Elden Ring - A beautiful but subtly disturbing boss

The Ancestor Spirits have one of the most relaxed and oddly calming fights, but the actual mechanics for it are kind of strange.
Song used: Ancestor Spirit - Elden Ring OST

[@ZullietheWitch]

I was looking into the mechanics of the Ancestor Spirit when I found out another modder, Kirnifr, had already been examining its AI. Kirnifr helped elaborate on how the selection process for the animals worked and the way it stores and replaces its different moves through special effects, which helped me a lot while testing ingame, and also pointed out the evidently defunct giant antler buff. The AI has an action for performing the giant antler animation, but it doesn't seem like it can actually use it. I wasn't able to get the spirit to perform it on their own, and didn't see it ever happen in the several videos I watched of other people fighting it, so it's either unused or unbelievably rare. Kirnifr also pointed out that the Ancestor Spirit seemed to specifically warp to the location of one of the animal spirits, which led me to observe that it basically explodes out from their body, which I don't think either of us expected.

[@dillonpasch7430]

Is the antler buff possibly a default case in the event there were no animals to teleport to? Suggesting possibly that at one time the animals could have been killed off more permanently?

[@joekurr6030]

Obvious parallels to Native American culture are Obvious To me at least

[@slyseal2091]

Are you sure the antler growth is disabled? I distinctly remember seeing that in my game

[@ZullietheWitch]

@@slyseal2091 I tried for quite a while to get it to do it, and looked around for any recorded evidence of it happening in regular gameplay. Kirnifr was also under the impression from the AI that it wasn't fully implemented. It's hard sometimes to rule out something being 100% unused, but by all accounts, it seems to be. There are some attacks that look similar, but I haven't seen any definite proof it can use the growth buff.

[@pinolskun8764]

Zullie with the shoutouts, cool as always

[@Trypophobic]

I never saw the whole warp process in-game, usually because I'm spinning the camera around trying to find where it warped to. It really is an interesting animation / mechanic.

[@trevorweisberg8470]

Same, I honestly thought it WAS random and the spirits were just for show. Didn't know about it taking on their attacks too, I figured that too was random.

[@fabi3790]

I saw it I think once or twice It was freaky

[@Danganraptor]

I had one teleport beneath the floor before.

[@hunter5822]

It’s also usually warping really far away from you too!

[@thebeangularity9798]

@@Danganraptor Same, after getting hit by a single Wave of Fire from SoNaF, he just noped and fled to the backrooms.

[@sethappleton7628]

I just remember coming across this boss and going "wow" . The way he's standing far out in the arena, making it the whole area look bigger than it is. The mist along the ground slightly obscuring the boss. It gave me the feeling of when I actually stumble upon a deer in a forrest and it's just a bit visible behind the foliage. Also the slower movement of the boss and the way a lot of it's attacks have big wind ups mixed with the music gave me a feeling like I was performing some kind of dance or ritual with it. I really wish there was more significance given to this one, such an incredible feeling I got from seeing him for the first time.

[@ajbolt7]

The sight of it standing out there in the mist genuinely unsettled me the first time

[@toyuncle2636]

ngl i dunno how long you spent in the "cave" but its fucking massive, like at least twice the size of what they kept Wolnir in for dark souls 3. i spent like 5 minutes just running around making sure there was nothing in there after the boss had died. that arena would be just as impressive without the ancestors spirit, but i'm glad he's there, it suits him.

[@tillburr6799]

It seems fairly significant

[@dungeaterfancam]

I get the feeling that if we’re to get a Miquella-based DLC it will include more ancestral spirit content as well, besides just being in the same location they just seem close to me thematically, Miquella is like this comforting deity appearing in dreams and ancestral spirits are also basically sleeping until you wake them up and their existence seems to be a kind of a sanctuary for the spirits of the dead animals.

[@kylegonewild]

@@dungeaterfancam "Miquella is like this comforting deity appearing in dreams" probably because he was also St. Trina during development. His feminine alter-ego that is revered in the Lands Between and associated with deep sleep, as we can tell from various items referencing the character. It's a shame they cut so much and so little officially made it into the title, but with the announced DLC, assuming its focus is Miquella and not Marika, there may be an opportunity to provide some expansion on that. Maybe piecing together this great secret that was buried in the Lands Between as part of some side quest like Goldmask's enlightenment. Would be nice, but there's no way to know if they'll even pick that old thread back up.

[@kirkginoabolafia3650]

One of the only boss fights in soulsborne where I just felt ...like totally relaxed. Like didn't stress whatsoever and just felt really chill fighting it.

[@jamesbenedict7516]

Same here only with an added pinch of remorse from killing such a beautiful beast

[@davidhong1934]

"Bro...check out this weed they've heen growing. It's, like, totally far out, man. I can actually see your aura." _--Ancestral Spirit after you light the sacred blunts_

[@dogfellow3848]

@@jamesbenedict7516 The Ancestor spirit grants you the ancient boof. Do you accept?

[@generik7414]

Not even moonlight butterfly?

[@KissyKaede]

Probably due to the music and how it isn't spazzing out every 2 seconds like all the other bosses in the game.

[@melsinyourface]

Honestly a couple of my favorite bosses in the game. The music is haunting and almost sad. As if to say "look at what this majestic beast once was, and now you've come to kill it again for what?" And the fight itself, while not very difficult is beautiful and interesting.

[@lechking941]

your just continueing the cycle it lives i suspect some dare to challange it for that others for other reasions but it is a rare natural beuty.

[@toobig7399]

Considering that the enemies there wield same stuff you get from beating it, it's less of a kill and more of a trial, the beast is likely "fine" with it

[@mosart7068]

@@toobig7399 thats not how stuff goes

[@toobig7399]

@@mosart7068 then how does it go

[@nicmanza4657]

Yeah I like Wolf Sif too wonder what new original ideas Fromsoft will have 10 years from now

[@aberwood]

I love the lore of the world predating the erdtree. The underground areas are some of the best. They feel so still and timeless. That first ride down the lift from limgrave was awesome.

