Demon's Souls remake: Vanguard Demon - 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 tutorial boss known as the Vanguard Demon.
The Vanguard Demon is the first boss and it will later appear as a miniboss. Defeating it is optional, but if you manage to kill it, you will get its boss soul faster and you will also gain several additional items and souls once you arrive at the new location.
General advice
- The Vanguard Demon is very slow, but its attacks can reach you even from a safe distance. The moment you notice the boss is about to swing, move away from it or dodge at the moment of the attack.
- Wearing lighter armor is a good idea, because even with stronger armor, the boss will be able to kill you in one hit. This will extend the length and speed of your dodges, which are crucial during the initial fight against the Vanguard Demon.
- If you get close to the boss, it will start swinging the axe from left to right twice. In this case, you should go around its back or retreat as far as possible.
- You're not safe behind the pillars. The boss can easily destroy them with its axe. Don't hide behind them, because you will still receive damage.
- When the boss raises its axe up, it will perform a powerful, but very linear attack. When the axe misses you, it will be stuck for a few seconds in the ground, giving you time to heal yourself or attack the boss.
- If you attack it from behind, it'll probably use its wings, fly through the air and land on its buttocks. This is an area attack. When you notice it rising into the air, move away from it and attack the moment it falls to the ground.
How to defeat the boss in close combat?
Fighting the Vanguard Demon at close range is very risky for one simple reason. Just a small mistake on your part can lead to massive damage and maybe even the death of your character. However, it is recommended to "hug the boss", that is, to stay very close to it. Mostly because it prevents the boss's attacks from hitting you.
This strategy also provokes the boss to use the attack in which it flies into the air and falls to the ground. This attack is long and you have a lot of time react to it, so when you see the boss attempting this attack, walk away from it and once it falls, quickly run up to it and get a few hits in.
However, this does not mean that we are safe when we are near the boss and don't have to dodge. You should be dodging at the moment of its attack. However, keep an eye on your stamina level to avoid exhausting all your stamina, as this will render you unable to dodge or attack. Only heal yourself when you are far enough away from the boss or if it missed its axe attack and it's stuck in the ground.
How to defeat the boss with magic?
This method is far easier than fighting the boss in close combat. It's because the boss is slow and before it gets to you, you will have already cast a bunch of magic attacks that will deal loads of damage to the demon. The problem is that you have to watch out for its attacks and dodge them correctly, because, as a mage, taking one hit is equivalent to death.
When playing a mage, chase your opponent to the end of the corridor, then dodge and run to the other end. Next, make use of your magical abilities, for example the Soul Arrow. However, be mindful of your mana; when it's low, use mana-recovering items.