(Photo : FromSoftware / Screenshot taken from Steam)
There are a ton of bosses in FromSoftware's Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. These will all challenge players' abilities throughout the game.
The first boss that you will encounter in this game is the horse boss Gyoubu Oniwa, which provides a jump in difficulty to the mini-bosses that you have encountered so far. This enemy has high movement speed and a long-range thrust that deals devastating damage.
Gyoubu Oniwa will be the game's first official challenge to players to see if they have the potential to progress to the end. The first boss fight also serves as a test if players have actually learned the game's combat mechanics.
This guide helps players learn the basics of fighting the game's first boss. It also tells you what you should be doing to win. There are also tips and tricks you should keep in mind to make the battle much more manageable.
How To Find Gyoubu Oniwa
To fight the first boss in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, you first need to travel to the end of Ashina Outskirts. Start from the Ashina Castle Fortress Gate Idol and make your way through the small courtyard that has a small group of soldiers, according to CGMagOnline.
Go to the upper level of the courtyard and grapple up to the peak of a roof that overlooks a massive battlefield. You should prepare yourself before dropping down into the field and walking towards its center as the boss will greet you.
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Fighting Gyoubu Oniwa
After the fight starts, you should always be wary of the boss' spear and high mobility. You can counter both of his strengths if you use the right strategies. You need to be patient in this fight because getting too greedy will leave you vulnerable to counterattacks.
It is recommended that at the start of the fight to charge forward and interrupt the boss' speech by attacking him. While he is talking, he will not attack you, giving you time to get some free damage in.
You should always look at Gyoubu Oniwa and his horse as one entity as you can attack the horse and it will still count as damage to the boss. It is recommended to block the boss' attacks because deflects are not as useful, Eurogamer said.
Avoid going behind Gyoubu Oniwa's horse because this is arguably the most dangerous area to be in other than the front. The horse will try to kick you if you stay behind it, which deals a lot of damage.
It is safer to stay to the left of the boss instead of the right because his right hand is holding his spear. Keep poking the boss and blocking and dodging his attacks until you take him down completely.
Other Tip
One of the best things you can do to prepare for this particular boss fight is to get Robert's Firecracker Prosthetic Tool. This is done by going to the top of a mountain in Ashina Outskirts to meet a merchant.
You should buy Robert's Firecracker for 500 Sen and take it back to the Sculptor at the Dilapidated Temple. This adds the Shinobi Firecracker to your list of Prosthetic Tools that can stun Gyoubu Oniwa, according to Polygon.
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