[@monsieurdorgat6864]

Me too! I also love all the lore about the ancient, flying dragon temples where beast-men sacrificed themselves to Dragonlord Placidusax! It feels so epic, in contrast to the creepy timelessness of Norkon/Nokstella or the soothing timelessness of the Siofra river! Limgrave itself is interesting, because Castle Stormveil was once ruled by a huge bird of prey! It's heavily implied that the lands of Limgrave and the Weeping Peninsula were once ruled by various kinds of beast-folk, the ruins of Farum Azula having crumbled and pieces fallen all over the landscape - noticeably missing from everywhere north of Liurnia! Although I'm starting to think it's not so much "predating the Erdtree" as much as it is "predating the Golden Order". Most of the creatures we see here seem tied to the Primordial Crucible - creating creatures with claws, antlers, and feathers in various forms. Fun fact, the color of IRL pure (i.e., unalloyed) gold is reddish-gold, like the armor of the Crucible Knights. We also know that the Primordial Crucible was the primordial form of the Erdtree, which has since become corrupted by the Golden Order (yellow-gold), which has forced all things to either conform, integrate, or disappear.

[@Evan_242]

Totally feel you. When I first ride down the lift from limgrave I was blown away. One of my first big (and most precious) memory of this game.

[@christopherdunn8767]

Just watching the world below popping into view as you ride the lift down, sitting in quiet wonder, thinking "my god... it's full of stars"

[@Kastafore]

I found the Mistwood lift on launch night and was captivated with the game ever since. What an experience those first few days were discovering the game!

[@janebtar2167]

@@monsieurdorgat6864 regarding farum azula, I'm pretty sure it "broke" off the area in caelid where you fight Radahn. The structures of farum azula fit the remaining pillars there quite well and gurranq, a beast man just like maliketh, is right around the corner. Also the name "dragonbarrow" would fit with the farum azula and the ancient dragons theme. Unless I'm missing something I can't see how there would be pieces of it in liurnia or so

[@arabidllama]

I love how well this fits in the overall mood of Elden Ring. Even the ancient, peaceful, natural life-within-death that's depicted as so serene and idyllic has its brutality. Nothing comes without its price in the world of Elden Ring.

[@pravoslavac3690]

not only in elden ring

[@DinggisKhaaniMagtaal]

I think this partially comes from our own artificial depictions of nature and peace from the hippy era, because some of the tree hugging does give the vibe that the peacefulness of the natural world must be dichotomous with the violence of the civilized world (something that many people today still fall into, with the associations also many times being switched). The mechanics of this boss really hammers home the cyclical view of life and death that Elden Ring, like many Fromsoft games, reinforces. Death is a necessary process for life, which I'm sure has some roots in some of the Shintoism referenced within the game as well (stagnation vs flow). It feels kind of strange to label any of this as "sinister" to me, as Zullie does, because this seems to be apparent and upfront as the boss's major theme. Death begets new life, and death can be, for many, a brutal process. It's almost more like catharsis to me.

[@MarkitzTR]

More like in any FromSoftware game world

[@lucadibattista4864]

​​​​@@DinggisKhaaniMagtaal the whole Soulsborne series radiates philosophy. Even our characters in the games, facing hardships and huge enemies and every fail/death makes him/her stronger, remains steadfast focused on the final goal, I see a perfect reflection in Stoicism...

[@hyperleap4876]

I'm irish, and when I first saw this I was immediately and ultimately left thinking about how much this creature looks like the ancestral elk here; Great irish elk. It was towering, but also is long since extinct. Even its theme is quite "celtic" sounding. Not uncommon for fromsoft ware, which mixes various different cultures but makes them cohesive. Their games can really appeal to everyone, because you can see your culture mythology and history in it. And everyone from anywhere can resonate with the base story, and their thematics.

[@publius7023]

The area is called Siofra River too. With Siofra meaning fairy in Irish. Also in Irish mythology the fairies where driven underground. Which is where siofra river is. Elden Ring has a lot of inspiration from celtic mythology. Which is really cool to see

[@DreamskyDance]

As far as i know Elden Ring borrows much from Celtic mythology. I've seen parallels drawn between Ranni and Rhiannon, Marika and Danu, Melina ( especially Melina at frenzied flame ending ) and Morrigan...

[@monsieurdorgat6864]

@@DreamskyDance It's a big mix of various northern European mythologies.

[@monsieurdorgat6864]

Listening to Europeans wax about the nature they used to have seems odd to me - the primeval forests of the Irish and British isles had been largely logged during the bronze age. People have been terra-forming it for so long. Can't criticize too much, I'm American and we've been continuing to head that direction even though we should know better now 🤦‍♂

[@LeedleLee457]

Also in Irish mythology, there's Tír na nÓg, one of the "Otherworlds" or realm for deities. It's a realm that can be reached by travelling through an ocean of fog/mist, sometimes on horseback depending on the story. Just like how the Tarnished got to the Lands Between.

[@austincave5873]

This is the boss that made me truly appreciate the effort the fromsoft team put into this game. The movements are so smooth

[@Emerl18]

This is my favorite boss fight in the entire game. The entire package including music and arena is just stunning, and I didn't even know that its moveset changed based on what animal it spawned from! I thought they were just teleport points and heal packets to the boss.

[@alcoyot]

I know it’s awesome. They clearly put a lot of work into it. But in the end it’s like this pointless fight so disconnected from the rest of the game.

[@MrBoingus]

@@alcoyot if you enjoyed fighting it, was it worthless?

[@alcoyot]

@@MrBoingus when I fought it, it died immediately due to a bug right after the first teleport. Aside from that, not so much “worthless” but disappointing that they didn’t make such an incredible fight actually tie into the main plot and story, especially considering the trouble you had to go through just to fight it. What effect does fighting it have on your progression and the lore?

[@aethernaut1899]

@@alcoyot It makes the world seem bigger than the plot, which is how good stories are told (IMO). And while it doesn't serve a purpose in the plot in a linear way, it's not entirely disconnected either. It helps build up the idea that there are competing civilizations and Powers in the Lands Between, some of which are literally dead and buried underground, and yet not entirely gone.

[@Crispierbug]

Its a very majestic boss.

[@connerreid3579]

When a video like this comes out, it always amazes me that From would go into this much detail for things only a few people would ever likely notice. Just imagine the amount of hours this took to conceptualize, animate, code, and debug. So much incredible artistry, symbolism, and multi-disciplinary craftsmanship invested in this and it feels like the company is totally neutral about whether you, the player, ever even notice it. I'm always so impressed that they're willing to let you miss out on a spectacle that other, less confident companies would put front and center.

[@JustapErson]

Looking at all these vids makes me see this game differently. There's so many hidden details that are pretty much impossible to spot unless you look at the code or frozen models.

