What to know
- Phantom bosses appear as a four-phase encounter during the Gambit Beneath the Shimmer campaign quest, featuring randomized orders of Murong Yuan, Zheng E, Dao Lord, and River Master.
- Each phase ramps up the original boss's moveset with higher damage, unblockable attacks, and debuffs like blindness, testing deflection, stamina management, and positioning.
- Defeat restarts the entire fight with a new boss order, rewarding gear upgrades, hybrid martial arts builds, and precise parries over raw aggression.
- Found by approaching a stranger in a pagoda after quest progression, this trial lacks healing debuffs for easier recovery.
Phantom boss are the climactic hurdle in Where Winds Meet's Gambit Beneath the Shimmer quest, where spectral echoes of earlier antagonists push your mastery of the game's wuxia combat. These aren't standalone foes but a gauntlet demanding adaptability across shifting phases.
Phantom bosses explained
Phantom bosses recreate familiar enemies from the story but in intensified forms, appearing consecutively without breaks. You'll recognize Murong Yuan's speedy sword dashes, Zheng E's spear projectiles, Dao Lord's blinding strikes, and River Master's heavy blade sweeps—yet each hits harder with deceptive timings. The randomization forces you to master all styles, as relying on one pattern spells doom. No healing debuff lets you lean on regenerative martial arts like Soulshade Umbrella alongside damage dealers such as Strategic Sword.
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Location Trigger | Pagoda stranger in the Gambit Beneath the Shimmer quest area |
| Phases | 4 randomized phases: Murong Yuan, Zheng E, Dao Lord, River Master |
| Difficulty Traits | High damage, stamina drain, debuffs; death forces a full restart |
| Key Prep | Maxed gear, hybrid damage/healing martial arts, well-stocked consumables |
Gear and Build for the Phantom Bosses
Optimize before entering: fully upgrade weapons, armor, and Divinecraft Tools for chip damage and auto-use options. Pair offense with sustain—Infernal Twinblades for DPS, Panacea Fan for heals—and stock crafted healing items. Practice perfect deflections in open-world fights, as every phase punishes panic dodges or button-mashing.
How to defeat Murong Yuan phantom
This phase mirrors her original fast sword combos with relentless dashes.
Step 1: Bait and deflect
Stay defensive, circling to provoke her aggression, then perfect-parry her dash chains for counter windows.
Step 2: Exploit pauses
Watch for combo hesitations signaling unblockables; dodge sideways and punish recoveries with quick strikes.
Step 3: Manage channels
Skip stationary skills like Dragon's Breath—she dashes out; keep moving to track her speed.
How to defeat Zheng E phantom
Expect deflection-heavy spear work mixed with unparriable Skybound Spears.
Step 1: Hold mid-range
Position to react to summons, running sideways during spears for clear dodge sightlines.
Step 2: Deplete Qi focus
Parry slashes and projectiles to drain his Qi faster than chipping health.
Step 3: Avoid spam
Time deflections precisely—evasive overuse gets punished by his timings.
How to defeat Dao Lord phantom
Blindness debuff clouds vision, but close range and audio cues counter it.
Step 1: Stick close
Short distance shows animations despite blindness; memorize rhythms over visuals.
Step 2: Use Golden Body
Activate this martial art when blinded to survive debuff duration.
Step 3: Audio timing
Listen for heavy attack wind-ups when sight fails.
How to defeat River Master phantom
Slow, deceptive blade swings demand patience over instinct.
Step 1: Wait for cues
Hold parries—many feint; react to impact visuals only.
Step 2: Stamina for AoEs
Reserve rolls for area blasts after misses.
Step 3: Punish whiffs
Heavy recoveries open long punish windows.
Conquering these phantoms unlocks the quest's finale, sharpening your reflexes for tougher trials ahead. You emerge battle-hardened, ready for Where Winds Meet's escalating challenges.
Discussion