The character design in this game is absolutely ridiculous, maybe some of the best I've ever seen.

My favorite character in the game so far. Had to come to KZfaq and watch this cut scene again just to admire the design. He feels so ancient and powerful and his voice is so wonderfully evil!

The nameless king vs god sserpent rykard

People have pointed out the similarities to Ludwig, but I also get Aldritch vibes from this guy, but even more grotesque as he can speak. Someone else also pointed out that his sword’s likely a Berserk reference to skull knights. I love From Soft man.

Love the concept, design and that unsettling voice, even in the end he laughs in a way undefeated. this is how you create a memorable boss.

OMFG! This is gonna be remarkable, that has to be one of the most incredible Boss designs I've ever seen

This boss is the unredeemable version of Ludwig. A true beast of a man

Everyone talks about the similarities to berserk's Grundbeld, and Aldritch from dark souls. The bestial form might be completely different, but it's the underlying message of an unchecked thirst for power that leads to the complete corruption of body and mind that reminds me EXTREMELY of the apostle Ganishka (he also has a similar face). He is certanly also similar to Ludwig in the sense of being a complete opposite to him (a knight that never lusted for power and was transformed into a midless beast that still clung to a little bit of humanity), because he looks and behaves as if he was always meant to be an abomination.

Somebody mind explaining to me what's going on with him lore-wise? He definitely seems to be the most ambitious and actively malicious of the demigods, aside from Godrick

Fromsoft never fails to create the best boss designs. How do you even begin to think of a design as creative as this one?

This boss fight is quite possibly one of the best I have ever played. It is insane. It did everything that the Yhorm fight did wrong and made it right. Rykard has huge AOE attacks, bullet hell dodging, is the boss of one of the best designed locations in the game both lore-wise and gameplay-wise, his soundtrack is certified GOAT'd, and the gimmick weapon doesn't feel overpowered. This is the perfect way to fight a god, and it pulls this concept off better than Yhorm and Divine Dragon ever could. Truly a masterpiece of a fight.

This is Ludwig, but... wrong. Where Ludwig was meant to be a man, you get the feeling that Rykard was meant to be a beast, and his sudden humanoid behaviour is painful and jarring.

„Join the Serpent King, as FAMILY...“ - Dom Torretto approves

Finally fromsoft got the storm ruler gimmick right in every way. Can’t wait Edit: I have now fought him, and I can confidently say this is one of the BEST bosses in the series, the spectacle, the design of the boss itself, the arena, the music, the WEAPON YOU USE. Just fighting this giant demonic snake with the choir blasting in this hellish arena was just EPIC. I was not disappointed in the slightest, finally after a decade they finally got storm ruler right. His difficulty is a bit on the medium side, he’s not crazily easy or hard. If you choose to spam the weapon art then he’s a lot easier, but if you choose not to than he’s way harder. It’s a bit like Parrying Maria or pontiff. You have the choice of making it easier or harder.

this is probably my favorite boss so far. I think it really shows how fromsoft is taking inspiration from all their previous games. its got the storm ruler, the second phase is similar to the divine dragon, its similar to Ludwig in design, and yet it feels entirely unique. not to mention they made the storm ruler gimmick fight incredibly fun. awesome boss. (also his sword is my favorite design for a weapon yet.)

No one is gonna point out that he lived probably on 1 HP at the end?

Rykard is easily the Fromsoft boss that looks the most like an Apostle in my opinion.

IMPORTANT! Don’t kill him if you want to wear the armor from the trailer. The armor with the long white hair. Do the manor quest involving the envelopes first. At least this is what I have heard.

The “join the Serpent King as family” quote reminded me of the Berserk goat pseudo apostle telling Caska to become family. Definitely Grunbeld/snake apostle inspired. Really cool

I knew that first part looked too good to be true lmao

Dude!! The new Orochimaru looks sick!

I'm just thinking dang, I don't even think my hp, fp, and stamina bar combined equal a tenth of one of his lol

Ludwig: Who are you? Rykard: I am you but proud.

Omg that wepon your using is so cool its just like namless kings. Also isn't it funny how a wepon that resembles his wepon is better than the actual wepon in ds3

The way I fought him with low fp is two R1 attacks then dodge and repeat you always have enough time for two just dodge his attack chain then do the two r1 strategy when he goes idle, also during second phase there will be flying proximity skulls they fuck you up, heal up to full run away from all of them but don’t dodge rykard always does a grab during this phase allowing you to take grab attack damage and avoid all the skulls since they are all collected behind where your character was and now will explode. This is only a guide for my melee players with low fp out there if your fp is high please use the weapon art

I see fashion souls is still a thing.

fave boss design so far, creepy voice too

His second form has similarities to grunbeld's apostle form from berserk.

