Watchdog of the Old Lords

Watchdog of the Old Lords

Affiliation	Beasts
Locations	Pre-set chalice dungeons: Boss: Pthumerian Labyrinth, Cursed Pthumerian Defilement Root chalice dungeons: Boss: Pthumerian Dungeons Hintertomb Dungeons Loran dungeons Roaming: Pthumeru Ihyll
Drops	Central Pthumeru Chalice, Cursed Sharp Damp Blood Gem
Health
NG	NG+
Pthumeru Chalice (Layer 2): 3528 Defiled Chalice (Layer 2): 23963	N/A
Blood Echoes
NG	NG+
Pthumeru Chalice (Layer 2): 1696 Defiled Chalice (Layer 2): 67763	N/A
Defenses

110	132

110	160

9939	110

160	999

999

The Watchdog of the Old Lords is a Chalice Dungeon boss in Bloodborne.

Description[]

The Watchdog of the Old Lords is an enormous fire-elemental Beast. The beast has flesh so deeply seared by its own flames that large portions of meat and skin are missing, exposing its bones.

It attacks the player with physical attacks such as body slams and head bashes, as well as a bark attack that emits a burst of flames.

It is a "True" Beast, therefore it will take damage from Serration. However, due to its innate elemental properties, the watchdog is not weak to fire.

Location[]

Pthumeru Chalice, 3rd Layer.
Cursed and Defiled Chalice, 2nd Layer.
Found in root chalice dungeons as a roaming boss on occasion.

Strategy[]

The watchdog has a variety of attacks that vary primarily on how depleted it's health bar is. Recommended weapons are weapons with serration.

While above 60% the watchdog uses a charge attack while the player is distant and it can lead to a one hit kill in the Cursed Pthumerian Defilement or a loss of a large chunk of the players health in the Pthumerian Labyrinth if not dodged at the right moment which would be a second after it begins the charge cued by it flaming up. Close range attacks are the 5 bark attack, which is a series of 5 consecutive barks with fire bursts that knock down and deal decent damage, the stomp attack, in case the player spends too much time to close it does a series of stomps that knock down and deal damage, the stomps going front right, left, then back right then left, and a swipe attack that sends a wave of fire towards the player lasting 3 swipes. For close quarters it also has a 2 bite attack if the player is in front of it's head that have a high bite and a low bite variant, low bite is recommended to dodge into in while the low bite away from the head backwards. It may as well stop and spew lava in front of it's self for which a dodge behind it is recommended to deal damage while it spews but dodge before it turns around.

When it's health goes below 60% it gains a fire burst attack which is a wave of fire that explodes from it and can be dodged through. Its 2 bite becomes a 4 bite attack that can be dodged through and it ends with the fourth bite being a drill bite that requires dodging to the side or a double back dodge. At this stage all its attacks have fire bursts with them, as visible in the stomp attacks and charge attack.

A way to deal with the watchdog is either by staying close to its head at all times and dodge bite and bark attacks while staying wary of stomps and charge attack all while dealing damage to the head till the armor breaks giving a chance to deal massive damage with a charged attack combo before it recuperates, after the armor break on the head, it will gain a burning effect and will take increased damage to the head.

The easier method to deal with the watchdog is to keep to its hind legs dealing damage constantly to them, dodging to them during bite combos and lava spews, often charging attacks on them till armor breaks on one then focusing on that leg or dealing damage to both legs till armor breaks on both and damage intake increases, especially when it collapses at each leg's armor break giving an opportunity to take a large chunk of it's health.

Notes[]

It has no particular weakness in terms of damage, just Serration.
The watchdog can rarely appear as a roaming boss.

Trivia[]

The watchdog greatly resembles the "Beast of Darkness" from Berserk. Its design may have also inspired "Sulyvahn's Beast" from Dark Souls 3.
It shares the same theme as the Bloodletting Beast.