After navigating through Phraugh Village in the “First Act of Revenge” quest of The First Berserker: Khazan, you’ll face the formidable Volbaino. This creature, a blend of human and deer, brandishes a hammer and a spike with remarkable enthusiasm. Expect him to whirl around the arena, unleash long combos, hurl his weapons at you, and ignite the ground in his wake.
The arena itself is crucial to this battle. To survive, you’ll have to dart between the various levels of the room. Moreover, Volbaino sets his spike ablaze, so even the best-timed guards might not keep you safe. But don’t worry; we’ll guide you through everything you need to know to defeat this beast once and for all.
Preparing for the Volbaino Boss Fight
First, ensure you have the Necklace of Sealed Fire from your time in Phraugh; it’s in a house where you must stop a Dragonkin Sentry from alerting others. If you skipped it, you’ll find it near the Central Storehouse Entrance Blade Nexus. Additionally, gather a few Fire Cleansing Potions and equip them.
Regarding your armor choice, it ultimately depends on your playstyle. Personally, I recommend the Ashen Wolf set, as wearing five pieces grants you an extra Nether charge.
You can wield any of the three weapon types, but I find that using Dual Wield provides significant advantages, especially when combined with the Whirlwind ability. This will conveniently help you evade certain attacks. Regardless of your weapon, make sure to equip a skill that allows Brink Guards to inflict damage, as you’ll be relying on them frequently.
Managing the Volbaino’s Fire Buff
Volbaino will often clash his weapons, igniting the spike early in the fight. The fire buff will time out eventually, but expect him to reapply it quickly. The main risk with this buff is that it ignores your guard, and that includes your Brink Guard.
Besides the Necklace of Sealed Fire and cleansing potions you should bring into battle, you’ll want to actively dodge his spike attacks during the fire buff. Volbaino has several attack patterns where he alternates between his two weapons. While you can still block his hammer strikes, you’ll need to evade the spike attacks.
The exception comes when he begins to rapidly slam his weapons; in this case, create some distance. If you can’t escape, attempt to Brink Guard these strikes. Dodging during such a flurry is risky as the attacks come in fast. The fire resistance from your necklace should help mitigate the fire damage you might take.
If you do catch fire, the Fire Cleansing Potions will allow you to remove it instantly.
Strategies to Defeat Volbaino
During your first encounter with Volbaino, focus on using Brink Guards against nearly all of his attacks. Most of his moves follow a consistent rhythm, making them simpler to time and guard against. Your best chance to hit him occurs after he executes a horizontal swing and follows it up with two vertical slashes, alternating hands, before delivering a jump attack. He uses this pattern often, presenting a perfect opportunity to land some damage.
If the spike is on fire, you must evade its strikes to avoid fire damage. However, you can safely Brink Guard against the jumping attack.
Additionally, Volbaino will slam his spike down into the ground, followed by striking it like an anvil, which generates a shockwave. When he does this, retreat briefly and rush back in once he’s vulnerable post-shockwave.
If you’re utilizing Dual Wield and have equipped the Whirlwind ability, you can use it to bypass the shockwave by getting airborne.
When Volbaino makes a low, 360-degree spin, prepare for him to follow with six rapid vertical attacks. After the flurry, he’ll execute a Brink Attack, lunging forward. If you dodge right after those six strikes, he’ll miss his attack, leaving him open for your strongest counter.
There’s also another Brink Attack to watch out for; when he charges at you, he’ll perform an unblockable swipe with his spike. Keep an eye on that spike: as it comes down, dodge away. Timing may be tricky, but you’ll learn to anticipate it.
Volbaino’s Second Phase
Once you’ve whittled his health down to about half, Volbaino will scramble up a wall, preparing to execute a massive jump slam. While he’s climbing, you can hit him with javelins. He’ll pause while on the wall, so keep launching javelins until he leaps off. Dodge right before he lands to avoid damage and secure your chance to counterattack.
From this point onward, when Volbaino slams his spike down, he’ll start pulling it up. He’ll be open to attacks during this, but once he yanks it free, a substantial pool of fire will form. Stepping into that area results in fire damage, but you can safely throw javelins at him. Moreover, this is an excellent time to climb the ladder to reach the upper levels.
You can climb that ladder anytime Volbaino is stunned. It benefits you to do so when the opportunity arises, even if it’s early in the fight.
When Volbaino licks his spike, make haste to the second floor, as he will ignite the entire ground below. If you’ve already climbed the ladder while he was preoccupied pulling up his spike, you’ll be safe on the upper level and can easily evade the flames.
Throughout the second phase, Volbaino will continue using the same combos from earlier, leaving him exposed at times. Stay alert, utilize your Brink Guards, dodge his flaming spike attacks, and strike when it’s safe. Before long, you’ll emerge victorious.
