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How to beat Captain Wise-Voice in Black Myth: Wukong

Electric bugaloo.

The Captain Wise-Voice boss from Black Myth Wukong.
Image credit: Eurogamer/Game Science

While finding yourself in a prison during Chapter 3 of Black Myth: Wukong, you may have encountered one of its Captain bosses already, but Captain Wise-Voice is the mandatory one you must defeat if you want to leave this prison in the Pagoda Realm for good.

A big four-legged Yaoguai King that towers over you, this fight takes place inside a fairly enclosed and dimly lit arena, a slight shame given the beautiful sculpturework adorning the gates and walls. Well, you’ll get a bit of light, just expect more of the hostile lightning kind rather than a reading light.

This guide will provide all the information you need on how to beat Captain Wise-Voice in Black Myth: Wukong.

On this page:

How to prepare for Captain Wise-Voice

You’ll find Captain Wise-Voice shortly after reaching a shrine called 'Mani Wheel' in the Pagoda Realm. There’s a narrow rocky path to the comparatively small room where you fight it and you can’t advance further without taking it out.

Destined One in front of tall structure, with boss arena inside
Image credit: Eurogamer/Game Science

As this boss uses lightning-based attacks that can inflict the Shock status, it’s good to have some Shock-Quelling Powder equipped in your inventory, while you can also get Xu Dog to trade your Mind Cores to improve your shock resistance, provided you've already helped them in Chapter 2 and unlocked the ability to make Celestial Medicines.

As Captain Wise-Voice is actually one of three captains you need to defeat if you wish to progress the Pagoda Realm prisoner quest, then you may also wish to find and defeat Captain Lotus-Vision, an optional boss that you can fight before this one.

How to beat Captain Wise-Voice

During its first phase, Captain Wise-Voice will generally use physical attacks, trying to ram or crush you with its large head. But while you can theoretically target its head, you'll actually want to target its feet - one of which is covered in red marks to draw your attention to it.

It can also jump up and try to stomp you, but this is relatively easy to dodge so you can stay under it by its legs chipping away combos at it to build up focus. It may also let out a roar that has the effect of both slowing down time while also halving your health bar, so it's best to play it safe during these sections and focus on playing defensively.

It’s worth using spells early on like Immobilize or even Wind Tamer (which still gives you a defence boost even if there’s no wind to dispel, which also briefly stuns the boss) just so you can get an early advantage to further build up focus. Once you have an opening, spend your focus points on a heavy attack with the Smash or Thrust Stance. This should be powerful enough to not just stun the boss but actually cause its legs to give way as it topples onto the ground.

Captain Wise-Voice seen from the ground-up, its rear hidden in the shadows
Image credit: Eurogamer/Game Science

This gives you a huge window to attack its weak point - its golden head core. It should be down for long enough for you to get away with three full light attack combos, which should be enough to max out your focus points for another focused heavy thrust attack. This alone should be enough to take Captain Wise-Voice’s health down to half, which takes us to its trickier second phase.

Second phase

Now it will start using lightning attacks. At first, it will focus energy on the ground in front of it before slamming its head down to create a pretty hard-hitting AOE shockwave. But when it really means business, the music will change and then we move onto a full-on laser party. You won’t be able to do much damage at this point (in any case, going for its legs will only do pretty insignificant chip damage) as you’ll have to focus on running away.

Destined One dodging ground-based lightning attacks from Captain Wise-Voice
Image credit: Eurogamer/Game Science

Its gold core will charge up and fire multiple beams of light onto the ground, each with its own small AOE, your cue to get away from their blast zones. You’ll have to stay on the move, either by running or dodge-rolling, as these beams seem to just track you. This goes on for a while until it decides to charge up the entire floor, first in the same bright light before turning red, like the ground turning to lava. As this happens, make sure you’ve switched to Pillar Stance and then hold down heavy attack so that you’re balancing on top of your staff above the ground and you’ll be unharmed. If you’ve been inflicted with Shock then this will also be the time to cure yourself with Shock-Quelling Powder.

Once this attack subsides, Captain Wise-Voice will need to recharge before resuming more lightning AOE attacks, though it will still be able to use the same physical attacks as previously, as well as that time-slowing, HP-halving roar. If you use Immobilize on it during this status however, it should both undo its effects and freeze it so that you can lay into it with your combos.

Captain Wise-Voice immobilised
Image credit: Eurogamer/Game Science

Keep chipping away at its legs when you have an opening, as the more attacks you land, the more focus and Qi you can build up. If you had use Wind Tamer early in the fight, you may find that your Qi has recovered so that you can it again to buff your defence. Whether you’re chipping at its legs or have max focus to perform another focused heavy attack, you should be able to topple Captain Wise-Voice again so that you can deal more damage on its core.

Given the tiny amount of damage you can chip away at its legs, you may have to topple it one more time before you finally land the killing blow, but repeat the above and you should squash this bug no problem.

Captain Wise-Voice rewards

With the killing blow dealt on Captain Wise-Voice, you’ll earn the following rewards:

  • 2770 XP
  • 1575 Will
  • 3x Cold Iron Leaves
  • 1x Mind Core

You’ll also be able to recover the Spirit of Captain Wise-Voice, which isn’t a transformation spirit but rather a Key Item that you’ll need if you wish to complete the Pagoda Realm prisoner quest.

More importantly, the way is open for you to continue through the Pagoda Realm, with the next shrine not far away. But there’s still more of the New West to uncover until you’re done with this chapter.

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