Uploaded June 2018 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Easy but also sort of interesting fight. The strategy is pretty much just run forward and to the right to avoid any of the initial swings, then turn around and R1/R2 punish wherever. The hardest part about this fight is probably punishing him and not being too close where if he does any backhands or whatever they don't reach you as you run away.
Probably going to attempt at least one DLC boss SL1 fists only after this, and since Artorias is easy and I like him a bit more than Sanctuary Guardian I'll probably start with him. Thing I've been debating about for future SL1 fists only kills in this game is whether or not to use gauntlet of thorns. It's essentially like equipping rings for increased damage in DS3 SL1 fists only(changes damage per hit from 2 to 4), but the problematic part is that you also deal a little bit of damage on rolls, making it not pure fists only. The majority of damage would still come from fists but rolling will sometimes do 2 damage. Without gauntlet of thorns I calculated Artorias and Manus to be roughly 4-5 hours, gauntlet of thorns would basically cut that time in half and put them closer to SL1 fists only Gael in terms of length. Long fight either way.
Easy but also sort of interesting fight. The strategy is pretty much just run forward and to the right to avoid any of the initial swings, then turn around and R1/R2 punish wherever. The hardest part about this fight is probably punishing him and not being too close where if he does any backhands or whatever they don't reach you as you run away.
Probably going to attempt at least one DLC boss SL1 fists only after this, and since Artorias is easy and I like him a bit more than Sanctuary Guardian I'll probably start with him. Thing I've been debating about for future SL1 fists only kills in this game is whether or not to use gauntlet of thorns. It's essentially like equipping rings for increased damage in DS3 SL1 fists only(changes damage per hit from 2 to 4), but the problematic part is that you also deal a little bit of damage on rolls, making it not pure fists only. The majority of damage would still come from fists but rolling will sometimes do 2 damage. Without gauntlet of thorns I calculated Artorias and Manus to be roughly 4-5 hours, gauntlet of thorns would basically cut that time in half and put them closer to SL1 fists only Gael in terms of length. Long fight either way.
