Blood Prince: How to Dodge, How to Attack.

• Kueh wrote on 2010-10-22 23:33
  Please bear with me on this one. I only just unlocked Blood Prince and I haven't really been paying much attention cause I'm in a race with a friend from school to get the max level. So if something I say is wrong, or if I missed something, please let me know.
  
  
  By now you should understand the phases that all enemies go through, so I won't waste time on explaining that.
  
  Before I explain the attacks, I'd like to make a few notes that you might find helpful.
  

  
  
  • Vampire bosses have hideously long knockdown times. If your boss gets knocked down by a spear or bomb or attack, stop whatever you're doing and use whatever long combos you can. Most of the time a Hammer Fiona can get away with a fully charged Stigma and then some.
    
  • The attacks I recommend are only attacks that are relatively safe. If you're skilled and want to finish more quickly, attack more often but at your own risk.
    
  • The corridors from this mission make excellent places to hide while repairing or drinking potions.
    
  • Vampire knockdown times are LONG. Like seriously long. Astronomically long.
    
  • When I say that an attack follows or traces, it means that the boss is turning to face you up till the very last moment when they release the attack. That usually means that simply running in circles won't help you at all
    
  • Charging combos refers to the wasting of normal attacks in the air while it is not a good time to attack, so that when it is a good time to attack you are already ready to use a stronger smash.
    

  
  
  Short combos are first and second combos. For Fiona that means: Spike Rose and Bamboo Splitter for swords. Honey Bee Sting and Grand Slam Calla for Hammers. Lann gets to use third combos for mid-short: Gut Stinger, Rising Crescent, and Bear Blower with swords. Tail Piercing, Silent Hawk, and Sudden Blast with spears.
  Medium combos are third combos for Fiona, fourth for Lann. Fiona has Blossom Blow (one and two hits), one hit ivy sweetp, or Orchid Strike for Swords or Hammers. Lann has Twin Edge 450 or Moon Splitter for Swords or Spears.
  Long combos are either fourth combos or final combos. Fiona: Blossom Blow (Three hits), Ivy Sweep (Two and Three hits), and Amaranth Kick for Sword, Butterfly Swing and Stigma Hammer for Hammer. Lann: Thousand Needles or 3690 Hurricane.
  Hammer Fiona's Stigma Hammer attack takes so long to fully charge that it stands on its own in the Very Long Combo category. It's only a Long combo if you don't charge it.
  
  [SIZE="4"]Skeleton Handshake:[/SIZE]
  Using the un-bladed hand, the Blood Prince claws at the air. When he finishes this attack he will be facing about 112 degrees to the left.
  

  [Image: http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g206/whyrainfalls/Claw.png]

  
  
  He recovers from this attack fairly quickly. Treat this like the Gnoll Chieftain's kick. It is counter-able by Fiona.
  
  [SIZE="4"]Stabs:[/SIZE]There are three moves in this category, and all of them may be countered by Fiona.
  
  [SIZE="3"]One Stab:[/SIZE]
  Simple enough. He aims his sword into the air, then stabs forward once. I don't think he follows you if he's only doing one stab, so if you can realize that he's only doing one attack, use a short or medium length combo. Otherwise just wait for a better opportunity.
  
  [SIZE="3"]Two Stabs:[/SIZE]
  A continuation of the last attack, but this time the first stab traces. After completing the first attack, he spins around and then stabs a second time. Almost a copy of Red Bearer's double stab attack. Unlike Red Bearer's attack, where the second stab is in the same direction as the first, this attack follows. The Prince will turn and face you for the second stab, so don't be fooled. If you start charging your combos when the first attack is over, you can use a medium attack right as the second attack ends.
  
  [SIZE="3"]Two Stabs + Spin Attack:[/SIZE]
  A copy of the last attack, with a bonus prize inside. After attacking with the second stab, he crosses his right arm over to the side, then lets out a spin. He gets dizzy apparently, for after this attack, he is dazed for a short amount of time. That daze gives you just the boost of time you need to land a heavy combo, provided you started charging when or before the second attack started.
  
  [SIZE="4"]Slice and Stab:[/SIZE]
  After crossing his right arm over and using a rightward slash, he quickly lets out another stab. If you started charging your combos during the slash, you can use a medium combo after the stab is over. This is also counter-able by Fiona.
  
  [SIZE="4"]Fantastic Blind Backslash:[/SIZE]
  I say it's fantastic because he looks upward yells, as if cheering himself on in anticipation of the fantastic attack he's about to do. Now whenever I see that stance, my brain says, "Get ready for Fantastic".
  
  As I said, he starts this attack by thrusting his chest forward, looking up, and yelling. Then he does a really fast slash in front of him. As soon as that's over, he blindly leaps backward in an attack reminiscent of a gliding fury. He covers a fantastic distance, so compensate your aim while charging your combos. If you're in front of him while he cheers, move a few steps back, out of range of the first attack, then turn around and start charging.
  
  The distance he covers is so fantastic that he staggers for a moment after this attack. If you're good, you can use a long combo because of this. You should be able to get a medium combo in with ease.
  
  This attack is also fantastic because it doesn't track, which Blood Prince seems to love to do. Keep this in mind, since it means you know exactly where he's going to end up as soon as you see his cheer. Using that knowledge, you should easily get heavy combos with this attack.
  
  [SIZE="4"]Fireball Festival:[/SIZE]
  He begins charging up a fireball like the normal fireball mobs do, but before shooting, he throws the fireball down and to his left. By circling it around his body, he surrounds himself with flames from another world. Then he catches it, and subsequently throws it at you. When he throws it, it's relatively easy to evade, but flames from another world HURT (like 400 damage iirc), so if you're close to him when he starts charging, get back.
  
