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Stage 13 Boss Fight: Doku
Doku's patterns actually aren't too hard once you get the hang of them, but what really makes fighting him difficult is that even one mistake can give Hayabusa a world of hurt. You'll need to bring patience, skill, and at least a few healing items in order to lay some ninja vengeance down upon his ethereal ass.
The primary thing to keep in mind is, like almost all bosses in Ninja Gaiden, Doku uses different attacks based on his distance from you. Here's what to look out for:
CLOSE RANGE: Doku can attack with a rapid flurry of strong sword strikes, which will eventually damage you if you try to guard all of them. When he starts this attack, block the first couple of strikes, roll or jump backwards, then start blocking or dodging back again until he stops the chain. He also has a very strong grab-and-stab skill that will hurt Hayabusa severely while repleishing Doku's own life energy. Avoid this one at all costs.
CLOSE-MID RANGE: Doku's primary attack when Hayabusa's slightly further away is to throw his blade like a boomerang. This does relatively minor damage and is easily guarded or dodged, but since he uses it quite frequently, getting hit with it often can take a heavy toll on Hayabusa's well-being. His second mid-range attack is to blow poison breath, which is significantly more damaging than a sword strike, but also the easiest of his skills to dodge. His third attack is a slow but fierce charging slash. Getting hit by this while guarding will stun Hayabusa and leave him wide open to Doku's next attack. However, if Doku misses, you have an ideal opening with which to launch a combo string at him. When you see him begin to charge for the strike, get ready to roll to his sides or back. After you dodge, use fast, damaging strikes to land 3 or 4 hits on him, then quickly get out of the way to avoid his fierce close-range attacks. (Again, jump and dash strikes work well here, as they put a bit of a distance between you and him after they hit.) Doku may also attempt a few normal sword strikes at this range to try and throw off your concentration. These can be guarded or dodged, but it's probably not a good idea to try and counter them.
MID-FAR RANGE: Doku will also frequently use the sword-throwing attack at a further distance. He will also thrust his sword into the ground, sending a purple shockwave across the field. You can dodge this by jumping diagonally towards Doku as it nears you. There is a window for you to attack him as he is recovering from using this technique, however, since he uses this at a distance, you may not have enough time to run close enough to him and slash before he's able to blcok.
The best overall strategy for combat with Doku is to circle around him, keeping at a range that will lure him into attacking with his charging slash. Running circular to him will allow you to easily dodge his thrown blades and poison breath. You may want to try attacking him if his sides or back are exposed to you, but since most of his skills recover quickly, it can be a risky proposition at times. When you do attempt to attack him, be sure to always dodge or jump backwards to put a good distance between you and him immediately afterwards. This will help you avoid his fiercely damaging close-range skills. Avoid using projectile attacks altogether - they're easy for Doku to counter and do little to no damage. Dodging and keeping a decent distance from him should be your top priorities. Keep chopping away at his health when you see an opening and using Elixirs when necessary, and Doku will be sent packing back to hell, where he belongs.
But things are far from over - there's still Doku's bosses to deal with, and Alma's still running around. A ninja's work is never done.
Doku's patterns actually aren't too hard once you get the hang of them, but what really makes fighting him difficult is that even one mistake can give Hayabusa a world of hurt. You'll need to bring patience, skill, and at least a few healing items in order to lay some ninja vengeance down upon his ethereal ass.
The primary thing to keep in mind is, like almost all bosses in Ninja Gaiden, Doku uses different attacks based on his distance from you. Here's what to look out for:
CLOSE RANGE: Doku can attack with a rapid flurry of strong sword strikes, which will eventually damage you if you try to guard all of them. When he starts this attack, block the first couple of strikes, roll or jump backwards, then start blocking or dodging back again until he stops the chain. He also has a very strong grab-and-stab skill that will hurt Hayabusa severely while repleishing Doku's own life energy. Avoid this one at all costs.
CLOSE-MID RANGE: Doku's primary attack when Hayabusa's slightly further away is to throw his blade like a boomerang. This does relatively minor damage and is easily guarded or dodged, but since he uses it quite frequently, getting hit with it often can take a heavy toll on Hayabusa's well-being. His second mid-range attack is to blow poison breath, which is significantly more damaging than a sword strike, but also the easiest of his skills to dodge. His third attack is a slow but fierce charging slash. Getting hit by this while guarding will stun Hayabusa and leave him wide open to Doku's next attack. However, if Doku misses, you have an ideal opening with which to launch a combo string at him. When you see him begin to charge for the strike, get ready to roll to his sides or back. After you dodge, use fast, damaging strikes to land 3 or 4 hits on him, then quickly get out of the way to avoid his fierce close-range attacks. (Again, jump and dash strikes work well here, as they put a bit of a distance between you and him after they hit.) Doku may also attempt a few normal sword strikes at this range to try and throw off your concentration. These can be guarded or dodged, but it's probably not a good idea to try and counter them.
MID-FAR RANGE: Doku will also frequently use the sword-throwing attack at a further distance. He will also thrust his sword into the ground, sending a purple shockwave across the field. You can dodge this by jumping diagonally towards Doku as it nears you. There is a window for you to attack him as he is recovering from using this technique, however, since he uses this at a distance, you may not have enough time to run close enough to him and slash before he's able to blcok.
The best overall strategy for combat with Doku is to circle around him, keeping at a range that will lure him into attacking with his charging slash. Running circular to him will allow you to easily dodge his thrown blades and poison breath. You may want to try attacking him if his sides or back are exposed to you, but since most of his skills recover quickly, it can be a risky proposition at times. When you do attempt to attack him, be sure to always dodge or jump backwards to put a good distance between you and him immediately afterwards. This will help you avoid his fiercely damaging close-range skills. Avoid using projectile attacks altogether - they're easy for Doku to counter and do little to no damage. Dodging and keeping a decent distance from him should be your top priorities. Keep chopping away at his health when you see an opening and using Elixirs when necessary, and Doku will be sent packing back to hell, where he belongs.
But things are far from over - there's still Doku's bosses to deal with, and Alma's still running around. A ninja's work is never done.