2:24 to 2:49 *That is the scariest fucking thing I have ever seen in my entire life*- Nick/Nicholas from L4D2

These bosses they create are so left field. I wonder if there is foundation for reason in their design, or they're just like "hey create the most messed up, cool looking boss you can think, no holds bar". A face on a coiling snake body with wringling arms laced everywhere, and regular arms that grabs a blade that has wriggling arms on it. Lol nice.

It hard to tell who’s really the boss in this fight

Love that this dude's character kinda looks like the nameless king from dark souls

Love this boss, it gives me the APOSTLE vibesss

I'm saving up to play this game. Hopefully by the end of the year I can play it. Looks amazing!

I like when rykard awakes, he Just stares at you and be like *analyzis

Nameless King

This had to have been my favourite fight as of now

Anybody else laugh at him grumbling while tilting his head to study you?

I laughed so hard at the second phase cutscene, only fromsoft could design something that amazing

i just killed this guy not expecting it, the fight scared me i was like WTF this guy is turning more and more into the devil by the second, lava on the floor to where there's nowhere to stand and then raining fiery meteors

You won’t believe how many people that summoned me who didn’t realise you have to use the “serpent hunter” great spear to deal any decent damage to this Most had messages disabled so I couldn’t tell them which is just annoying

Tried fighting him with only 20 vigor… I’ll level up and come back later lol

That weapon looks very familiar

Haven't played yet but the weapons is definitely giving me Storm Ruler vibes!!!!!!!

Usually in boss fights, it’s the snake form that start the second phase.

So I'm not the only one having stuttering during cutscene. I tried looking it up, and seem like no one is talking about cutscene stutters

Your armor set and weapon pretty looks like the Nameless King of Dark Souls 3 without the white hair! hahaha

Bringing 2 cooperators turns this from a boss fight into a firing squad.

Voice reminds me of the Rankin bass Gollum, real creepy

Doesn't he sound bored at first? Like when you beat the serpent head he just wakes up and is like "uh...what?" then he looks at you and realizes what happened so he goes "ugh...fine...what was it again...?" Like it's the first time in a long time he's had to take care of a visitor himself

Dude, this is actually just godzilla music. And I love it.

2:05 best cutscene ive ever seen

Throughout the fight I've had vibes of the Nameless King fighting Aldritch to avenge his devoured sister

Thank god there wasn’t a banana peel on the floor when you killed him

i like how the cold blooded snake god lives in the warm comfy volcano

the boss designs are just another level its insane

Sword of Resonance and Snake Lord? Miyazaki you have outdone yourself.

Like how he practically insta-killed the wolves in 10 seconds.

Lord of blasphemy sounds like a more troll name than meme lord.

An apostle. RIP Kentaro Miura.

I enjoyed this fight alot, I think because it was kind of a set fight using the spear and I knew most people would have the same challenges 😂

Came back after talking to the main lady who left the manor , and she was eating him. The sound it makes its terrifying

Mr Nameless King is that you?

Oh rykard. You were once o h so beautiful...now look at you..

We need this build

This and shadow of the colossus would be an amazing shared universe

Ok you got a sub. 💪🏼 What's that weapon and how do I acquire it?? 🙏🏻

this was my most favourite boss in the game

He looks like a fusion between the Snake Lord and Grunbeld in their apostle form and he wields Skull Knight's sword. FromSoft went full Berserk here.

ooof looks like aldritch had an up size... apparently he devours more than the recommended god dosage hahaha

that weapon really make a quick work of this boss lmao

The gimmick weapon was so cool

New boss grunbeld the snake

Are you trying to show me a fight between Ludwig and Nameless King? XD

So many 2 phase bosses, the enemy randomizer mod is going to be an absolute mess, lol

im getting flashbacks of yhorm the Giant he was my one of my favorite bosses in ds3

The snake boss gives me berserk vibes

I can’t stop watching this particular boss fight and I dunno why…

bro literally ended up with 1 hp

The more darker and sinister version of Ludwig.

When I started watching this and saw the sword signature I thought this was going to be another yorhm It was not.

Imagine the dlc.

Similar like Rudebehi that smart looking

Yoooovthats super sick how the hell you make him look like that bad ass yooo!!

I'm sorry.... is that the nameless kings storm spear? WHAT????

Your spear looks like the one nameless king had

This is literally just an apostle from berserk

this boss was so big i hid underneath it and didnt get hit once lol

That's an Apostle!

You’re about level 300 and showcasing this lol

That weapon you are using is wild

Very Berserk-esque.

What weapon are you using

Anyone knows the name of the song right at the end? Not from the game, the soundtrack the uploader used.

Berserk snake lord

What is the build for your character?

Man took him out like yhorm 😭😂

God Emporer of Dune vibes? Human worm vibes? Lol

This is what the Bed of Chaos should have been in Dark Souls 1

namelessking, is that you 🤣🤣🤣