Jori, Elder Inquisitor acts as one of the many dual-purpose bosses thatElden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtreeadded to the base game’s formula to shake up the path of progression throughout the Land of Shadow. Not only does the boss act as thefinal boss of the Darklight Catacombsbut this encounter is also the entrance to one of the best locations the DLC has to offer.
The minor dungeon that leads into a new area trope isn’t unique to Darklight Catacombs, asElden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtreeadded several of these overworld locations that are otherwise locked off by progressing through what appears to be a side path. Rather, Jori does take a specific role of embodying a gimmick that can make getting to the locations beyond difficult and frustrating when RNG decides to completely overwhelm the player.
Darklight Catacombs Stands Between Elden Ring and Bloodborne
How Jori, Elder Inquisitor Catches Players Off Guard
There are a few aspects of the fight against Jori, Elder Inquisitor that sets the encounter apart fromother bosses in Shadow of the Erdtree. Consistent teleportation and a heavy reliance on ranged magic already push Jori well out of the comfort zone for most players who take a melee-focused build into the DLC. That said, it is Jori’s tendency to summon extra help from spirits that can quickly push the encounter to be arduous.
Considering thatElden Ring’s boss design tends to shine in one-on-one matches, having Jori, Elder Inquisitor turn the tables on the player by summoning help can quickly become an overwhelming prospect. While players can counter withShadow of the Erdtree’s plentiful Spirit Summons, the hefty RNG factor of whom the boss' newly summoned helpers will target and their limited time on the battlefield still keeps them at a consistent risk.
All of this leads to a fight that is reminiscent ofBloodborne’s Shadows of Yharnam, with comparisons between Jori’s summoned helpers and the Shadows' giant snakes at the end of the fight. Of course, that isn’t the only thing that compares this small section ofElden RingtoBloodborne.
Jori Stands Guard of Elden Ring’s Response to Bloodborne’s Byrgenwerth
What stands as the most controversial part of the design for Jori, Elder Inquisitor isn’t the hectic, overwhelming nature of the fight itself, but what that boss guards. After clearing Darklight Catacombs and defeating Jori, players are introduced toShadow of the Erdtree’s Abyssal Woods, an area that calls back to the cosmic horror ofBloodborne’s Byrgenwerth and the connecting Forbidden Woods.
This is a location filled with madness-inducing enemies, a new imagining of the terrifying Winter Lanterns, and culminates in a mansion that conceals an Outer God behind a series of illusions.
By standing in the shadow of these Abyssal Woods, any amount of annoyance caused by Jori’s RNG-heavy fight or overwhelming horde of spirits can easily carry extra weight for players, especially on a second or third playthrough. However, given how far into the DLC this boss is, players will likely haveplenty of Scadutree Fragments, which could make the boss squishy if they can keep the aggression on.
So, while it can feel like a speed bump on the way to a much more interesting area, a calm head and careful consideration of the arena can keep Jori from turning the odds too far out of the player’s favor. Then, at that point, the boss becomes an easier version of Rennala or Commander Niall, and Jori quickly becomes little more than a stepping stone toward one of Shadow of the Erdtree’s best locations.
