Black Myth: Wukong - All Bosses Guide

Black Myth: Wukong has 81 bosses, a nod to the 81 trials to attain Buddhahood in Journey to the West. It may seem daunting at first, but the novel the game is based on also has numerous monsters and hostile denizens, so it's arguably faithful in a way, too. Here's our Black Myth: Wukong boss guide so you'll know what to expect from the campaign. Naturally, please be reminded that this article contains major spoilers.

Black Myth: Wukong boss guide

Black Myth: Wukong is not exactly a "boss rush" game. That is, you're not going to stay in the same location fighting one tough foe after another. While there are plenty of opponents, you're still able to explore various areas, some of which have side quests and secrets. That being said, the sheer number means it's no easy feat to try and eliminate all your foes. As such, our Black Myth: Wukong boss guide is organized in the following manner:

• Most boss battles with multiple encounters or phases are listed as a single entry.
• We've included battles where you obtain transformation powers.
• While some of these enemies might grant spirits (i.e. quick shapeshifting abilities), we discuss most of them in our spirit skills guide.
• These enemies are listed based on campaign chapters, with the secret bosses in each chapter appearing later in their respective sections.

The first boss that you face once you start the game is Erlang Shen. To be fair, this isn't really much of a boss fight, as it takes place in the prologue and it serves as a tutorial.

The first Black Myth: Wukong boss of the campaign proper is an absolute pushover. You even learn the Immobilize spell to help you bring it down.

Fighting this Wolf Guai also nets you the Red Tides transformation spell. It causes you to turn into a wolf-like creature that has a flaming polearm.

This white wolf has made its lair in Guanyin Temple. Eliminate it so you can reach the next area in this region.

This half-human, half-snake (naga) boss slithers around in the Marsh of White Mist. He drops the Jade Fang, which lets you craft your first upgraded weapon.

This big brute loves to teleport around in a black shroud. Beating him nets you the Cloud Step spell.

This massive bear is the final boss of Chapter 1. Watch out for its rolling and pouncing attacks.

This secret boss is encountered in a cave behind the waterfall in Forest of Wolves: Outside the Forest. To gain access, you need to destroy the bronze wall in the arena where you fought the First Prince of Flowing Sands in Chapter 2. That's where you'll find a key item called the Loong Scales, which has magical properties that cause waterfalls to disappear completely.

This monk is surrounded by undead; the corpses can heal him if they get too close. You can fight him once you gain access to the Chapter 1 secret area: Ancient Guanyin Temple. Once he's been eliminated, you'll also receive the Fireproof Mantle vessel as a reward.

Technically, you're only fighting the Second Rat Prince here. You can't even reach the King of Flowing Sands since he's just pelting you from atop a pillar.

This creature will devour the King of Flowing Sands once you reach its lair, and you'll have to avoid its sweeping attacks.

This golem with blue crystals can be found in a cave system near Rockrest Flat. It drops the Stone Essence which is required for a side quest.

This fella has been cursed and he needs your help. Completing his task even nets you the Azure Dust transformation spell. You can learn more in our Man-in-Stone quest guide.

This golem can be found near Rockrest Flat. Its abilities include tossing boulders and area-of-effect (AoE) ground pounds.

This boss is part of a side quest that requires you to gather all six Buddha's Eyeballs in Chapter 2. Once you've done that, you can slot them into the large many-faced relief (i.e. large rock) in the arena where you fought the Stone Vanguard. Be ready to take on a hard-hitting golem that has somewhat similar attack patterns as the last one.

The Tiger Vanguard is one of the most notable Black Myth: Wukong bosses simply because we all know that cats are awesome. Also, you unlock the parry spell after beating him.

After taking out the Tiger Vanguard, you can continue along the cliffside path that leads to Windrest Hamlet. At the end of this trek, you'll see the Tiger's Acolyte guarding a narrow bridge. Be careful when fighting him since you can actually fall to your doom. Note that the Tiger Vanguard actually drops a key item called the Old-Rattle Drum, which is needed to unlock the next boss mentioned on our list.

