So, I played Elden Ring during the latter half of the summer, and since I know Vetex got some inspiration from Elden Ring, I’m going to be guessing where the inspiration for certain bosses may have come from. I’m even going to be including some speculation about bosses that haven’t been added yet as well as minibosses. These are in no particular order. Developers, if you read this, please tell me what things I got right and wrong with these guesses.
Argos
I’m starting with Argos, since Argos’s inspiration is the most obvious. Argos seems to be primarily inspired by Godfrey/Horah Loux, as well as possibly a bit by Radahn. I believe there is primarily inspiration from Godfrey:
- Argos is an old dude who uses a lot of massive AOE attacks with a halberd (which is kinda similar to Godfrey’s battleaxe).
- Argos also loses his armor throughout the fight, similar to how Godfrey takes of his shirt and torso Armor when killing Serosh and reverting to Horah Loux.
- Argos also only uses magic subconciously (meaing he doesn’t use magic circles and only uses it as much as any warlord would) or via his devourer “Cursebane”. Similarly, Godfrey is one of the only members of the Royal family to just be a really big and strong dude who doesn’t use any sorcery, incantations, or power granted by outer gods.
Radahn’s influence on Argos probably consists of:
- Argos’s appearance. Mostly how Argos is heavily armored and how his color palette is very similar to Radahn’s.
- Argos being called “the Lion of Ravenna” is similar to how Radahn and his troops are big fans of lion imagery, even calling themselves the “Redmanes”. However, the reason Radahn and his troops do that is because of their admiration for Godfrey.
- Argos uses three different weapons, similar to how Radahn uses his greatswords, as well as his bow.
The Banished King
I suspect that Midra, Lord of the frenzied flame is at least partially where Vetex got inspiration for the Banished King as a boss concept. Both are people who would be better off dead, being puppeted by some cosmically horrifying malevolent/destructive god.
Hallbjorn
I’m guessing Hallbjorn was at least partially inspired by Radahn, as they are both were once respected leaders of their factions, but have gone mad (Radahn because of Scarlet Rot, and Hallbjorn because of the Dark Sea). Hell, Hallbjorn might end up being part giant, since Kjartan is probably also from Redwake, meaning that there could be some Vastus blood in their gene-pool.
Elius
Surprisingly, I suspect Elius was inspired by Radahn. As even though they are very different in terms of stature, personality, and coolness, there are some similarities:
- For starters, Elius’s weapons consist of a pair of curved swords, a bow and arrows, and a spear. Radahn’s weapons consist of a pair of curved swords, a bow, and spears which he uses as arrows.
- Elius’s purples lightning magic looks similar to Radahn’s gravity magic, which looks like purple electricity.
- Both of them wear gold-colored armor.
- Elius was under the orders of Argos and Radahn looks up to Godfrey (a stretch, I know)
King Caesar
I guess the Elden Ring boss with the most similarities to King Caesar (Calvus’s dad) would be Dragonlord Placidusax, since
- King Caesar is staying at the center of a tornado. Similarly Placidusax is also at the center of a tornado, in a place outside of time, just floating, praying for aid from his god.
- King Caesar is no longer the king of Ravenna due to dying. Similarly, Placidusax is no longer the Lord of the Lands Between, due to a combination of Bayle’s rebellion as well as Marika taking over the Lands Between as godqueen.
Mizeria
Mizeria might take some inspiration from the loathsome Dungeater, as both are serial killers who kill their victims in a very distinct way. Granted, Mizeria sure as hell won’t be doing the freaky shit that the Dungeater does, as Arcane Odyssey isn’t a 17+ game.
Iris
Maybe Iris was inspired by Melina:
- Both have unusually colored hair (with Iris’s being vibrant red and Melina’s being pink).
- Both have extremely potent fire powers.
- Both are allies to their respective protagonists. Iris becomes your ally after you defeat her and Melina starts helping the Tarnished once they get to a certain sight of grace in Limgrave.
- Iris was close to her father, and the reason she meets you is because Ravenna abducted him. Melina frequently talked about her mother, Marika, and the things that Marika would say.
By the way, the whole idea of some young person with anger issues who mutates their magic early was also present in Arcane Adventures with Verdies.
Calvus
I don’t really think there’s anyone in Elden Ring who I can point to and be like, “yeah, Calvus is based off of that guy”.
- In his first phase, Calvus’s aether magic is a similar shade of yellow to the incantations used by Radagon. They are also both rulers.
- Calvus does have a few similarities to Mogh. Both use forked weapons and have attacks that will instantly kill you if you don’t react properly (Calvus’s orbital laser and Mogh’s “NIHIL” attack). Both of them are fought in rectangular throne rooms with pillars. Calvus was indoctrinated into the Order of Aesir when he was young, and the formless mother indoctrinated Mogh when he was being oppressed and living in the sewers of Leyndell.
- Calvus certainly was not inspired by Messmer or Promised Consort Radahn, as Arcane Odyssey was released before Shadow of the Erdtree.
Shura
Vetex has been wanting to make an acid samurai bossfight since Arcane Adventures. One of the Nioh games might have been inspiration, as on the old and abandoned Arcane Adventures trello, one the songs Techlevel80 recommended for the acid samurai bossfight was a song from Nioh.
Leviathan
Leviathan seems like she’s going to be this game’s version of the Kraken from Arcane Adventures. I don’t know what the inspiration for the Kraken was.
Kalliste
Kalliste might be partially inspired by Rykard from Elden Ring.
- Kalliste is a high-ranking assassin. Rykard is the leader of a faction of blasphemous recusants who assassinate people.
- Kalliste uses magma magic. Rykard fused with the god-devouring serpent, which uses magma sorceries as well as constantly sitting in lava.
Evander
Evander was most likely inspired primarily by Guts from Berserk, or by some character who took inspiration from Guts (like Blaidd from Elden Ring or Slave Knight Gael from that one Dark Souls game).
- Like guts, Evander has a really big sword. Evander also has one arm which is more heavily armored than the other. I believe Guts has a prosthetic arm.
Amelia
Gravity magic’s appearance in Arcane Odyssey is very clear inspired by how it is in Elden Ring.
That’s all the possible sources of inspiration that come to mind at the moment for Arcane Odyssey’s bosses.
