Parrying has become almost a necessity in modern video games, adding a layer of depth and skill to combat. Yet, when you fire up Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist and play for a couple of hours, you can't help but notice its absence. To some extent, it makes sense since Lilac, the game's protagonist, is not really a fighter. She's what's known as an Attuner, capable of harnessing the power of Homunculi to fight by her side.
Just when it seems like dodging is your only option, the game introduces the ability to parry enemy attacks with a powerful counter. Known as the Shackled Beast's Counter, this ability drops as a reward after defeating a certain boss a few hours into the main story. In this guide, we'll walk you through the steps to obtaining the Shackled Beast's Counter ability in Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mis t.
Obtaining Shackled Beast's Counter (Parry Ability) in Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist
To get your hands on the Shackled Beast's Counter ability, you'll need to defeat the Shackled Beast boss in Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist. This formidable foe serves as the main boss of the Tethered Steeple region, and defeating him is necessary to progress through the main story. It can be either the third main boss fight or the fourth, depending on where you go after defeating Yolvan, the Black-Winger Huntsman in Old City - Lower Steeple.
The closest Respite to the Shackled Beast boss is Forest Barrier - Entrance. While this boss doesn't have two distinct phases like Yolvan, he deals significantly more damage with each hit, forcing you to play a lot more defensively. His attack pattern is also quite aggressive compared to anything you faced up to this point.
How to Beat Shackled Beast in Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist
While the Shackled Beast hits like a truck, beating him isn't too difficult as his move set is relatively simple. Once you learn his attack patterns, staying behind him and dodging most of his hits becomes easier.
Shackled Beast's Main Attacks
- Chain Swing: The boss swings a massive chain in a wide AOE around him twice. Alternatively, he can launch the chain forward at the end of the swing.
- Chain Slam: Shackled Beast quickly spins his chain and slams it on the ground in front of him, creating a shockwave where the chain lands.
- Charge: Shackled Beast lowers himself and charges forward, attempting to skewer you. He is invincible while charging.
- Summon Chain: Once a quarter of the boss's HP remains, he will add the Summon Chain attack to his arsenal. Shackled Beast jumps up and slams down at the center of the arena, summoning diagonal chains from the ground that travel outward.
By the time you reach the Shackled Beast, you should have at least three Homunculi Abilities in your arsenal. If you've explored the Magicite Mine before coming to Tethered Steeples, you should also have Muninn unlocked.
For this fight, we recommend switching Nola's weapon to Vanquisher. Lito's Glacial Fist is also a good choice for the fight as it can inflict the Freeze status effect on the boss.
The strategy for the Shackled Beast fight is to try and stay behind the boss as much as possible. When he starts the Chain Swing Attack, back away quickly. Use Lito's Glacial Fist to get some damage in, and if the boss throws out the chain, dodge quickly to avoid taking damage.
The Chain Slam attack shouldn't be a concern if you stay on the boss's backside. When the Shackled Beast starts charging towards you, use Double Jump and Dash to the other side to avoid taking a hit.
The Summon Chain attack is also pretty easy to avoid. As soon as the boss jumps towards the center of the arena, run to the edge of the screen to not get caught by it. You can dash towards the boss in the end to get a few hits at that point.
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How Does the Shackled Beast's Counter Work
Like all other Homunculi Abilities, players must equip the Shackled Beast's Counter from a Respite to use it. The ability has three variations:
- Chain Whip: Press the ability button as the enemy attack lands to nullify it and counter with a spinning chain dealing damage to enemies within range.
- Charge: Press the ability button as the enemy attack lands to nullify it and counter with a lunging attack directed straight ahead.
- Benumbed Howl: Press the ability button as the enemy attack lands to nullify it and counter with a piercing howl that deals massive damage.
Benumbed Howl doesn't deal any Break Damage but has the largest AOE.
The Shackled Beast's Counter is the first parry ability that players will find in Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist. However, as you progress further into the game, you'll find Grimoires, which allow you to purchase Carapace items from the Craftory. Once you pick up a couple of Grimoire, fast travel back to the Old City Market to see the new shop inventory. These items can also nullify enemy attacks once equipped but don't deal as much counter damage as the Shackled Beast's Counter.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 85 /100 Critics Rec: 94%
- Released
- January 22, 2025
- ESRB
- T For Teen // Violence, Blood, Mild Language
- Developer(s)
- Adglobe, Live Wire
- Publisher(s)
- Binary Haze Interactive
WHERE TO PLAY
- Engine
- Unreal Engine
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Verified
- Early Access Release
- March 25, 2024
- PC Release Date
- January 22, 2025
- Xbox Series X|S Release Date
- January 22, 2025
- PS5 Release Date
- January 22, 2025
- Nintendo Switch Release Date
- January 22, 2025
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
