Thymesia's prologue ends with the player getting an absolute beatdown by Varg. Fortunately, the developers of Thymesia don't let a deed go unpunished, and so the player fights Varg in the third zone, the Hermes Fortress.
Like the rest of the bosses, Varg is no cakewalk, and will definitely take a beating before going down. Alongside this, his slow heavy-hitting style punishes players for over-aggressing him and can easily take the player down in just a few hits. He's one of the harder bosses in Thymesia, but taking him out feels like sweet revenge for. In order to do that, players will need to know how to counter him, and here's exactly how to do so.
Varg Moveset Phase 1
Varg, like Odur, has two phases, making his fight much harder than The Hanged Queen and also more punishing if players make mistakes. Varg's Phase 1 moveset consists of five attacks that players will need to know how to counter.
Double Swing
- Attack: Varg swings forward twice.
- Counter: This attack seems straightforward but is deceptively slow. Players will want to react accordingly to his swings and get used to the timing of this attack.
Swing into Overhead Slam
- Attack: Varg will perform a regular swing before swinging his great sword overhead and slamming downwards with it.
- Counter: This move has a similar timing to his double swing, except with a slight delay on the slam as it takes some time for Varg to move his sword. Additionally, Varg's first attack will be the same as his double swing, which can make this move quite deceptive. It's important for players to distinguish whether his second attack will be a swing or slam, and dodge accordingly.
Spin into Lunge
- Attack: Varg spins in a circle with his weapon and, after a short delay, lunges forward quickly.
- Counter: This move is telegraphed by Varg's spin, which has a fair amount of wind up to it. The player should ensure that they move back to dodge the first spin, then dodge to the side for the lunge.
Double Overhead Slam
- Attack: Varg will charge an overhead slam like his above attacks, and slam again very shortly afterwards.
- Counter: This attack will be telegraphed via Varg beginning his combo with an overhead slam. This should signify to the player he's going to follow it up with another one, and therefore they should be ready to dodge backwards out of the way.
Dash into Jumping Slam
- Attack: Varg will dash backwards before jumping forward and slamming his sword down.
- Counter: This main thing players should look for in this attack is Varg's jump forward. When Varg jumps forward, players should dodge a safe distance away as he lands to avoid his attack.
Varg Moveset Phase 2
Varg is similar to Odur in that his second phase is a bit more difficult. However, unlike Odur, Varg's second phase only has one new attack. The main difference is that Varg will behave much more aggressively towards the player in the second phase, and give them less breathing room. The timing between his moves becomes shorter and his animations are sped up ever so slightly, so players should be prepared for this new phase when it kicks in.
Varg's Ultimate Attack
- Attack: This attack will begin as soon as Varg phases. His eyes will glow red, and he will yell out. Shortly afterwards, he will dash a fair distance towards the player. If he connects, he will pick up Corvus and slam him into the ground, and follow it up with a huge downward slam. This will deal an absurd amount of damage and should be dodged at all costs.
- Counter: When Varg begins to glow red, move away from him as much as possible. Avoiding this attack is absolutely paramount to maintaining the player's health and life. It's important to note that this attack can be used multiple times, so players should be aware that he can cast it again.
The fact that Varg has a single new move in his second phase makes him a bit easier than Odur, as once the player has seen his first phase, they know almost all of his moves. The most important thing to note is Varg's ultimate attack, which is quite clearly telegraphed.
Loadout Tips
Plague Weapon: Shield
The Shield is a pretty ideal plague weapon against Varg, as his slow movement allows players to react to his windups and block accordingly.
Recommended Talents
- Long Dodge an ideal talent for Varg due to the sheer size of his attacks. It helps Corvus move far enough away that he doesn't take damage.
- Short Claw is great for any boss fight due to its healing capabilities. It's a bit riskier in Varg's fight, as players will want to pull short combos to lower the risk of being slammed.
Potions
The Long Lasting Potion works quite nicely against Varg, as he doesn't have many long-range options. The only way Varg can close the distance between the player is his slam attack, which is easily dodged when players can recognize it. This allows players to back up and slowly regenerate their health via the Long Lasting Potion, provided they dodge the slam attack.
Gameplay Tips
Recognize Varg's Movements
A lot of Varg's movements are slow, but lead into one another. For example, he can swing into swing or swing into a slam. Players should attempt to recognize Varg's movement patterns throughout the fight, so they can identify which move he is using next.
Maintain High Health
Varg hurts, a lot. Some of his moves can deal up to 200 damage, so players should try and maintain their health bar as high as possible. This means not being stingy with potion usage and avoiding unnecessary hits when possible.
Parrying
Parrying can work particularly well against Varg, as a lot of his moves are slow and heavy hitting. This saves the player from having to dodge out of the way and miss out on time dealing damage to Varg.
Varg is overall an easier encounter than Odur, and his slow pacing makes him far more telegraphed for dodging. That being said, he's definitely still a challenge, so don't underestimate his potential.
Thymesia is available now for PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch.