Boss: Vordt of Boreal Valley

Stage I

Vordt spends the first half of the fight making sweeping attacks and overhead strikes. These are well telegraphed, so you usually have quite a bit of time to get out of the way. As with many bosses, you should avoid using a shield because you lose so much Stamina if you take an actual hit. Instead, stay out of range when you can, and dodge at the last moment when an attack is too close for comfort.

Perform your attacks in small bursts of two or three strikes. Always keep enough Stamina free for one or two dodges so that you can get back to long range after your last swing.

Fill your Stamina gauge as fully as time allows between these series of strikes. It’s very wasteful to begin these attacks when you only have partial Stamina. Also, spending time waiting for Stamina when you’re within the boss’ striking distance is incredibly dangerous.

Though Vordt can’t close gaps instantly, he is still capable of charging over open terrain. If you see him lower and fix on your position, be ready to roll. You won’t be able to outsprint him during these charges, so stand still and put all of your attention into the coming dodge. When he passes, turn and walk after him so that you have full Stamina when you get to his new position.

Stage II

At very close to half health, Vordt glows with a strange fog. Get free shots while you can during this brief transition, and then back off to range once again. Vordt has more attacks during this portion of the fight, including several small, faster strikes. If you aren’t comfortable with your health pool and/or your dodging techniques, you may want to go back to a shield so that you can block the smaller blows (while still relying on dodge for the bigger windups).

Often, rolling directly underneath Vordt works well for avoiding his big attacks. He’ll flop onto you if you stay down there long, but as a short-term solution, it’s very effective.

It’s too early in the game to have much gear for high Resistances, but in future New Game Plus runs through Dark Souls III, you should keep your Frost Resistance as high as possible when killing Vordt. This prevents you from getting frostbite.

Kill Vordt. Once he is dispatched, you can use the banner that you received in the church. Take the banner to the far end of the road. Interact with the road when you’ve gone far enough, and watch a short scene as you are taken to Undead Settlement. This is the next step in your journey.

Greirat

After you’ve cleared this region by killing Vordt, warp to the Tower on the Wall Bonfire again. Descend to the bottom of that tower. Fight through smaller groups of undead as you look for a tiny dungeon cell at the end of this area.

The only thing to watch out for is the enemy with Firebombs as you search the bottom part of the tower. Always stand clear of barrels when enemy throw their bombs, because you take major damage if you are hit by exploding barrels!

The Cell Key (from 17) unlocks it, and you meet Greirat. He’ll give you a quest to find a woman named Loretta. (You’ll learn more about this in the Undead Settlement.) Suffice to say that you receive a Blue Tearstone Ring right now. Additionally, Greirat goes to the Firelink Shrine and becomes a vendor there. He sells higher-quality arrows and bolts compared to the Shrine Handmaid, and his selection varies from hers. There is also a locked door that requires the Lift Chamber Key to open. It’s at the bottom of the tower. This is part of a quest that takes you to kill the Darkwraith below the tower. Doing so earns you the Red Eye Orb, allowing you to invade other worlds as frequently as you wish. You get the key from Ringfinger Leonhard, an NPC that shows up occasionally in the Firelink Shrine.