This Black Myth: Wukong boss is the third of the tiger family that you'll face. After finishing off the Tiger Acolyte and obtaining the Old-Rattle Drum, you need to use this instrument in three areas in the region. You'll know you're in the right spots because the screen will turn grey and a child will call out to you.

At the very end, you'll be able to drop down a well, whereupon you'll encounter this foe. Be prepared for its fierce attacks and rock-throwing maneuvers.

Note: Both the Tiger Acolyte and Mad Tiger reward you with spirit skills, but the Tiger Vanguard (i.e. Yaoguai King) does not.

The final boss of Chapter 2 is a giant rat lord. He has the power over the desert sands, allowing him to create twisters and wind gusts.

Similar to the Red Loong from Chapter 1, this secret boss is also found in its own lair. The difference is that it's hiding behind a sand waterfall near the Fright Cliff: Rockrest Flat shrine.

This particular fella shows up as you're helping the Drunk Boar. Taking him out grants you access to the Chapter 2 secret area: Kingdom of Sahali.

See this? Cats are awesome, which is why this boss is back. You'll battle him again in the Kingdom of Sahali secret area.

This ginormous beetle is the final boss in the Kingdom of Sahali secret area. Watch out when it emerges from beneath the sand dunes since it can squash you like a bug. Once defeated, you'll receive the Wind Tamer vessel, as well as materials for an insectoid-themed armor set.

The Macaque Chief is the first major boss that you'll face in Chapter 3. To be clear, though, you'll battle him multiple times as you progress through this level.

Imagine a picturesque sight: a frozen lake with tranquil surroundings. Now, imagine a celestial dragon raining lightning down on you. Fun times!

This creepy creature has made its lair in the Pagoda Realm. It can reanimate the corpses of worshipers surrounding it, and it can blast you with lasers. Also, similar to other "captain" bosses, it's actually part of the Pagoda Realm wards and prisoner quest.

This is also another creature that loves shooting you with lasers--golden and not purple, unlike the last one. It also drops a key item that's required for the Pagoda Realm quest.

Remember the celestial dragon from earlier? Now, she's turned into her human form, allowing her to harness to full power of the elements. You'll fight her in the Turtle Island area.

Found at the shore of the Bitter Lake, this miniboss has a special sidequest that unlocks the Painted Realm vendor hub.

In relation to the above, this particular Black Myth: Wukong boss is actually one of the NPCs in the vendor hub. He's also the blacksmith that can upgrade your armor pieces to higher rarities. If you do manage to win against him in a sparring session, you'll receive the Ebon Flow transformation spell.

This Black Myth: Wukong boss is actually the adventurer monk that you've encountered a few times since you arrived at the Bitter Lake. He's also the same fella who's extremely cold and was looking for the warmth of a fire. At the end of his quest, he reveals himself to be an adversary. Eliminating him nets you the Spell Binder spell.

This captain entity might not be as "laser-focused" as its compatriots, but it does love to spam its blood-infused aura. Eliminating this construct opens the way to the New Thunderclap Temple.

This beefed up octopus man emerges from an altar in New Thunderclap Temple. Once beaten, you'll receive the Hoarfrost transformation spell.

This is the final boss of Chapter 3. While his attacks are slow and easily telegraph, he does have lightning spells at his disposal. Note that this is actually a multi-phase encounter with several integrated mechanics.

This is the third of the loong bunch that you can face once you have the Loong Scale key item. He can be found along the right-hand side of the Turtle Island area in Chapter 3. If you've already visited the location before, then you'll remember him as the dragonman statue that's fishing by the cliffside.

Her name might be the Second Sister, but she's actually the first boss of the fourth chapter. Does that make sense? Anyway, watch out for her poison-imbued attacks.

This Black Myth: Wukong boss is quite notable since it drops a key item called the Proto Amourworm. If you return to the Painted Realm hub, you can feed it with Rice Cocoons, causing it to grow and grant you a unique spirit skill.