[@corruptedmilk2481]

yah, it's sorta frustrating especially given that elden ring gets a weird amount of flack from sweaty gamers for being "lazy"

[@gfyliowner]

@@corruptedmilk2481 It is frustrating because the end game received so little of this amazing attention to detail which makes the early to midgame one of the greatest gaming experiences of all time. I don't want to call it lazy, but it seems quite clear to me that Fromsoft ran into serious time management issues and couldn't flesh out the end game to be even close in quality to what the game is at it's best. Fighting the Ancestral Spirit for the first time was amazing and felt satisfying after taking the time to light the pillars. Then you have to do it again for the second time later in the underground area because.... why? Why ruin the experience by just copy-pasting the exact same boss again? And this happens far too often when you get closer to the end game. Astel appears in a random snow cave, The fallingstar beast (which feels like a fantastic boss fight on the top of the mountain) is locked in a random mine for no clear reason. Previous common enemies re-appear in practically all end game zones, this time they just have a metric ton of health and can kill you in two-three hits. The level design keeps astounding you wherever you go, but the gameplay slowly turns into a boring grind where you just can't wait to be done with a place

[@umbrellaenthusiast4505]

@@gfyliowner This 100%. The endgame feels like such a slog-fest compared to the earlier sections of the game because by the time we make it to endgame, we've basically seen every enemy the game has to offer (Mountaintop of the Giants had 0 new enemies, Crumbling Farum Azula had 1 being the dragon beast humanoids and then reskinned skeletons, the Haligtree had 0 new enemies (even the footsoldiers were the same as other areas albeit with some of them exploding), Mohg's palace had the reskinned shambling corpses that blow up with bleed buildup, and 0 new enemies, and the Ashen Royal Capital had no enemies whatsoever. These endgame areas in Elden Ring are so beautiful that having new enemies to accompany them that didn't kill you in 2-3 hits would've been amazing. So why did FromSoft just reuse previous enemies, give them a metric f***ton of health and damage and think that would be the best use of the endgame?

[@BaileyBPF]

Fromsoft games are special in that the depth of the content goes beyond what a person will notice before someone does this kind of deep dive research. The worlds make sense beyond what you can initially comprehend, which seems to greatly aid their sense of immersion and wanderlust. Most studios would only want to put big resources into things they could make sure people will find, and as such, are surface deep.

[@HornetSilksong1232]

I never realised just how much detail was put into this boss, i just assumed the animals were decoration

[@monsieurdorgat6864]

Me neither! The boss fight is usually over so quickly because they gave it low HP to compensate it healing...

[@monsieurdorgat6864]

@@TheStraightestWhitest Well, that' what NG+++ is for!

[@TheHandofDestiny]

@@TheStraightestWhitest I would rather if maliketh didn't get triple health

[@virtualfairy9784]

@@monsieurdorgat6864 Yeah exactly, just like they did with Malenia!

[@TheHandofDestiny]

@@TheStraightestWhitest No he really doesn't, Maliketh still can consistently beat Malenia despite having lower health, and I would rather not have to go through 30k to 40k hp of maliketh,at that point it would mechanically be as bad as malenia

[@quentin6875]

Fighting this boss made me feel like an horendous intruder hunting and killing peaceful spirits for no obvious reason, as it appeared to be so disconnected to the main purpose of the game. It really made me sad, even though it was a very enjoyable fight. Thanks for the video, I did not realize how tightly this boss was linked to the spirits roaming around!

[@PierceArner]

I think that the Ancestral Spirit is particularly interesting because it's cycle of Rebirth & Redeath explicitly isn't connected to the Erdtree, even though it has a reflection of a lot of the same underlying symbolism.

[@hinkelstein1494]

Its part of the scarlet rot lore. There is a cut version of the ancestor worshippers that were tainted with the rot and were loacted in the rotten uhl place, where now the pests whorship that temple.

[@TheVeryAngryShrimp]

@@hinkelstein1494 Weren't they patched out, not cut? I swear I remember players mentioning the infected Ancestral Spirit worshippers when the game first came out.

[@Writh811]

@@TheVeryAngryShrimp This is correct. They were patched out.

[@LindensTree]

I think it connects to a civilisation that existed before the Erdtree and maybe during or before the Great Tree of the Crucible. Areas like where Mohg is now located have a lot of depictions of primordial symbols and have a bearded deity holding a tablet that’s shown a lot but never mentioned. I hope they expand upon other societies in the DLCs, like the Death Bird one, this ancient one, and maybe more on the One-Eyed God!

[@blipboigilgamesh7865]

This, coupled with how much of the worship of the ancestral spirits, leads me to believe they may have something to do with the great tree that existed before the erdtree! Maybe they were the great tree's equivalent of the tree avatars. Though I do find interesting how animal spirits seem to converge to such spirits, and how horns or antlers or fangs are something of a theme among them. Makes me wanna believe that wild beasts are not being rebirthed by the erdtree, rather their spirits go to the ancestral spirit itself.

[@MrMaradok]

Honestly, one of my favorite bosses. Despite how easy it was, it felt like that the Ancestor Spirit, along with the journey through the River Siofra, was there to tell a story, more than to test the players mettle. Also, I’d love to have a home in the Siofra river lands, it’d be perfect for a small house filled with books and nice tea, ya know?

[@2hufan521]

Just make sure you're on good terms with the goddamn rail sniper neighbours.

[@yoann5573]

And don't forget to ensure your house against potential destruction by angry Astel, he came where you went once already after all

[@Cherryjango]

One of the best designed boss fights in the game. It should have been a bigger moment than it was. It felt more like a mini boss...

[@Kinography]

Ancestor Spirits and Dragonkin Soldier of Nokstella are too squishy to showcase their amazing movesets 😔

[@keskes1338]

I think the locations really hurt this boss. The first time you encounter it, it seems like most people are over leveled, and by time you find it again you're already so experienced that it doesn't pose much of a threat versus things that came before it.

[@heyfell4301]

Honestly, I like how it's done. This is the one fight where I don't feel like they were aiming for difficulty, this is an old and decaying spirit that has barely survived time and is visibly damaged by the time you get to it, I never even once felt threatened by it, and although I died once or twice to it, I knew (based on it's moveset) that this was meant to be an easier fight and that I'm just kinda bad at the game. Hell, the area around that boss it's twice as hard as the boss itself, it's like the developers want you to level up to get through the river and then just relax when you finally get to the fight and put this spirit to rest.

