Defeating Fortinbras on a No Healing/No Sword Upgrades Run

This guide focuses on the Fortinbras fight, especially if you are doing a no healing / no sword upgrades run.

Introduction

This is a simple strategy guide for the final boss in Onimusha: Warlords. Feel free to ask questions if there is anything I may have missed. Hope it helps!

Pre-Battle

Ideally, you will be fully healed up after the Marcellus fight. Additionally, check to see if you have any of the Soul Absorber items that, while not necessary, can help greatly in the fight. Go ahead and enhance any regular arrows you have into fire arrows, save the game, then head out the door.

Skip past the demons as you make your way down the spiral staircase. Then, make your way into the door to fight Fortinbras.

The Battle

Fortinbras will most likely hit you with the lightning orbs in the beginning so get ready to move. Here's where the main strategy comes in: moving close to him and hitting him will eventually trigger his side swipes and far-reaching stab attacks. Using the heavy hitting Enryuu, you can create a fairly reliable loop that will enable you to hit him enough to save your magic attacks for when his head falls down.

The pattern can start once you block a side swipe up close. Afterwards, you will be at a distance that triggers his stab attack, so move back around the attack, move towards his body again, and then he will follow with another stab attack, allowing you to get a few hits in before you need to block the side swipe. This loop can be repeated with great success. When he begins to stagger and his head drops, hit him with a powerful magic attack.

Once you start running low on magic and/or health, you can use a Soul Absorber item (especially after staggering him) to receive a big soul boost. Regardless of whether you have the Soul Absorber item or not, keep an eye out for the one or two souls that he drops after landing a big attack on him.

Finally, stick to the far corners when he uses his flame attack and pelt him with fire arrows. For the laser attack, learn the timing and when to dodge. And, for his lightning orb attack try to get him to spawn them close to his body as it will make it easier for you to dodge any follow up attacks. This should be easier too if you are utilizing the above main strategy as you will simply be weaving back and forth close to his body as he switches from stab attack to swipe.

Good luck!

[Hekatonkheires]

The swipe-stab-stab at nothing AI loop is definitely the most consistent way to beat him with no upgrades, poor Forty actually puts up a hell of a fight when you're restricted. Shame he absolutely gets dunked on when you have full upgrades, even without the Bishamon sword.