Upon reaching the Cliff of Oblivion waypoint, you'll get smacked around by this extremely long hand that moves back and forth the narrow hallway.

Pigsy will be your loyal companion for most of the campaign. However, a magical curse causes him to turn against you momentarily. This leads to two encounters in the Webbed Hollow: one in the Hut of Immortality and the other in the Purifying Spring.

This region has too many spiders, and their queen presents your toughest challenge yet. There's also a memorable sequence once you're done with this boss fight.

The final boss of Chapter 4 has some shockingly effective abilities. While you do have a few allies at the start of this bout, they'll be no match for him and, soon enough, you'll find yourself all by your lonesome.

Once the other three loongs have been dealt with, you can face this secret Black Myth: Wukong boss in Chapter 4. He wields a halberd that's infused with lightning. If you can best him, you'll earn his power: the Yellow Loong Golden Lining transformation.

If you plan on finding the Chapter 4 secret area: Purple Cloud Mountain, then your first order of business is to take out the Venom Daoist. The first encounter takes place in the Pool of Shattered Jade, and the next one is some distance away from the Temple Entrance.

Once you've arrived at the Purple Cloud Mountain secret area, you'll stumble upon this arrogant foe who warns you not to touch the jars. If you destroy a single one, then you'll have no choice but to duke it out with him.

This fella is pretending to be a nice guy who needs your help. However, he soon reveals his true intentions. Putting a stop to his plans nets you the Violet Hail transformation spell.

This skeletal calf-buzzard hybrid is the final boss of the Purple Cloud Mountain secret area. It might not seem much at first, but the second phase of this bout causes its abilities to be infused with cursed blood.

This Bull General is the first miniboss that you'll come across in Chapter 5. You'll soon learn that he's actually a friendly NPC who has a quest for you.

The Pale-Axe Stalwart's quest actually involves destroying the Five Element Carts in the region. Most have similar abilities, such as flame breaths and mortar bombardment.

This is your first two-on-one battle in Chapter 5. What makes this encounter quite fun is that Quick as Fire mostly rolls around while spewing flames on the ground. However, if Fast as Wind, the floating demon head, manages to funnel these flames, its own abilities can end up scorching you, too.

This is another two-on-one handicap match where you're up against a couple of minibosses. The bout starts with you against Cloudy Mist, who casts frost-based magic, though he later tags in Misty Cloud, who bashes you with melee strikes. Later, the two will constantly switch with one another to annoy you.

This monk challenges you in a tranquil dimension, but you'll soon learn that he has some nasty tricks. These include summoning shadow soldiers and turning into a giant fish for the second phase.

The final boss of Chapter 5 is none other than Red Boy, the son of the Bull King and Princess Iron Fan. Naturally, you can expect a lot of fire-based attacks that can quickly burn your character. Meanwhile, his second form, the Yaksha King, is an even more chaotic fight due to his erratic attack patterns.

If you manage to complete the Pale-Axe Stalwart's quest to destroy the Five Element Carts, you'll unlock the Chapter 5 secret area: Bishui Cave. This is yet another two-on-one battle. Your opponents are the two warriors comprising the spiked ball you've been running away from in the "normal" realm's mountain peak.

This Black Myth: Wukong boss concludes your Chapter 5 secret area objective. The bout takes place in the depths of a volcanic cave, and this creature happens to love spewing flames. Of note is its grab attack, where it can throw you straight into molten magma. Imagine trying to recover and still losing health in the process.

This is your first true test in Chapter 6. Yes, it's an angelic being with a hand for a head, and it also rides a flaming wheel that it can throw at your face on a whim.

This is the first legendary beast you face as you're collecting the mythical-rarity Monkey King armor set. Its thick hide makes it impervious to light attacks, so you need to destroy its horn with a heavy attack instead.

Your next foe is a majestic deer that uses ice and win to stymie your progress. Don't let this tranquil place fool you because it will turn into a frenzied blood-soaked carcass.

