Lords of the Fallen boss guide: Defeating Sundered Monarch

Lords of the Fallen is a brand-new title from CI Games, developer of Lords of the Fallen (2014). While the original game fell drastically short of player and developer expectations, the new one has been well-received by critics. The title adds some new features to the classic Soulslike formula and is a must-play for fans of the genre.

Like many other Soulslike titles, Lords of the Fallen greatly emphasizes enemy and boss design. CI Games has made sure to add a ton of engaging enemies that test your skills through every stage. Coupled with the parry mechanic, the game is challenging, fast-paced, and downright brutal.

The bosses in Lords of the Fallen are designed to keep you on your toes. Sundered Monarch is a powerful boss found in the ruinous hellscape of Mournstead. He is not an optional boss, and you have to beat him in order to progress through certain aspects of the story.

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How to defeat the Sundered Monarch at Bramis Castle in Lords of the Fallen

Flame and Ruin (Image via CI Games)

The Sundered Monarch is located in Bramis Castle and is tied to the Inferno ending of Lords of the Fallen. This boss is a colossal enemy that towers over you and uses fiery attacks to smother the arena in flame. He can quickly overwhelm you with his large overhead attacks and wide swings.

At first glance, Souls fans might see a resemblance between Dark Souls 3 Ashes of Ariandel DLC boss Father Ariandel and the Sundered Monarch. While they are somewhat similar in terms of design, the Sundered Monarch seems like the deadlier foe.

The Sundered Monarch will be seen praying before a large statue in the boss arena. As you approach him, the boss won’t seem to care as he is deep in his prayers and even allows you a couple of free hits. You must use this opportunity and get some much-needed damage in before the fight starts in earnest.

A cutscene begins after this initial one-sided bout as the Sundered Monarch finally takes notice and breaks away from his prayer. He breaks away a part of the statue and uses it as a bludgeoning weapon for the rest of the fight.

The Sundered Monarch uses fiery attacks that can inflict the Burn status, so you're advised to carry Burn Cures for this fight.

The Dark Champion (Image via CI Games)

To make the fight a little easier, there is a key consumable item called Elegant Perfume that can stun the Sundered Monarch for a couple of seconds, allowing you to get a few precious hits in. This item can be obtained from the NPC, Tortured Prisoner.

The first phase of the Sundered Monarch fight is straightforward as he uses ground-and-pound attacks that are only devastating if you are directly in front of the boss.

The main strategy for this stage is to get behind the Sundered Monarch and to stay away from the front. However, you have to be wary of a 360-degree spin as the boss attempts to get the player in front of them.

The Sundered Monarch also has a bunch of raged attacks up his sleeve. He can dislodge the swords stuck to his back and launch them straight at you. These projectiles can cover distance quite quickly, so you should keep a trigger finger on the dodge button to get out of the way fast.

A Regal Monster (Image via CI Games)

After you deplete 50 percent of the Sundered Monarch's health, the boss will enter a frenzied rage, igniting himself and causing extra Burn damage. All of his attacks will deal significantly more damage than earlier, and most of them can inflict the Burn status.

You should use the Elegant Perfume consumable in this second phase as the fight can get tedious. This stage does not have the same number of openings for you to get hits in, as the boss flails around and follows up with AOE attacks that smother the arena in flame.

The Sundered Monarch cannot be parried and requires precise dodge timings to beat. You will need patience and hit-and-run tactics to defeat him efficiently.

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The Sundered Monarch is one of the hardest bosses in Lords of the Fallen and is incredibly satisfying to defeat. He can be devastating with his attacks, but this fight teaches you to think on your feet.