[SPOILERS I guess] Death has an insta-kill attack?

[Limit66]

I'm curious because I don't seem to have seen anyone talk about this. It seems that Death, the Castlevania DLC boss, has an insta-kill attack? I'm running a Survival parry run so I was fighting Death slowly and meticulously, trying to figure out which attacks can I parry (FYI, most seems possible but the lingering effect of the attack still hits so I don't recommend parrying).

I was on pretty low health since I'm using the Peril Glyphs, and while I was waiting for Death to attack me with something I can parry, it seemed to grab me with chains and literally sucked out my soul and killed me?? Is this a unique grab that only occurs when I have low health or what? I need to know if someone else has encountered this or not.

To clarify, I was on BC 1 with YOLO mutation. It consumed my YOLO so either it did massive damage since I was on low health or it was an insta-kill.

[Master Ki]

I had this same problem. Every hit his scythes generates orbs which flowing around him. If he hit you 8 times ( or something like this), he will use his 1 K.O skill. I died 3 times before i realise this. By the way this skill explain why he has so little hp.

[Tsuki Zero]

And unlike in Portrait of Ruin, this is not just a MASSIVE DAMAGE attack that would require a partner to break you free before he nails you with it.

[Limit66]

I see, so I shouldn't get hit too much by his scythe. Now I understand why the version we can use summons spirits of defeated enemies.

Is there a way to reduce the orbs once he has acquired it? Or do I just accept my fate if he got 8 orbs?

[Master Ki]

I am not 100% sure ,but to be fair his attack scythe are slow and fairly easy to dodge so probably no. And this 4 small scythes from second part of fight don't include into charge this skill.
"Now I understand why the version we can use summons spirits of defeated enemies.
" - what you mean about this? Can i summon some sort of help to break this skill?

[Limit66]

Understood. I'll just focus on dodging next time I fight him again. Thank you for the tip!

Originally posted by Master Ki:

what you mean about this? Can i summon some sort of help to break this skill?

I'm not entirely sure myself since I only recently received the blueprint for Death's Scythe, but the description says:
"Forces the spirit of enemies you kill to help you. They explode on nearby targets, dealing critical damage in proportion to the reanimated target's maximum health"

Whether it can break Death's orbs or not, I don't think it can. I was just saying it makes sense since Death essentially collects orbs of our spirit, the weapon we unlock from Death allows us to manifest enemies' spirits to attack. Sorry if it was confusing.

[Tryyton]

the mutation to bounce back with a shield in your backpack works well against those. took him down 2nd tryy. just stay away from the floor, that attack on the floor hits hard.

[Limit66]

Honestly I'm not confident enough to parry Death's attacks. Funnily enough I was more confident parrying Dracula's fire balls and his other attacks than Death's wide attack range...

[Tryyton]

Originally posted by Dr. Limit66:

Honestly I'm not confident enough to parry Death's attacks. Funnily enough I was more confident parrying Dracula's fire balls and his other attacks than Death's wide attack range...

do you use a shield then? get the bloodshield maybe.

[Foxassassin]

Originally posted by Dr. Limit66:

Honestly I'm not confident enough to parry Death's attacks. Funnily enough I was more confident parrying Dracula's fire balls and his other attacks than Death's wide attack range...

The only move you can parry, besides his projectiles, is during the second stage onward where he charges and swings.

It's kind of frustrating that the slam attack (despite having a physical hitbox. I've been hit behind him on the follow-through of the swing) and the scythe throw are unblockable.

[Tryyton]

i use the survival backpack mutation so the shield in my backpack parries and returns his "blobs". the 2nd time i got to him and killed him, i have stuff that poisoned him. that did a good job. if i can and have a good one, turrets are great.

[Limit66]

I think it's a difference in playstyle as well. I personally prefer to parry actively and not rely on the backpack, along with mutations that heal me and my next attack deals extra damage after a parry.

Originally posted by Foxassassin:

It's kind of frustrating that the slam attack (despite having a physical hitbox. I've been hit behind him on the follow-through of the swing) and the scythe throw are unblockable.

I'm right there with you, honestly. I figured the slam was an easy parry target but it still goes through the parry.

[Tryyton]

i never really used shields, i don't really like them and play tactics. i have still 7 or so at the collector which i will not unlock.
so, i am happy that they added that backpack mutation, also great to send attacks back. looking at you Inquisitors and Skeletons. great to send their crap back through the walls.

[Tsuki Zero]

I still remember the dark age of shields, where Parry would have a decay (due to a bug?) that persisted the entire run and span all shields, meaning every time you parried, the enemy would spend less and less time stunned by it, to the point it would not only not stun them at all, but NOT EVEN ABSORB THE DAMAGE, meaning you'd take full damage even while parrying.

[Limit66]

Damn, that sucks, huh...? I'm glad I played Dead Cells when the dark age is over, and I'm glad the dark age is over in general.

Originally posted by Tryyton:

i never really used shields, i don't really like them and play tactics. i have still 7 or so at the collector which i will not unlock.
so, i am happy that they added that backpack mutation, also great to send attacks back. looking at you Inquisitors and Skeletons. great to send their crap back through the walls.

That's my favorite part of Dead Cells, to be honest. Each player will have completely different playstyles with each other, so no matter what, everyone's experience will be different.

[Tryyton]

Originally posted by Dr. Limit66:

That's my favorite part of Dead Cells, to be honest. Each player will have completely different playstyles with each other, so no matter what, everyone's experience will be different.

right!? since the stats and scrolls are the way they are i only play tactics, hence why it takes longer to get to the next BC. sadly some weapons changed colors, but well... some new nice purple ones in the new dlc.