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It comes as no surprise thatBlack Myth: Wukongplaces a heavy emphasis on combat, given all we’ve seen in the boss fights and the Soulslike features and mechanics implemented in the game. This raises the question and makes you wonder how difficult this game can be compared to the well-known titles we’ve likely played.
Worry not, as it’s not as extreme as some of the FromSoftware games, but it certainly has its own level of difficulty. So whether you’re new to this type of game or a veteran, you may never be fully prepared. However, perhaps with these combat tips, you could be! Check them out and see for yourself.
Learn About All Types Of Evading Enemy Attacks
Our first tip for mastering Black Myth: Wukong combat is tounderstand stamina and get comfortable with dodging.Since there are no block or parry mechanics, your primary way to avoid enemy attacks is by dodging or sprinting away, although sprinting isn’t always effective.
You’re likely familiar with the basic dodge, which allows you toroll in any direction to evade attacks. However, the game also featuresStances, each offering unique “dodging” capabilities.
Pillar Stance
ThePillar Stanceallows you tosupport yourself and ascend to the top of your staff. This move can be incredibly useful when facing normal-sized enemies. However, using this stance without any Focus pointsmight still leave you vulnerable to attacks, so it’s advisable to have at least one Focus point togain the height needed to evade attacks effectively.
This technique also gives you a chance totake a breather and strategize your next move, allowing you to observe enemy attack patterns. Just be aware that if the staff is attacked while you’re on it,you’ll lose stamina that you’ve already expended to maintain balance.
If you havethree Focus points and theSkylarkingskill, you canquickly reach the top of the staffanduse the Gourd to heal yourself.
This trick can be a lifesaver, and you should always keep it in your mind.
Thrust Stance
Another stance you can unlock later is theThrust Stance, and specifically theOffense in Defenseskill. This skill allows you toperform a tactical retreat mid-combo of light attacks. Mastering this techniquerequires timing, but once you do get the hang of it, you may find yourself relying less on dodging.
So instead of dodging or sprinting away from enemy attacks, you can stay close to them andtime a tactical retreat to step back when needed for healing or stamina recovery. This strategy allows you to maintain pressure on the enemy while providing you the opportunity to regain health and stamina without losing your offensive position and damage output.
While sprinting away can create distance, some bosses are swift and won’t allow you the breathing room you need.
These dodging methods are essential as you face over 80 bosses throughout the game.Each method may prove more effective against certain enemies, so it’s important to learn and adapt your strategies as needed.
Always Have A Focus Point
The Focus meteris displayed inyellow at the bottom right of the screen, and you can accumulate Focus byattacking enemies, executing perfect dodges, or charging.
Initially, you start with only one Focus point, but as you collect Sparks andunlock skills from the Staff Stances skill tree, you can unlock additional points.
Charging Focus Points requires you to perform a heavy attack immediately; otherwise,you lose them right away, unlike when you build them naturally through other actions such as attacking.
This Focus meter allows you todeliver a powerful heavy attack to the enemythat can potentially stagger them, and the more Focus Points you have,the more damage you deal.
Additionally, the different combos you may execute using various stances also consider how much Focus you have built up, soalways saving a Focus Point can help you inflict quick damage on enemies.
There is a skill calledEndeavourthat you unlock later in the game, allowing you to perform these combos without needing any Focus Points. However,their damage is significantly reduced.
Start The Fight With A Full Focus Charged Heavy Attack
Speaking of Focus Points and heavy attacks, you shouldalways aim to start your fights with a fully charged heavy attack. Charging can build up your Focus quickly, but you can’t maintain it, so you need to perform the heavy attack immediately after charging.
If an enemy attacks you, you will lose all your built-up Focus.
This can be situational, but with theForce Unboundskillunlocked—one of the first skills you should prioritize—you can sprint while charging.
This allows you to create distance, fully charge your Focus, and then easily close in to unleash this devastating attack on your enemies.
Press Dodge To Recover Quickly
Many bosses will interrupt your attacks or knock you back with some of their moves, which can take time for you to recover and get back on your feet. However,you don’t have to wait for your character to recover on their own.
The game doesn’t mention this, but if youpress the dodge buttonafter getting knocked down, you canrecover quickly and rejoin the fight.
This simple trick can help you avoid additional damage or getting stuck in an enemy’s combo, and sometimes, it’s also beneficial for creating distance so you can heal yourself.
Use Staff Spin To Deflect Projectiles
The game does inform you thatusing the Staff Spin allows you to deflect projectiles, but it specifically highlights its effectiveness against arrows. However,you might be surprised at how many other types of projectiles this move can deflect, including some of the more troublesome projectiles from certain bosses.
Sprinting away from projectile attacks is a valid strategy, but using the Staff Spin is a more offensive approach.
Investing in theMobile Spinskillin the Martial Arts tree is highly recommended. This skill lets you perform the movewhile moving forward, allowing you to deflect enemy projectiles, close the distance, and stay safe. This way, when the enemy finishes their ranged attack, you can quickly get in and deal damage.
