This guide covers every boss fight in Ninja Gaiden 4, breaking down their moves, attack patterns, and the best ways to take them down. You’ll go up against everything from the D.D.O. Commander and Proto-Goliath to deadly foes like the Kitsune Courtesan, Sanzeon, Kurobo, and Veilotl. Later, things ramp up with intense battles against Cetus, D-1018 Chariot, Kagachi, Achilles, and Totyos — all leading to the ultimate tests against Ryu and the Dark Dragon. Whether you’re fighting massive machines or mythical monsters, this guide will help you learn their patterns, exploit their weaknesses, and come out on top.
Bosses
DDO Commander
Boss Moveset
Phase 1
He is actually quite slow. He dodges backwards, sidesteps and lunges at you. This can be blocked.
He will sheathe his sword and glow red for a power attack. You can either parry and Fatal Flash this – as this has a long wind-up up or dodge to this right. Easiest is to go into Blood Raven form and stagger him.
He stays in place and swings his sword down, which is a start of a 3 hit combo. You can dodge/perfect dodge this.
Dodge to his right and then his back and hit him with a solid combo.
Phase 2
Once his first health bar is gone, he will start phase 2. He will retreat to the center of the arena and charge up an attack. This will create a directional slash and electrify an area. Jump away or run away from the area when it eventually explodes.
The other attack he might do is a horizontal or a vertical slash of lightning that he charges up for an eternity and then dashes forward with the unleashed attack.
I prefer to rush him during the charging phase of this move.
Strategy
Always try to Blood Raven stagger his power attack – the attack that he telegraphs with a red flash.
Keep dodging to get behind him and get in your preferred combos.
If you have the parry timing down, perfect parries/Fatal Flash can hit stun the boss for what seems like minutes allowing you to whale on him.
DDO Proto Goliath
Boss Moveset
Right off the bat, this slow hulking boss has 5 adds. 3 flying ones and two on the ground.
Focus fire the adds down first. But be careful as the boss will swing his hammer down when you are engaged with the adds.
If you have the meter, switch to Blood Raven and stagger him. This will allow you to stun him and get a few good shots in.
Meanwhile, Obliterate any of the adds that are low on health to replenish your Blood Raven meter. This boss will also do a one legged thrust kick that is easy enough to dodge around.
The other thing you have to watch for is the hail of bullets from the flying enemies. Grapple or rather Caddis Wire on to the small drones, get up in the air and take them out.
The boss himself charges at you and swings the hammer down. There will be a pool of electricity at the point of impact. Dodge the downward swing and go behind him to dish out a combo.
He will also do a 3 hit combo – starting with an upward swing, then another upward swing, a horizontal swing. You can perfect parry any of these hits and stagger him.
Next, he will flash red and execute a massive jumping power attack. If you can time it right and have the space – you can Blood Raven stagger him during this move. Otherwise just dodge.
This will also leave a pool of electricity at the point of impact.
Strategy
- Avoid standing in the lightning.
- Once the adds are down, focus on the boss.
- Use your timing and position to avoid his slow swings.
- Use Berserk state whenever it’s full.
Kitsune Courtesan
You fight this boss twice. Once early in Chapter 3 and next time at the end of the chapter. The first fight is a gimme essentially.
Kitsune Courtesan First Fight
Boss Moveset
She will initiate a 3 hit combo with her umbrella. She starts this with a diagonal power attack.
Then a swing up and a slam down. If you have the timing down, please perfect dodge through. She also does a spinning attack with her umbrella.
Again, perfect dodge through if you can. But you can also block through it. She has a third variation on the spin attack – its best if you can parry that so you can Fatal Flash her.
She will flash red and start a bullet hell style volley attack. You can either avoid the waves by using Caddis Wire to get on the lanterns dotted around the arena or rush her as it is entirely possible to dodge all the waves.
She has very low hp at this time – so you will burn her through pretty fast. But other moves we have noticed included a frontal block that you need to use Blood Raven to break. She also does an Umbrella Slam downwards from time to time.
Strategy
- Stay aggressive on this fight. It is entirely possible to burn her down before she even unleashes her full move set.
- The spinning attacks can overwhelm you. Just block through it if you are having trouble.
Kitsune Courtesan Second Fight
Boss Moveset
First Phase
She has all the moves from the first fight and she has additional moves. She will block your attacks with her umbrella and then thrust downwards.
She will jump/float backwards to avoid attacks. Then charge at you following up with her 3 hit combo. She will also let her umbrella go off to her left, spinning away from her. Move to her right when this happens for an opening.
When she flashesh red, rush her and immediately stagger her with a Blood Raven attack.
She will rush at you with her umbrella.
Once her first life bar is down, she will go into Phase 2.
Phase 2
This phase is all about a cadence to the fight. It’s almost rhythmic in quality. In addition to all her previous moves, she has one additional move. She takes on her true form – she has a big bushy tail. She will summon five umbrellas. They are telegraphed and move in rhythm so just dodge them.
She will always be behind the final umbrella that you dodge.
