Surely you’re “scratching your head” over this Tiger Vanguard boss, right? Don’t worry, because he’s one of the most difficult Yaoguai Kings in Chapter 2 of Black Myth: Wukong. Defeating the Tiger Vanguard not only helps you unlock new areas but also brings extremely valuable rewards, especially the Keeness of Tiger key to continue.
This article isn’t just a walkthrough, but the “hard-won” experience of someone who has been “beaten” no less than 10 times by this tiger. I’ve spent over 50 hours “immersed” in Black Myth: Wukong, and I’ll share everything you need to “take him down”. Consider this a handbook to prepare you to face and defeat him!
Location and Important Warning
The Tiger Vanguard resides in the Crouching Tiger Temple, a location that’s not too difficult to find, but it’s also not easy to “infiltrate”. To reach this place, you need to start from the Temple Entrance Shrine.
From the Temple Entrance Shrine, head straight up the stairs.
When you reach the top, you’ll see a wide courtyard area, and there it is! A large blood pool – a clear sign of the Tiger Vanguard‘s territory. He’s waiting for you there.
Know your enemy, know yourself, win a hundred battles. Before confronting the Tiger Vanguard, being well-prepared is extremely critical.
Armor
Armor that increases physical defense: The Tiger Vanguard mainly deals physical damage, so pick an armor set with a high physical defense stat.
Serpentscale Set: Because the Serpentscale set has the unique effect of slowly recovering health when it’s low, and this effect is enhanced when in water. And it has the added bonus when a full set is equiped to reducing the stamina costs in the water. You can upgrade armor to improve its defense stats.
Consumables
Evil Repelling Medicament: Reduces damage taken. Extremely helpful to counter the Tiger Vanguard‘s combos.
Tiger Subduing Pellets: Increase damage dealt to the Tiger Vanguard. Use when you have a window to attack continuously.
Skills and Stances
Red Tides: If you want to play a nimble style, Red Tides is an excellent option. This skill allows you to dodge and launch powerful counterattacks.
Thrusting Stance: This stance lets you keep a safe distance from the Tiger Vanguard and unleash thrusting attacks that inflict major damage.
Guangmou’s Spirit: Since the Vanguard Tiger is weak againts poision, using the “Boy” skills of Guangmou can be useful.
Tip: Don’t forget to upgrade relevant skills and Stances before engaging the boss. Experience points are limited, invest in skills that are truly beneficial.
Know it’s gonna be “tough” but don’t “chicken out.” Keep a cool head, observe calmly, focus on dodging and counterattacking at the right moment.
Tiger Vanguard Boss Fight and Guide
The Vanguard Tiger is an extremely agile and versatile opponent. He can flexibly switch between unarmed and sword attacks, making it difficult for you to predict. To deal with him effectively, you need to understand each of his moves.
Divided into Phases
- Phase 1: Mainly uses unarmed attacks (punches, kicks, palm strikes, pounces…).
- Phase 2: Starts using the sword, attacks become faster and more dangerous. (There are no distinct phases, but as the Vanguard Tiger nears death, he’ll become more aggressive and attack more continuously.)
Phase 1 (Unarmed)
Combo Punch: The Vanguard Tiger lunges forward and throws 2-3 punches in a row. Roll to the sides or backward. After the last punch, he usually has a short pause, this is when you can attack.
Spinning Kick: The Vanguard Tiger spins and throws a sweeping kick. Time it and jump, or Cloud Step away. It’s difficult to counterattack right after this move, so focus on dodging.
Leaping Pounce: The Vanguard Tiger jumps high and slams down. Time it and roll away when he’s about to land. After he lands, there will be a short delay, take advantage of it to attack.
Palm Push: The Vanguard Tiger gathers energy and unleashes a palm strike that pushes you away. Cannot be dodged, but the damage is not significant. It’s not advisable to counterattack, as he will quickly recover and attack again.
Stone Form: The Vanguard Tiger turns to stone to block incoming attacks. Stop attacking immediately! After turning to stone for a while, he’ll Cloud Step to move around, concentrate on the blood trails to determine the locations and prepare to evade.
Phase 2 (Using Sword)
Combo Slash: The Vanguard Tiger draws his sword and slashes 2-3 times continuously. Roll continuously backward or to the sides. Very difficult to counterattack, focus on dodging.
Spinning Slash: The Vanguard Tiger spins and slashes in a wide circle. Time it and jump, or Cloud Step away. After he finishes slashing, there will be a short delay, take advantage of it to attack.
Sword Energy Projectiles: The Vanguard Tiger slashes, sending out streams of sword energy flying towards you. Roll to the sides. Difficult to counterattack, focus on dodging.
Blood Tornadoes: The Vanguard Tiger creates blood tornadoes that chase you. Run continuously and change direction to avoid them. Cannot be counterattacked, focus on dodging.
Fast Slash Attack: Before the Vanguard Tiger performs this attack, he will slightly crouch down, place his hand on his face, and draw the sword on his back. When the screen zooms out completely, dodge the attack.
Overall Strategy
After understanding the Vanguard Tiger‘s attacks, it’s time to build a strategy to “defeat” him. Here are some suggestions:
“Hit and Run” Strategy
- This is the safest and most effective strategy, especially if you are not familiar with the Vanguard Tiger‘s attacks.
- Attack quickly 1-2 times after he attacks, then immediately retreat or roll to dodge.
- Take advantage of the openings after the Vanguard Tiger performs combos or attacks with long recovery times.
- Be patient and wait for opportunities, don’t be too greedy to attack.
“Aggressive” Strategy
- For players with high skill and confidence in their dodging ability.
- Attack continuously to put pressure on the Vanguard Tiger, not giving him time to attack.
- Use skills that can interrupt the boss’s attacks (e.g., Charged Strike).
- However, be careful because this strategy is very risky; if you miss a dodge, you could pay a heavy price.
“Defensive” Strategy
- Focus on dodging and blocking.
- Wait for the Vanguard Tiger to attack, then take advantage of the openings to counterattack.
- Use the Rock Solid skill to block dangerous attacks.
- This strategy is suitable for new players or those who prefer a safe playstyle.
Flexible Combination
- No strategy is perfect for every situation. Be flexible and change your strategy depending on the situation of the fight.
- For example: You can start with the “Hit and Run” strategy, then switch to “Aggressive” when the Vanguard Tiger is low on health.
Important Note:
- Use skills and items at the right time: Don’t “hoard” support skills and items. Use them when needed to increase your chances of survival and damage output.
- Observe and learn: Every failure is a lesson. Observe the Vanguard Tiger‘s attacks carefully and find the most effective way to deal with them.
- Don’t be discouraged: The Vanguard Tiger is a tough opponent, but he’s not unbeatable. Be persistent and you will succeed!
After successfully “overcoming the challenge” and defeating the Vanguard Tiger, you will receive Rock Solid, an extremely important skill that allows you to block any attack if timed correctly. This is the “key” to dealing with many powerful enemies later on. And Keeness of Tiger, the important key to open the stone doors in Chapter 2 and continue the journey.
Defeating the Vanguard Tiger is a significant challenge, but with careful preparation, the right strategy, and a little patience, you can absolutely overcome it. Hopefully, this detailed guide has provided you with useful information and made you more confident when facing this “tough” boss.
Remember, Black Myth: Wukong is a game that requires high skill and concentration. Don’t be discouraged if you fail a few times at first. See it as an opportunity to learn and improve your skills. Good luck on your journey to conquer Black Myth: Wukong!