  [SIZE="3"]Cancel: Festival's Over[/SIZE]
  Much more fun than the full version of this attack (for you anyway). No super flame death. He just conjures a ball of flame and throws it. You can tell the difference between the two by watching the fireball itself. It remains small during the cancel, but grows large for the full attack.
  
  
  This is all I have for now, but I'm pretty sure that I'm missing some things, cause I only did a few runs. I'll do more later so as to provide better info.
• Icegoten wrote on 2010-10-23 00:15
  I play fiona and I'm sure I countered all of his stab attacks before, even his double stab you just have to guard immediately after the first counter attack.
  
  The only thing you can't counter is when he does his fire stuff I believe.
• heretic304 wrote on 2010-10-23 00:39
  Things that can be countered: Skeleton Handshake, Single Stab, Double Stab (both hits), Double Stab + Spin (all three hits), Slice and Stab (both hits).
  
  The Cancel: Fireball Festival isn't really his own move. It's the same attack that the Elder Vampires use. This can be countered as well.
  
  For everything else, Heavy Stander or dodging is a must.
  
  Another interesting tidbit is if you counter any of his single straight stabs while facing him, you'll hit his hand, adding to the break limit. The optimal position is about 3/4 of his arm's length away from him. It also helps to face diagonally towards his arm a tiny bit.
  
  In regard to Fiona's combos, I wouldn't really recommend using Spike Rose. Its animation is actually quite slow, and it is often better to use Sprint Smash in place of it.
  
  On another note, it might be good to elaborate more on Fiona's Blossom Blow and Ivy Sweep. Since at level 30 we gain extra hits towards it, we can split some of these into medium and long combos as well. I would consider 1 and 2 hit blossom blow, as well as 1 hit Ivy Sweep a medium combo, while 3 hit blossom blow and 2 and 3 hit Ivy Sweep to be Long Combos. The reason behind this is the 3rd hits for both Blossom Blow and Ivy Sweep have a longer animation time with a lesser after-attack delay, which means that attempting to go into Heavy Stander from these animations may result in one getting hit.
• Ruquion wrote on 2010-10-23 01:16
  Walk in circles a fair distance away from BP when he starts charging Fireball.
  If it's a short charge, just dash out of the way.
  If it's a long charge, just stay away from BP since it has a relatively short range.
  If you're decent, attack BP from behind after he's done the spinning fireball thing.
• heretic304 wrote on 2010-10-23 01:25
  You can tell the difference between the two fireballs by looking at its size. If it's small and about the size of his fist, it's going to be a normal fireball. If you notice that it's become bigger than his hand and round, it's the smash fireball.
• Kueh wrote on 2010-10-23 03:25

  Quote from heretic304;191419:

  Things that can be countered: Skeleton Handshake, Single Stab, Double Stab (both hits), Double Stab + Spin (all three hits), Slice and Stab (both hits). Thanks for this.
  
  The Cancel: Fireball Festival isn't really his own move. It's the same attack that the Elder Vampires use. This can be countered as well.
  They learned it from him lol
  For everything else, Heavy Stander or dodging is a must.
  
  Another interesting tidbit is if you counter any of his single straight stabs while facing him, you'll hit his hand, adding to the break limit. The optimal position is about 3/4 of his arm's length away from him. It also helps to face diagonally towards his arm a tiny bit.
  
  In regard to Fiona's combos, I wouldn't really recommend using Spike Rose. Its animation is actually quite slow, and it is often better to use Sprint Smash in place of it.
  
  On another note, it might be good to elaborate more on Fiona's Blossom Blow and Ivy Sweep. Since at level 30 we gain extra hits towards it, we can split some of these into medium and long combos as well. I would consider 1 and 2 hit blossom blow, as well as 1 hit Ivy Sweep a medium combo, while 3 hit blossom blow and 2 and 3 hit Ivy Sweep to be Long Combos. The reason behind this is the 3rd hits for both Blossom Blow and Ivy Sweep have a longer animation time with a lesser after-attack delay, which means that attempting to go into Heavy Stander from these animations may result in one getting hit.

  
  
  Super duper thank you for this info. Would have taken me a long time to find out on my own. (My Fiona is level 11 lol)
  
  

  Quote from heretic304;191459:

  You can tell the difference between the two fireballs by looking at its size. If it's small and about the size of his fist, it's going to be a normal fireball. If you notice that it's become bigger than his hand and round, it's the smash fireball.

  
  
  Thanks for this too.
• silentselene wrote on 2010-10-23 03:50
  And if you're Fiona, whenever you hear his obvious click for his stabs, block-counter-block-counter-block-counter!
  
  Also, if you Heavy Stander the fireball when he's circling it around him, the rest of the attack goes right through you.
• heretic304 wrote on 2010-10-23 18:34
  If you're fast enough, you can spear his arm when he starts his smash fireball before he throws it at you, but this requires you to have manual aim since holding down F to get to the manual aim while in auto-aim mode takes too long and gives you very little time to throw it before he throws his fireball.
  
  On another note, you can actually chain spear his arm and break it. I've done it one time where I'd counter his arm, aim, hit, aim, hit, aim, hit. You just gotta time it well. When he does his "BAW YOU HIT MY ARM IT HURTS" motion, about 3/4th of the way through the animation, throw the spear at his arm, and when he gets back into the standing position, it'll hit his arm and cause him to go back into the arm hit motion. You can do this about 3-4 times depending on how much KD you stacked on him before he gets knocked down.
• Immie wrote on 2010-10-26 00:57
  Fantastic guide!
• Kueh wrote on 2010-10-26 01:04
  Fabulous! Glad it was of help.