Godskin Noble - Boss Fight Guide
Given the relative easiness of the final boss of Volcano Manor, the Godskin Noble might as well be the true boss of this area. He is a powerful foe who uses a mix of quick melee attacks and black fire magic, and his surprising speed lets him cover long distances quickly. It can be hard to figure out when you can possible get an attack in, especially when he enters his even more erratic second phase.
It is kind of cheesy, but remember to make use of the many pillars in this room. They may be an inconvenience when you are moving around, but they can also be an asset in blocking his attacks and getting a moment to heal and restore your stamina. Always be aware of your surroundings and if you find yourself needing a moment to rest try and position a pillar between yourself and the Noble. Just don't stand too close, because his thrust attacks can still hit you through them!
First things first, you're going to want a 100% physical block shield, even better if it has the Barricade Shield ability. Keep your shield up and keep an eye out for a few different attacks:
- Circular swing into forward jab: This one is very obvious thanks to the exaggerated way he swings his sword in a circle for the first hit. Block the circle swing, then guard counter the jab, or roll toward him then sneak in 1-2 attacks.
- Hilt slam: this one is dangerous due to the high damage, but very punishable. He will raise the sword hilt above his head and lift his foot, before slamming the hilt into the ground. He almost always does two slams, so dodge roll into him at the moment of him impact to avoid the damage then get in an attack or counter.
- Lunge and jab: he usually does this one if you are in the mid range. He does an exaggerated stutter-step to moev forward, then does one quick jab. Block it and guard counter.
- Backhand punch: probably his simplest move, the Noble will slowly pull his arm back and twist his body, then swing at you with the back of his hand . Block this for an easy guard counter.
If he summons the ring of fire you want to roll out as quickly as possible. Do not risk getting trapped inside with him as the flames can stagger you, opening you up to more attacks. Also keep an eye out for his fireball attack. If you see him charging it up start moving forward. Dodge the fireball as it soars toward you and you might be able to get in one attack as he's waving the fire from his hand.
Around half health he will float into the air and charge himself up with a fiery explosion before entering phase two, so back off to avoid the damage. From here he will almost always open with one of his new attacks by inflating his body, which will push you away, then either roll around the room like a wheel or slowly float into the air before slamming down. The float can be easily avoided by just backing off or dodging at the moment of the impact, but the roll is a little more complicated. Your best bet is to try and weave between the pillars and hope he repeatedly bumps off of them and misses you, but you can also just follow his movements and dodge roll any time he gets close or block if you have enough stamina to hold up.
In this phase he switches up his combos a little but you can mostly keep an eye out for the same attacks. Another easily punishable attack at this point is his powerful forward thrust. He will telegraph this attack by raising his sword above his head, then pointing it forward and down. He will lunge forward powerfully, leaving himself wide open for a few seconds after.
HOWEVER, do not confuse this move with his rapid thrusts. Before the rapid thrusts he will hold is sword vertically in front of himself for a moment, then let loose a flurry of thrusts which will easily break your guard then kill you. This is probably his most dangerous attack since you only have a moment to recognize it and react, but you will want to roll away or to the side as quickly as possible.
