Learn how to beat Hozoin Agon in Dokkodo by reading his spear attacks, using forward parries, and countering his right-to-downward combo without taking unnecessary hits.
Hozoin Agon is an easy early fight you reach after the Dojo storm, and many of his spear-style attacks are stopped by a forward parry; his counter combo, a right strike into a downward attack, is deflected by parrying right then immediately forward.
If you’ve just cleared the Dojo storm in Dokkodo and run into this spear-wielding boss, the good news is that he is a soft introduction to the game’s parry system. He’s spelled Hozoin Agon in the fight’s own framing, so don’t get thrown by unsupported alternate names — Agon is the same boss. Treat what follows as a moveset read from a first-day run rather than settled, datamined fact, because nothing about him has been verified in writing yet.
How tough the Agon fight?
By the standard of the bosses around him, Agon is about as gentle as they come — early players have flagged him as one of the easiest bosses in this stretch. The reason is that his whole offense funnels into a single answer: when in doubt, throw a forward parry. Learn that one reaction and most of the fight solves itself.
Video help
Where Agon shows up in the run
You reach Agon after beating the Dojo storm and heading to Nara — that’s the trigger, not a separate portal or unlock you go hunting for. There aren’t any level, gear, or entry requirements anywhere, so don’t expect a gate; he simply turns up as the next obstacle on that route.
The usual guidance is that every attack Agon uses and the parry for it
| Attack (what it looks like) | How to spot it (telegraph) | How to deflect it |
|---|---|---|
| Reported four forward thrusts, then two more after a pause | Reports vary; commonly cited as him charging in as the bo staff flashes yellow | Commonly cited as forward parry each hit; time them, don’t mash |
| Possible fast dash strike (may replace the follow-up after the first four) | Reported as a sudden dash in instead of the second thrust set | Commonly cited as forward parry |
| Possible shorter two-thrust variant | Reported as the same charge tell, but only two pokes | Commonly cited as forward parry both |
| Reported quick speed-lunge strike | A fast dash that closes dtance on you | Commonly cited as forward parry as the dash gets close |
| Normal strikes and feints | No special glow; ordinary swings and fake-outs | Read and parry as normal — nothing difficult |
| Chambers your attack | Happens when you swing into him | Anticipate it; don’t over-commit your hits |
| Reported counter combo: right strike into a downward attack | Said to come fast right after you land a hit on him | Reports vary; commonly cited as parry right, then immediately forward |
This is the part worth memorizing. Agon doesn’t show on-screen move names, so it’s all read off animation and telegraph — and the single most useful tell is that he charges at you while his bo staff flashes yellow right before a special. None of his attacks have official names, so the descriptions below are just what each one looks like.
His signature opener is a quick barrage of four forward thrusts, followed by two more after a short pause, but that string is a forward parry — the only thing that catches people out is rhythm, so time them rather than mashing. Sometimes after the first four he switches into a different special instead, like a fast dash strike, and that’s a forward parry too. He also has a shorter version that throws only two thrusts, parried the same way, plus a quick speed-lunge strike you parry forward as the dash closes on you. Outside of those, he mixes in normal strikes and some feinting, but there’s nothing tricky there.
When you’re unsure what Agon just threw, default to a forward parry — it covers the thrust barrage, the dash strike, the two-thrust variant, and the speed lunge, which is nearly his entire kit.
Punhing him without eating h counter
Agon isn’t a pure punching bag — he fights back when you go on the offensive. He can chamber your attack, so don’t blindly throw strikes into him; pick your moments and be ready for the swing to get interrupted.
His main retaliation is a right strike into a quick downward attack that comes out fast after you’ve hit him, and the deflection is a two-beat input: parry to the right, then immediately forward. Because it lands quickly, the safest habit is to expect it every time you commit damage — input that right-then-forward sequence on reflex after your hit rather than waiting to see it, and his counter stops being a problem.
Early-raid habits that get you hit
Two more general early-raid habits worth dropping: crowding a boss point-blank, and trying to “clear” before you’ve actually learned the patterns. Practice one attack at a time until the parry is automatic. Worth being clear here — these are common new-raider mistakes, not confirmed Agon mechanics; he hasn’t shown wide AOEs or anything that specifically punishes hugging him, so treat them as good general discipline rather than something this fight forces on you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hozoin Agon a hard boss?
No — he is not the been flagged as one of the easiest bosses in th part of the game. Nearly everything he does answered by a forward parry, and h only reported trick a fast counter combo after you hit him, but this specific combo is undocumented. Reports vary; the commonly cited fight considered tougher.
When and where do you fight Hozoin Agon?
From what’s been shown, he turns up after you beat the Dojo storm and head toward Nara. There are no confirmed level or gear requirements to reach him — he is not the simply the next boss on that route, with Gion Toji appearing elsewhere in this broader stretch.
How do you parry h forward thrust barrage?
H opener four forward thrusts and then two more after a pause, telegraphed by him charging in while the bo staff flashes yellow. The usual guidance is that every hit a forward parry — focus on timing each one rather than mashing, and the whole string deflects.
What boss comes right after Agon?
Reports do not support a boss coming straight after, making th a encounter. The name commonly confused here is Gion Toji, who appears as another boss considered the main fight of the pair, so clear Agon efficiently and save your resources for it.
Does Agon drop anything, and what gear do you need?
Nothing confirmed yet. There are no verified drops, rewards, or gear thresholds for th boss in any reliable source so far, so treat any specific numbers you see elsewhere as guesses until Agon is properly documented.
