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What to Do After Conquering Slave Knight Gael: A Dark Souls 3 Endgame Guide

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So, you’ve finally done it. You’ve stood toe-to-toe with Slave Knight Gael, weathered his frenzied attacks, and emerged victorious. Congratulations, Ashen One! You’ve overcome arguably the most challenging boss in the entire Dark Souls series. But what comes next? What do you do after this monumental feat? The answer is multifaceted, depending on your goals and how much of the Ringed City DLC (and Dark Souls 3 as a whole) you’ve explored.

Immediately after defeating Gael, you’ll want to:

Rest at the Filianore’s Rest bonfire. This bonfire is crucial as it’s the point of no return for the Ringed City DLC.
Spend your souls. Gael likely awarded you a substantial number of souls, so teleport back to Firelink Shrine and level up, reinforce your weapons, or purchase any items you’ve been eyeing.
Return to Filianore’s Rest. Here’s where the paths diverge. Depending on your previous actions, you have a few key options:
- The Painter Girl. Assuming you haven’t yet, deliver the Blood of the Dark Soul to the Painter Girl in Ariandel Chapel. This allows her to paint a new world. This step is essential for completing her questline and acquiring unique dialogue. This is also important from a lore perspective.
- Midir, the Darkeater. If you haven’t faced Midir yet, you can now either engage him directly or continue with Shira’s questline, which leads to a confrontation with Midir.
- Shira, Knight of Filianore. This is triggered if you haven’t defeated Midir before Gael. Trek across the wasteland parallel to where you came in. You’ll enter a crumbled chapel and face Shira, a human enemy. Defeat her and you can get the Filianore’s Spear Ornament.
Consider New Game Plus (NG+). With Gael defeated, you’ve effectively reached the end of the Ringed City DLC. If you’re itching for a fresh challenge, starting NG+ allows you to replay the game with your current character, retaining your levels, equipment, and most items. Be warned, though: enemies in NG+ are significantly stronger.
Complete Other Unfinished Business. Before jumping into NG+, take the time to explore any areas you might have missed.
Prepare for the Next Game. If you’re done with Dark Souls 3 for a while, now is a good time to look into other similar games.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Post-Gael Activities

What should I do with the Blood of the Dark Soul?

The Blood of the Dark Soul is a key item obtained after defeating Gael. Your primary purpose is to deliver it to the Painter Girl in Ariandel Chapel. This allows her to paint a new world, continuing her questline and expanding the lore.

Do I have to fight Midir after Gael?

No, fighting Midir is entirely optional. You can tackle him at any point after accessing the Ringed City, even before facing Gael. However, defeating Midir grants valuable rewards and is a significant challenge in its own right.

Can I fight Midir after Gael or am I locked out?

As long as you haven’t started a New Game (NG+), you can fight Midir after defeating Gael. Midir’s arena remains accessible, and you can challenge him whenever you’re ready.

Is Gael the final boss of Dark Souls 3?

While Slave Knight Gael is the final boss of the Ringed City DLC, he is widely considered the de facto final boss of the entire Dark Souls series due to the epic nature of the fight and his connection to the Dark Soul. However, the actual final boss of the main game is the Soul of Cinder.

Is it possible to summon Shira for Midir after Gael?

No, Shira’s summon sign for the Midir fight is only available if you haven’t progressed her questline to the point where you confront her. Once you kill Halflight, Spear of the Church, and then Gael, you can no longer summon her.

Can I still get the reward for killing Midir if I didn’t do Shira’s questline?

Yes, even if you don’t complete Shira’s questline, you can still obtain the Frenzied Flame Seal and the Shira’s Set by killing Midir. Shira will give the Filianore’s Spear Ornament if you followed the questline correctly.

What happens if I kill Shira?

If you kill Shira, she drops the Filianore’s Spear Ornament. This ends her questline prematurely, but you can still obtain her armor set in New Game Plus.

Is Gael harder than Midir?

This is subjective and depends on individual playstyles. Some players find Gael’s unpredictable attack patterns and multiple phases more challenging, while others struggle with Midir’s large health pool and precise attack windows. Generally, Gael is often considered the harder boss due to his unrelenting aggression.

Is Gael stronger than Nameless King?

Both Gael and the Nameless King are considered top-tier bosses. Gael’s power stems from consuming the Dark Soul, making him incredibly powerful. While both are incredibly challenging, Gael is generally seen as slightly stronger due to his unique lore implications and sheer aggression in combat.

Did Gael turn hollow?

During the second phase of the Gael fight, he spits out blood and appears to realize he contains the Blood of the Dark Soul. Some interpret this as a moment of clarity before he fully succumbs to the Hollowing effect.

Why did Gael turn hollow?

Gael consumed the Dark Soul to bring it to the Painter Girl to paint a new world. This act transformed him, turning him into the frenzied and powerful boss we face.

What are some good builds to fight Gael with?

Effective builds for fighting Gael generally focus on high damage output and mobility. Some popular choices include:

Quality Builds: Balancing Strength and Dexterity allows you to use a wide variety of weapons.
Strength Builds: Heavy weapons like the Fume Ultra Greatsword can stagger Gael, creating openings for attacks.
Dexterity Builds: Fast weapons like the Sellsword Twinblades, buffed with resins, can deal significant damage quickly.
Pyro Builds: The Chaos Bed Vestiges can deal good damage and stagger him at times.

Is Gael a DLC boss in Dark Souls 3?

Yes, Slave Knight Gael is the final boss of the Ringed City DLC for Dark Souls 3.

Can you summon anyone for Gael?

Yes, you can summon players. However, there are no NPC summons available for the Gael boss fight.

What is the lore significance of Gael?

Slave Knight Gael is a pivotal figure in the Dark Souls lore. His quest to find the Dark Soul and deliver it to the Painter Girl ties directly into the overarching themes of the series: cycles of fire and dark, the fading of the flame, and the creation of new worlds. His sacrifice and transformation make him one of the most tragic and compelling characters in the Dark Souls universe. The exploration of game design and narrative within games, as studied by groups like the Games Learning Society at https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/, gives us a deeper understanding into how these poignant elements are created and implemented.

By understanding these facets, you can fully appreciate the weight of your victory and the importance of your next steps in the world of Dark Souls 3. Good luck, Ashen One!