Vordt of the Boreal Valley is a Boss in Dark Souls 3. He is the second boss that players will encounter. This Dark Souls 3 Vordt of the Boreal Valley Guide features locations, strategies and videos on how to defeat Vordt of the Boreal Valley easily, as well as tips, weaknesses, trivia and lore notes for the Vordt boss.
Vordt of the Boreal Valley is a large quadrupedal creature wearing heavy knights armor and many of the attacks in his moveset features a great hammer that resembles a mace. When players encounter him, he is seen walking out of an orb of fog. After being brought down to a certain health threshold, the blue mist around him and his weapon intensifies, slowly inflicting Frostbite onto the player if they stand close to him. This is the first instance of frostbite the player may encounter in the game.
Due to his slow attacks, it is recommended to stay underneath and behind him to and dodge to create opportunities to counterattack. There are 2 phantom NPCs that can be summoned for this boss fight - the Sword Master (if he has been defeated outside Firelink Shrine) and Lion Knight Albert (if Emma is alive). This boss is not optional and he must be defeated in order to be able to progress to the Undead Settlement.
Bosses are unique and challenging Enemies that drop Boss Souls capable of being transformed into powerful Weapons, Spells, and Items for the player.
Dark Souls 3 Vordt of the Boreal Valley Location
Where to find Vordt of the Boreal Valley in Dark Souls 3?
- Vordt is encountered at the bottom of High Wall of Lothric, guarding the transition zone to the Undead Settlement.
Vordt of the Boreal Valley Drops
What do you get from defeating Vordt of the Boreal Valley in Dark Souls 3?
- Souls: NG (3000) | NG+ (15,000) | NG++ (16,500) | NG+3 (16875) | NG+4 (18,000) | NG+6 (18,750) | NG+7 (19,125)
- Co-Op Souls: NG (750) | NG+ (3750)
- Soul of Boreal Valley Vordt
Vordt of the Boreal Valley Notes & Tips
What should you know about fighting Vordt of the Boreal Valley in Dark Souls 3?
- Deals Standard Damage and Strike Damage. Inflicts Frostbite on player.
- Weak to Dark Damage.
- Resistant to Physical-type damage, except Strike.
- Immune to Bleed, Poison/Toxic and Frostbite.
- Dealing heavy damage to his head while he charges his frost breath in his second phase will stagger and open him for a riposte.
- Due to Vordt's weakness to Dark, Deep Battle Axe found from the Mimic underneath the High Wall Wyvern a good weapon choice.
Vordt of the Boreal Valley Stats
Playthrough | NG | NG + | NG ++ | NG +3 | NG +4 | NG +5 | NG +6 | NG +7 |
Health | 1,328 | 4,146 | 4,560 | 4,768 | 4,975 | 5,389 | 5,597 | 5,804 |
Defense | 102 |
Dark Souls 3 Vordt of the Boreal Valley Boss Guide & Strategies
Dark Souls 3 Vordt Video Strategy
DS3 Vordt of the Boreal Valley Attacks
Attack Name | Attack Description & Counter |
---|---|
Thrust | A quick mace jab, it's much faster than his normal pace. Avoid the front, dodge to the side, then counter. |
Strike | A vertical blow that smashes foes in front of him. Dodge to the side, then attack. |
Slash | Slashes its large mace in a sideways motion at the player, can be dodged. Dodge towards it as he readies his blow/dodge under the strike, then score some hits. |
Buff | At half health, roars and buffs itself with some sort of blue effect. Begins to use ice breath attack, and may only use charge attack after doing this. Score free hits, and wail, preferably near his rear. Prepare to dodge if he faces you or attacks. |
Charge | Charges in a straight line at the player, then does a turn and charges again. Charges 3-4 times. Stay mobile, ready rolling, score a hit at his feet once he stops (doesn't quickly face you) |
Ice breath | Breaths an icy haze in a long arc in front of him, like other enemies' fire breath. Has a short charge-up, allowing for the player to get behind him and avoid the attack entirely. Since update 1.04, Vordt has been nerfed and cannot be staggered out of his Ice breath. Players are allowed to attack him freely during the entire animation. Rush nearer his back, for more safety. |
How to fight and beat Vordt of the Boreal Valley
Strategy 1 (Melee)
The best way to fight Vordt as a melee build is to stay close to him and roll through his attacks and get underneath him. A very good weapon to use is the Deep Battle Axe you can find in the room below the Lothric Wyvern, since almost every starting class can wield this weapon in two-hands effectively. The first phase is relatively easy by staying underneath and behind Vordt as much as possible. Attack after his second wide swipe attack and never stand in front of Vordt as he has a very fast lunge attack that is near impossible to dodge. If you find yourself in front of him close the gap as fast as possible while moving to his left.
When Vordt reaches his second phase (at about half health), he will start doing a charge attack back and forth. You should leave yourself with some stamina to roll if you know your sequence of attacks is going to reduce Vordt to half health. Your best option is to dodge these charges while locked on to always keep him in your sights, he will usually charge three times. After these charges, he will begin to ready his breath attack, and this is when you should close the distance and go to his left and use a charged two-handed power attack.