[@alcoyot]

It should have been a major boss along the main storyline.

[@thesnatcher3616]

@@Kinography I don't know. I went to Ainsel River pretty early on. Easy to get to as well. And The Soilder took quite some time to beat on every attempt.

[@dragonviper7925]

Incidentally, the amount of hp the moose heals each time is less, reaching a point after 3+ heals where it barely heals anything at all. I guess this could represent it killing off a number of the animals each time. Id be interested to know how low it could go; i saw about 5 or 6 heals in my rl1 no weapon upgrades run, and i couldnt tell if the amount was still decreasing

[@ramzihamdallah]

bruh why. how long it take to kill fire giant? not including failed attempts just depleting full health to zero id guess 45 minutes

[@dragonviper7925]

@@ramzihamdallah funnily enough he was one of the easiest and quickest due to the fact the black flame blade exists, which gives a short buff to your weapon and makes it do black flame burn which does 1% of the enemys health per hit. This actually meant i was doing a pretty significant amount on this boss. Ancestor spirit definitely took longer which is pretty uronic considering in most of my playthroughs he dies it maybe 3 hits lmao

[@dragonslayer3552]

Yea I noticed that too in a similar run it depletes by a lot after a while which makes sense cause he would have been unkillable in challenge runs like these and fromsoft knows how much we love doing them

[@Nightshine0]

@@dragonviper7925 How do you equip Black Flame Blade on a RL1 character? Doesn't it take 17 faith?

[@dragonviper7925]

@@Nightshine0 marikas soreseal and the two finger talisman together get you to 20 faith which is enough to use the spell

[@warcoder]

I would love a whole game with the same vibes as the ancestor spirit. A game with a more primal setting, more mystical.

[@korinthegrimm5538]

Like a dnd campaign

[@MrMaradok]

Would Shadow Of The Colossus fit the bill?

[@ceilingfanenthusiast6041]

For some reason it kind of makes me think of Sekiro lol? I feel like Sekiro 2 (if they ever made a game about returning the Dragon's Heritage) could be like this.

[@majinprince-xanaden]

@@MrMaradok not really I feel, its just kinda too empty. I think what they mean is maybe one with tribal weapons and tribal people, and maybe animals everywhere.

[@tuskinraider5926]

@@majinprince-xanaden Conan exiles?

[@epruno3583]

I believe this boss to be a reference to the cosmic hunt, oldest known myth, where a prey flees the hunter by jumping in the sky, catching the sun in his antlers. To prevent the sun to vanish forever with the beast, the hunter follows it in the sky, where the two become constellations. If I'm right, the growing antlers could have been for an attack in which the spirit holds a giant ball of energy. Bigger antler: bigger ball: bigger wow

[@Sioolol]

It is 100% inspired by the cosmic hunt, too many similar themes for it to be a coincedence. I havent noticed that, well done.

[@sixbases6793]

I love this community

[@bgf3640]

Not really sure I understand where you’re drawing this connection. The attack isn’t even animated, and the only parallel to the story is that it’s a deer.

[@skilletborne]

@@bgf3640 You enter a hole created by a meteor, go to a land named Nokstella after the roman goddess of the night and an adjective meaning "of the stars", which is connected to Ranni of the Full Moon and the Moonlight Alter after having beaten Astel. Then you go through a trail set and protected by a race of born hunters to fight something literally called the Ancestral Spirit, which is what constellations were believed to be for thousands of years, and who, per some of the item descriptions, represents the natural cycle of life and death. Yes, it's the cosmic hunt.

[@CheeseOfMasters]

@@bgf3640 It's also a reference to Santa Claus, who sits in a cart pulled by a reindeer with a huge red nose which is not his own. The nose in this case represents the sun and Santa Claus the hunter.

[@oedalis]

The boss taking on an attack based on what animal it warps to is such a cool detail! I also noticed it can hide by masquerading as one of the animals in the arena, but now I'm wondering if I just encountered an instance of a glitched warp.

[@jackofblades2007]

Could be either. The code IS in the game for hiding enemies inside enemies (there's a fun one in Altus Plateau in an unmarked ruin, killing the non-hostile Noble spawns a Lion Guardian).

[@kylegonewild]

@@jackofblades2007 There's several of those. The giant crawfish that has a grafted scion inside. A noble that becomes a runebear. Another noble that becomes a troll. They all drop larval tears as well which is a neat touch.

[@assistantmagus5213]

Honestly, like most people presumably, I never realised any of this and just thought I was fighting a big deer that could sometimes teleport and would use attacks randomly like every other boss - barely even noticed other animals roaming around so thanks for this, I appreciate the fight mechanics a lot more now

[@khajiitimanus7432]

I can scarcely form words to describe my awe and adoration with this boss. It certainly doesn't have a very impressive health pool, but it's definitely one of my favorites - in mechanics, design, and soundtrack. It's thoroughly enchanting, to say the least.

[@canadianbeef1958]

If the fight goes on for long enough the music gets more and more intense. It really is amazing.

[@RamixTheRed]

I always found this boss to be pretty creepy. The strange, decayed design that reminds me of a skeleton or a zombie, and the big giant empty space where you fight it that seems to be connected to nothing and nowhere, it's all just very liminal and made me want to get out of there as soon as possible.

[@TheActualMrLink]

You didn’t belong there. Of course it felt unwelcoming.

[@BeekoBaggins]

I also felt this way, it always made me feel mildly uneasy fighting it

[@ThatGuyOverThere01]

@@TheActualMrLink this exactly. The overall fight is charmed with harrowing beauty. The calmness of the arena, the image of the deer-like ancestor spirit, the naturalist/Celtic/Druid style of the followers, and the gorgeous score that accompanied this fight. I truly felt unwelcome, but not because I felt like I should be scared or intimidated, but rather that I was in fact the aggressor or the evil in this case. I genuinely think that this boss fight is amongst (if not the) most beautiful (not necessarily spectacular) fights in Elden Ring.

[@shiranui2844]

Hello :)

[@jtillman8251]

The fact that the room is filled with decaying animal corpses is what got to me. Makes you wonder if the ancestor spirits are related to the sealed rot god in some way.

[@Valdufr]

One of my favourite bits of OST on these fights, and such a lovely atmosphere to it too. They really hit the "mystical" nail on the head with these.

