Elden Ring: How to beat Bloodhound Knight Darriwil

Struggling to beat Bloodhound Knight Darriwil in Elden Ring? Darriwil lurks inside the Forlorn Hound Evergaol in Limgrave, ready to carve to bits any intruder with his wicked Bloodhound Fang curved sword. With the ability to teleport to close distances and deliver powerful slashing combos that heavily drain an unwitting player's stamina, you're likely going to need some help to defeat this foe.

That help comes in two forms. First: this guide, which will take you through how to handily beat Bloodhound Knight Darriwil in his home turf. And second: we'll show you how to summon a powerful ally into battle with you, which should make the fight go much more smoothly.

How to beat Bloodhound Knight Darriwil

Bloodhound Knight Darriwil can be found inside the Forlorn Hound Evergaol in Elden Ring. There are plenty of these circular Evergaols spread across the map, and you can activate them from above for a chance to defeat the powerful enemy within. Bloodhound Knight Darriwil is probably the least of these Evergaol inhabitants; but that doesn't mean he can't handily beat you in a fair fight.

That's what this guide is for: to tip the scales in your favour when it comes to fighting Darriwil. Below I'll walk you through some key tips to consider when fighting inside the Forlorn Hound Evergaol; and you can also check out the video just below for footage on how I defeated Darriwil myself - with some help from a newfound friend.

Bloodhound Knight Darriwil boss fight video walkthrough:

Top tips for beating Bloodhound Knight Darriwil

Here are our top tips for succeeding in your fight against Bloodhound Knight Darriwil of the Forlorn Hound Evergaol:

1. Enlist the aid of Blaidd the Half-Wolf
2. Don't treat mid-distance as safety
3. Take advantage of Darriwil's low poise

1. Enlist the aid of Blaidd the Half-Wolf

If you've ventured into the heart of the Mistwood across the bridge from west Limgrave, you may have heard some strange howling emanating from the Mistwood Ruins. Head to the Church of Elleh and speak to the merchant Kalé about the howling, and he'll give you a new emote - "Finger Snap" - and tell you to use it in front of the Ruins.

Do so, and the source of the howling will jump down from the ruined tower and greet you. His name is Blaidd the Half-Wolf, and he just so happens to be on the hunt for Bloodhound Knight Darriwil.

After exhausting Blaidd's dialogue, head to the Forlorn Hound Evergaol and enter it. Now, on the floor next to where you spawn in the arena, there will be a summoning sign where you can bring Blaidd in to aid you. Blaidd is a powerful ally, and his presence makes this fight almost laughably easy compared to facing Darriwil alone.

2. Don't treat mid-distance as safety

When it comes to the actual fight with Darriwil, the scariest tool at his disposal is his ability to disappear and quickly reappear next to you, closing the distance between you as though it didn't exist. You should therefore be careful not to treat any small distance between you as safety. Instead, if you need to heal or do any other kind of maintenance, let Blaidd take Darriwil's attention before doing so.

3. Take advantage of Darriwil's low poise

Darriwil is a formidable opponent if allowed to attack constantly. Fortunately, he has fairly low poise, and successive heavy attacks can easily knock him into a staggered state, rendering him vulnerable. This is even easier when both you and Blaidd are hammering away at him simultaneously, so try to sync up your attacks with Blaidd's to expedite the process of staggering the Bloodhound Knight.

With these tips in hand, you should find your trial in the Forlorn Hound Evergaol to be far easier than before. At this stage of the game, you may wish to start thinking about upgrading your gear. To this end, be sure to consult our guides on the best weapons and best armour in Elden Ring.