Elden Ring's New DLC Just Proved Artorias is STILL the GOAT.

We've always debated the titans of FromSoftware's dark fantasy realms, but a recent crossover event has settled some long-standing arguments and ignited new ones. The venerable **Knight Artorias, the Abysswalker**, has not only been officially ported into Elden Ring Nightreign's Deathly Forsaken Hollows DLC, but a deep dive into his combat prowess against the Lands Between's finest has revealed a shocking truth: this 2012 veteran can still absolutely dominate. Our analysis shows Artorias tearing through the vast majority of Elden Ring's base game bosses, proving that even a decade later, FromSoft's foundational boss design holds potent, enduring power.

The timeless question of "who would win" fuels countless discussions in gaming communities, and we've seen it evolve from playground debates to sophisticated NPC battle royales. The *Oblivion* Imperial City Arena walked so channels like "Elden Ring Fights" could run, offering exactly the kind of gritty data we crave. With FromSoft officially bringing Artorias into *Elden Ring Nightreign*'s iteration of their engine, a true cross-game meta clash became not just possible, but inevitable. This isn't merely a nostalgic trip; it's a stark comparison of boss design paradigms across two generations of Soulsborne titles.

And boy, did Artorias deliver. For a battered veteran emerging from semi-retirement, his performance puts the so-called "tomato cans" of other fighting spectacles to shame. Abyss Artie went on an absolutely brutal tear through the early and mid-game bosses of Elden Ring. Early terrors like **Margit, the Fell Omen**, and **Godfrey, First Elden Lord (Spirit)**, barely registered as speed bumps, with single, well-placed hits from the Abysswalker chunking their health bars into oblivion. It's a stark reminder of the raw, unadulterated power Artorias commanded in his prime, a power that translates surprisingly well to a modern, faster combat system.

While his overall record is stellar, a few key encounters truly tested the legendary knight:

• Maliketh, the Black Blade (Artorias Loss - 8:22): This was one of only two confirmed losses for Artorias. Maliketh's relentless second phase and unique damage profile proved too much. We're convinced that if Maliketh had a beefier health bar, he'd be the toughest adversary FromSoft has ever conceived. His ability to come from behind in spectacular fashion highlights a brutal, dynamic design that even Artorias's refined combat AI struggled to counter.
• Malenia, Blade of Miquella (Artorias Win - 24:06): A hotly contested matchup. While Malenia's flinching vulnerability in a pure facetank DPS race is a notable weakness, her health regeneration on strikes and the devastating, mostly uninterruptible Waterfowl Dance almost balanced the scales. Artorias squeaked out a win, but it was a dynamic, close fight that exposed both strengths and weaknesses in Malenia's design when stripped of player input.
• Dragonlord Placidusax (Artorias Win - 13:31): Our boy in blue secured a come-from-behind victory here. Artorias's AI clearly wasn't designed to handle the sheer mobility and brutal AoE attacks of a boss like Placidusax. His ability to adapt and overcome, despite these inherent disadvantages, speaks volumes about his underlying combat programming.
• Radagon of the Golden Order & Elden Beast (Artorias Win - 16:53): Another come-from-behind victory in a marathon encounter. The multi-phase nature and varied attack patterns of this final challenge pushed Artorias to his limits. The fact he still emerged victorious, despite his "older" AI not being optimized for such an endurance test, is a testament to the fundamental strength of his moveset.
• Fire Giant (Artorias Win - Close Fight): A similarly close call, though frankly, a slog to watch. The Fire Giant presents an environmental challenge more than a pure combat one, leading to an extended, less cinematic engagement.
• Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy (Artorias Loss - Unearned): We have absolutely no respect for Rykard's "victory." This isn't a boss fight; it's a spectacle weapon encounter. Rykard, né Praetor, is a big dumb blob of snake with two health bars and a perpetual AoE fire damage effect. His win over Artorias is unentertaining, unearned, and frankly, an embarrassment. That's a Mickey Mouse title belt he's wearing, we tell you.

The raw statistics speak for themselves: **Knight Artorias achieved an astonishing 20 wins, 2 losses, and 0 draws against the base game bosses of Elden Ring.** This remarkable feat underscores the enduring quality of FromSoftware's earlier boss designs, demonstrating a fundamental robustness that transcends generations of game engines and mechanics.

However, this video, and our current assessment, doesn't tell the full story. We lack data on how Artorias would fare against the formidable bosses of the *Shadow of the Erdtree* DLC. Anecdotal evidence from other "Elden Ring Fights" videos already shows him struggling against opponents like Carian Knight Rellana in different contexts. This raises critical questions about whether the Abysswalker's legacy as an undefeated champion risks being sullied by newer, even more challenging encounters. The true test of his prowess may yet lie ahead, forcing us to reconsider the evolving meta of FromSoft's boss design.

Ultimately, Artorias's return and subsequent rampage through the Lands Between is more than just YouTube fodder. It's a powerful statement from FromSoftware, deliberately plundering its own acclaimed history to reignite that soul-crushing spark we felt playing *Dark Souls* for the first time. It proves that some legends, regardless of the era, simply refuse to fade.