The Iron Butcher, the Frenzied Brute is the first boss of the Mountain of Imprisonment, in his camp. His axe swings are simple; the danger is the purple fire grenades: watch his left hand and dodge sideways when he moves it. Parry his blue combo and dodge the red grab. He is weak to poison and lightning and drops the Iron Butcher Mask.
Boss profile
Health, Sha-Chi, recommended level and elemental weaknesses
Weaknesses
Phases: 1 · Region: Mountain of Imprisonment
Bars relative to the boss with the most health (Mo Yuan, 186,000) and the most Sha-Chi (Huangxing, 55,860) in the game.
Where is he and how do you get there?
He is the first boss you meet in the Mountain of Imprisonment, right on your path:
- Enter the Mountain of ImprisonmentWith the restored Illusory Pipa, from the Weeping Mistgate bell. You have the route in how to reach the Mountain of Imprisonment.
- Rest at The Lady’s Path bellIt is where you come back if you die. The camp is a couple of minutes away.
- Clear the campThe boss appears when you clear the camp: according to allthings.how, the last enemy is a fire archer up on the scaffolding, next to a red shrine. Also take out the dog handler, because while he is alive the dogs keep coming.
How to beat the Iron Butcher
He is a huge brute with a cracked golden mask and a double-edged axe. Vandal (Spanish guide) and Fextralife agree that his melee attacks are few and manageable: what kills you is the explosives.
His attacks
- Axe sweeps: four side-to-side hits and two lunges, mostly when you are far away. The last lunge is a red grab attack that deals a lot of damage: dodge it.
- Blue combo: two slashes and a third blue hit. Parry it. He usually uses it right after throwing grenades, and it is harder to parry if the previous hit stunned you.
- Downward chop and leap: he raises the axe and brings it down, or leaps at you from several steps away.
- Purple fire grenades: he spins with smoke in his hand and throws several in a row, in twos or threes. If they all hit you, you catch fire. They leave purple flames on the ground: get out of them right away, because you keep burning while you stand in them.
- Explosive grenades: two slow grenades that deal a lot of damage. You have time to dodge them.
The key: watch his left hand
- Vandal insists on watching his left hand at all times. When he moves it, dodge toward him if you are close, or twice to the same side if you are at mid range.
- If he throws a grenade with his red attack, a perfect dodge lets you throw it back.
- The blue combo usually follows the grenades: get ready to parry.
Strategies to beat him
Pick the one that suits the way you play. We only recommend gear you can have by the time you reach the Mountain of Imprisonment.
Fast weapon strategy (one-handed and dual)
His hits are slow but punish hard: fast weapons let you get in and out between attacks. The best options here are Sundering Dual Axes and Parting Hooks. Punish after the parried blue combo and after the explosive grenades, and keep your other weapon in reserve: switching restores all your Sha-Chi.
Heavy weapon strategy (two-handed)
Trade blow for blow only once his guard is broken: Sha-Chi attacks (Triangle) drain his posture very quickly. Try Armybreaker or Outlaw Warblade. The Outlaw Warblade restores health on hit, ideal if the flames keep wearing you down.
Elemental strategy (exploit his weaknesses)
He is weak to poison and lightning. Equip:
- Poison: Flying Dagger (Edge Zhang gives you for the Crimson Forest relics).
- Lightning: Thunder Spear (Chang Hong’s Edge, which also paralyzes); Baishan Stormswords (Yubi’s dual weapons).
Recommended combo: soak him first with You Loong’s Deluge and finish with the Thunder Spear. The Wet status increases lightning damage.
Defensive strategy (parries and dodges)
His most dangerous attack is the rain of purple fire grenades: learn his left-hand gesture and dodge sideways. Parry every blue flash to drain his Sha-Chi without spending yours, and execute as soon as he is stunned. If you struggle, the Counterstrike Bracers accessory (first Long Pillar) rewards parries.
Phantom Edge strategy
Bring Bashpole or Iron Gauntlets to break his guard and, if the summon icon glows in the arena, the Puppeteer’s Bell or the Kuye Temple Prayer Beads so someone draws his grenades while you heal. Remember that sparks recharge when you rest at a bell: spend them freely on the boss.
If you get stuck
- Make sure you have taken out the dog handler before fighting: the dogs keep coming while he is alive.
- Upgrade your two main weapons before coming back (the boss is level 22) and upgrade your medicines with the healer at the Green Serpent House.
- The Flameward from Pangzhen reduces fire and burn damage.
- Drop to Wayfarer: it does not affect any trophy and you can raise the difficulty again later.
Recommended gear
- Thunder Spear or Baishan Stormswords (lightning).
- Flameward against the purple flames.
- A breaking Edge: Bashpole or Iron Gauntlets.
Rewards
- Iron Butcher Mask: tempering material for Jagged Steel.
- The Iron Butcher’s Camp bell, which you can touch in the courtyard after the fight.
- In a chest at the edge of the arena there is a Blackstone Fragment (list in the Blackstone Fragments).
The other bosses in the area are in the Mountain of Imprisonment bosses and the whole region in the Mountain of Imprisonment guide. Looking for another boss? You have the list in all Phantom Blade Zero bosses in order.
Frequently asked questions
How do I dodge the Iron Butcher’s grenades?
Watch his left hand. When he moves it, dodge toward him if you are close, or twice to the same side if you are at mid range, because he throws them in twos or threes.
Why do the dogs keep coming?
Because the dog handler is still alive. Take him out and they will stop appearing.
What is the Iron Butcher Mask for?
It is the tempering material for Jagged Steel.
