Black Myth: Wukong boasts more than 80 bosses to face, some more difficult than others. The Tiger Vanguard falls in the former category here. Facing him is frustrating, an endless stream of attacks to dodge, with the addition of watching your health bar and mana.
If you’re tired of all that, you’re not alone. But to make things easier, we’ve prepared this guide to walk you through the Tiger Vanguard’s attack patterns and give a strategic approach to counter and defeat this boss efficiently.
Preparation is Key
Typically, you should reach level 30 before venturing off to fight the Tiger Vanguard to make things easier.
- Investing your Sparks in stamina is critical since you’ll spend most of the fight trying to dodge this boss’s attacks.
- The Tiger Vanguard is equipped with lethal combos (allowing him to deplete a significant portion of your health with a single blow), so boosting your health is also vital. To do so, equip a strong armor set. The Gain Gourd is effective here because of its defensive bonuses and the ability to reduce spell cooldowns with perfect dodges.
Alongside skills and armor sets to boost your defense, you must also have an enhanced offensive strategy. Here’s everything we suggest investing in:
- Smash Stance (Resolute Counterflow): You can use focus points for stronger attacks.
- Simian Agility: Acquired from the Foundation tree, Simian increases your character’s evasion and stamina.
- Immobilize Spell: Having the Immobilize Spell is helpful for the ‘critical’ moments, as it can freeze the Tiger Vanguard, allowing you to deal heavy damage when he’s vulnerable.
Tiger Vanguard’s Attack Patterns
Tiger Vanguard is quick and can also invade you from multiple directions. One must be reactive and vigilant at all times. On top of that, players must spend time studying their opponent’s offensive strategy. Below, you’ll find the Tiger Vanguard’s attack patterns:
- In the initial stages of the fight, the boss typically jumps into the air to come crashing down with a powerful physical hit. To avoid this, dodge to the side and counter with light combos.
Do not rush into a heavy attack. The Tiger Vanguard often follows up with a two-hit combo and can potentially damage you more.
- After his initial attack, the boss will often cartwheel away to create some distance. Don’t chase him immediately. Instead, wait for him to charge you back.
- His next leap attack is slightly slower than the first. Hence, players must dodge it precisely to avoid it and follow up with a counter. Upon doing so, hit him with light combos to build focus points. These will later help land heavy attacks in the remaining stages of the fight.
Distance Management
While staying close to the Tiger Vanguard (to deal consistent damage) is helpful, you need to be mindful of the distance for survival.
- As mentioned before, this boss is quick. Remaining close to him for too long allows him to deal deadly blows, especially with his sword-containing combos and ranged attacks.
- He can also create blood tornadoes that follow you around the arena. Therefore, you're better off keeping them in the middle of the field because they can be challenging to avoid, particularly when cornered.
- Another concern while facing this enemy is his sword attacks. The indicator here is when he pulls the sword out. Upon doing so, he’ll often initiate the offense with quick slashes, followed by a delayed (yet powerful) strike. Avoiding this is crucial, so you must be precise with your timing. If you’ve managed to counter the attack, put in some quick hits and immediately revert to maintaining a distance.
Special Moves to Watch For
As the fight goes on, Tiger Vanguard will mix up his attacks.
One of his toughest moves is when he turns into stone, making him immune to damage. Avoid attacking during this phase, as you’ll likely get staggered. Wait for him to return to his original state to follow up with heavy attacks.
He can also teleport, whereby he’ll disappear—and reappear to land a powerful punch. Be ready to dodge this offense when he reappears to avoid getting hit.
Lastly, watch out for his blood tornadoes. They can track your movement. To counter, dodge forward, particularly before they hit.
Using Spells and Combos
The Immobilize Spell can heavily influence your fight with the Tiger Vanguard. When used correctly, it can stop him in his tracks. Furthermore, it allows you to unload your most powerful attacks without fear of retaliation.
Another useful ability is Red Tides, allowing you to transform your character into a more aggressive form (or into defeated enemies whose spirit you’ve collected). This can significantly influence the battle, enabling you to deal massive damage while gaining an additional health bar.
To use Red Tides effectively, activate it after dodging one of his heavier attacks—for instance, the Sword Slash or the Ground Smash.
Final Phase and Victory
As Tiger Vanguard’s health reaches below a certain level, he’ll start to use more complex attacks. Here, you must stay patient. Stick to the previous strategy and be precise with your dodges to win the battle.
Upon victory, you’ll gain access to the following:
- Tiger Tally: boosts your attack power after light attack combos.
- Stone Spirit
- Yaoguai Core
If you’ve also beaten the Stone Vanguard, you’ll unlock the path to the Yellow Wind Sage, the final boss of Chapter 2.
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