[@trizztriza7787]

the ancestor spirit fight's soundtrack is absolutely amazing

[@TheSylveonSurfer]

I didn't realize that the new moves were based on the sacrificed animal. That's neat. It also further cements the Ancestral Guardian as one of my personal favorite bosses in the game. It's so graceful. It's also probably the most fair boss in the game next to Margit. All of its attacks are telegraphed. The pace of the fight is slow and methodical and, honestly, kind of relaxing. It's not a difficult boss, it's just a very pleasant boss.

[@canadianbeef1958]

Am I the only one who can't kill this damn thing? Maybe I'm not a high enough level.

[@soldier257]

Also, unless the last patch fixed it, sometimes when the Spirit warps to an animal, a glitch will happen that causes it to spawn underneath the arena and fall to its death. Happened to me late one night and, after thinking i got soft-locked, burst into laughter.

[@Txguy264]

That’s what happened when I was helping out my friend. He glitched out and after a bit, he died.

[@AlastorAltruistGaming]

This happened to me once; in all my playthroughs of the game, I had this happen one time. I laughed my ass off!

[@undeadhunter714]

It happens a lot of the time honestly

[@beees7032]

Had that happen unfortunately. A real shame, because it’s a great fight and I absolutely love the song that plays during it.

[@soldier257]

@@beees7032 one of the best songs in the game.

[@pac0113]

I honestly think discovering & riding the elevator down to Siofra River is one of the greatest moments in gaming

[@XxD0m]

Really? Riding an elevator? Greatest moment in gaming? Bruh there’s like 30 better moments in Elden Ring alone. Not to mention any other game.

[@bb2fiddler]

@@XxD0m Daddy, chill

[@XxD0m]

@@bb2fiddler No son. Go to your room and wait for me as I get the belt.

[@Jim-Bagel]

Meanwhile Skyrim fanboys praise loading screens.

[@viralshortsvids7285]

This is a beautiful boss fight. Shame it’s so short.

[@draw2death421]

Its relatively tall if you ask me.

[@viralshortsvids7285]

@@draw2death421 fr

[@thorodinsson4752]

And bit to easy, atleast in my experiance.

[@lonelyshpee7873]

S-short? How late did you fight it anyway?

[@johnkramer2144]

@@thorodinsson4752 I think that’s the point. It’s supposed to be mostly a spectacle fight.

[@Anharie]

i hope From Soft keeps making games. the amount of detail that goes into their games that is not usually seen during gameplay is just beautiful. im glad there is a community like yours that brings to light all the effort that went into developing these amazing experiences.

[@samwizgamgie3rd828]

This boss really reminds me of Princess Mononoke's spirit animals and the forest spirit, even elden beast looks like the mad headless forest spirit!

[@Mr_Beebird]

I was scrolling through the comments to see if someone else thought that this is a nod to the movie :D

[@DreamskyDance]

Yeah very much so.. at first i was very not wiling and sad to kill it. But my personal head cannon is that as everything is corrupted in this world so ancestral deer spirit was as well, and in real world mythologies ancestral deer spirits usually die in autumn to be reborn in spring with the cycle seasons. This one is kind of undead and corrupted so the seasons cant proceed normally because he does not die...so i am doing everyone a favor XD

[@zyriantel9601]

@1betterthanyou1 The wandering mausoleums could be a loose nod to Howl's Moving Castle (and I do mean _loose_ , Howl's castle is more than a little bullshit compared to the relatively tame mausoleums)

[@serosh9587]

Can't describe in words how greatly soothing this fight OST is! Can listen to it for hours and hours.

[@ludeviguelemody863]

Fromsoft on it's way to put the most obscure and unnoticeable bossfight mechanic ever that no one will notice till months after the release.

[@Evan_242]

I remember at the very beginning of the game, like the first hour, wandering around and coming across the elevator from Limgrave to the Sofria. I was totally blown away by the atmosphere. I found some of the sconces but I was so low lvl I didn't found all of them because the archers was deadly so I could not properly explore all the area but man I tried like 4 hours before giving up and come back way way later over leveled. Poor deer, I killed it in like 2 minutes. Totally didn't notice all of this, thanks Zullie.

[@BeastOrGod]

It's so beautifully haunting. I love the design so much.

[@amerryamerry]

One of the most memorable boss fights in the game. I love the music and the mood.

[@topcat59]

The ancestor spirit is kinda like the erdtree, since all souls eventually go to erdtree but the ancestor spirit is a different kind of entity were it can utilize the spirit’s of fallen animals during the flight. Since animals in different cultures we’re tied to the afterlife.🤔🐱

[@salahad-din9168]

And only some animals can be used as ashes

[@brreakfastYT]

I figured he just started using them once he got to a certain threshold. I lost it the first time I saw him rolling and hopping around with the rabbit sfx from Don't Starve. Still one of my favorites and I'll always remember it fondly, being one of the first bosses I found in Elden Ring c:

[@lindsaycooper3213]

Same. As funny as the roll was to see, it was so hard to avoid. Especially as a new player

[@softsounds8453]

The rabbit sfx takes me out of this fight every time. They should've known better

[@AlastorAltruistGaming]

I personally like these boss fights, and the music for said fights in general; I’ve said it once & I’ll say it again when I mention it has a mixture of both Native-American & Japanese music styles. It feels like you’re fighting a god of nature, a like you’re proving your worth as a true tribesman.

[@Kinography]

I think there’s a tad bit of Celtic influence in there too. Really a beautiful and eclectic piece of music

[@cybercobra2]

honestly its MUCH more celtic than native american or japenese. the instruments and style of creature feels right out of celtic folklore.

[@finngswan3732]

@@cybercobra2 Agreed! Very Celtic, as the folklore has LOTS of deer and elk imagery.

[@AlastorAltruistGaming]

@@cybercobra2 makes more sense; overall, this fight to me is so super atmospheric. It’s definitely quite different from other fights, but it’s not visually out-there compared to Rennala’s 2nd phase.

