Compared to regular enemies, bosses are meant to be significantly stronger and are designed to test a player's mettle as well as their grasp of the game's combat. As such, cryptic and challenging (yet immensely fun) games can satisfy one's thirst for a true challenge.
In Black Book, by Russian indie developer Morteshka, players will have to go up against tons of demons, though, not while wielding weapons of steel or magic spells that are akin to shooting a giant laser. Playing as a newly initiated witch in 1800s Eastern Europe named Vasilisa, players must string together words to form simple spells from cards to put down aggressive demons.
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One's ability to balance and implement a deck capable of truly fending off creatures of the night must be capable of defeating the most powerful of demons, otherwise, the residents of the small Russian town one inhabits will stand no chance against supernatural threats.
The first great challenge for the player will come at the end of the Prologue chapter, shortly after entering the Old Windmill on the north part of the map. When investigating the cause of the windmill's strange movements, Vasilisa will be met by a winged and humanoid demon named the Thirteenth Brother, who, after a short conversation, will attack the young woman in the first true boss fight of the game.
Easily the strongest demon encountered so far, his high HP and defensive capabilities mean that players cannot rush through the battle by dealing a ton of damage to the fiend in the first couple of turns. To get an idea on how to best approach the fight, take note of what the Thirteenth Brother does in combat:
- On occasion, the boss will buff their attack so that they deal x2 damage to the player
- The boss will apply some Defense once in a while, usually enough to block 1 or 2 cards worth of damage
- They will attack using regular strikes that possess no additional effects, though, they will often be buffed
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Players will need to defend against the boss's many, yet relatively weak, strikes. This means that one will want a few White cards in their deck that apply Defense, though, not too many, as an offense is needed as well. Black cards will be needed here as there are no damage-dealing White cards in this part of the game.
The Waste status effect is basically the "Poison" status effect that appears in countless other RPGs. As such, it is quite useful against enemies with a lot of HP who can raise their guard against conventional attacks.
Applying the Waste status effect through the card Skorchit will add 3 stacks of it to the boss, which can be stacked higher by playing more Skorchit cards and can pile up to devastate the boss's HP. This in combination with using defensive White cards should allow players to defeat the mighty adversary while taking little damage.
At this point in the game, players will have had a chance to come across 3 different kinds of herbs, which all have varying effects and rarity:
- Adam's Head (Common) – Heals a bit of HP
- Prikrysh-Herb (Uncommon) – Gives the player 5 Defense during the turn it is used
- Break-Herb (Rare) – Removes all of an enemy's Defense
Players can use these consumables to greatly increase their longevity, reduce how much damage they take, and potentially open the boss up for a finishing blow. Just keep in mind that only 1 herb can be used per turn, so choose wisely and be sure to keep track of how many herbs one has left.
In addition to allowing one to progress with the story, beating the Thirteenth Brother will unlock him as a minion, which players will be able to send out on errands to gain coins, Sins, and more. This friendly new fiend specializes in causing local destruction, which is classified in-game as being the "Fire" specialization (can be seen by unlocking Demonology perks in the menu's Knowledge tab).
Players will also gain a sizable amount of Exp and coins, as befitting the rewards for beating the boss of a level. As one progresses through Black Book, it is recommended to keep one's eyes out for other such recruitment opportunities, as having more minions can allow one to acquire much more resources, although, this process could also lead one down a sinful path and toward the darker ending of this game.
NEXT: Black Book: What Sins & The Sin Counter Do
