Valor Mortis Sphinx Boss Guide: How to Win

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Sphinx, Devourer of the Unworthy, is the Chapter 4 boss in Valor Mortis. The fight rewards well-timed parries in its first phase, then shifts towards weak-point shooting once the second phase begins.

This guide covers the Sphinx’s location, recommended preparation, attack patterns and the safest way to finish the encounter. For more gaming and arcade news, visit the RETROCADE Arcade Blog.

Where to find the Sphinx in Valor Mortis

The Sphinx is the boss at the end of Chapter 4, after General Lothaire in Chapter 2 and The Iron Marshall in Chapter 3. Progress through the Caverns and consider completing the “Homesick” side quest while exploring the area.

After the mine cart sequence, you will reach the Ancient Lair Lantern. Travel through the mist from there to enter the Sphinx’s lair.

How to prepare for the Sphinx fight

You will generally be around level 20 or higher when you reach this encounter. If your character is below level 20, explore optional areas and collect more catalysts before attempting the fight. Use any available catalyst clots as well.

The battle relies on parrying, transmutation damage and shots against weak points. The following skills make the encounter more manageable:

Maximum Endurance, for a larger endurance reserve.
Blocking and Parrying Impact, to improve your defensive options.
Melee Endurance Cost, so blocking, dodging and attacking consume less endurance.
Nephtoglobin Extraction, to restore more nephtoglobin.
Melee Damage or Ferrofluid Flask Refill if you have spare skill points.

These ambers are particularly useful against the Sphinx:

Duellist’s Focus: Extends the melee parry window.
Bottomless Well: Gradually restores lost nephtoglobin.
Dominatus II: Restores health when you land critical attacks.
Bountiful Harvest: Restores health when you collect nephtoglobin remains, shown as purple orbs.
Potent Concoction: Restores both nephtoglobin and health when you use a ferrofluid flask.

Whetstones and grenades can help, but neither is required. Either transmutation option is suitable. A sabre is preferable to a rapier because the encounter involves frequent parries, but the essential weapon is the blunderbuss. It is not needed in the opening phase, though it makes the second phase much quicker.

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How to beat the Sphinx

The Sphinx mostly attacks with rapid claw combinations. Many of these strikes can be parried. An unblockable attack is signalled by a brief red glow, so avoid trying to block it.

Successful parries build the boss’s posture meter beneath its health bar. After roughly four or five parries, the meter should fill, allowing you to stab the Sphinx in the head and remove about one-sixth of its health.

The Sphinx gets stunned in Valor Mortis.

The encounter has two phases. The second phase adds new attacks, but parrying remains important until the weak point appears.

Phase one: read the claw attacks

The opening phase uses several claw patterns:

A single claw swipe.
Three quick claw swipes.
A claw swipe followed by a pirouette, including a tail strike.
One or more claw attacks followed by a fast, unblockable jump.

For standard claw strikes, wait for the claw to glow purple before blocking and parrying. If the Sphinx turns its body away after a swipe, prepare for the pirouette. This move is more difficult to defend against, so dodging away is often safer.

The Sphinx's claw attacks in Valor Mortis.

The boss also has a long-range, unblockable leap. It retreats across the arena, crouches and glows red before launching itself at you. Dodge towards the side to reach its flank, then attack. If your nephtoglobin is full, fire-based transmutation can apply burn; otherwise, melee strikes can help replenish nephtoglobin.

There is another crouching attack that does not include the red glow. In this case, the Sphinx summons an orb that slowly descends. When it reaches the ground, it creates a shock wave. Do not waste ammunition shooting the orb; jump over the shock wave instead.

The Sphinx uses a jump attack and orb attack in Valor Mortis.

Phase two: avoid poison and tentacles

During the transition, the Sphinx sprays purple poison from its mouth. Move away to avoid it.

The Sphinx spouts poison in Valor Mortis.

In the second phase, a moving wall of purple tentacles crosses the arena. It does not damage you if you pass through carefully. The Sphinx also receives extra claw-combo variations, but the same parry timing continues to apply.

Watch for the body slam that can finish a combo. Once the Sphinx is on the ground, it is briefly vulnerable and you have a good opening for melee attacks.

The Sphinx uses a tentacle and body slam attack in Valor Mortis.

Use the Sphinx’s face weak point

The most efficient way to end the second phase is to shoot the weak point that appears on the Sphinx’s face. Standard pistol rounds work, while the blunderbuss is considerably stronger. A successful blunderbuss shot removes about one-fifth of the boss’s health, so a few well-placed blasts can close out the battle quickly.