During your exploration of the Western Keep, you will inevitably come across the boss of the zone: the Black Knight. This highly mobile, heavy hitting annoyance can throw players for a loop, but with proper timing, dedicated tanking and aggro swapping, and proper preparation, you can dust this rust bucket with no trouble at all. Here’s how to defeat the Black Knight in Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin.
Black Knight has two phases, like all bosses in Stranger of Paradise. The first phase will have him mounted on a horse, increasing his mobility significantly — but also increasing his recovery as well. If you’re playing Mage, keep Quake spells stockpiled, as he is weak to Earth element while mounted. Here are his Phase 1 attacks:
- Basic Attacks: Due to being mounted, his basic attacks will swipe either in front or to one of his sides, and he will occasionally leap forward to swipe at his target — you can mostly safely attack him from behind, however…
- Hind Leg Kick: If he detect a target behind him, he will occasionally use Hind Leg Kick, which guarantees a crumple and knockback. This attack cannot be parried.
- Rush: After a short wind-up, he will charge towards a target. This attack cannot be parried and must be dodged.
- Squash: After a short wind-up, he will leap towards a target causing splash damage. This attack cannot be parried and must be dodged.
- Trample: After a short wind-up, he will cause the earth to shatter in an area in front of him. This attack can be parried, and also stolen — it is super effective against him.
The core idea is to avoid the various Rush and Squash attacks and attack him when you have a moment to. You may only be able to get one or two attacks in, but make sure to parry Trample and throw it right back at him. Eventually you will stagger him and move onto Phase 2, which leaves him horseless, but no less dangerous. Here are the Black Knight’s Phase 2 attacks:
- Basic Attacks: No longer mounted, Black Knight has full range of his twin-bladed spear. He can stab, swipe, and combo with delayed overheads with impunity. Be sure to parry or dodge away if you’re getting pushed into a corner.
- Windstorm: This is a critical ability to parry and stockpile. Aside from doing high Wind damage it also sucks in nearby targets. You can Steal it with a parry — and you’re going to need it, because…
- Summon Phantoms: He summons four clones with low HP that deal the same amount of damage as the Black Knight. They are weak to wind, and what do you know — you have Windstorm stockpiled already. One Windstorm, if you’re lucky, and take out anywhere from 2 to all 4 of these annoyances.
- Scintilla: This is a ranged spear attack that comes in three waves. You can parry all three, but it is easier to dodge to the side and avoid entirely.
The main thing to keep in mind in Phase 2 is that the Phantoms have a relatively low amount of HP, and it is much easier to dispatch two or three of them before returning to the Black Knight. Windstorm does this easily, but if you have Aeroga, that can also work. Avoid his swipes and stabs, and don’t get boxed into a corner, and you’ll say good night to this Knight in short order.
