How to Beat Impundulu in Tales of Kenzera: Zau

Metroidvania boss fights are always one of the highlights of the game to me, and that’s no different in Tales of Kenzera: Zau. Impundulu is the first boss you’ll encounter, and like all good bosses, she’s a test of everything you’ve learned by that point in the game. Knowing how to beat her up front makes the fight more enjoyable and significantly easier.

How to Beat the Impundulu Boss Fight in Tales of Kenzera: Zau

To beat Impundulu, you’ll need to get through three distinct phases. The phase transition is pretty easy to see: Her boss icon at the top left of the screen will gain a crystal shield, and she’ll fly off into the background to attack you from afar. When she returns to the field, she’ll have a few new attacks and some minor variations to attacks she used before. Let’s go over those so you know what you’ll be up against.

Impundulu First Phase Attack 1: Triple Claw Slam

With this attack, Impundulu raises one of her claws and slams it down three times, with the first slam hitting near the center of the arena and future slams hitting further toward the edge. A quick dodge in the direction opposite the raised claw avoids the entire attack, but you’ll want to stay somewhat close. After the third slam, the boss’ claw gets stuck in the floor, giving you a chance to do some free damage.

Impundulu First Phase Attack 2: Mouth LaserSingle Ground Peck

After raising her head up, Impundulu drives her mask’s beak into the arena floor, where it gets stuck. The peck has some modest tracking, so you’ll need to dodge just before the attack lands or head to the edge of the arena for a safer option. The beak stays stuck for about five seconds, so use that time to get in some good damage.

Impundulu First Phase Attack 3: Mouth Laser

Raising up her head, Impundulu opens her beak and shoots out a beam of electricity at one end of the arena, then swipes it across the entire space, repeating two more times. There’s no truly safe place for this attack. You’ll need to dash through it once per swipe.

Impundulu Phase Transition Attack 4: Lightning Bolt!

This attack only occurs when Impundulu swaps phases and it’s the same for both. She’ll retreat to the ruins behind the loss arena and summon about a dozen lightning bolts that come down one by one. You’ll have about a second to see where they’ll land before the bolts actually strike and each one comes down on your current position. You need to keep moving to avoid getting hit. If you haven’t upgraded your health at all, this attack could easily spell your doom.

Impundulu Second Phase Attack 1: Double Peck

This attack is essentially the same as her ground peck from phase one, but she’ll peck the ground twice, as her beak won’t get stuck until the second hit.

Impundulu Second Phase Attack 2: Upgraded Three-Hit Slam

This improved version of phase one’s three-hit combo has Impundulu strike three random locations on the claw’s side of the arena. Additionally, rather than harmlessly pull the claw away when the combo ends, the boss will make one last swipe across half the arena.

Impundulu Second Phase Attack 3: Mouth Laser Two, Electric Bugaloo

For the second phase version of Impudulu’s mouth laser, she takes up a position on one end of the arena and shoots the beam of electricity across it, then back, then across again. Whenever she’s firing her laser tot he other end of the arena and not back toward herself, you can safely stand directly underneath her head for free damage. This attack also wears Impundulu out, and you have about five seconds to do more damage while she catches her breath.

Impundulu Second Phase Attack 4: Four-Slam Combo with Waves

This version of her claw slam combo is similar to the previous two but with one added wrinkle: Each slam sends out a blue wave of energy in both directions along the arena floor. You’ll need to jump over or dodge through them to avoid not only damage but also significant knockback. Impundulu will also swipe across the entire arena at the end.

Impundulu Second Phase Attack 5: Bite

At the end of one of her attacks from the side of the arena, Impundulu can attempt to take a quick bite after the main attack ends. If a bite is coming, she’ll briefly pull her head back before reaching out with her beak. This attack also happens in the third phase. Speaking of which…

Impundulu Third Phase Attack 1: Triple Peck

As with phase one and phase two’s version of the peck attack, you’ll need to dodge the first two attacks before Impundulu’s third strike gets her beak stuck in the ground.

Impundulu Third Phase Attack 2: Energy Balls

With this attack, Impundulu takes a position at the edge of the arena. Rather than send out a series of beams of electricity, she fires seven balls of concentrated energy at you. Based on where you are, she can aim them at any point in the arena, so staying mobile and dodging them is vital.

Impundulu Third Phase Attack 3: Five-Laser Combo

This attack is merely a longer version of the phase two laser beam attack, with Impundulu swiping the laser across the arena five times rather than three. It’s otherwise identical.

Now you know all of Impundulu’s attacks in Tales of Kenzera: Zau. As long as you do consistent damage during her recovery animations and when other opportunities present themselves, she should go down fairly easily.

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