How to Beat the Dancer of the Boreal Valley in Dark Souls 3
Home → Dark Souls → How to Beat the Dancer of the Boreal Valley in Dark Souls 3
Dark Souls
How to Beat the Dancer of the Boreal Valley in Dark Souls 3
Phase 2 — Dual Blades
Tips
The Dancer is one of Dark Souls 3’s most visually stunning bosses — her slow, fluid movements belie how dangerous her attacks are. Phase 2’s speed increase catches many players off guard after a comfortable Phase 1. The key insight is that the hip position works in both phases — you just need to be more committed to rolling into attacks rather than away. After defeating the Dancer, climb the ladder in the boss room to access Lothric Castle and the game’s final stretch.
Frequently Asked Questions
⚡ Quick Answer
Phase 1 — Single Sword
The Dancer is a tall, slow boss in the High Wall of Lothric — mandatory before reaching Lothric Castle. Stay at her left hip (your right), dodge into her attacks rather than away, and attack 1–2 times during each recovery window. Phase 1 is manageable and slow. Phase 2 at 50% HP she gains a second blade and becomes significantly faster — keep hugging her hip and don’t get greedy. Recommended level: 50–60.
1Position at her left hip throughout — stay close to her left side (your right when facing her). Most of her attacks swing outward from her right, meaning her left side is the safe zone for almost every attack in Phase 1. Don’t fight at medium range — her lunge reach is deceptive.
2Her Phase 1 moveset is slow and telegraphed. Her spinning slash combo (2–3 rotations) is the most common attack — roll toward her body during each spin rather than away, staying at her hip. After the final rotation she pauses — land 1–2 hits.
3Watch for her grab attack — she reaches forward with one hand. Roll backward immediately when her arm extends horizontally. The grab deals massive damage and is the most common kill in Phase 1. If in doubt, roll back when she slows down and extends her arm.
4Her dark flame kick sends a wave of fire forward — roll sideways or stay behind her hip. Her overhead slam has a large hitbox above but misses at hip distance. Attack immediately after she slams into the ground before she recovers.
1At roughly 50% HP, the Dancer summons a second dark blade in her offhand and her speed increases noticeably. Her attack patterns become faster and harder to read — don’t panic, the same hip positioning still works but you need sharper reaction timing.
2Her Phase 2 signature move is a long spinning combo — up to 5–6 rotations with both blades. Roll into each spin, staying at her hip, and count the rotations. She always pauses after the combo ends. Attack only during the pause — getting greedy mid-combo is lethal.
3Her dark fire breath launches a column of flame forward — strafe sideways or stay behind her when she rears back and breathes. This move has tracking but is slow to activate, giving you time to reposition to her flank.
→Use a Bleed or Lightning weapon — the Dancer is susceptible to both. A Carthus Curved Sword with Bleed procs deals 15% max HP per trigger. Lightning-infused weapons also deal significant bonus damage. Avoid Fire — she has high fire resistance due to her pyromantic nature.
→Summon Sword Master NPC — his summon sign is outside the boss fog gate to the left. He’s a powerful summon who draws the Dancer’s attention consistently, giving you safe attack windows. Particularly helpful for Phase 2’s increased speed.
→Don’t summon too many phantoms — the Dancer scales HP with phantoms and becomes significantly tankier with 2+ summons. If you’re struggling with her durability, fight solo or with one summon maximum.
→You can fight the Dancer early by killing Emma (the High Priestess NPC in the High Wall of Lothric chapel) — she drops the Basin of Vows and triggers the Dancer fight immediately. This is a challenge run technique that lets you access Lothric Castle gear very early.
Is the Dancer required in Dark Souls 3?Yes — the Dancer of the Boreal Valley is a mandatory boss on the main path. Defeating her opens the ladder to Lothric Castle, which leads to the twin princes and the final area. She cannot be skipped (unless you trigger her early via Emma) without completing her fight first.
What level should I be for the Dancer?SL 50–65 with a +6 to +8 weapon is the intended range when she triggers naturally after defeating the three Lords of Cinder. If you triggered her early by killing Emma, the Dancer can be attempted at SL 20–30 as an extreme challenge — bring your best starting class build.
What does the Dancer drop?The Dancer drops the Soul of the Dancer (transpose for the Soothing Sunlight miracle or Dancer’s Enchanted Swords) and a pair of her signature curved swords as a rare drop. Defeating her also grants access to Lothric Castle and the Consumed King’s Garden optional area via a side path.
Can the Dancer be parried?No — the Dancer cannot be parried. Her attacks are not parriable despite being humanoid in appearance. Focus entirely on dodging and positioning rather than attempting to parry her swings. Ripostes are not available in this fight.