Here is a comprehensive, step-by-step guide on how to get to and defeat the Stone Vanguard in the game Black Myth: Wukong.
How to Conquer the Stone Vanguard: A Step-by-Step Guide
Hey there, fellow traveler! So, you've heard whispers of the formidable Stone Vanguard, a boss that stands as a rocky roadblock in your journey. Don't worry, you're in the right place. We're about to break down exactly how to get to this stony behemoth and, more importantly, how to bring it down. So, ready to face a Yaoguai King? Let's get to it!
QuickTip: Pause at lists — they often summarize.
 |
| How To Get To Stone Vanguard |
Step 1: Finding Your Way Through the Yellow Wind Ridge
Before you can even think about fighting the Stone Vanguard, you need to know where to find it. This massive boss is a key part of Chapter 2 in Black Myth: Wukong, and defeating it is essential to progressing through the main story.
Follow the main path: If you've been following the questline in Chapter 2, you've likely just defeated the King of the Flowing Sand and the Second Rat Prince in the Sandgate Village. This is your starting point.
Don't go to the Valley of Despair! A lot of players make this mistake. After the Rat Prince fight, you'll see a large gate that requires two key items to open. One of these is the "Sternness of Stone" dropped by the Stone Vanguard, and the other is the "Keenness of Tiger." To get to the Stone Vanguard, you need to take a right after defeating the Rat Prince and cross the rope bridge. This leads you into the Fright Cliff region.
Step 2: Navigating the Fright Cliff
Tip: Don’t just scroll — pause and absorb.
The Fright Cliff is a treacherous area, but with a little guidance, you can make your way to the boss arena without too much trouble.
Stick to the path: After crossing the rope bridge, you'll be on a trail that winds through the Fright Cliff. Follow this path, and you'll eventually come across a Shrine. This is the Rockrest Flat Keeper's Shrine, and it's a vital checkpoint.
Look for the archway: From the Shrine, take the path to the left. You'll soon see a distinctive archway carved into the rock wall. This archway is your gateway to the Stone Vanguard's arena.
The boss appears: As you enter this large, open area, you'll notice a pile of floating stones. As you approach them, a cutscene will trigger, and the Stone Vanguard will reveal itself! Be prepared, as the fight begins immediately.
Step 3: Preparing for the Battle
You've found the boss, now what? Before you rush in, a little preparation can be the difference between victory and defeat.
Tip: Look out for transitions like ‘however’ or ‘but’.
Upgrade your gear: Make sure you've crafted and upgraded the best gear available to you. The Ebongold armor set and the Twin Serpent Staff are great choices at this stage of the game and will give you a solid advantage.
Stock up on Will and items: Will is the in-game currency you need for upgrades. If you're running low, sell any extra gold you've been collecting from fallen enemies. You'll also want to make sure you have enough mana to use your spells and abilities.
Consider a unique strategy: Did you know you can make another boss fight the Stone Vanguard for you? This is a fantastic and highly recommended option if you're struggling. It involves a bit of a detour, but it's well worth it. You need to find six Buddha Eyeballs scattered throughout the Fright Cliff. Once you have them, you can interact with a large stone to the left of the boss arena entrance to summon the Shigandang boss. This powerful entity will immediately engage the Stone Vanguard in a spectacular battle, often defeating it for you and leaving you to face a weakened opponent (or simply collecting the loot if Shigandang wins outright).
Step 4: The Stone Vanguard Boss Fight
The Stone Vanguard is a hulking rock monster, and its attacks are as devastating as its appearance suggests. However, its movements are generally slow and predictable, which you can use to your advantage.
Learn the attack patterns: This is the most crucial part of the fight. The Stone Vanguard primarily uses its massive arms to attack, slamming them down and creating shockwaves.
Ground Slams: It will often slam its front arms down, creating a large Area of Effect (AoE) attack. Your key is to dodge right before the impact. A perfect dodge can even help you build up Focus Points.
Leaping Attack: The Stone Vanguard can leap a surprising distance to slam down on you. Watch for it to jump and use your agility to get out of the way. Cloud Step is particularly useful for this.
Rock Minions: One of its more unique attacks is when it repeatedly taps the ground with one arm, summoning a horde of small rock minions. These minions will launch themselves at you and explode on impact. You need to keep moving and dodging to avoid them. Be careful, because as the last few minions leap, the Stone Vanguard itself will join the charge.
Stay mobile: Don't get caught in a corner. The arena is large, so use the space to your advantage.
Target its arms: While you can hit its body, focusing your attacks on its arms is more effective.
Use your abilities wisely: Don't just spam your spells. Use them strategically.
Immobilize is a great spell to use, as it can briefly freeze the boss during its attack animations, giving you a chance to land some free hits.
Thrust Stance is excellent for its range, allowing you to deal damage from a safer distance.
QuickTip: Focus on what feels most relevant.
Step 5: Claim Your Reward
Once you have successfully defeated the Stone Vanguard, you will be rewarded handsomely.
Collect the "Sternness of Stone": This is a key item needed to unlock various doors in Chapter 2.
Gather other rewards: You'll also receive a Mind Core, Yaoguai Cores, and a significant amount of experience and Will.
Move forward: With the Sternness of Stone in your possession, you can now proceed to find the Keenness of Tiger and unlock the main gate in Sandgate Village, opening up the path to the end of Chapter 2.
10 Related FAQs: How to...
How to find the Fright Cliff? After defeating the King of the Flowing Sand and the Second Rat Prince in Sandgate Village, cross the wooden rope bridge that leads to the right side of the arena. This path will take you to the Fright Cliff.
How to get the Sternness of Stone? You must defeat the Stone Vanguard boss, which is located in the Rockrest Flat area of the Fright Cliff. It drops the Sternness of Stone upon defeat.
How to summon the Shigandang boss? To summon the Shigandang, you need to collect six Buddha Eyeballs from various Buddha statue heads scattered throughout the Fright Cliff. Once you have all six, go to the Stone Vanguard arena and interact with the large stone on the left side before you engage the Stone Vanguard.
How to defeat the Stone Vanguard without the Shigandang? Focus on learning its attack patterns, particularly the ground slams and AoE attacks. Use perfect dodges to build Focus Points and use ranged attacks or abilities to damage it from a safe distance.
How to avoid the Stone Vanguard's AoE attacks? When the Stone Vanguard slams its arms down, creating a shockwave, you need to either be at a safe distance or use a well-timed dodge or Cloud Step to get out of the way.
How to deal with the Rock Minions? Keep moving and dodge the exploding minions that are launched at you. Be ready to dodge a final leaping attack from the Stone Vanguard itself after the last two minions are launched.
How to upgrade my gear for the fight? Go to a Shrine and use the Will and materials you've collected to craft and upgrade armor like the Ebongold set and weapons like the Twin Serpent Staff.
How to get more Will? You can get more Will by selling extra gold you've picked up and by defeating common enemies.
How to find the Keenness of Tiger? The Keenness of Tiger is obtained by defeating another required boss, the Tiger Vanguard, which is found in the Crouching Tiger Temple, another area within Chapter 2.
How to open the big gate in Sandgate Village? You need both the Sternness of Stone (from the Stone Vanguard) and the Keenness of Tiger (from the Tiger Vanguard) to unlock the Tally and open the gate to progress.
 |
