Adjudicator

Overview

  
The first boss you face in the Shrine of Storms. The Adjudicator has arguably one of the easiest boss battles in the game. A powerful melee weapon can destroy him in one or two "rounds," and a ranged weapon makes this fight one of the safest in the game. 
 
While he is the one who does all the killing, the one who judges the Shrine's visitors is actually the golden bird atop the Adjudicator's head. His existence is to judge the visitors of the Shrine, either being unworthy and swallowed up, or being allowed to pass on to the Old Hero. 
 
 

How it attacks

 
If you remain on the top floor, 

• The Adjudicator will lash his tongue out at you, destroying some parts of the ruins in the progress. 
• He can grab you and pull you down with his tongue, as well.

 
If you descend to the ground floor. 

• The Adjudicator will reel back very slowly, then quickly sweep his cleaver from his left side, all the way to his right side.
• If you aren't close enough for the sweep attack, he will either perform a lunging-chop at you, or will just waddle towards you until you're in range.

 
 

How to kill it

 
 

Ranged

 

• Equip your bow/crossbow/spell and then enter the fog gate.
• He will make a short laughing/squeaking sound before each attack he makes.
• Stand still, wait for his laugh. Hear it, then sprint to the right or left, making your way to the other side of the top floor. Careful! A fall could hurt you and put you in danger.
• After you reach the other side, he should still be in his attack animation. Fire two spells or arrows at him, or one crossbow bolt.
• Wait for his next noise.
• Run to other side again.
• Repeat until dead.

*If you fall or are dragged down by the tongue, it likely won't kill you, but you've got to act fast. As long as you keep moving, you're safe. Just sprint back up the stairs (on the right side of the bottom floor, if you were looking out from the fog gate) and back to the top, only stopping when you know he's currently attacking somewhere else* 
 
 

Melee

 

• There's not much reason to keep lots or armor on here. Remove it all. You'll want to keep a combo going as long as possible.
• Enter fog gate.
• Sprint down the stairs to the right, down to bottom floor.
• Adjudicator will likely be slowly tracking your movements as you do this. When you hit the bottom floor, stand still.
• Wait for his attack notification (a laughing/squeaking sound).
• Sprint to his left. Your right. He winds his right arm up, extending it far to his left side.
• His attack will sweep from his left to his right, so you'll want to run to his left, hugging against the back of his left armpit, just behind the wound on his side.
• As soon as he swipes, sprint back to the wound and hack at it. It can be hard to hit directly, so angle your attacks more towards his back, rather than nearer the inward-side of the wound. You'll likely only get in a few hits before he's recoiled and is ready to swipe at you again.
• Repeat this process a couple more times as needed.
• When enough damage is done, he will interrupt his current animation and flinch backward, then collapsing onto his knees.
• This is your opportunity to attack the bird atop his head. Target it and begin a relentless assault on it.
• Repeat this process until dead.

What Does It Drop?

 

• Swollen Demon's Soul