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Unofficial guide · Launch edition · Last checked Confirmed Reported Conflict After unlock

The Gold-Masked One: Long Pillar boss guide

The Gold-Masked One is the opponent in the Long Pillar challenge fights, which are optional and teach you the combat rules. The first one is a parry lesson with an unusual rule: your attacks do nothing until you counter him or break his Sha-Chi. Reported · Game8

Name as guides write it: The Gold-Masked One Reported · Game8. Steam's achievements do not list this boss, so the name is reported, not official.

At a glance

Gold-Masked One · sources
Where to find the fight
Weeping Creek Valley, optional. Game8 says the first fight is in a cave across the bridge at Long Pillar Overlook, standing in a body of water. PC Gamer ties these pillar fights to the Bloodline Awakening quest. The second fight is at a pillar in front of a waterfall north of the burial grounds, in the Crimson Forest (Game8).
Reported · Game8
Phases
No separate phases; the second fight adds new moves
Reported · Game8
Reward
Counterstrike Bracers for the first fight, which raise your damage by 20% for two seconds after a parry (PC Gamer, Game8). The second fight gives the Miraculous Scabbard (Game8).
Reported · Game8
Best weapon or Phantom Edge
Jagged Steel, because PC Gamer says he is vulnerable to bleed.
Reported · Game8

How the fight goes

The rule of the first fight

PC Gamer says you cannot damage him except right after a parry or perfect dodge, or while his Sha-Chi is broken. Ordinary attacks do not hurt him. The loop is to counter a red or blue attack, hit him to drain his Sha-Chi, then dump damage while it is broken.

Moves in the first fight

Game8 calls him aggressive, with long combos and rushes. Dodge a sword-flip jump on its downward slash, a slide before a kick, a thrust that follows consecutive horizontal swings (dodge when he spins), and a grab shown by a red glow in his eyes. Parry his flashier jump attacks that glow blue, including the fifth hit of his sword-wave sequence and a slash after a long backflip. A shorter backflip cannot be parried.

The second fight

Game8 says he gains two moves during which the screen turns black and white. Dodge them, because blocking drains all your Sha-Chi, and watch for Killer or Brutal Moves right after. He also has a dash after a crouch in a red glow; dodge about a second after the crouch, as soon as he moves.

How to beat Gold-Masked One

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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