Just before you enter Mudfish Village inFlintlock: The Siege Of Dawn, you can take an optional side path through the Forging Ground. If you fight your way through the knights occupying the area, you’ll find a chest guarded by the game’s first miniboss, the Stone Herald.
Just making it to the Herald means you can theoretically defeat him, but his powerful attacks are unlike anything you’ll have faced up to this point. The contents of the chest are worth the effort, though - if you need help toppling the Stone Herald, read on.
Where To Find The Stone Herald
From the Lodestone just outside the entrance to Mudfish, you can see acave on the other side of the road.Go inside and take a right at the fork. There are a few knights inside;beware of the one just after the forkin particular, as he uses grenades which will still explode if he dies after lighting them.
Fight your way through the Forging Ground andclimb to the area beyond the tower.You’ll come to a swamp with another Lodestone where you can restock; the Stone Herald is just a little further down the path, at a dead-end.
How To Beat The Stone Herald
The Stone Herald usespowerful attacksthat can remove most or all of your health bar in one hit if they connect. If you attempt to fight him beforeincreasing your maximum health at the Inaya Shrinesfound throughout Three Peaks, he can easily take you out with one swing. You’ll need tododge his attacksorinterrupt them with pistol shotsto avoid taking damage.
Coming back after you’ve liberated a few hamlets also means you’ll have extra heals available.
Don’t try to get full melee combosagainst the Stone Herald; it’s easy to get stuck in an animation this way and set yourself up to be hit by his sword. Instead,get in two strikesthen back off, dodging in and out as you whittle him down. Keep your distance and wait for him to use acharge attack that drags his sword along the ground.This is easy to parry, letting you deal some damage; otherwise, counter his unblockable moves with pistol shots.
Despite the Herald’s appearance, heis not considered an armored foe unless you’re playing on Possessed Difficulty.This means that your attacks deal normal damage to him and you caninflict Burnusing the Harbinger’s Axe.
Save Enki’s Withering for when the Herald’s health is low anduse it to finish him off.That way it isn’t wasted if the fight goes badly and you have to restart. Once the Herald falls, you can loot the chest and get the Herald’s Blade, whichincreases your Reputation multiplier gainand deals additional damage the higher you can push it.
