There’s more to Dark Souls than its notorious difficulty; characters such as Dark Souls Gwyndolin are vital to the story and the world at large. In fact, he has more of an influence on the game’s events than you might realize. Therefore, we feel it’s only right that we take a deeper look into who Dark Sun Gwyndolin is, his covenant, what influence he has on the game, how to find him, and how to beat him should you decide to tackle his optional boss fight.
Of course, Gwyndolin is just one of many characters you can find in Lordran, and if you want to know more about all of the Dark Souls bosses, you should fight your way through our guide. However, if that’s not enough for you, check out our Dark Souls Solaire article to discover why people think he may be Gwyndolin’s forgotten older brother. We also have Dark Souls divine weapon and Dark Souls bonfire guides to help you out as you journey through this desolate world.
Anyway, without further ado, here’s everything you need to know about Dark Souls Gwyndolin.
Who is Dark Souls’ Gwyndolin?
Dark Sun Gwyndolin is the youngest son of the first Lord of Cinder, Lord Gwyn (check out our Dark Souls Gwyn guide for more details). As such, this sorcerer is a god, alongside his two siblings – the nameless firstborn son and Princess Gwynevere (our Dark Souls Gwynevere guide provides more insight into her character). It’s fair to say that Gwyndolin didn’t have the best start in life, especially since he has an affinity with the moon (hence the name Dark Sun).
You might wonder why on earth an affinity with the moon is a bad thing? Well, when your father is the Lord of Sunlight, your brother is the founder of the Warrior of Sunlight covenant, and your sister is the Princess of Sunlight, you kind of stand out. Unfortunately for Gwyndolin, his father doesn’t hide his disappointment. In fact, due to the moon being considered feminine, Gwyn chose to raise his youngest child as a girl, even though he’s a boy.
In the end, despite how his father treats him, Gwyndolin’s resolve to earn his father’s affection never falters, even after he leaves to reignite the first flame. Instead, the Dark Sun stands watch at his father’s tomb and threatens the life of anyone who dares tread there. He also keeps a watchful eye over Anor Londo, the city of the gods, going on to be the last remaining deity that calls this one great city home.
Fate in Dark Souls 3
Due to his appearance in Dark Souls 3, it’s fair to say that in the canon events of this universe, the Chosen Undead doesn’t kill Gwyndolin, leaving the god alone. We say this because if he was killed back then, he wouldn’t be around for Aldrich to devour. Yes, the god that gives that Lord of Cinder his name, The Devourer of Gods, is none other than Gwyn’s youngest child.
Once you get to about the halfway point in your journey, you once again find yourself in Anor Londo, though it’s not as stunning as it once was. Eventually, you enter the grand cathedral, going into the same room in which you face Ornstein and Smough in the first game.
When you arrive, you actually disturb Aldrich mid-feast, as he uses the top half of Gwyndolin like a puppet in his fight with you. In fact, the dastardly sludge thing has the audacity to use Gwyndolin’s bow against you in battle – trust us when we say that you want to run away from that flurry of arrows.
The once proud son of Gwyn meets a grisly end, one we imagine would disgust and anger his father to no end. Still, you can help him find peace, somewhat, by killing Aldrich, putting an end to both beings. For everything Gwyndolin goes through in his life, this is a tragic end.
Where do I find Dark Souls’ Gwyndolin?
As an optional boss, it’s not obvious to a newcomer where Dark Sun Gwyndolin is. In fact, to get access to him, you have two options – get the darkmoon seance ring or attack Princess Gwynevere.
The first option involves the catacombs, a hellish area that no one should inflict upon themselves any sooner than they have to. When you feel ready, you need to work your way through the area. Eventually, you come across the darkmoon seance ring. After you have it in your possession, return to Anor Londo and head to the giant statue of Gwyn, you know you’re in the right place if there’s an empty statue to his left and a statue of Gwynevere to his right.
If you wear the darkmoon seance ring, the statue of Gwyn is shown to be an illusion, a new path down some stairs is in front of you with a fog gate at the bottom. You have the option to speak to Gwyndolin from outside the fog, doing so means you can join the Blade of the Dark Moon Covenant. Should you enter the fog gate, Gwyndolin becomes hostile towards you. Thus the boss fight begins.
As for the Gwynevere option, if you hit her (she’s in the room behind Ornstein and Smough), she turns out to be an illusion, Anor Londo falls to dark, and Gwyndolin announces you to be public enemy number one. It’s worth noting that if you do this, you can’t join his covenant.
What is the Dark Souls Blade of the Dark Moon covenant?
Rewards:
- Blue eye orb
- Darkmoon Blade
- Darkmoon talisman
Gwyndolin leads the Blade of the Dark Moon covenant, and they have but one duty – to kill those who sin. In order to get an assassin from this group on your back, you must kill Gwyndolin, cause darkness to embrace Anor Londo, slay NPCs, or successfully defeat other players after an invasion.
To join this group, make sure you get the Darkmoon seance ring (check our Dark Souls rings guide for more details) from the catacombs and speak to Gwyndolin in a peaceful manner. We certainly recommend the Blade of the Darkmoon as one of the better covenants to join, thanks to the Darkmoon Blade reward.
Dark Souls Gwyndolin boss fight
Gwyndolin is certainly one of the more interesting boss fights in Dark Souls, but he’s not too tricky to defeat. In fact, he’s one of the easiest bosses in the entire game. The battle takes place in what feels like a never-ending corridor (it does end, but it takes a while), and Gwyndolin fires a barrage of magic at you.
However, thanks to the numerous pillars around, you can hide and not take any damage – a good magic reduction shield, like the crest shield, is also a viable option if you don’t want to dive behind pillars. After each spell, there’s a small break in Gwyndolin’s offense, and this gives you the chance to move forward. Eventually, you reach the boss and can get a few hits in. Just rinse and repeat until he’s down.
Phew, there you have it, everything you need to know about one of the most fascinating characters in the world of Dark Souls. Should you be after something new to play, our lists of the best games like Dark Souls and Soulslike games are sure to please you. We also have a list of Mortal Kombat 1 characters, in case you prefer fighting games.