General Yingzhao was tough first boss | Nine Sols

How to beat Yingzhao! Complete boss guide covering both phases, parry timings, Artifact Explosion combos, Phase 2 red attack counters, punish windows, and winning strategies. Yingzhao is a two-phase boss fight that heavily rewards defensive play. Instead of forcing damage, focus on landing precise parries and converting them into Artifact Explosions for massive punishment. ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ ⚔️ Core Strategy Your main source of damage should be: Parry ➜ Artifact Explosion A successful parry creates an opening to trigger an Artifact Explosion, which deals significant damage to Yingzhao. Consistently landing this combo will dramatically shorten the fight. ✅ Stay patient ✅ Let Yingzhao initiate attacks ✅ Prioritize parries over risky aggression ✅ Follow every successful parry with an Artifact Explosion whenever possible ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ 🔥 Phase 1 Phase 1 is all about learning Yingzhao's rhythm and looking for parry opportunities. Dash / Lunge Attacks • Wait for the attack commitment before reacting. • Time your parry at the last moment. • Counter with an Artifact Explosion for heavy damage. Combo Strings • Don't attack between hits. • Let the full combo finish before punishing. • Many of these attacks are safer to parry than dodge. Best Damage Opportunities • Successful parries • Missed lunges • Recovery animations after larger attacks The more parries you land in Phase 1, the easier the second phase becomes. ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ ⚡ Phase 2 Phase 2 introduces a dangerous red-highlighted attack that can actually become one of the biggest damage opportunities in the fight. 🔴 Red Highlighted Attack Counter When Yingzhao uses the red attack: 1️⃣ Jump 2️⃣ Parry while airborne 3️⃣ Immediately counterattack Successfully parrying this attack creates a long punish window and gives you plenty of time to deal damage before Yingzhao recovers. This is one of the most important mechanics of the entire fight and mastering it will make Phase 2 significantly easier. ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ ❌ Common Mistakes • Attacking before combo strings have finished • Dodging attacks that can be safely parried • Missing Artifact Explosion follow-ups after successful parries • Failing to punish the red-highlighted attack in Phase 2 • Getting greedy when Yingzhao is low on health ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ 🏆 Quick Summary ✅ Use Parry ➜ Artifact Explosion as your primary damage source ✅ Stay patient and let Yingzhao create openings ✅ Focus on consistency rather than aggression ✅ In Phase 2, jump and parry the red-highlighted attack for a huge damage window ✅ Repeat the cycle and the fight becomes much more manageable Good luck, and enjoy one of the most satisfying parry-focused boss fights in the game! 🎮⚔️