This Black Myth: Wukong boss encounter is unique because it's not actually a battle. Rather, it's a stat check where your attributes come into play. You can learn more in our Feng-Tail General guide.

This fight takes place in a unique location, which we don't want to spoil here. Be prepared to counter its rapid slices and spinning moves.

This giant hippo resides in the western edge of the lake. It likes to dive underwater before chowing down on your character in a single gulp.

There are several Poison Chief minibosses in this region and they have similar abilities, such as tossing out green pods that explode at the same time. If they're too clustered together, your character can perish instantly due to spike damage.

There are six frog minibosses in the game. This particular creature can be found in Chapter 6, and it has a stone-based deflection move.

This golem is relaxing by a cliffside area overlooking the lake. It won't attack automatically, so you have to hit it a few times.

While exploring Mount Huaguo in Chapter 6, you'll notice a narrow ravine that leads to an area with a massive rock formation in the middle. And, of course, this rock formation turns into a boss known as the Giant Shigandang. It will even roar, making your Somersault Cloud dissipate and causing you to fall straight to the ground.

We've come to the final boss of Black Myth: Wukong, none other than the Monkey King or, rather, an empty shell of him. This entire section is a gauntlet in its own right, since there are two separate encounters with two phases each. This bout pits you against the Stone Monkey on its own. Then, during the second phase, you have to deal with two of them that use different elemental powers.

We promised only a single entry for the same bosses, but this final boss encounter is special. Once the Stone Monkey has been defeated, you'll face the Great Sage himself. The initial phase might seem easy, but the second phase will shock you. The Great Sage will be at his full might, while the Destined One is somewhat depowered (in a way). The ridiculously fast attack animations and multiple change-ups that you need to adapt to even remind us of the Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree finale.

Note: After beating the final boss and watching the end credits, you'll be back at the main menu screen. There's an option to "Enter a New Cycle" (or New Game Plus). However, you can still click on "Continue" to resume your original playthrough. This allows you to gather collectibles and complete side quests that you may have missed. You can challenge the final boss again by interacting with the stone in Mount Huaguo.

Erlang Shen is back. This time, he's made a secret realm his own lair. If you thought the battle against the Great Sage was tough, then be ready for some headaches. Erlang Shen's moves and attacks swiftly, and he can even step aside to avoid your heavy blows. Likewise, he has a lot of magical spells, periodically switching to different elements (i.e. fire, frost, shock, and poison), which also alter his moveset.

Note: We unlocked this encounter, as well as the two others mentioned below, after defeating the Stone Monkey/Great Sage. We also completed a few other activities, which then triggered a cutscene that took us to this secret realm.

If you manage to trounce Erlang Shen in the above encounter, then you'll find yourself in a frozen field. Erlang has called his buddies, the Four Heavenly Kings, to put an end to you. This isn't a regular boss fight, but a "kaiju battle" of sorts. The Destined One is fully transformed into a giant Stone Monkey, and your goal is to pummel all four opponents. There are even some fatality-esque sequences.

After bringing down the Four Heavenly Kings, you'll take on Erlang Shen one last time. This is still a kaiju battle, which means Erlang Shen is in his giant lion form. We know that cats are awesome, but you really need to defeat him to finish the entire gauntlet. This whole ordeal also nets you the Tri-Point Double-Edged Spear weapon and Stone Monkey: Azure Dome transformation spell.

Note: I can confirm that leads to an entirely new ending cinematic after defeating the final boss once more. It recounts the group's adventures in Journey to the West in animated form, including a few memorable moments from the novel. This concludes in a scene where Sun Wukong offers a toast to his comrades as they're about to attack the Celestial Palace, which is shown in the prologue.

In any case, that does it for our Black Myth: Wukong boss guide. We'll continue updating our article as we discover more ferocious adversaries. As you can see, there are numerous foes that will test your mettle throughout the campaign. Will you become the Monkey King, or will your legend be lost in the sands of time?