Mo Yuan (also called The Gold-Masked One) is a tough boss in Phantom Blade Zero, particularly if you are fighting him for the first time in the Weeping Creek Valley. To deal damage to this boss, you have to either parry one of his attacks or break his guard. Thus, knowing his attack patterns and controlling your Shachi will be important for defeating Mo Yuan. In this guide, you will find tips and tricks for defeating this boss and information about the right build and tactics for fighting him in the future.
Best Build to Use Against the Gold-Masked One
The combination of Jagged Steel and Outlaw Warblade would be the best build. Jagged Steel does a sizable amount of damage after countering or breaking Mo Yuan, and leaving for health recovery plus being able to disengage from attacks can be achieved with Outlaw Warblade due to switching heavy into light attacks.
You can obtain Outlaw Warblade after defeating Jing Ye the Outlaw in Crimson Forest. Alternatively, if you wish to fight Mo Yuan right after getting out of Weeping Creek Valley, you can switch to the Scarlet Wraith Blade since it does lower damage.
For Phantom Edges, equip the Dread Axe and Hunter’s Chain Sickle. The last one helps to reduce the distance while Mo Yuan is guardbroken and out of range.
It is recommended to use Vessel Restorative and Kuya Dew for healing. If you have to face the boss early on, then you can replace Kuya Dew with either Focus Pill or Healing Gourd. The Focus Pill has an advantage in that it decreases consumption of Shachi.
The Reflex Device will be needed for defence against red and blue flash attacks and create openings to break Mo Yuan. The Ancient Armor Fragment provides damage reduction, while Boulder Guard is another option, although its protection disappears when Soul gets broken.
As for the last accessory, the options are Medicine Case, Lingren’s Pendant, and Token of Pursuit. The Medicine Case increases the effectiveness of healing, Lingren’s Pendant improves use of Shachi, while Token of Pursuit helps in Shachi management.
How to Counter Mo Yuan’s Attacks
Mo Yuan executes quick combos that utilize his signature double slash, jump kick and follow-up strike techniques. He can also transition into red or blue flash attacks. It is best not to hold the block during the whole duration of the combination, because being hit repeatedly drains Shachi significantly. Instead, only tap the block button to parry individual attacks or evade them between attacks.
The first attack involving blue flash has Mo Yuan unleashing a red wave attack with his sword, followed by another three waves of attack. If you possess the necessary Shachi, you can simply hold block throughout the attack. Otherwise, block each wave individually before blocking again to counter the blue flash.
The second type of attack begins with a jump kick, with another two slashes that will complete with the spinning blue flash. This maneuver is quite hard to fend off since dodging the first part might cause you not to be in range for countering the attack later.
Red Flash Attacks: Mo Yuan has three notable variations:
- Jumping Spin: He jumps into the air and spins before striking. Watch for the midair spin to identify the attack and prepare your counter.
- Sliding Attack: He slides along the ground before transitioning into a red flash. Its counter timing is relatively forgiving.
- Thrust or Grab: This quick attack can appear during regular combinations. Watch his head for the initial red flash indication and dodge immediately, as the timing is particularly tight.
How to Deal Damage to Mo Yuan
In the primary encounter, Mo Yuan can only sustain harm after executing a successful counter or guardbreak. Make use of Shachi attacks instead of relying purely on normal light attack combos.
Perform one or two Shachi attacks when carrying out a standard counter, while reserving some resources to ensure safety. When facing a guardbroken opponent, utilize the majority or entirety of your available Shachi before switching weapons for recovery. Lingren’s Pendant helps improve Shachi efficiency during these offensive windows.
Upgrading the equipment increases both health and stamina damage. If you are having difficulty, consider coming back after having completed some or all of Crimson Forest.
How to Beat Mo Yuan in Later Encounters
After defeating him for the first time, you’ll encounter Mo Yuan at four additional Long Pillars. These fights are generally easier because you can damage him like a regular enemy. However, he gains two additional attacks:
- Black Flash Attacks: He incorporates these into regular combinations. Dodge them before preparing for his next attack, which may be a blue or red flash.
- Delayed Charge: Mo Yuan hunches down before charging toward Soul. Wait a little longer than expected before dodging because the attack has a delayed start. He often follows the first charge with a second one.
If you’re struggling with the second Long Pillar encounter, complete the Village of Aloo first to gain additional stats, abilities, and stronger weapons.
How to Beat Mo Yuan in the Fifth Encounter
During the fifth encounter, Mo Yuan introduces several additional attacks:
- Burning Pillar Slam: He grabs a burning pillar, raises it overhead, and performs a red flash before attempting to slam it into Soul. Counter when the red flash appears rather than dodging while he raises the pillar.
- Second Spinning Blue Flash: This variation appears during regular combinations and has similar counter timing to the original.
- Log Throw: He pulls a log from the background and throws it toward Soul before throwing it back. Remember to dodge the returning log.
- Stun Attack: Mo Yuan places his weapon down, slows time, and stuns Soul. Dodge as soon as you regain control to avoid the follow-up attack.
- Burning Pillars and Red Waves: He jumps backward, summons burning pillars, and fires red waves before causing the pillars to erupt around Soul. Time your dodge or move to a safe space.
- Burning Log Ride: When his health gets low, he rides a burning log around the arena and attacks from different directions. The timing is tight, making this move difficult to predict.
During the last confrontation, if one is in possession of both Anony’s Fan and Soultempered, one can gain a major boon with the deployment of its field, as any attack of Mo Yuan resulting in the death of Soul will allow the fan to resurrect Soul.
You can also switch to White Shadow, which deals Chill and Freeze effects, thus allowing several of Mo Yuan’s attacks to slow down.
For any battle to be successful, one must study Mo Yuan’s individual moves. His second, third, and fourth encounters contain many of the moves used in earlier battles, which implies that knowledge of the moves will help you in later encounters.
