In Dark Souls, which boss appears as a giant wolf wielding a greatsword?

In Dark Souls, the giant wolf wielding a greatsword is Great Grey Wolf Sif.

Sif is the guardian of Artorias’s grave in Darkroot Garden. The boss is a large grey wolf that carries Artorias’s greatsword in its mouth and uses it in wide sweeping attacks. The encounter is optional for much of the game, but the player must eventually obtain the Covenant of Artorias ring from Sif to fight the Four Kings in the Abyss.

The battle’s presentation changes depending on whether the player has completed certain events in the Artorias of the Abyss content. In that version of the story, Sif recognizes the player before the fight, adding context to the wolf’s role as guardian.

Sif is often confused with other animal-like creatures in Dark Souls. The Moonlight Butterfly is a flying magical boss, while Kalameet is a dragon from the DLC. Sif is also not simply a normal wolf: the title Great Grey Wolf identifies a unique boss tied directly to Artorias’s legacy.