Demon's Souls remake: Phalanx - boss, how to beat? Demons Souls PS5 guide, walkthrough
Last update: 24 June 2021
This page of the Demon's Souls Remake game guide contains a walkthrough of the boss fight against Phalanx.
Phalanx is a type of opponent that you have already encountered before. It consists of a very large number of hoplites, slime-like opponents who cover themselves with a shield and throw a spear. This time, however, we are dealing with a huge number of hoplites grouped very closely together to form a phalanx, that is, a compact linear formation.
General advice
- It's a good idea to take off your armour to increase your dodging speed. During this fight, the boss will very often throw spears at your character, so wearing light armour is recommended.
- The phalanx is vulnerable to fire. Make sure to use a weapon that deals fire damage if you have one, or use pine resin on your weapon to apply a fire effect. Additionally, when you manage to approach the boss from behind, throw a bomb at the enemy formation.
- Pillars are helpful in many situations. If you want to heal, buff your weapon or just hide from enemy attacks, stand near a pillar and wait a few moments. You will be safe behind it as the boss is unable to destroy it.
- You should circle around the boss in search of a weak point. The phalanx loses health only when you attack its weak point. The weak point is in the middle of all the opponents, so you should effectively encircle them and attack from behind, where they are the most vulnerable.
- Destroy the boss's units. Even if it won't lower the boss's HP, you'll make it easier to fight the Phalanx, and you'll have an easier time reaching the boss and dealing damage to it.
- Don't attack from the front. You will end up dealing much less damage and exposing yourself to spear attacks. If you see a large number of hoplites throwing spears at you, block them with a shield.
- Remember, every now and then, the boss will create extra Hoplites. This means that if you get rid of all hoplites, then after some time others will appear, so do not focus solely on them.
How to defeat the boss in close combat?
The phalanx is an opponent whose main strength lies in numbers. Initially, you may be frightened by how many enemies are in the arena, however, they are very slow. Remember to be in constant motion once the fight begins and to attack the enemies from behind.
It's good to have a weapon that has a long attack range. This will allow you to hit several opponents at once with one attack. You should also be using bombs and resin to deal as much fire damage as possible, as these opponents are very vulnerable to this type of damage
Once you defeat a significant number of opponents, your main target will be the boss (a slime-like creature with a bright green heart inside). Remain in constant motion, attack it all the time and don't to let it regenerate its HP. Watch out for the Hoplites, though, if you haven't beaten them all.
How to defeat the boss at a long range?
Using magic against this boss makes it even easier to defeat thanks to the spell that allows you to throw small fireballs. As the enemy is prone to fire, this lets you deal more damage at a rapid rate. However, be careful about your mana level. If it causes you issues, put on a mana regeneration ring or stock up on mana-restoring items.
If you do not have mana or mana-recovering items, use bombs or equip weapons. At this stage, by using up all your mana, you should have cleared out a significant number of opponents, so fighting against single units shouldn't be a problem even if you chose the mage class and have few health points.