How to beat the Azhdaha boss fight in Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown

Azhdaha the Darkest of Souls (the giant snake) is the third major boss you’ll face in Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown. Once you unseal the giant pit in the center of the Pit of Eternal Sands — by the Sealed Lair fast travel spot — you’ll drop straight into the fight.

Our Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown guide will help you prepare for the boss fight with health and weapon upgrades, and then walk you through the steps on how to beat Azhdaha.

How to prepare for the Azhdaha boss fight

The Azhdaha boss fight preparation is not really about beefing up your damage output so much as it is about surviving long enough to turn Azhdaha’s attacks back against her.

To that end, head to The Haven and the Mage’s Magi Emporium. Focus on picking up additional healing potions and increasing potion efficiency.

At Kaheva’s Forge, upgrades to the Blessing and Wolf-Bride amulets — both of which you should equip — will serve you well.

How to beat the Azhdaha boss fight

Azhdaha the snake is an intense fight. You’re not going to be in control for most of it and you’ll just have to react to her attacks.

Right from the beginning of the fight, Azhdaha will start with her red eye attacks — a head-slamming bite and a tail swipe. Dodge out of the way of the bite and jump over her tail. After either of these attacks, you’ll be able to safely land a few hits on her head (the only part of her you can hit).

Image: Ubisoft Montpellier/Ubisoft via Polygon

When her eyes glow green, she’ll summon a handful of pink crystalline spears. You can parry these for some athra buildup or just dodge out of the way. It’s also possible to grab them with your Dimensional Claw and throw it back at Azhdaha.

Image: Ubisoft Montpellier/Ubisoft via Polygon

When Azhdaha rears back with her nose pointed down, she’s about to launch a sweeping breath attack. There’s only one way to avoid taking damage here. Drop a Shadow of Simurgh and run away. When the breath attack passes your clone, warp back to it.

Image: Ubisoft Montpellier/Ubisoft via Polygon

The final attack to watch for in the first phase of the fight is when Azhdaha throws her head back and raises up. Six pink orbs will appear across the top of the screen with six corresponding red columns. The orbs are bombs and will ruin your day.

This is also your chance to do a ton of damage to Azhdaha. Position yourself directly under one of the orbs, jump up, and slash with your Dimensional Claw above you. That will grab the orb and prevent you from getting blown up. When you get a chance, toss the orb back at her head.

After you drain about a third of her health bar, you’ll get a quick cutscene where she acts angry, and then the fight will continue.

There are a few new attacks to watch for through the rest of the fight, but the simplest is the red eye bite attack — she adds a second bite and, eventually, might swipe her tail as well. Dodge and jump just like you did earlier.

Image: Ubisoft Montpellier/Ubisoft via Polygon

Azhdaha adds a new red eye attack where she leans to the left (her right) and her tail erupts from the ground. Her tail will pop out of the center of the floor and then will launch a series of crystalline spears at you. Head to the edge of the screen and then block and dodge them. You can also grab one with the Dimensional Claw if you want.

Image: Ubisoft Montpellier/Ubisoft via Polygon

There’s an addition to the breath attack now as well. You’ll see it coming when there’s a red bar across the bottom of the screen. Damaging crystals will briefly erupt from the ground as the breath attack passes. To get around this, you’ll have to drop your Shadow mid-air, and then dash a bit to avoid the crystals.

Image: Ubisoft Montpellier/Ubisoft via Polygon

You’ll also start seeing her yellow eye attack. This is your other chance to deal big damage. She’ll swipe her tail from the right and then lunge at you from the left. Jump over her tail, wait a beat, and then block her head.

Image: Ubisoft Montpellier/Ubisoft via Polygon

The timing is tricky (but the cutscene when you get grabbed is pretty cool to watch). If you successfully parry her, you’ll land on her back for a good bit of damage.

When her health gets to about a third left, you’ll enter the last phase. She doesn’t add any new attacks this time, but does modify some. The breath attack now starts at the halfway point and changes direction — you’ll have to use your Shadow to dodge twice. Her red eye bite attack gets a little more intense as well with extra attacks.

Image: Ubisoft Montpellier/Ubisoft via Polygon

Your job throughout the fight is to keep reacting correctly to her attacks, landing a couple hits here and there, long enough for her to launch either the blockable yellow eye attack or the falling orbs. Those are your chances to deal meaningful damage.

Azhdaha boss fight rewards

Image: Ubisoft Montpellier/Ubisoft via Polygon

You don’t kill Azhada, but instead convince her to help you. At first, you’ll just get four celestial arrows and a new quest. Once you run off to the left and activate the first constellation and then return, though, she’ll give you a new Simurgh feather — the Gravity Wings time power. Thankfully — finally — this one gives Sargon a double jump.

For more Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown guides, see our list of amulet locations and fast travel spots.