Strategy
- If you get her rhythm down, you can parry or Blood Raven attack through almost every single attack she has. You can end combos before they start.
- The other big opening is when she starts to trigger her volley – a Blood Raven attack at the point will leave her wide open for a crazy amount of time.
- Perfect Parry into Fatal Flash is really helpful in this fight.
- It might seem like a good idea to keep your distance but it’s the opposite. It’s why she keeps moving away. She is larger than you – so staying close can allow you to stay under most of her spins and sweeps.
Sanzeon
Phase 1
Boss Moveset
Sanzeon is a teleporting boss. He is essentially a large rock. First thing, it does it teleports to the back alter area and shoots a laser. Easily dodge able.
It shoots talismans up and they rain down. They have slight homing properties. You can dodge most of them easily.
When it flashes red, use Bloodraven stance to stun it.
Otherwise it will shoot three lasers from its sides and then spin around as the laser rise up from the ground. You can dodge through them.
If you get close to it, it will stomp down and give a small window for a Bloodraven stagger and then teleport to an alter to the left and immediately start a power attack.
Usually, it’s a single laser attack. Dodge through and keep up the pressure. Once it teleports for the third time, it will create large totems of area effect on the ground.
They will explode for a lot of damage so try to stick close to Sanzeon or dodge out. This move is usually followed with a three laser spinny power attack.
Strategy
- Keep the pressure up in this phase. He doesn’t have a lot of defense and is easy to go down.
- His power attacks are telegraphed and you can punish them if you are aware enough.
- Dodge and Bloodraven stance attacks are your go to.
- He can be annoying with the teleporting around but its more of annoyance than a difficulty curve.
Phase 2
In this phase. He starts off swinging his sword.
This is a short downward swing, followed by a horizontal slash. His power attack is a downward slam with the axe and then he spins for massive damage.
You can stagger him during the power move and beat on his ass. Occasionally he will spin with all his weapons. You can jump over it.
He will separate his main body from his arms. He will float above while the arms combine and spin for area of effect electric damage.
The finisher for the combo is the three arms will cut off your push towards Sanzeon by thrusting downwards rapidly. This move will follow you around, so keep moving. The arms will then go back and combine and attack in large arcs of spinning damage.
I haven’t found an effective counter for yet other than to dodge backwards.
When the sequence is over the arms will come back to him. Occasionally one of the arms will detach from his body and shoot at you.
Strategy
- Sanzeon’s hitbox can be super iffy at times. A lot of times a lot of my attacks didn’t register.
- He only has one power move opening. Use it whenever it shows up.
- Other than that, dodge all the arm combination attacks.
- It is wise not to over commit. I had a full Berserk go to waste because none of the hits registered.
Kurobo
Kurobo has two forms. A bird/jet fighter form and a dog form. He starts off in dog form.
Phase 1
He lunges at you and slams his wings down.
This is followed by combo slashes with his wings. There is usually a window where he then does a power attack which can be staggered.
He can also shift into a power attack from a leaping slashing 3 hit combo.
Use these windows to punish him. He will occasionally fly up in the air and summon two twisters.
These stay on the arena for a while. Watch out for them.
Strategy
- You can perfect parry almost all of his attacks.
- Otherwise, keep you block up and stagger him during the power attack at the end of the 3 hit combo.
Phase 2
Once his first life bar is down. Kurobo will switch between his bird form and dog form. Once he flies up, you can use Caddis Wire to gain height on him.
He will still have all his dog form attacks. Additionally, he will leap back in the air and charge at you.
There is a power attack coming that you can stagger when he does this.
If you can’t stagger him, just dodge out of the way. He will spin around and drop bombs from his bells from time to time. He will also jump up and slam down followed with a spin attack.
Strategy
- Keep moving. Try to gain height with R1 whenever you can to avoid his charged flybys.
- Otherwise perfect parry and Fatal Flash his spinning attacks.
- Positioning matters in this fight, both horizontally and vertically. Try to get behind him as much as possible.
- This can be a long fight. Bring consumables. Beef your damage up.
Ryu Hayabusa
Boss Moveset
This isn’t really a fight, more a story thing.
The GOAT moves quite slow in this iteration. He will always try to get you into an air combo. You can parry him during this time and switch into your own mid air combo.
Otherwise, he will either spin down and smash or try a guillotine throw from the air.
You can stagger him during his power attack.
He does Falcon Dives and Flying Swallows. You can’t win this fight. Once he beats you he leaves.
Strategy
You can’t win this fight. Once he beats you he leaves.
Veilotl
Phase 1
This is one of the slower bosses. He lumbers over to you and starts a 3 Slam combo where he slams down on the ground and causes splash damage.
Almost immediately after he goes into a power attack.
Bloodstance attack him to cause stagger. He does a wide sweeping attack.
This can go from low to high or high to low.
Usually there is a window to stagger him here. He will do a leaping power attack.
This has splash damage at the point of impact. He then drops his hind legs down to create more splash damage.
