
Cheesing Artorias, the Abysswalker, in *Dark Souls* involves exploiting specific strategies to overcome his formidable combat prowess. Players often utilize tactics such as summoning NPCs like the Black Iron Tarkus to distract him, allowing for safer attacks. Another common method is to abuse the environment, such as luring Artorias into tight spaces to limit his mobility and reduce the effectiveness of his devastating attacks. Additionally, focusing on high poise armor and shields to withstand his combos, or using ranged attacks like arrows or spells to chip away at his health from a distance, can significantly ease the fight. While these methods may not align with the intended challenge, they provide a viable approach for players struggling with his aggressive and punishing moveset.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Boss | Artorias the Abysswalker (Dark Souls) |
| Cheese Strategy | Summon NPC Black Iron Tarkus + Pillar Bait |
| Location | Chasm of the Abyss |
| Required Items | White Sign Soapstone (for summoning) |
| Difficulty | Significantly Reduced |
| Risk | Low (if executed correctly) |
| Time Required | 5-10 minutes |
| Key Mechanic | Luring Artorias into pillar for stunlock |
| NPC Ally | Black Iron Tarkus (tanking damage) |
| Player Role | Baiting/Pillar Stunlock |
| Success Rate | High (with practice) |
| Patch Status | Still viable in latest patches (as of 2023) |
| Notes | Requires precise timing and positioning |
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What You'll Learn
- Exploit Roll Timing: Master Artorias's attack patterns to consistently dodge and punish with well-timed rolls
- Summon NPC Help: Use Dusk of Oolacile to distract Artorias, creating openings for damage
- Poise Break Strategy: Use heavy attacks to stagger Artorias, preventing his hyper-aggressive combos
- Pillar Baiting Technique: Lure Artorias near pillars to limit his mobility and attack options
- Estus Timing: Heal only after Artorias commits to long animations, minimizing risk of interruption

Exploit Roll Timing: Master Artorias's attack patterns to consistently dodge and punish with well-timed rolls
Artorias of the Abyss is a formidable foe in *Dark Souls*, known for his relentless and unpredictable attack patterns. However, his aggression can be turned into a weakness through precise roll timing. By mastering his attack sequences, you can exploit the brief windows of vulnerability that follow each strike. The key lies in recognizing the telltale animations of his attacks and committing to well-timed rolls that not only dodge his strikes but also position you for immediate counterattacks. This method requires patience, observation, and practice, but it transforms the fight from a chaotic struggle into a calculated dance.
To begin, focus on Artorias’s most common attacks, such as his horizontal slashes and leaping strikes. Each attack has a distinct wind-up animation—for example, his horizontal slash begins with a slight rearward movement of his sword, while his leap is signaled by a brief pause and a forward lunge. Once you identify these cues, time your roll to execute it at the *last possible moment*. Rolling too early leaves you vulnerable to follow-up attacks, while rolling too late results in a hit. Aim to roll just as his weapon begins its forward motion, ensuring you’re out of harm’s way by the time the attack connects.
A critical aspect of this strategy is understanding Artorias’s recovery frames—the moments after an attack when he’s momentarily immobilized. For instance, after his leaping strike, he lands with a slight stagger, creating a prime opportunity to punish him with a single heavy attack or a combo. Similarly, his wide-arcing slashes leave him open for a brief moment as he regains his stance. By chaining your rolls with immediate counterattacks during these windows, you maximize damage output while minimizing your exposure to his next move.
However, this approach is not without risk. Artorias’s attacks often come in rapid succession, and mistiming a roll can leave you stunned or caught in a combo. To mitigate this, prioritize dodging toward his sides or back rather than directly away from him. This positioning not only avoids his wide-reaching attacks but also allows you to circle around him, maintaining a safe distance while looking for openings. Additionally, equip a fast-rolling armor setup (below 25% equip load) to increase your invincibility frames during rolls, giving you a slightly larger margin of error.
In practice, this strategy becomes a game of patience and pattern recognition. Start by baiting out specific attacks and focusing on dodging them consistently. Once you’ve mastered the timing for one attack, gradually incorporate others into your repertoire. Over time, you’ll develop a rhythm that allows you to predict Artorias’s moves and respond instinctively. While this method may not be as flashy as parrying or trading blows, it’s a reliable way to “cheese” the fight by turning his aggression into a predictable pattern that you can exploit with precision and control.