Always Aim To Get Better Gear
Your weapon and armor willsignificantly influence your performance in combat, so you should always be on the lookout for better and higher-tier gear.
In this game, rather than finding new equipment in the open world,you will often come across crafting materials needed to create specific weapons and gear.
Whenever you acquire a new crafting material,verify to check the nearest Keeper’s Shrine and browse the Craft menuto see which new gear you can unlock.
Keep in mind that crafting materials aren’t the only requirements; you will also need one or two additional items and Will to complete the crafting process.
It’s usually easier to acquire these materials in the early to mid-game, and they are cheaper to craft. However, during the endgame, things can become a bit costlier.
Always keeping your gear up to date and crafting better armor will helpincrease your attack and defense, allowing you to perform better in combat. So don’t hesitate to aim for the best weapon you can afford nowinstead of waiting for the next higher-tier piece.
Determine What Works Best For The Situation
Higher stats do not always translate to the best approachin Black Myth: Wukong. Many pieces of gear you acquire, whether it’s your staff or armor, will haveunique abilities that can be very helpful in certain boss encounters.
For example, if you’re fighting a boss in a water area and you have a full armor set that enhances your capabilities while fighting in water(yes, there is one), even if it has slightly lower stats,you should definitely prioritize this set over one with the highest stats.
The same applies to selecting yourGourdand its components,Drink and Soak, as well as yourCurios. There are many of these items you can find in the world as you explore,each with special effects, such as providing additional Gourd charges or increasing your attack power at low health, or even granting you immunity against a specific statue effect.
Don’t hesitate to change these items periodically, as fighting 80 unique bosses, each with different attacks, will require you to adapt your approach—especially against those you find challenging. Instead of forcing yourself into a single strategy,adjust to the situation you’re in.
Use Medicines, No Really, Use Them!
There will be times when you find yourself struggling with a boss fight for one reason or another, and there isn’t much you can do about it since you can’t really farm for levels.That’s where Medicines come in to make your life easier, and trust us,they do.
Medicines areconsumable items that grant you different effects upon use, such as additional damage output, damage reduction, or resistance against certain status effects. So why are you hoarding these items if you’re struggling?
If you’re worried that you won’t be able to find more or that they are very limited, we can assure you they are not.You will have the opportunity to unlock the ability to craft these fairly early in the game, and thankfully,the ingredients required are all found in the world, highlighted with a special glint to make them easy for you to spot and collect.
At first, you will have access to craft basic Medicines that should suffice for your current progress. But don’t worry—if you explore enough,you will be able to acquire new Formulasthat unlock recipes for higher-tier Medicines, which grant even better and stronger effects.
Don’t forget to check the Store at any Keeper’s Shrine you come across, as they usually have some Medicines for you to buy and sometimes even ingredients you can purchase, so keep an eye out.
Use Everything The Game Has To Offer
No one here is going to judge you for using summons in Elden Ring because it’s part of the game. Certainly, no one will judge you for usingSpirits skills,Transformations, and the variousSpellsyou can unlock. Not only are they helpful and effective in combat, but they also keep the gameplay fresh and enjoyable.
You start the game with theImmobilizespell, but as you progress,you unlock more spellsthrough story progression and by completing NPC quests. In addition to that, early in the game, you gain the ability toabsorb Spirits, which allows you to equip one anduse its skills as an attack.
Finally, there’sTransformation, which, as the name suggests, lets you transform into a different form with its own attack patterns, strengths, weaknesses, and skills to use, although it consumes Might that gradually recovers.
While you have access to all these abilities, knowing when to use each one is just as important. For example, if an enemy is rushing at you and you’re out of stamina, you would use the Immobilize skill to stop them and create some distance to recover stamina or heal instead of a Spirit skill.
When it comes to Transformation, the scenario is a bit different;you should always start the boss fight using it. Given that Transformation has a cooldown and doesn’t cost anything, it’s only logical totake advantage of itnot just once but twice in a boss fight. Transformations also have their own health bar, effectively granting you an additional health bar for a limited time, allowing you to conserve your Gourd uses.
All of these can be utilized in combat to not only refresh your approach but also provide an advantage.
How About A Break?
This isn’t Dark Souls or Sekiro; this is Black Myth: Wukong, andit leans toward the easier side. However, that doesn’t mean there won’t be moments when you find yourself struggling with a specific boss fight. I wouldn’t say that many of these bosses are very difficult to beat, butsome can certainly be frustrating and keep you on your toes.
Remember, this is just a video game, and you shouldn’t get angry at it.
When you feel like you’re struggling, put down your controller, take a deep breath, drink some water, andcome back later. From a personal experience, I struggled a lot against the Hundred-Eyed Daoist Master—don’t worry, the name won’t spoil anything for you, but what I really needed was a break from the game; when I returned to fight it, I beat it on my first try.
The moral of this short story at the end of our article is thata break can help more than you might think.