Strategy
- Dodge through most his attacks. Alternatively parry – but it feels like his parry windows are tiny.
- It’s the same with the stagger windows. It’s a tiny red flash. I missed multiple openings even when I knew it was coming. I was always a second late.
- Still those staggers are your best chance to deal damage. So stay close to him and hit him with a blood stance attack the second he starts the animation.
Phase 2
In phase two he summons adds from inside him (yuck).
He also has space under his legs now for you to stay in and hammer at him from. He keeps swiping at intervals.
The adds will projectile vomit on you. Avoid the puddles.
Veilotl does a power attack – that’s essentially a charge through the entire arena. You can dodge through or if you are close enoguh stagger him.
Strategy
- Unload Berserk the second you have it up and going.
- The adds don’t have much health, so obliterate, falcon dive them as soon as you can.
- The adds are a distraction, really. Veilotl hits really hard, it might just be worth it to ignore the adds and take him on directly.
- Because of his size Ultimate Techniques really help out here.
Cetus
Cetus is a goddamn shark on the dancefloor.
Phase 1
He dives underwater, swims around then surfaces to try to take a chomp off you.
Sometimes, he will surface and do a short two hit combo. Both hits are susceptible to perfect parry and fatal flash.
He will jump back and do a power attack. He does wind up or rather roar before this – you can get some hits in then.
He will then chuck up projectiles up in the air. Just dodge through them.
If you get too close to him for too long, he will try to grasp you.
The next kind of power attack he can do is quite close to you.
Its literally a belly flop. Its super easy to dodge but its better if you can use this for a stagger window. If he grasps you just let the animation play out. It causes decent damage.
There is a stagger window right when he surfaces from under the water.
But you need to get lucky for this to happen. This is quite a long stagger window. He will summon smaller sharks around the arena. Just take them out with shurikens. If a bunch of them latch on to you, it can be restricting.
Phase 2
Before he launches into phase 2, there is a large window before he gets into place. Use that to get a decent chunk of damage in.
In phase 2, the disco floor goes dark. Cetus starts kind of talking, glowing blue and teleporting.
Once again Cetus dives down and as he surfaces there is a stagger window. He has all the same moves from before otherwise.
Strategy
- Start charging your Ultimate Technique the second Cetus dives down and unleash the attack when he pops back out for massive damage.
- Watch for stagger windows – he teleports around a lot and finishes the teleports with slam down attacks. Staggers are the only way to keep him in place. You can parry the slam down attacks – but the timing is really tricky.
D-1018 Tank Chariot
Phase 1
The tank brings its spinning saws to the front (from its sides) and charges at you.
You can perfect dodge this to either left or right and hammer away. In this fight, its always preferable to be at the tank’s sides – as it’s weapons won’t reach.
It can however, spin in 360 degrees, as it does when it creates a hail of bullets.
It will shoot missiles up in the air and they will land on the floor. Avoid standing in the red zones.
Its power attack can be staggered.
If you don’t – it will shoot a bolt of laser that explodes on contact.
If you can, always try to dodge this as it does a chunk of damage. Stay at range and use Shurikens and bombs.
When you see openings get in close, get a combo in before it spins away from you.
Phase 2
It has all the previous moves from Phase 1 and it now spins in a wide turning radius and at speed.
It will combine the spinning bullet spam and missiles at the same time now.
It will also combine the missile attack with straight and continuous laser beam, that moves up and down.
Strategy
- Maintain your distance and just spam shurikens and bombs if you are having trouble.
- Look for openings to unleash berserk and ultimate techniques.
- Otherwise, the fight is mostly about positioning and dodging. Try to maintain a position at its side rather than at the back or in front of it.
Kagachi
Phase 1
He jumps back in the air and sends a shuriken at you.
He leaps up and lunges with a two hit combo. The ending hit has a knockback.
He does three consecutive dashes to get positioning on you.
He does a downward thrust combo – perfect for a perfect parry and fatal flash.
Even at very close ranges, he can and will jump up and throw a shuriken at you.
This fight rewards aggressive play a lot. Kagachi is hitstunned a lot – keep the pressure on. If you got the parry timing down – the fight (phase 1) is pretty easy.
Phase 2
As phase 2 starts, he just stands in the middle of the arena and prepares. Unleash on him during this window.
He will raise his sword and do a wide arena sweeping swipe. Use the wall hooks to avoid it.
This move can also come straight down on your head.
He will rush you and hit a two hit combo.
If you keep close to him, he will stomp in the ground and create a fire effect that will push you back.
His power attack will see him dash to the side and then at you.
This is followed by a two hit combo.
If he pulls his sword back and starts charging – start dodging. This is an unblockable attack.
Strategy
- More than any fight so far, this is a front footed fight. Meaning, you can and should press the issue. Parry is invaluable in this fight. Almost every single attack by Kagachi is vulnerable to parry and a counter.
Coming Soon…
More indie games
For more articles on other indie games, please check out the links below:
Videogames.
Gym.
Sneakers.
Manga.
My dog.
In that order.
