Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty throws new players into the deep end from the very start. While many can’t help but jokingly agree that starting boss Zhang Liang may secretly be the toughest enemy, the reality is you’ll still need to adapt to completely new combat options if you want to continue your path to victory.
Enter the massive ape, Zhuyan. He’s slaughtered countless soldiers with no sign of slowing down. He’s not so easily winded as Zhang Liang, so even with your better arsenal and ally, going in without the right strategy is little more than an instant sacrifice on your part.
Deflecting
If this lesson wasn’t drilled into your head after Zhang Liang, be sure to learn it by the time you tackle Zhuyan. Every attack from an enemy can, and probably should be, Deflected. Holding a Block and using it to Parry has its advantages in many situations, and Dodge is little more than jumping in most. Deflect is how you force an opening and remove the change of damage on your end. Zhuyan’s attacks can all be Deflected, although not every Deflection in this fight will be equal in terms of the opening you may get in return. Study them all, you will need perfect timing and often more than one Deflect.
Zhuyan’s Multiple Swings
One of Zhuyan’s most frequent attacks is swinging his lanky arms around, one at a time. A Deflect will always save you from damage, but this will not stagger him. This is bad news if he swings more than once because if you go for an attack instead of another Deflect, Zhuyan will manage to strike you. The only way to tell if he is preparing another swing is to pay attention to his body language. If he spaces out after a Deflect, he is not going to swing his other arm. If he starts to prepare a swing, he is going to swing. This attack ranges anywhere from one to three times. The third swing is a vertical slam, which also means a slight change in the tempo for when you need to Deflect. If there is a bit of distance between you and Zhuyan, he may throw a rock during a swing, and a Deflect will still protect you from damage.
Zhuyan can also summon red thorn bushes after taking enough damage. These are simple to avoid as they are just stage hazards, so treat them as such.
Take Advantage Of Zhuyan’s Heavy Attacks
Your best chance for a counter-attack is to Deflect one of Zhuyan’s heavy attacks. Zhuyan will either glow red and then charge you or glow red and jump into the air for a full body slam, and a perfect Deflect will trigger a mini cutscene where you end up temporarily stunning him. Zhuyan will lay on the ground only long enough for a few swings of your normal attack or one heavy attack. Heavy attacks are preferred for players using heavier weapons like a hammer or mace, as the damage may be enough to trigger a Fatal Strike. Fatal Strikes do not damage Zhuyan as much as they did to Zhang Liang, but it’s still a sizable amount and worth attempting.
Ranged Weapons
Unlike with the Blindfolded Boy, you’ll find Zhao Yun can back up his claims to help you. When Zhao Yun says he’ll take care of the fight, believe him, as he’ll manage to completely distract Zhuyan for a while and can survive the onslaught no matter how much damage he takes. This is one of your best chances to heal, but it’s also your best opening to play around with the ranged attacks you’ve been earning ever since the end of the tutorial stages.
The bow and arrow will be quick and easy to aim in a short amount of time. It’s not the most powerful of your ranged attacks, but in a pinch, you’ll find slinging several arrows at the beast will work well for the limited time you’ll have. Throwing knives do decent damage, but if you are lucky enough to have gotten your hands on a poisoned throwing knife, the damage from the strike alone, plus the brief poison damage, make them one of the best choices.
Your Soulslike bonfire equivalent for Wo Long has a marketplace to purchase extra arrows, throwing knives, poisoned throwing knives, and even a few fire bombs if you’re the type to love explosives. If you use any of these items against Zhuyan and then die, you do not get them back, so always check your resources in the menu. Don’t worry too much about affording these supplies, as enemies drop a good deal of loot you’ll have no qualms about selling.
While in this selection of menus, you may want to see what magic you can learn and set. There are a few poisoning spells you can learn early, in case you’d rather not spend money on the fairly expensive poisoned throwing knives. Spells will all fit different play styles, so don’t be afraid to learn what works well for you. That said, Zhuyan does seem to take decent damage from the early lightning strike spell.
One last thing, as it’s related, you can heal Zhang Yun without any item usage whenever he’s lost all health. The only risk is that this may give Zhuyan the opening to attack or kill you. Zhang won’t die, but considering how much of a shield he will be to you, it’s only fair to treat him kindly.
Rewards For Winning
Slaying the ape will forge a bond with Zhang Yun, and you’ll finally be able to Summon Divine Beasts. You got a taste of this power when you beat Zhang Liang, so be sure to test this out now that it’s a permanent power-up.
