Volbaino, once a revered guardian of Phraugh, has succumbed to the agonizing corruption inflicted by the dragonkin, transforming him into a relentless force of destruction. This formidable boss fight in “The First Berserker: Khazan” tests your mastery of combat, demanding precise timing and strategic awareness. This guide will equip you with the knowledge to navigate Volbaino’s devastating attacks, exploit his vulnerabilities, and emerge victorious from this challenging encounter.
Volbaino Boss Fight Guide
Volbaino is the fourth boss in The First Berserker: Khazan. Once the esteemed guardian of Phraugh, he was corrupted by the dragonkin, enduring relentless torture until he lost himself to violence. Now a monstrous force of destruction, Volbaino rampages through everything in his path. Found in Phraugh Village during Mission 4: First Act of Revenge (recommended level 24), defeating him rewards you with 13,648 Lacrima, 5,228 Gold, two Fallen Guardian pieces, an uncommon accessory, and Transmutation Mist.
Preparing for the Fight
If you’ve been through Phraugh, you should have picked up the Necklace of Sealed Fire. It’s inside a house in the area where you have to stop a patrolling Dragonkin Sentry from alerting their allies. If you missed it, don’t worry you can still grab it near the Central Storehouse Entrance Blade Nexus.
You should also have a few Fire Cleansing Potions by now. Make sure they’re equipped, as they’ll come in handy.
Choosing Your Armor and Weapons
Your armor choice is entirely up to you just go with whatever suits your playstyle best. Personally, I prefer the Ashen Wolf set for this fight. If you wear five pieces, you’ll gain an extra Nether charge, which can be really useful.
As for weapons, all three options work, but I recommend Dual Wield for its mobility. If you equip the Whirlwind ability, it can help you dodge certain attacks effortlessly. Regardless of your weapon choice, make sure to equip a skill that lets Brink Guards deal damage, since you’ll be relying on them a lot in this fight.
Volbaino Attacks
Double Hammer Slam
Volbaino slams his hammer twice in quick succession. If he’s low on health, he may follow up with a spinning slam that has a delayed impact. The first two hits are easy to block, but you’ll need to time your guard carefully or dodge to avoid the spinning slam.
Chisel Impact
Volbaino plants his chisel into the ground near you and then smashes it with his hammer. The best way to handle this is to block both hits to stay safe.
Hammer & Chisel Barrage
This attack starts with a wide horizontal swing, followed by alternating hammer and chisel slams. He ends it with a delayed double slam. Blocking the final hit with a well-timed guard lets you counterattack quickly.
Skyfall Slam
Volbaino runs toward a ladder, climbs to the second floor, lets out a roar, then leaps down with a massive double-weapon slam. While you can block this, dodging is safer, as it deals heavy damage.
Relentless 8-Hit Combo
He begins with a horizontal swing, then rapidly alternates between his weapons for six more slams before finishing with a powerful Burst Attack. Since the attack pattern is consistent, you can time your blocks properly and counter the final attack to deal damage.
Resonance Strike
Volbaino clashes his hammer and chisel together, creating a ringing shockwave that damages anything nearby. He does this twice during the fight, but if you dodge the first hit, he might cancel the move and instead charge at you.
Sweeping Strikes
He swings his hammer and chisel in a series of horizontal attacks. The timing can be tricky, so you’ll need practice to perfect your guards.
Inferno Chisel
Volbaino licks his chisel, drives it into the ground, and then strikes it, igniting the entire area and inflicting burn damage. The moment you see him setting up, run to the ladder and climb to the second floor to avoid the flames.
Small-Scale Ignition
A smaller version of Inferno Chisel, where he ignites a small portion of the ground. Just step out of the affected area to avoid damage.
How to Beat Volbaino
This massive, deer-like creature wields both a hammer and a chisel, using them together in unpredictable attack patterns. To survive, you’ll need to skillfully switch between guarding and dodging to counter his relentless assault.
Phase One: Mastering the Brink Guard
At the start of the fight, your best strategy is to Brink Guard most of Volbaino’s attacks. His moves follow a steady rhythm, making them relatively easy to block with good timing.
One of your best chances to deal damage comes when he performs a specific combo:
- A horizontal swing
- Two alternating vertical swings
- A jump attack
This pattern happens often, so take advantage of it whenever you see it.
If his spike is on fire, dodge its strikes to avoid taking burn damage. However, the jump attack is still safe to Brink Guard without worrying about getting burned.
Volbaino will also slam his spike into the ground and then smash it like an anvil, creating a shockwave. When you see him plant the spike, quickly dash away to avoid the shockwave. Once he’s done, he’ll be vulnerable rush in and land some strong hits.
If you’re using Dual Wield with the Whirlwind ability, you can completely avoid the shockwave by being airborne when it happens.
Another key attack to watch for is his low-to-the-ground 360-degree spin. This move is always followed by six quick vertical attacks and then a Brink Attack, where he lunges forward. To avoid this:
- Block the six vertical slams.
- Right before the Brink Attack, dodge away he’ll miss, leaving him wide open for a strong counterattack.
Volbaino has another Brink Attack where he charges at you and swings his spike in an unblockable attack. Keep your eyes on his spike, when it starts coming down, dodge immediately. The timing is tricky, but after seeing it a few times, you’ll get the hang of it.
Phase Two: Fire and Fury
Once you’ve taken down about half of his health, Volbaino will scamper up the wall and leap into the air, attempting to slam his hammer down on you. As he climbs, hit him with javelins—he’ll briefly pose on the wall, giving you an easy target. Once he jumps, dodge just before impact to avoid damage and set yourself up for a counterattack.
From this point onward, Volbaino changes how he uses his spike attack:
- After slamming it into the ground, he’ll struggle to pull it out. This gives you several seconds to attack him while he’s vulnerable.
- However, when he finally yanks it free, it will create a large pool of fire. Avoid stepping in it or you’ll take serious burn damage.
- The safest option? Throw javelins at him from a distance, or better yet, climb the ladder to the second floor to avoid the fire altogether.
If you see Volbaino lick his spike, immediately climb to the second floor he’s about to ignite the entire ground level. If you’re already on the second floor when this happens, escaping is much easier than scrambling for the ladder at the last second.
You can climb the ladder at any point when Volbaino is stunned, so if you get an early opportunity, take it—it will help later in the fight.
Another dangerous move in Phase Two is when Volbaino throws his spike into the air, then bats it toward you with his hammer. Once the spike is planted in the ground, he’ll hurl his hammer at it, creating a shockwave. To avoid this:
- Don’t stand between Volbaino and the planted spike.
- Keep a safe distance from the spike itself so you don’t get hit by the shockwave.
Final Strategy: Stay Patient and Strike When He’s Open
Even in Phase Two, Volbaino will still use many of the same attack combos from Phase One, the ones that leave him vulnerable. Stay alert, Brink Guard when possible, dodge his fire-infused attacks, and take every opening to dish out damage.
Final Tips
- Fire Resistance: Bring fire resistance elixirs or clear potions.
- Watch the Stage: Fire will linger from previous attacks, so watch your positioning.
- Parrying is Key: Most of his attacks can be parried, so focus on timing.
- Spacing: If you feel trapped, reposition yourself quickly.
- Be Patient: Don’t rush. Surviving is more important than dealing damage.