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Summon NPC Help: Use Dusk of Oolacile to distract Artorias, creating openings for damage
One of the most effective strategies for cheesing Artorias, the Abysswalker, involves leveraging the power of NPC summons, specifically Dusk of Oolacile. This tactic hinges on using Dusk as a distraction, drawing Artorias’s aggro and creating windows of opportunity for you to deal damage without facing the brunt of his relentless attacks. To execute this strategy, ensure you’ve acquired Dusk’s summon sign near the Oolacile Sanctuary bonfire and have progressed far enough in the game to unlock her assistance. Positioning is critical: place Dusk’s sign just before the fog gate leading to Artorias’s arena, ensuring she spawns immediately as the fight begins.
The mechanics of this approach are straightforward but require precision. Once the battle starts, Artorias will often prioritize Dusk, allowing you to circle around and strike from behind or the sides. Focus on landing high-damage combos during these openings, but avoid greediness—Artorias’s aggression can quickly turn back toward you if Dusk is overwhelmed. Dusk’s AI is programmed to dodge and roll, which buys her survival time, but her effectiveness diminishes if her health drops too low. Equip her with a healing item like a Humanity or a Homeward Bone to extend her lifespan, though this isn’t always necessary if you time your attacks efficiently.
A comparative analysis of this method versus soloing Artorias highlights its advantages. While soloing requires mastering Artorias’s attack patterns and precise dodging, summoning Dusk reduces the fight’s complexity by splitting the boss’s attention. This approach is particularly beneficial for players struggling with Artorias’s second phase, where his speed and damage output increase dramatically. However, it’s not without drawbacks: Dusk’s presence can sometimes cause Artorias to behave unpredictably, and relying too heavily on her can hinder skill development for future encounters.
To maximize this strategy, consider your build and equipment. High damage output is key, so prioritize weapons with strong single-hit damage or fast attack speed. Infusions like Lightning or Chaos can further amplify your damage, especially if Artorias is weak to these elements. Additionally, wear armor that balances defense with mobility—you’ll need to dodge occasional attacks while positioning for strikes. Finally, practice timing your attacks to coincide with Dusk’s dodges, as Artorias’s recovery animations after missing her provide the safest openings.
In conclusion, summoning Dusk of Oolacile to cheese Artorias is a practical and efficient tactic for players seeking to bypass the boss’s steep learning curve. While it may not offer the same satisfaction as a solo victory, it provides a reliable alternative for progressing through Dark Souls’ challenging late-game content. By understanding Dusk’s role as a distraction, optimizing your build, and mastering positioning, you can turn one of the game’s most feared encounters into a manageable—even trivial—fight.
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Poise Break Strategy: Use heavy attacks to stagger Artorias, preventing his hyper-aggressive combos
Artorias, the Abysswalker, is notorious for his relentless aggression and devastating combos. His poise—the stat that determines resistance to stagger—is deceptively high, allowing him to shrug off most attacks and maintain his offensive pressure. However, this poise isn’t infinite, and exploiting it becomes the cornerstone of the Poise Break Strategy. By focusing on heavy, high-poise-damage attacks, you can interrupt his flow, creating windows of opportunity to strike back or heal. This approach transforms the fight from a reactive scramble into a controlled, methodical breakdown of his defenses.
To execute this strategy effectively, prioritize weapons with strong, slow attacks that deal significant poise damage. Greatswords, greathammers, and ultra greatswords are ideal choices due to their high stagger potential. Time your attacks carefully, aiming to land a heavy strike just as Artorias begins a combo or during the brief pauses between his attacks. For example, his leaping slash leaves him momentarily vulnerable on landing—a perfect opening for a well-placed two-handed greatsword swing. Consistency is key; each successful stagger depletes his poise, making him progressively easier to interrupt.
One practical tip is to infuse your weapon with lightning or enchant it with magic, as Artorias has lower resistance to these elements. A +15 Lightning Zweihander, for instance, not only deals substantial physical damage but also chips away at his poise more efficiently. Pair this with the Havel’s Ring and Ring of Favor to maximize your equip load and damage output without sacrificing mobility. Avoid overcommitting to attacks, though—Artorias’s hyper-armor allows him to trade blows, and a mistimed strike can leave you vulnerable to a counter.
Comparing this strategy to others, such as kiting or parry-focused builds, the Poise Break approach shines in its reliability and accessibility. Unlike parrying, which requires precise timing and practice, staggering Artorias is more forgiving and works across a variety of builds. It also negates the need for constant movement, reducing the risk of environmental hazards or missteps. While it may not be as flashy as a riposte-based strategy, its consistency makes it a go-to method for players seeking a methodical, low-risk victory.
In conclusion, the Poise Break Strategy leverages Artorias’s poise as a weakness rather than an insurmountable obstacle. By equipping high-poise-damage weapons, timing your attacks strategically, and optimizing your build for maximum stagger potential, you can dismantle his aggressive playstyle piece by piece. This approach not only simplifies the fight but also highlights the depth of Dark Souls’ combat mechanics, proving that even the most fearsome bosses have exploitable flaws.
