Vanguard

The  is an optional tutorial boss in Demon's Souls.

Description
A huge demon with grey skin covered with spikes. It has three yellow glowing eyes and a little hole that works as a nose. On its head it has two curved horns and its mouth is covered with a row of sharp giant teeth. Inside its mouth there are two fibres connecting the mandible with the jaw and a normal set of sharp teeth. On its back there are three moving spikes and a pair of wings, which can be used to lift the creature up in the air. It moves with two stocky legs and it has a large belly. It wields a giant axe which can deal high damage to the victim and can kill it with one or two swings. Using its wings, it can perform a buttstomp when the enemy is near him and its axe can't reach it.

Strategy
This proves to be a very difficult fight in the tutorial as the Vanguard can easily kill the player in one or two attacks. Avoiding the Vanguard and attacking when it is recovering from an attack is the safest method.

In 4-1, the Vanguard seems to be stuck in its position and, with a good distance, it can be killed with ranged weapons or magic without any reaction from the foe. It's better to take out the Skeleton Archers and the two Storm Beasts in the area first to avoid damage. Should the player choose to fight the Vanguard with melee weapons, the safest way to defeat it is to stay behind its back. It's also possible, yet very dangerous, to avoid or parry (with a very strong shield and defense) its axe and wait for an opening. When staying behind it, the demon will occasionally lift up in the air with its wings, falling on the ground afterwards to damage the player. This attack is very easy to avoid, however.

Lore
The Vanguards are a powerful type of demon who leads the demons in attacks and sieges. It is the only demon "leader" that isn't a boss.

Gallery
Авангард