Staying beneath him is still ideal, but will not make you invulnerable like in the First Phase, so watch out for him standing up and other attacks.
Strategy 2 (Sorcery/Pyromancy) (NG)
The first phase of this fight is similar to the melee approach discussed above, wherein the safest place to attack and evade Vordt is under his belly or behind him. Fire at him with your strongest spells (Heavy Soul Arrow/Fireball) but keep enough stamina to roll out of his way if things get out of hand. During the second phase, forget everything you did in phase one and just keep your distance as much as you possibly can without losing target lock. Attack Vordt during the start of his second phase, and when he starts charging, be ready to roll out of his way all three or four times. Always roll to the side, never into or out of his way. The safest time to attack him during phase two is when he starts charging his frost attack, which happens after his charges. Stay on his side, not in front of him, and attack him with your strongest spells, and get ready to dodge his charges once more if he survives. Usually, he will go down before his second wave of charges.
Vordt of the Boreal Valley Lore Theories
- It is written that Boreal Knights devolve to beast-like forms due to the effects of Pontiff Sulyvahn's rings (in his case, the Left Eye) - it seems that Vordt is further along in this process than the other Outrider Knights met in the game.
- Referred to as a "Dog" by Emma, he guards the path to Undead Settlement.
- Vordt using ice/frost in comparison to the Dancer using fire could symbolize that the Dancer chose the path of the Pontiff, while the other Outrider Knights chose the path of frost.
- Because of Vordt's large body shape, it can be assumed that he is at a higher rank in the Outrider Knights
Vordt of the Boreal Valley Trivia
- The middle Dutch word "vorst" cognates with the English word frost. This could be a possible origin for Vordt's name, as he is an ice themed boss.
- Anonymous
This is the easiest and also the hardest boss in the whole game. Sometimes I defeat him with ease and sometimes he just erases me from existence with a very aggressive BONK XD
- Anonymous
It's strange to think that this boss has one of the most iconic pieces of music in all of dark souls while also being extremely easy once you realize most of his attacks can't hit you if you are behind or under him, and even if you don't find this out most of his attacks are fairly easy to dodge.
Still a fun boss though.
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I think there's an Error.. He is weak to Slash and Lighting
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When you’re a beginner, you think vordt’s hammer is huge. Then when you see smough’s or Ledo’s hammer, vordt’s hammer looks like a joke
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I member during the lead up to DS3's release, some thought that Vordt was the demon form of Havel
For people having trouble with this guy you should ember up and then go kill the katana guy outside firelink and use his summon for vordt. If your still having trouble i would swap to a pyromancer for ranged attacks.
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Despite his size and speed, he's weirdly easy to dodge. And pyromancy works well on him, even though he's apparently not weak to fire.
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Interesting bit of trivia, the original boss has baby knights clinging to its belly plate, which is the optimal place to position yourself and swing at the boss. Basically an attempt to guilt you for doing this strategy.
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Vordt is pretty damn thicc, but is still nowhere near the likes of Stray Demon
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first tried him yesterday. Was a cakewalk compated to the blue Lothric Knight in the courtyard opposite to Vordts arena.
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This game is hard,I have battled him more than 35 times and also it was with fast rolls strong weapons and pyromancies!
2weeks later:hi, I rage quit for about 3 months. So vordt, this guy again.
100th battle: that's it, I am going to ember and try summons.....
Next battle: wow, that was easy......
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Honestly do bosses stay that bad? I just beat him and thought the fight was just silly. Half of the fight seemed like a buggy mess. Either it was me under him beating the **** out of him or he would hit me without actually hiting me. Kinda easy and yet annoying fight.
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"The middle Dutch word "vorst" cognates with the English word frost" Frost is german. Der Frost. masculine.
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Have been trying to help players as a summon for Vordt with my Sunbro using a Mace, and instead everyone is like "...Dancer?" and goes and runs off with their other phantom. I follow to the door, but just sit outside. I'm here to help those who struggle with an early boss (and there has been plenty), not to multiply the health of Dancer when we're all SL20, only for them to still get 2 shot before she's even at half health..
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Pretty sure any charged heavy attack staggers him. I staggered him during the ice breath with an unarmed charged heavy.
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How to cheese him?
Roll under him towards his butt then slash your way to victory
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Well I must ****ing suck if I got stuck and decided to quit on this boss. Tutorial boss didn't give me trouble but this **** did. Tried to stay behind him and he just jumps away, turns around and instakills me. Screw this
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dis boss killed my 15 times im so sad ,i tryed all 4 play +20fps :_(
- Anonymous
How to beat required bosses part 2:
Use any fast weapon (Straight sword is fine)
Use gold pine Resin
Stay under Vordt
Dodge charge attacks (start at around half hp) and punish
Fight will be over quickly
Weapon upgrades:
You can create up to a Raw + 2 weapon in High wall easily
Where do I find the gold Pine resin?
