The first major boss in Onimusha: Warlords is Osric, a massive demon encountered in the castle keep. Osric attacks with slow but powerful swipes and a charging attack. Your best strategy is to circle around him using the dodge roll, landing two to three hits after each of his combos. The Raizan lightning sword is effective here because its magic attack can interrupt his charge animation. Use a Magic Soul charged attack when he pauses to deal heavy damage.
Reynaldo appears in the underground area and uses tentacle-like arms that stretch across the room. Focus on cutting the arms first, which reduces his attack range, then close in for body hits. Watch for his grab attack, which drains your health significantly. The Enryuu fire sword works well since Reynaldo is weak to fire damage.
Velaguerus is a flying demon that swoops down with dive attacks and summons smaller enemies. Position yourself near the center of the arena and wait for him to land after a dive. Hit him with a charged upward slash, then retreat. Use ranged weapons like the matchlock to damage him while airborne. Save your magic attacks for when he lands, as they will not connect while he flies.
- Bring at least 5 Herbs and 2 Medicines for each early boss
- Upgrade your weapon to level 2 before fighting Reynaldo
- Use soul absorption to refill magic gauge between phases
Early Game Bosses: Osric, Reynaldo, and Velaguerus
The first major boss in Onimusha: Warlords is Osric, a massive demon encountered in the castle keep. Osric attacks with slow but powerful swipes and a charging attack. Your best strategy is to circle around him using the dodge roll, landing two to three hits after each of his combos. The Raizan lightning sword is effective here because its magic attack can interrupt his charge animation. Use a Magic Soul charged attack when he pauses to deal heavy damage.
Reynaldo appears in the underground area and uses tentacle-like arms that stretch across the room. Focus on cutting the arms first, which reduces his attack range, then close in for body hits. Watch for his grab attack, which drains your health significantly. The Enryuu fire sword works well since Reynaldo is weak to fire damage.
Velaguerus is a flying demon that swoops down with dive attacks and summons smaller enemies. Position yourself near the center of the arena and wait for him to land after a dive. Hit him with a charged upward slash, then retreat. Use ranged weapons like the matchlock to damage him while airborne. Save your magic attacks for when he lands, as they will not connect while he flies.
- Bring at least 5 Herbs and 2 Medicines for each early boss
- Upgrade your weapon to level 2 before fighting Reynaldo
- Use soul absorption to refill magic gauge between phases
Mid Game Bosses: Marcellus, Guildenstern, and Gerter
Marcellus is one of the toughest mid-game bosses, appearing as an armored warrior with a large sword. He has a three-hit combo, a shield bash, and a jumping slam. The key to defeating Marcellus is parrying his first strike, which stuns him briefly. Use the Shippuu wind sword to break his guard faster. In his second phase, he gains a projectile attack; dodge sideways to avoid it.
Guildenstern is a scientist demon who fights using summoned creatures and energy blasts. He teleports around the arena, making him hard to pin down. Focus on destroying his summoned minions first, as they drop soul orbs that refill your magic. When Guildenstern charges a large energy ball, rush in and use a magic attack to interrupt him. The Bishamon sword, if available, deals massive damage to his humanoid form.
Gerter is a quadruped beast that relies on speed and lunging attacks. Keep moving and use the dodge roll to avoid his charge. Hit him from the side after his lunge misses. Fire-based weapons are effective, so equip the Enryuu before the fight begins. Watch for his ground-pound attack, which creates a shockwave you must jump over.
| Boss | Weakness | Recommended Weapon |
|---|---|---|
| Marcellus | Wind | Shippuu |
| Guildenstern | Holy | Bishamon Sword |
| Gerter | Fire | Enryuu |
Late Game Bosses: Hecuba, Fortinbras First Encounter, and Dark Realm Bosses
Hecuba is a giant insectoid demon fought in the demon world. She attacks with sweeping leg strikes, acid spray, and a summoning call that brings smaller insects. Target her legs first to stagger her, then attack her head when she drops. The Raizan sword's magic attack is devastating against her. Keep at least 3 Medicines ready, as her acid spray deals heavy damage over time.
Fortinbras in his first encounter serves as a story gate. You are not expected to defeat him here; survive for approximately 3 minutes until the scene triggers. Focus on dodging his laser beam and claw swipes. Do not waste items or magic on this fight. If you deal enough damage, the cutscene triggers earlier, but survival is the primary goal.
The Dark Realm bosses are enhanced versions of previous bosses with higher health and new attack patterns. Each floor ends with a boss fight, and there are 20 floors total. Prepare by maxing out your weapon and stocking 10+ Medicines. The final Dark Realm boss is a powered-up Marcellus who gains teleport attacks and a wider combo range. Use the Bishamon Sword and save magic attacks for his vulnerable recovery windows.
- Hecuba: attack legs first, then head
- First Fortinbras: survive, do not waste resources
- Dark Realm bosses: bring maximum healing items
Final Boss: Fortinbras Final Battle Strategy
The final battle against Fortinbras is a three-phase fight that tests everything you have learned. In Phase 1, Fortinbras uses claw swipes, a tail sweep, and a ground-pound shockwave. Attack his front claws after dodging his combos. When he rears back, he is about to use the laser beam; run to his side to avoid it. Deal approximately 30% of his health to trigger Phase 2.
In Phase 2, Fortinbras summons meteors and gains a spinning attack. The meteors fall in a pattern you can read on the ground; move to safe zones between impacts. His spinning attack has a long windup, giving you time to land a full magic combo. Use the Bishamon Sword's magic attack whenever your gauge is full, as it deals the most consistent damage in this phase.
In Phase 3, Fortinbras exposes his core after taking enough damage. This is your window to unload everything. Use all remaining magic attacks and soul-charged strikes on the core. He will still attack with claw swipes, so stay mobile. If you run low on health, use Medicines rather than Herbs, as the faster animation prevents him from interrupting your healing. Defeating Fortinbras unlocks the ending and the ultimate weapon for New Game+.
| Phase | Key Attack | Counter |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Laser beam | Run to his side |
| 2 | Meteor summon | Move to safe zones |
| 3 | Core exposure | Unload all magic |