Dark Souls 3 DLC – Champion’s Gravetender and Greatwolf Boss Battle

The first boss battle in the Ashes of Ariandel DLC in Dark Souls 3 consists of a fight against Champion’s Gravetender and the Gravetender Greatwolf. This article covers how to find the Chillbite Ring, Follower Sabre, Snap Freeze, Lady Friede, reach the boss battle and how to defeat the Champion’s Gravetender and the Gravetender Greatwolf. While you can get to the boss battle fairly early in the DLC area, you do not have to fight this boss right away.

How to Reach the Boss Battle

Start off at the Rope Bridge Cave bonfire in The Painted World of Ariandel area. From the bonfire head across the rope bridge. The enemies here will not attack you, but you can slaughter them if you wish. Just ahead there’s an NPC (who you will fight later on). Before you talk to the NPC, circle around to the right to find a corpse holding a Hollow Gem.

Speak to the NPC, then head through the double doors behind him. Light the Ariandel Chapel bonfire and speak with Lady Friede in the corner. If you speak to her enough she will give you the Chillbite Ring that can help protect against some of the frost-based attacks from the enemies in this area. You can head up the nearby ladder, but there’s nothing in the room above just yet. There will be an NPC there later so remember this location.

For now, head back to the rope bridge and cut it down. This causes the bridge to turn into a ladder that you can climb down. Head down to the lower level to find an item corpse in the corner that holds four Rime-blue Moss Clumps. Walk across the icy branch nearby to find the first knight waiting on the branch below. There’s a second enemy on the next branch just below you. Continue along the branches until you reach the small ledge where a Crystal Lizard waits.

Kill the lizard to obtain a Twinkling Titanite, but be very careful here. In addition to the knights on the ledge near the lizard, there are two more large knights with greatbows nearby. One is very near the ground level, and the other is perched on a branch above you. Stay on the move to avoid the various projectile attacks while you move around this area.

Defeat the first lesser knight, the head across the next branch to find an item corpse on the far side that holds an Ember. Turn around and head to the immediate right, hugging the cliff side as you inch along the narrow path. Watch the branches below and drop down where the two branches intersect. Continue up the left branch, then over to the next branch to the left when you reach the top.

When you reach the wall ahead, drop down to the left to reach the branch below. From here if you run up to the top of the branch one of the large knights with a greatbow will be waiting for you. Dodge his attacks and take down the knight. The branch that leads up from this ledge will take you back to the previous area, but we’re not done here yet.

Move back out onto the branch you were just on (where the knight was standing) and drop down to the left to land on the ledge below. You will take some damage from the fall so make sure you have a decent amount of health before you drop. Move to the edge of the ledge to see the branches below in a cross shape. Drop down onto the center where two of the branches connect, then drop down again to the left branch below where an item corpse awaits.

Collect the Follower Sabre weapon from the corpse then you can proceed down to the ground level. There’s another enemy directly below the item corpse and an enemy with a greatbow on the lowest branch, so be careful as you make your way to the ground. When you reach the ground level turn around and face the ice.

You can go left or right from your present position. Head right until you see an opening to left where the Depths of the Painting bonfire awaits. Light the bonfire, then head left to find two ice crabs. Defeat both to obtain a Crystal Gem, then continue past the crabs and up the hill to the right to find another living tree. Kill the enemy, then collect the two Homeward Bones from the nearby item corpse.

Drop down to the lower level and take down the living trees as you continue down the path. At the end of the path is an item corpse with the Snap Freeze sorcery spell. Turn around and head back to where you picked up the Homeward Bones to find a ladder has now appeared.

Head up the long ladder, then head to the far left to find a second ladder. Climb up again, then head to the right when you reach the top. Collect the Titanite Slab from the item corpse and take down the ice bugs ahead. You can now head back down to the Depths of the Painting bonfire as you’re ready to take on the boss.

From the Depths of the Painting bonfire head right and drop down into the icy field. Head toward the large structure on the far side to begin the boss battle.

Boss Battle: Champion’s Gravetender and Gravetender Greatwolf

• Reward: Champion’s Bones, Valorheart, 120,000 Souls

The battle starts off with the Champion’s Gravetender and a few wolves. It’s very important that you take down the Champion’s Gravetender before the Gravetender Greatwolf appears. To do this you need to focus on the Champion’s Gravetender while also taking out the lesser wolves that attack alongside him. The Champion’s Gravetender isn’t overly difficult to deal with, but the wolves that attack can make this a tricky battle.

Use the ice structures in the area to separate the wolves and take them down as quickly as you can. Once they’re down it’s much easier to take out the Champion’s Gravetender. He has fairly basic attacks that can be dodged or parried. You can also back stab the Champion’s Gravetender to inflict significant damage. If the Gravetender Greatwolf appears before you have finished off the Champion’s Gravetender, use the ice structures to avoid the Gravetender Greatwolf’s attacks until you can kill the Champion’s Gravetender.

Once the Champion’s Gravetender is down all you have left is the Gravetender Greatwolf. This is the same enemy you’ve fought twice already (unless you ran away). The only real difference is that he now dashes twice in rapid succession instead of just a single dash. Just like before, this is fairly easy to dodge as you can see the Gravetender Greatwolf charging up before the dash occurs.

In addition to the dash the Gravetender Greatwolf will use two consecutive lunging bite attacks that have moderate range. Dodge both attacks, then immediately attack two or three times depending on the speed of your weapon. He also uses a shoulder charge which is telegraphed by the Gravetender Greatwolf turning sideways slightly just before the attack. Do not try to shield against this attack as it will deplete your stamina and inflict damage.

When the Gravetender Greatwolf stops to howl, be prepared for an ice breath attack. As soon as you see the ice breath, run forward and attack the Gravetender Greatwolf from the side or back. You can freely attack until the ice breath attack comes to an end.

Defeat the Gravetender Greatwolf and Champion’s Gravetender to obtain the Champion’s Bones and Valorheart sword and shield weapon. You can also use the Champion’s Bones to unlock the Undead Match PVP Arena. For now you can head back to the Rope Bridge Cave bonfire to continue on with The Painted World of Ariandel area, or head back to our Dark Souls 3 walkthrough and guide!