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Pillar Baiting Technique: Lure Artorias near pillars to limit his mobility and attack options
Artorias, the Abysswalker, is a formidable foe in Dark Souls, known for his relentless aggression and wide-ranging attacks. One effective strategy to neutralize his strengths is the Pillar Baiting Technique, which leverages the environment to restrict his mobility and limit his attack options. By luring Artorias near pillars, you create natural barriers that force him into predictable patterns, making him easier to counter and exploit.
To execute this technique, position yourself near a pillar and provoke Artorias into attacking. The key is to maintain a medium distance, ensuring he follows you but doesn’t immediately engage in a wide-arc attack. Once he’s near the pillar, his larger attacks, such as his spinning slash or leap, will often be obstructed or misaligned due to the pillar’s presence. This reduces the number of viable moves in his arsenal, giving you more opportunities to strike back safely. For example, when he attempts a leaping attack near a pillar, it’s likely to hit the obstacle instead of you, leaving him vulnerable to a riposte or a few quick strikes.
However, timing and positioning are critical. If you’re too close to the pillar, Artorias might still land smaller, quicker attacks. Conversely, if you’re too far, he’ll revert to his full range of moves. Practice is essential to master the ideal distance and recognize his attack cues. Additionally, be mindful of your stamina; overcommitting to attacks or dodges can leave you exposed if he breaks free from the pillar’s constraints.
The Pillar Baiting Technique isn’t just about defense—it’s about control. By dictating the battlefield, you shift the fight’s dynamics in your favor. Artorias’s agility is his greatest strength, but pillars effectively neutralize it, turning the fight into a game of patience and precision. This method is particularly useful for players who struggle with his aggressive combos or lack the damage output to outpace him in an open fight.
In conclusion, the Pillar Baiting Technique is a strategic, environment-focused approach to defeating Artorias. It requires understanding his behavior, precise positioning, and patience. While it may not be the fastest method, it’s reliable and minimizes risk, making it an excellent choice for players seeking a more methodical victory. Master this technique, and Artorias’s once-daunting presence will become a manageable—even predictable—challenge.
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Estus Timing: Heal only after Artorias commits to long animations, minimizing risk of interruption
In the heat of battle against Artorias, every flask of Estus is a precious commodity. Wasting a heal because Artorias interrupts you mid-sip can be the difference between victory and a humiliating death. This is where understanding his attack patterns and exploiting his long animations becomes crucial.
Artorias, like many Dark Souls bosses, has a few attacks with noticeable wind-ups and lengthy recovery times. These are your golden opportunities to heal.
Let's break down the process. First, identify Artorias' most exploitable moves. His leaping slash, for instance, has a distinct wind-up where he rears back before launching himself forward. Similarly, his spinning slash leaves him momentarily vulnerable after the attack concludes. These are your healing windows.
The key is patience and observation. Don't rush to heal at the first sign of an opening. Wait until Artorias is fully committed to the attack animation, ensuring he can't interrupt your Estus chug.
This strategy requires a delicate balance between aggression and caution. You want to be close enough to Artorias to capitalize on these openings, but not so close that you're vulnerable to his quicker, more unpredictable attacks. Positioning is key.
Mastering this Estus timing technique takes practice. You'll need to internalize Artorias' attack patterns, anticipate his moves, and react swiftly but deliberately. Remember, one mistimed heal can be disastrous.
By exploiting Artorias' long animations for strategic healing, you gain a significant advantage in this challenging fight. It's a testament to the depth of Dark Souls combat, where victory often lies not just in brute force, but in understanding your enemy's rhythms and exploiting their vulnerabilities.
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Frequently asked questions
"Cheese Artorias" refers to using strategies or exploits to defeat Artorias the Abysswalker, a challenging boss in Dark Souls, with minimal risk or effort, often by abusing mechanics or positioning.
The most common method involves using the environment to your advantage. By standing near the edge of the arena, you can bait Artorias into performing his dash attack, which often causes him to get stuck or fall off the ledge, allowing you to attack him safely.
Yes, ranged attacks or spells like arrows, bolts, or pyromancies can be used to cheese Artorias. By staying at a distance and attacking while he’s stuck or recovering from an attack, you can whittle down his health with minimal risk.
While cheesing Artorias is technically legitimate, it’s often frowned upon by players who prefer to face the boss in a more traditional, challenging way. However, it’s entirely up to the player to decide how they want to approach the fight.

