From the first bonfire take the left path (facing Lothric castle). Then, take the path the leads to the top of the tower (don't go into the tower where the hollow holding a lantern is). Behind the two hollow solders laying down beside the dead dragon is a drop down. Collect the resin before you drop into the tower.
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Vordt is basically a legacy boss from DS1, intimidating and huge, but slow and easy to punish. Nowhere as difficult as Iudex Gundyr.
- Anonymous
he would be much harder if he had a grab attack that he would mostly use when you stay under his belly to get hits on him without being hit by his other attacks, and then flings you across the entire room.
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"Boutta go fight the ashen one, will post vid after"
...
"I got my ass beat bruh I'm not posting that crap"
- Anonymous
when i first fought vordt i found getting up close in the first phase, get right up to his belly and just start hitting as almost none of his attacks can hit you was really effective, when it gets to second phase just dodge all the attacks and hit him when he does his ice breath for easy win
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it doesn't say that vordt is weak to lighting so i think it needs to be updated
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Vordt and Abyss Watchers should have had more health
Change my mind
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Dancer is in love with Lorian because they are the same size
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I thought that knight in the end of the undead settlement is Vordt and dancer's child
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Just so you guys know, I'm pretty sure a charged r2 guarantees a stagger during the ice attack opportunity, it still only took 1 with a +0 fire infused dagger
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I killed him in maybe 30 secs on my first NG+ playthrough. It was kind of underwhelming lol.
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I've genuinely had more trouble with Vordt on NG+ onwards than the Dancer, Dancer seems to match up well against my way way overly cautious style but this guy always manages to catch me out at least once in his 2nd phase.
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You can attack him under his belly. He wont be able to use his mace while u under there.
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Ladies and Gentlemen, here comes the 12th World Champion, International Grandmaster and Merited Master of Sport of the USSR: Anatoly Karpov!
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remember kids, the dark hand works wonders against this boss
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fun fact: he is left handed like ivory king from ds2 and artorias , stone knights from ds1
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I can't trigger the fight. The cutscene just doesn't happen. I can enter the place like I own it and he doesn't show up. I already talked to Emma and she gave me the items, already freed Greirat, and explored the whole thing. Any idea of how to solve this? This is in a second character I made. This didn't happen with the first one.
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"Dancer chose the path of the Pontiff, while the other Outrider Knights chose the path of frost."
mother****er what the **** is the ****ing path of frost
- Anonymous
I can understand frostbite immunity but what sense does it make that he’s immune to poison,toxic, and bleed?
- Anonymous
so basically, he says f*ck you to all the starting classes weapons except rotten cleric, oonga boonga man, and people who picked up the D E E P (E S T L O R E) axe
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Vordts just jealous cause we get to smash the dancer and he doesn’t
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Dark Hand does really well against Vordt if you want to go and help some noobs.
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is there are line of dialogue/lore that states its a "he" although it doesnt matter to much, but my mind wandered back to lances cut content where it has babies on its stomach so could it be female?
Although this might be me justifying my attraction to how T H I C C he is.
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what are the dimensions of Vordt? like length width and weight? strange question I know.
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"Resistant to Magic" My Ass! My Sorcerer Character Decimated him with Noting but Heavy Soul Arrow and Soul Arrow
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I'm the evil one, even though you lot stabbed my doggo. :''(
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Does 102 defense means his only physical defense or spell defense as well?
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One question, if i use a deep battle axe with no reinforcements (96+96AR) how much damage will it inflict on him on a single swing?
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lightning is actually his greatest weakness, it'll knock his health down each stroke until his health down to zero
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How come one of the best boss tracks in the game goes to a screaming pig with a hammer
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First time fighting this boss, i thought he was a dung beetle
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For sorcerers: type 'Dark Souls 3 Intelligence kills Vordt of the Boreal Valley'
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Using two Talismans +10 and Sunlight spear with dmg boost rings, this fight is pretty much a joke.
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I hate when the second pgase starts and he suddenly stops charging halfway through the second or third charge and starts swinging his mace around. Just do your breath attack already so I can punish your ass, damnit!
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I’m a bit sad that he has no boss Armour that you can wear. At least we have the dancer’s.
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Vordt is literally my favorite boss, because of his theme and how he is a pushover, proving to be deceptive as to what a DS boss is.
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For sorcerers, google 'Intelligence kills Vordt of the Boreal Valley'
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Ol’ Vordt, the boss that taught me how to dodge correctly (Because of 2nd phase)
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Why does this page claim he's weak to Fire? From the tests I've seen, Dark, Lightning, AND Magic are all more effective than Fire against him...
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Big ice cream truck xd - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AekKvkDQsgc
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Winged knight armor isn't good for a cosplay. Vordt is massiv but hasn't such fat belly. Looks just funny. A normal looking metal armor is better overall.
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Outrider knights should be a covenant. That should be the way you get Snap Freeze and Pontiff's right eye, and maybe Outrider knight rapier.
Man, we really put up with bosses putting their whole ass through a solid wall in this game, huh?
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