[@NATIVE1179]

I don't know what kind of stereotype you are trying to convey, but nobody had to prove their self as a "tribesmen", we had journeys to become men, like any other culture, we celebrated our becoming of man, but nobody ever had to prove themselves a member of their tribe, and this music is nowhere close to Native American music, as others already said, it sounds more celtic than anything you've mentioned, I can't speak on Japanese, but I'm Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, and I can tell you, you might not intend to sound harsh, but I'm tired of hearing the stereotypes about my culture, listen to some real powwow music, I'd recommend Smokey hills, but you can find what you like

[@Eisray]

Hey Zullie! I've been playing a lot recently and noticed something that I can't find a video on from anyone. In the game, you will occasionally come across a statue of a mother holding her child in seemingly significant locations. One example is by the amber starlight location. It is even more prevalent in the haligtree, and there seems to be another statue of a mother with 2 children instead of one. My thoughts are that it is likely referencing malenia and miquella, and thier mother, but it would be cool if you knew more on these statues.

[@Hugo_Tate]

Could just be melania and miquella at different ages.

[@urtoryu_dy_althraidn]

I always thought the ones at the Haligtree were Malenia and her children. Probably memorials, as we know of at least 5 daughters she lost.

[@gandalf1753]

Wow thanks for the in depth look, what a cool mechanic and I literally had no idea! I didnt even know the Ancestor Spirit could do the sonic move!

[@DeniableWhistle]

Fascinating. I never even considered this could be the case. Stuff like this is what makes your channel so good, Zullie.

[@TonyRedgrave]

Wow, that's a surprising amount of depth. I never noticed any of this in game.

[@scryyl]

By far my favorite boss in the game, everything from the colors to the effects and music were just amazing!

[@fAKSDFKamsdf]

I really wish the ancestor spirit was more challenging, and had a larger role. Visually its at the top of fromsoft bosses

[@jungtothehuimang]

There are so many insane detail in fromsoft games that most of us miss while fighting these enemies because so many of them are so fast. Glad people make these kind of videos.

[@highlightermarca-texto3281]

Interestingly, if you look at the piles of corpses in both Ancestor Spirit arenas, you can see the 'sproutings' the description of the Ancestral Infant Head refers to, which I assume are what grow into the antlers of the Spirits. You can also see what appears to be some rot coral/fungus, which ties the Ancestral Followers with Rot and explains what that random Follower is doing in the middle of the Lake of Rot

[@watchfulwanderer6443]

It isn't the Scarlet Rot, though, or the area would be covered in rot. The Ancestor Spirits have a thing about life sprouting from death, so they seem like a benign counterpart to the Rot. Benign counterpart to a bunch of the other forces actually, since their cycle of life and death isn't the destructive force that characterizes the others (doesn't spread uncontrollably like the Rot or deathroot, doesn't burn away identifying characteristics like ghostflame or frenzyflame, etc)

[@DisgruntledPeasant]

@@watchfulwanderer6443 this seems to be an ancient primordial place, I wonder if we see a primordial version of rot there too that was more in balance with life. I always thought the god of rot didn't necessarily need to be evil, afterall rot/fungus is a part of natural cycles of rebirth. Perhaps Marika breaking the natural cycles has lead the rot to become wild and uncontrolled in an attempt to bring things back to ballance

[@gvd72]

@@DisgruntledPeasant why would the blind swordsman need to seal it away then? That more that likely happened before the shattering.

[@DisgruntledPeasant]

@@gvd72 I have no idea when that happened in the timeline tbh. I'm guessing pre-shattering, but after the war with giants. I was thinking more that rot was in Ballance waaay before the erdtree, before even the eternal cities. Pure speculation of course, it just tracks that it's temple is in the same 'strata' as the prehistoric folk and that appears to be an era of harmony.

[@watchfulwanderer6443]

​@@DisgruntledPeasant The Scarlet Rot isn't natural, though, any more than the Erdtree is. It just looks that way. It is an Outer God, an alien being that came to the Lands Between for its own purposes. There's a reason I used counterpart there. The primordial forms of the Greater Will's power, like the Crucible, aren't any more natural. The Ancestor Spirits are the only real candidates for "original inhabitants of the rivers".

[@Chelarino]

this is without a doubt one of my favourite bosses in the entire game from when i first solved the "puzzle" of the fire pits when i touched the skeleton when i entered it's arena the huge area the serene soundtrack the agressive yet somehow gentle titan when i later found out that it mirrors the attacks of the wild animals, i already though that was really cool, because apart from maybe the very beginning when you hunt a few out of pure curiosity, you don't really interact with the wildlife in this game a lot so it's really neat how their unique characteristics get reused in this unmissable spectacle of a boss fight. (in the sense that once you stand in front of it it is hard not to stare at it in awe. the encounter itself is very much missable of course.) and now seeing how deep it actually connects with the animals not only having their moveset, but specifically selecting it and whatnot i am awestruck all over again

[@darikis3437]

Definitely a very memorable unique encounter and boss. It was also one of the easier fights in my opinion. But not every fight has to be brutal and punishing. I think its theme and design both make up for its lake in difficulty.

[@valware6796]

oh boy new zullie upload

[@arabidllama]

Thanks for using its boss music in this one, you get to hear it so little in a playthrough :

[@slicksilver2961]

The Ancestor Spirit bosses are some of my favorite bosses in the whole game. The music, the stage, the appearance all feel like it’s indicative of some large theme. Sure it’s one of the easier bosses but it’s really beautiful and breathtaking in its own right, more so than any other boss in the game imo

[@canadianbeef1958]

I seem to be the only one in the world who found this boss hard. Maybe it's because I found the harder version first before the easier one, but I still haven't successfully killed it yet. I feel very ashamed after reading all these comments lol. I love it though, the music is breathtaking.

[@KeterHirameki]

That moveset detail is exactly the kind of thing I would have never noticed if wasn't for this channel.

[@fintan9218]

That area and the boss is probably my favorite area overall, it also should be a low level meta area. Its so perfect for co-op and invasions, unfortunately lots end up coming back to this area when they’re overleveled. People start co-oping and invading here around Rl30-40ish +3 to +6, its the most fun and balanced area for it.

[@Travar1410]

My Lady... Your the best elden ring content creator. Hands down, no questions asked. you've never said a word, but yet, I find myself INTENTLY watching every single SECOND of what you give us. What your doing.. I've not seen anyone do, or talk about.. brilliant.. many other male elden ring creators.. could DEFINITELY Learn a thing or two from you. Lolol.. wtf.. her 2 to 3 minute videos are more packed with actual information than almost anyone's hour long videos.. wow.

[@ramofeldduckington6257]

Wow, such a well thought-out fight! A shame when I first fought him he warped into the ground and died instantly, so I got to experience none of it. (I’m sure that’s been patched by now though, right?)

