Chang Hong, The Thunder Spear: boss guide

PowerPyx and PCGamesN name him Chang Hong, The Thunder Spear (PCGamesN calls the mounted phase The Thunder Lancer, and Fextralife's boss list spells it that way). The Chinese guide we cross-checked, from Gamersky, calls him 雷枪-长鸿. We matched the two by name, epithet, the two-phase fight, the reward and the bell, and found no official English-Chinese pairing. Game8's boss table does not list him. Reported · PowerPyx

At a glance

How the fight goes

Phase one: spear and lightning

Gamersky says he rushes you with fast spear attacks and can raise the spear to call lightning. Being hit by it for a short time fills a paralysis meter, and a full meter stops you moving for a moment. When he calls the lightning, run to the far side of the arena and wait for the effect to end. Gamersky says to look for the red and blue glints in his combos, and that the spinning spearhead charge always ends in a red-glint attack, which is your opening. PCGamesN, writing separately, says that after a swipe with his weapon he sends electricity along the ground towards you, so dodge it, and that he does a red attack when he spins and jumps into the air. It calls the weapon a sword where Gamersky says spear.

Phase two: on horseback

Gamersky says he becomes a mounted fighter with mostly mid- and long-range thrusts and ranged lightning. If he turns the horse's rear toward you, jump back at once. It also says he uses a view-blocking move similar to the one the outlaw boss uses. The mounted thrusts can be handled by tapping block or dodging. PCGamesN says the mounted phase is where he is called The Thunder Lancer and uses his weapon in a different way, and that when the horse lifts its front hooves a red attack is coming, so perfect-dodge it. We do not know whether this is the same tell as Gamersky's rear-turn warning, so we list both.

How to beat Chang Hong

• Equip an accessory that reduces lightning damage before you start (Game Informer; Gamersky says the same).
• Expect a hard fight: TheGamer ranks the Thunder Spear boss fight among the most difficult in Pangzhen, and Gamersky agrees. Arrive levelled and stocked.
• Dodge the electricity that runs along the ground after his swipe, and perfect-dodge the red attack that follows his spin-jump (PCGamesN).
• Run away when he calls lightning, and wait for it to end before re-engaging (Gamersky).
• Keep the paralysis meter in mind; Gamersky says to drink a medicine that clears abnormal status before it fills. It names 青蛇药剂, which may be the Green Serpent Brew PowerPyx lists at the Green Serpent House, but we have not matched them.
• Gamersky recommends an accessory that cuts lightning damage (避雷符). PowerPyx lists a Thunderward accessory in Pangzhen; we think they are the same item but have not confirmed it.
• Watch for the red-glint finish of the spinning spearhead charge and punish it (Gamersky).
• In phase two, perfect-dodge the red attack when the horse rears its front hooves (PCGamesN).
• In phase two, back off when he turns the horse around, and tap block against the mounted thrusts (Gamersky).
• Gamersky says you can lose on purpose in phase two, go back to the bell, equip an accessory it calls 斩骑符 to raise damage against the mounted form, and try again. We have not matched that item to an English name.

Blue marks mean parry, red marks mean dodge Reported · TheSixthAxis Reported · TheSixthAxis. The combat guide covers timing and the Sha-Chi meter.

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