Tunic's boss battles are some of the most challenging hurdles in the game, often requiring players to use all the tools at their disposal to claim victory. The first of these battles is against an enchanted golem known as the Garden Knight, so named because it can be found in the West Garden.
Defeating the Garden Knight is necessary to completing the game's first major objective of ringing the bells in both the East and West Belltowers, but taking the boss down can prove difficult to the unprepared player. Here are a few tips for how to best avoid his various attacks and take advantage of every opening.
Preparation
Tunic is remarkable for its devotion to classic video game tropes, including the physical handbook that used to come packed with every copy of a game. The guidebook pages in Tunic pay homage to this, and one of these pages provides a recommended power level for players to be at before facing the Garden Knight.
Tunic should have an attack power of 3 and a defense power of 3 to stand a fighting chance in this boss battle, according to the in-game guidebook. Players can upgrade these stats by bringing monster teeth and fox statues to the healing shrines located throughout the world and paying a sizable fee. To find these items, players should pay close attention to their surroundings while exploring the world.
Players should make sure they have at least three health potions before heading into the battle, as these are crucial for staying alive while learning the Garden Knight's attack patterns. Thrown items like freeze firecrackers are also and dishing out massive damage at range, and the Magic Dagger or freeze bombs can be used to slow the Knight down for either extra damage opportunities or a window in which to heal.
Battle
The Garden Knight uses three different attacks during the battle, and each one requires a slightly different approach to avoid. The first of these is a strong, overhead swing that it repeats three times. The Knight will close long distances with this attack, so stay wary. Players can avoid this strike by carefully strafing to either side at just the right moment, or dodge rolling to take advantage of the invincibility frames (i-frames).
Its second attack is a 360 degree slash that has limited range but dishes out incredible amounts of damage. When this attack is telegraphed, dodge roll away from the Knight and maintain a healthy distance until the entire sequence is done. The 360 slash repeats twice, ending in an upward cut that, when the Knight's health is low, will be followed up by the overhead strikes.
The final attack the Garden Knight employs is a triple shotgun salvo that emanates from the tip of its sword. The Knight will lower his sword and start charging a reddish electricity into the blade before using this attack. While it will swivel to aim at the player while charging up, once it starts firing, the Knight remains stationary. Dodge roll to either side just before it starts firing to avoid getting hit.
After each attack, the Garden Knight has a brief rest period where it's vulnerable to attack. This is the best time to strike, and players can dish out even more damage if they happen to have an attack-boosting pepper on them. However, at low health the Knight will being to string attacks together, shifting this window of vulnerability. Watch for the telltale red electricity on its blade to avoid taking vital damage that late in the fight.
Rewards
While the Garden Knight itself doesn't drop any rewards, there is a treasure chest outside its arena that contains a whopping 200 money. This is more than enough to purchase many of Tunic's stat upgrades. Defeating this boss also allows players to progress the story and make their way to the game's next, major region.
Tunic is available now on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox Game Pass, and PC via Steam and the Microsoft Store.