[@MinorZero]

There is a second one, so you can still do that. Need to follow Ranni's questline to get to that area

[@pntn13]

it has indeed been patched

[@actionpants3138]

No

[@actionpants3138]

@@pntn13 no it hasn’t this happened to me yesterday

[@JustapErson]

It was probably patched a couple of days after release.

[@NorseShadow]

Their look, and the sound at 2:16 reminds me so much of the sounds from The Outer Wilds DLC creatures

[@theluigisii7932]

Love your content, keep the good work up!!

[@slevvin6700]

I knew a couple of these facts, but a bunch more I didn't and this is thematically one of my favorite bosses in the game. Thanks for the info Zullie, your videos are always fascinating :)

[@Facepalm9]

That whole area of the game felt like a fever dream. It was completely disconnected from the world above. Despite all of the unwelcoming areas, it was the first time in the game that I felt as though I was somewhere that I didn't belong and was witnessing things that were never meant for me. I began to figure out that I needed to light the sconces, and the more I lit, the more I felt unsettled about what was to come. When I was transported to this arena, I was in awe. There was this beautiful creature, deified by its followers. I wasn't sure what significance it had in the world, but the way it affected everything around it convinced me that it was a noble spirit defending its realm and the energies that it protected from my trespass. For the first time, I felt as though I was the one who was doing the wrong thing. And as it cried out when I slayed it, I felt some sick sense of disgust; like I had broken a sacred and integral part of a cycle that was bigger than me or any other creature in that world.

[@Sinatracle]

Juss started playing elden ring as of 3 weeks ago, your vids are so awesome now that I have played through it.

[@aztecserpent5525]

The detail of taking attacks from the animals it warps through is fascinating, I genuinely never would’ve noticed. This boss is genuinely one of the most interesting they’ve made in any game

[@kblade08]

Out of all the cool stuff you've dug up about this game, I think this is my favorite so far. The different attacks being based on the animal spirit it chooses is such an awesome detail to me that I would have completely missed if not for you.

[@Harbinger-lx6rt]

On one of my playthroughs I noticed what was actually happening during the warp and roar mechanics it made it really cool, kinda scary and sad but now knowing the animals just respond it makes it better. Visually and mechanically it is one of my favorite bosses in a FS game.

[@defcon_5auron207]

And it all still connects to the idea surrounding the cults before the Erdtree: death begets life. Amazing content as always, Zullie

[@titaniumweasel]

Maybe the antler growth attack went unused because they planned to have a third ancestor spirit fight that ended up getting cut.

[@VoxVoyce]

Thank you for making a video about this thing, it easily became an instant favorite when I encountered the first version of this boss and was massively dissapointed when I faced the regal version because I unfortunately encountered the glitch that causes the boss to kill itself before I could even get a hit in. So glad to see the mechanics I missed out on being highlighted with such expert focus.

[@djbeema]

Probably my favorite music in the entire game. It's a shame they made the ancestor bosses so easy, most people will never get to experience or even notice these subtleties

[@Ssshmoo]

I think it's nice to have a subdued boss fight every once in a awhile, especially in Elden Ring. If they made it any more difficult it wouldn't be as relaxing and unique as it is.

[@freerun4370]

While this wasn't a hard boss, it was the most beautiful one to me, very tranquil and primal depiction of nature spirits. Absolutely mesmerising.

[@InternetHydra]

The ancestor spirits seems to not only exist in a perpetual cycle of birth and rebirth, but defies the very convention of death and life as we understand it and even within the logic of the rest of Elden Ring's setting... or perhaps is the original cycle that the rest of the setting is parasitically growing from. More and more my pet theory of Torrent being the most malevolent character in the game, being both utterly detached to the greater world and wanted it abolished by any means, is getting credible.

[@DreamskyDance]

Torrent being malevolent ? Thats on par with Jar Jar Binks secretly being a sith lord, star wars theory... XD Not bashing you or anything, look up that star wars theory if it interests you..it has a lot of merit and it probably was the original idea until George Lucas changed it at the last minute. Just wanted to say how "curve ball" the theory is...but it may have merit :D

[@cai_in_the_sky2222]

I would love to read your theory on Torrent

[@InternetHydra]

​@@cai_in_the_sky2222 Quick typeup due to inconvenient surroundings: Every awful character in the game is driven by a goal of improving the world around them by their point of view. This includes the people in the world. Except Torrent. Torrent is assisting the player and seems to want change in it as well, however he does not show any reaction or aversion to anything the player does. Hunt other tarnished, drop stars on the world, and most importantly BURN THE WORLD TO ASH. Torrent assists you. And you can't progress without Torrent. Torrent supposedly has some connection to Malenia, but quickly leaves her behind once he knows you exist, just because it figures correctly you can achieve the end goal better. When Malenia ditches you for taking on the flame, Torrent stays. Malenia seems to know this, or is told by him by some unheard means. This is the key thing here. Other characters no matter what they do are trying to improve the world around them, even the frenzed are driven by a vision of the world being broken and being better in a state of non existence. Torrent has no regard for anything. Torrent wants the current state to die, but doesn't care about anyone or anything within it or it's own physical, or manifested, form. It'll jump off a cliff if you direct it to. It won't die to even the flame, a bell to manifest it might get destroyed but Torrent will always exist. It only cares about wallowing in it's own existence, much like it's ancestor spirit kin. Hence the line, "is the most malevolent". Because everyone else cares about something in their own way, except Torrent. Yes I am assuming a lot about a horse that doesn't talk.

[@cai_in_the_sky2222]

@@InternetHydra I absolutely love this, thank you

[@KingsCastleHereWeCome]

so glad you used the boss music for this one, so haunting and cool

[@bioforce5]

It's sad that in both of the fights against this boss it has such low HP. I love the music and visuals of this fight, but in all of my playthroughs I've never seen almost any of these moves due to the fights being over so fast.

[@SuperErinMan]

This is stilly favourite boss in Elden Ring. Beautiful music, beautiful scenery, just such a jarring switch from most other bosses in the game

[@glorytoukraine5524]

There is this challenge runner, Bushy, who does a lot of Elden ring low damage runs. And during his runs, the spirit has 2 good heals, and then the health it regenerates is massively reduced, to the point of it being ineffective. I initially thought this was due to the spirit animals being all dead. But now that they respawn, what is your take on this mechanic?

