While there are plenty of difficult bosses inWuchang: Fallen Feathers, Ming General Liu Cheng’en will seriously put your skills to the test. Arguably the hardest boss up to this point in the game, you’re likely to struggle with General Cheng’en just as much as you first did with Commander Honglan, if not more.
Following in Honglan’s footsteps, General Liu Cheng’en is highly reminiscent of some of the infamoustough bosses fromSekiro, FromSoftware’s epic and beloved 2019 GOTY winner. Much like those bosses, he can be overcome if you master the game’s dodging, deflection, and/or blocking mechanics.
Where To Find General Liu Cheng’en In Wuchang: Fallen Feathers
General Cheng’en Guards The Bridge Into Cloudspire City
Ming General Liu Cheng’en is what I would consider the game’s second majorchallenge after Commander Honglanat the end of Worship’s Rise. Cheng’en might seem ridiculously tough at first, and you may need to take him on dozens of times, but once you learn some decent strategies for taking him down,he can be defeated with a bit of determination and fortitude.
You’ll need to make your way about halfway through the Cloudspire region to find him, which means making your way through the Rebel Camp anddefeating General of the North Ai Nengqi.You’ll find General Cheng’en after crossing the bridge toward Cloudspire City near the Cloudspire Outskirts shrine.
The Frostbite debuff will cut your Stamina in half and cause an initial instance of damage.
There’s a gate that can be opened between this boss and Cloudspire Outskirts at the bottom of the hill, which you need to unlock before attempting the boss fight. You’ll want toprepare yourself as much as possiblebefore making your way across the bridge.
At this point, you’ll be familiar with thevarious spring-loaded mine traps buried in the snowas well as the dangers of Frostbite. You’ll face both of these as you trek up the hill and across the bridge to General Ming, so keep a close eye on where you run.
How To Prepare For Ming General Liu Cheng’en
The Overseer’s Armor Set Is Ideal Against General Cheng’en
There’s no singular method for defeating any boss inWuchang, but the following approach should give you a jumping-off point. To prepare yourself for the General Cheng’en fight, I’dhighly recommend equipping the full Overseer’s armor set.This set has the highest Frostbite and Stab resistance combo of any set you’ll have at this point in the game, which are the two effects that Cheng’en will primarily employ.
Cheng’en uses a spear and sword that can inflict Frostbite and massive Stab damage if he hits you, and while the Overseer’s set won’t mitigate this entirely, it’s a far better choice than any other set at this stage. Aside from the Overseer’s armor, you’ll want to havea decent supply of Frostbite-mitigating consumables, such as Sapphire Lotus Seeds, Kong Wine, or Everblend Brew.
In terms of weapon builds, there are a variety of different effective strategies you may use. I found thata Flame-based build was very effective against Cheng’en,specifically utilizing the Flamebringer Longsword and various Flame spells. Be sure to incorporate the Sword Counter skill here to effectively counter Cheng’en’s spear and stab attacks.
Twin Bandits has a built-in Block skill, while the Blademaster Discipline works wonders with Clash effects against Cheng’en’s various stabbing and slashing attacks.
Alternatively, I’d highly recommendusing a Leech buildincorporating the Twin Bandits Dual Blades.This build incorporates the Blademaster Discipline and Leech Temperance Bone Needle, which can be unlocked in the Impetus Repository. Twin Bandits has a built-in Block skill, while the Blademaster Discipline works wonders with Clash effects against Cheng’en’s various stabbing and slashing attacks. Alongside the Leech effect and other health-generating Dual Blade nodes, you’ll be in pretty good shape.
How To Beat General Cheng’en
Stay Out Of Cheng’en’s Frostbite Storm Radius
General Cheng’en will start off using a spear and will begin the fight by jumping up with three heavy plunging attacks that can be easily dodged when you get the timing right. You can circle around behind him for a heavy attack on his back to get an opportunity for an Obliterate attack. You can deflect and/or block his lunging spear attacks for an opportunity to counter, buthis stomping attacks cannot be deflected.
you may increase your number of Temperance charges with various nodes in the Impetus Repository’s non-weapon-based skill tree.
If he hits you dead on with a spear attack, it will inflict heavy Frostbite, so be ready with your consumables if you get hit. Throughout the fight, he willsummon a whirlwind of Frostbite, and you need to be outside the attack radius to avoid certain death. The first time he does this move, you will lose your lock on him, so be sure to stay facing him until you’re able to lock on again and be prepared for another series of jumping attacks afterward.
When you get him to about half health, he will equip a sword and will have a different set of melee attacks thereafter. you’re able to deflect and/or block these just as effectively, however, sobe on the lookout for his overhead-swinging sword attacks,which come in a series of three arching swings. He will also attack you head-on with stabbing sword attacks, which can also be deflected. You’ll need to avoid his punching and stomping attacks with dodges, however, as these cannot be blocked.
Further, he will occasionally throw two sets of Frostbite daggers at you, which can be deflected/dodged. A similar Frostbite whirlwind in his second phase features an explosion of ice at the end that will definitely kill you if you get caught in the radius. Luckily, it’s relatively easy to keep your distance, andI’d recommend waiting for him to jump attack you, dodging and/or blocking his attacks for Skyborn Might stacks and easy counter moves.
All told, General Cheng’en will require patience and persistence to defeat, and you’ll need to ensure you mitigate Frostbite buildup as much as possible so you don’t run out of Stamina mid-swing. Dying in this fight is almost a guarantee in your first few tries, and the trek up the hill can become quite annoying after repeated attempts, but eventually you’ll be able to defeat him and progress forward in the main storyofWuchang: Fallen Feathers.
