Summary
As the inherent difficulty ofDemon’s Soulsand other FromSoftware titles often engender passivity in combat, with players hiding behind shields through every fight, fans will attest that many of these games are best when played more aggressively. This is especially the case for later titles likeBloodborne, which has become the prime example ofFromSoftware pushing aggressive gameplay, earning high praise from critics and more than a few hour-long or more video essays dissecting the game. However, while it appears that this trend towards aggressive gameplay started withBloodborne,the blueprints appear as early as the Leechmonger inDemon’s Souls.
The Leechmonger is far from the most interesting boss inDemon’s Souls, amounting to little more than a stationary pile of leeches that constantly pushes the player out of range. That being said, the boss has one ability that separates itself from many other enemies throughout the FromSoftware catalog and starts to set players on the path of playing more aggressively than the rest of the game tends to encourage. This comes from the way that the Leechmonger will heal itself if players fail to break through the boss' defenses quickly enough.
Aggression is the Key to Passing the Valley of Defilement’s Gatekeeper in Demon’s Souls
Leechmonger in the Depraved Chasm
Finding the Leechmonger is quite the task on its own before the fight even starts. This is because this boss is the final obstacle of world 5-1, or the Depraved Chasm, which ideally stands as the last world that most players will visit beforechallengingDemon’s Souls' endgame. It’s a twisting collection of scaffolding and makeshift buildings made of scrap across a vast chasm that acts as an early version ofDark Souls' Blighttown. So, by the time the player has finally made their way through to the boss, they’ve been through one of the most demanding areasDemon’s Soulshas to offer.
When the fight actually starts, FromSoftware uses a similar introduction toDemon’s Souls' Adjudicatorby having the player start at the top of a large arena and needing to navigate a series of ledges leading to the Leechmonger itself. This immediately puts players at a disadvantage, as they need to dodge projectiles coming from the boss as they make their way down the path towards Leechmonger. However, things don’t exactly get easier once players have finally reached the bottom of the Depraved Chasm and start to go one-on-one with the boss for real.
Demon’s Souls' Very Own DPS Check
The DPS check bosses in FromSoftware titles rarely get much praise for being such, since fights like the Four Kings inDark Soulstend to quickly fall out of the hands of the player and leave a sour taste in the mouth. In the case of the Leechmonger, this comes from the way that the boss will heal periodically throughout the fight, although the exact methods do make the fight more random and manageable at the same time. This is because the boss' healing factor isn’t on a set timer, like the spawning of additional Four Kings, but instead happens at random intervals, likeElden Ring’s Godskin Duo, FromSoftware’s latest attempt at a DPS check. Combine this RNG with the fact that the heal can be mitigated with fire damage and some heavy DPS, and the fight can be kept well under control.
As is often the case for any DPS check, aggression is the name of the game while the Leechmonger is using its regeneration ability. By the time players have arrived here, the instinct to fight aggressively is likely something that they’ve felt the need to curb in order to survive. However, asDemon’s Soulsoften rewards patience, FromSoftware has continued to push players towards the thrill of an aggressive playstyle, even as early as the developer’s first entry in theSoulsseries.