[@TheMirksta]

Probably just to limit the healing so low damage runs like the ones you describe are actually possible. To my knowledge there isn't another From boss that endlessly uses heals that you can't prevent in any way other than dealing more damage to the boss than they heal.

[@heyfell4301]

@@TheMirksta Dark Souls 2's Lud & Zellen say whaaaat? That one I'm pretty sure is uninterruptable, they just passively regenerate HP, making that fight even more miserable.

[@Crispierbug]

@@TheMirksta I believe In ds3 the younger lothric prince can infinitely revive the older one.

[@sebastianestrada3697]

@@Crispierbug True, but I think Lorian has less and less hp with every resurrection.

[@herbertraffi]

@@TheMirksta i dont think they design stuff thinking about low damage runs, i mean look at Malenia

[@Zarzar22]

Wow. Noticed the healing thing right away but the whole bursting out and taking the moveset of the animal is so cool. Love that detail

[@adradox]

Overtaking someone's body seems to be a recurring mechanic in Elden Ring. Morgott does it two times, one when he greets you as "Margit" you can see a noble, who stands on top of the tower and Morgott appears out of his body in shine of golden light, he also does the same near the capital. Mogh appears as "omen" overtaking body of one of his followers. It's probably a feature that all members of golden lineage can perform and also the reason why those enslaved nobles wear those heavy yokes on the neck. Might be something demigods borrowed from spirits of nature.

[@Littlebigman-hx4es]

By far one of my favorite bosses. Thought it was so cool in the trailer, and the fight itself made me appreciate it even more. The Siofria river was already an amazing find but then getting to fight a boss that just had so much mystery behind it was even better.

[@firedud5022]

I could've sworn up and down, that the boss drew health from the animals around it. Could it be from the count of spirits around it, and not whether or not they die, possibly just a life leech effect? I've distinctly seen it do that recharge effect in an open area without animals around it, and the only health it gained seemed to be from the damage it dealt to me as a player.

[@ZullietheWitch]

The drain attack heals less health each time it does it (though it does have a minimum it stops at), as a way to prevent the fight from dragging on forever.

[@firedud5022]

@@ZullietheWitch That also tracks to what I was seeing then. Thanks!

[@Mackinstyle]

Man. Such detail and yet the fights were so quick and easy that you don’t notice.

[@sasselfraz]

I've literally never seen this boss do the bouncing jump attack or the rolling attack, only the antler thrust and charge

[@fireketchupII]

There are two versions of this boss. Did you fight both?

[@sasselfraz]

@@fireketchupII Yeah, this is the one in Siofra Wells right? Granted that was like, my 4th boss fight of the game so I might be forgetting...

[@fireketchupII]

@@sasselfraz If I remember correctly, the version of the boss with all the extra moves is in the upper area that opens during the Ranni quest line. The one down below is a simpler fight.

[@sasselfraz]

@@fireketchupII Ahhh that would make sense, I was pretty over leveled for that fight so I probably didn't see all it's moves ;(

[@romilrh]

The music in this fight is SO GOOD that Zullie had to use it for this video instead of her usual Zelda OST arsenal

[@jackgude3969]

Loved this guy and the music and the arena. I'm glad lots of other people in the comments enjoyed it as much as I did. I appreciate the depth of it's AI so much. Really just all around a spectacular piece of a great game.

[@mauser98kar]

I love to commend authors of any game, movie or novel for great attention to details but this is something on another level. How are we even supposed to take notice of something so small yet so significant lore-wise? Incredible!

[@nickscopre726]

I recently gained a newfound appreciation for the ancestral spirit on my NG+ run, where I actually had a much longer back and forth than my original playthrough. This video only added to that appreciation!

[@antoniolopez120]

That's so cool that you figured out the animal attack thing. I never would have guessed it.

[@McDom023k]

I really love these mechanics based videos. I imagine these are the hardest to produce however, so thank you once again Zullie for a great video

[@V3v15c3r8]

You are literally the only channel as soon as I see a video for I click on it to watch. Always in the mood to watch and gain insight. Thanks for sharing :)

[@HameltheKamel]

I honestly wish some of the other bosses (especially the final bosses) had as much detail and beauty that this ones does. It's the only one where the arena, the music, and the boss design/movement all made me say "Wow" out loud. There are a few that come close, but this one is truly special to me.

[@midsummerKNlGHT]

The other boss fights come off as confrontations befitting to earned lordship, this fight just feels like a naturally harmonic hunt. Life.

[@midvvolf]

Haldir deserves more love, he risked (and lost) his life to save countless human lives at Helm's Deep

[@logangant7732]

Ancestral spirit and Elden beast are my favorite bosses due to the presentation of them there oddly calming and beautiful

[@darkin1484]

While definitely nowhere near the hardest fight, this encounter with the Ancestral Spirit was by far the most beautiful and contrasting fight of all other bosses. For the first time you encounter something more primal that doesnt bring the theme of corruption but peace and tranquility in nature.

[@Dethshoot1]

I was genuinely jaw dropped by every detail you revealed here. Elden Ring is so incredible.

[@sunnyhooligan6464]

The video I did not know I was waiting for, but always needed.

[@janszlazak9495]

My favourite boss in the entire souls-game franchise. The music instantly hypnotised me

[@Shadowpaw67]

This boss fight lives rent free in my brain whenever I think about Elden Ring. Going into the lands of the ancestral followers already felt like you were invading a beautiful piece of the world, untouched by the horrors of the lands above the starry ceiling, and then to fight this beautiful creature that felt so- different, so unmoored from the other bosses with their infected rot or cruel ambitions, I felt genuinely sad defeating it

[@hansstronstad6539]

Wow I em ever noticed these details as I just admired the arena and the beautiful music. It really is such a beautifully unsettling creature

[@maskedmessenger1499]

Now i like my favorite Bossfight even more now that i know all the nuances to it, thank you very much.

[@eggr1ce374]

I love your videos. They really uncover the depth and beauty of these incredible games.

[@Scaluu]

The Ancestor spirit is like the exact opposite of the crucible, We can use aspects of the crucible resulting in different abilities that effect our physical form, which are from where all LIFE was BLENDED together (The Crucible), The Ancestor spirit can use the spirits of different creatures with different abilities, literally unblended death(spirits of completely different creatures) as opposed to us using abilities of the single primal blended form of life. an unintentional design I'd imagine but something I found interesting.