack everything besides their kingly status, that exists and rules over a dreamlike place, who is embodied primarily in countless followers bearing his symbol and united by the idea of him, and whose appearance is heralded as one of coming destruction, is very similar to the character The King in Yellow by Robert W Chambers, who is directly stated to be the inspiration for the design of The Old Monk and his Xanthous Robe seen throughout the Souls Series, as well as the design of the Bloodborne enemy Martyr Logarius, who in his file name is labeled "King in Blue".