Quick answer
Before launch, Konami has revealed six bosses: The Fallen, Joan of Arc, Medusa, Isaac, Carmilla and Death, "And more…"[1] Beating a boss seals it into one of Rose's tarot cards as an Arcana. You can then "use their skills to cast spells and obtain unique special actions."[2]
Three Arcana are known so far. The Cursed (a fireball) is in the demo from the start. The Fallen gives a holy cross that you throw. Joan of Arc gives Holy Light.[3][4]
All revealed bosses
| Boss | Who they are (Konami) | Where you meet them | What you get (reported) | English voice[1] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Fallen | A mysterious "monster" that terrorizes Paris[1] | The sewers; "the first threat Rose encounters"[1] | Holy cross Arcana, a magic attack; also the grappling whip[5][4][3] | Ray Chase |
| Joan of Arc | French heroine of the Hundred Years' War; Konami calls her a new boss[1][2] | A rooftop battle in PlayStation Blog's preview[4] | Holy Light Arcana; the Burnt Sword of Fierbois weapon[4] | Erica Lindbeck |
| Medusa | A monster with the body of a giant serpent, whose gaze turns people to stone[1] | Not stated yet | Not reported yet | Melique Berger |
| Isaac | "A devil forgemaster who creates and commands demons", with a 20-year history with Trevor[1] | Not stated yet | Not reported yet | Liam O'Brien |
| Carmilla | A renowned vampire[1] | Dracula's Castle[1] | Not reported yet | Dawn M. Bennett |
| Death | Dracula's right-hand man, the Grim Reaper[1] | Not stated yet | Not reported yet | Aaron LaPlante |
Konami calls Death, Medusa and Carmilla "legendary bosses" and Joan of Arc one of the "enigmatic new bosses".[2] We will add areas and Arcana for the rest after the October 15 launch.
What the three known Arcana do
- The Cursed: not from a boss. WorthPlaying says Rose's Arcana cards were "left behind by her mother". In the public demo, The Cursed lets her "shoot a deadly fireball from her hand", paid for with MP.[3] PlayStation Blog's upgrade example, the "Cursed Flame" fireball, sounds like the same card, but neither source says so outright.[4]
- Holy cross (from The Fallen): RPGFan saw Rose take "his holy cross for her own use as a magic attack."[5] WorthPlaying says it flies back "in the same boomerang fashion as it always has", and an upgrade lets you "toss two at once".[3]
- Bonus from The Fallen: beating him also gives Rose an ethereal whip for grappling. It "can't be used for attacking directly", but it launches her toward enemies and objects.[3]
- Holy Light (from Joan of Arc): PlayStation Blog could "traverse through previously solid Chaos Shards by holding down L2". The same ability "also deflected enemy attacks" with a well-timed press.[4] So at least one Arcana opens new paths, not just more damage.
How Arcana get stronger
PlayStation Blog explains the upgrade chain:[4]
- Each Arcana has up to three Works of Mercy, which are small tasks. Its example: hit an enemy five times with the Arcana's spell.
- Finishing a task unlocks a Blessing that improves the Arcana.
- A Blessing comes with a bonus Gift once you assign it. Its example: the Cursed Flame fireball becomes bigger and pushes enemies back harder.
Spells cost mana. RPGFan says you refill it by damaging enemies with standard attacks.[5] PlayStation Blog says mana also powers healing.[4]
Bosses can drop weapons too
Besides the Arcana, "occasional weapons" drop from bosses. Joan of Arc's Burnt Sword of Fierbois has a charge attack, and PlayStation Blog's writer called it "a particular favourite".[4] The game has seven weapon categories.[2]
Bosses that guard the way forward
In RPGFan's preview, a "massive magical door" needed the essence of two more bosses after The Fallen.[5] So some bosses are required to move on, not optional. Which ones they are in the full game is not confirmed yet.
Sources & References
- Castlevania: Belmont's Curse Official Website (KONAMI, US): Characters ↩ 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
- Castlevania: Belmont's Curse Official Website (KONAMI, US): Home and Game System ↩ 1, 2, 3, 4
- WorthPlaying: "Castlevania: Belmont's Curse" preview (Switch/PS5/XSX/PC) by Chris "Atom" DeAngelus (Oct 5, 2026) ↩ 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
- PlayStation Blog: "Castlevania: Belmont's Curse hands-on report" by Corey Brotherson (Jul 17, 2026) ↩ 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
- RPGFan: "TGS 2026 — Castlevania: Belmont's Curse Hands-On Preview" by Matt Wardell (Sep 19, 2026) ↩ 1, 2, 3, 4