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While the meat ofKunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddesscomes in the meticulous planning of its many Tower Defence-esque levels, many of them will have a dedicated boss battle as a follow-up stage. These are more focused than the larger levels and come with some unique mechanics of their own.
The very first of these you will come across is Gakinyudo, which is essentially an oversized version of cannon fodder Gaki you fought hordes of during the first mission. This one is a whole lot more threatening than its smaller relatives, so a little bit of prep goes a long way to ensuring your success and Yoshiro’s survival.
Recommended Soh And Villager Set-Up For Gakinyudo
Seeing as this isthe very first boss battleyou encounter, and the second mission in the game entire, there’s not much in terms of planning you’re able to do though it is essential towrap your head around the basic mechanicsof the game at this point.
Before starting, make sure to equip the Tsuba Guard,Suzaku’s Flame, that Yoshiro gave you when visiting her tent at the base.
Once you start the mission, Yoshiro will stand ahead of you with a chest.This will contain 200 Crystals, which are used to change the Roles of the Villagers. Make sure topick this up before heading any further.
At the moment, theonly Role available to you is the Woodcutter, so ensure to change all of your Villagers into this Role. The 200 Crystals from the chest will be exactly enough for this. After that, proceed through the gate behind Yoshiro.
The battle does not begin as soon as you enter the arena, butonce you pass the purple miasmasplitting the stage. Use this time to get acquainted with the arena.
How To Defeat Gakinyudo
Gakinyudo is not exceptionally challenging, though they do still pack quite a punch.They are slow and well-telegraphed, though even a single hit is liable to take almost half of your health. Keep this in mind when battling them.
Soh’s Moveset
The most essential part of battling Gakinyudo is first knowing Soh’s own moveset. We’ll break it down quickly below:
Unblockable attacks will cause asymbol to appear above the enemy’s head, so you’ll know when they’re planning an exceptionally powerful attack.
Gakinyudo’s attacks can deplete the Guard Gauge pretty quickly sododging is your best bet here, though guarding in a pinch could still save your life.
Your Villagers also get unique actions during boss battles in the’Attack' and ‘Defense’ Orders. These will call them away from their respective locations to eitherfocus all their attackson the boss with the former orclosely guard Yoshiroagainst damage with the latter. Keep this in mind to effectively manage Gakinyudo and their summons.
Gakinyudo’s Moveset
Gakinyudo is relatively simple in what they can do, performingslow but powerful swipesfor the most part, though there are some surprising attacks torn in at times. We’ve broken down their entire moveset in the tale below.
Gakinyudo will kick the ground,flinging debris aheadof themselves.
Slam And Swipe
Gakinyudo will quickly slam the ground with a hand beforeswiping in an arc to one side.
Arm Swipe
Gakinyudo will bring their arm up and swipe,dragging debris and flinging itwith the swipe.
Summoning Roar
Gakinyudo will pause, roaring and summoningmultiple smaller Gakifrom the Torii Gate.
Overhead Slam
Gakinyudo will join the hands together and slam them down in front, potentially swiping up to two times afterwards.This attack is unblockable.
And that’s it. It’s a relatively small pool of moves with long wind-ups, though they can hit pretty hard.The extra enemies they summoncan also prove a nuisance if you don’t keep them in check.
The flow of the fight is simple - When it’s just Gakinyudo, order the Villagers to attack. When they summon enemies,order the Villagers to defend Yoshirowhile you keep attacking the boss. There’s no phase changes or major changes.Don’t forget about your Tsuba Guard, Suzaku’s Flameeither, as this candrain the boss’s Resist Gauge quite quickly, leaving them open to extra attacks.
The Resist Gauge is theyellow bar underneath the boss’s health. When depleted, they are stunned for a brief while, allowing you to attack them freely.
And with that, Gakinyudo is defeated, you will have unlocked the Archer Role, and gotten a grip on the core mechanics of Kunitsu-Gami, Path of the Goddess. Congrats, and good luck with the rest of your adventure!
