Martial Arts World bosses: Warden location and fight tips

Look for the Warden of the Heavenly River in Tianhai Cave when your region-one main quest directs you there. Defeating this boss is part of the passage from region one to region two.

Where to look for the Warden

Complete the necessary region-one main quests until your objective says to enter Tianhai Cave. From King Nyan Town, head north toward the cave near Mocking Shrine. Use Nameless Tomb and the waterfall jewel landmark to narrow your search: Tianhai Cave lies between them.

Press N to open the map. Exploring the relevant areas reveals boss information and markers, so explore as you travel and check the map again for newly revealed information. For the broader progression route, see how to unlock regions.

Check which boss has the item you need

Old Scarback is a useful target when preparing for your first Foundation Establishment breakthrough. Open its Index entry and look for Scarback’s Broken Tusk among the listed drops. That tusk serves as the boss key for this breakthrough.

A listed drop is a possible reward; viewing the entry does not mean you own the tusk. Obtain the item before treating the boss-key requirement as complete. The breakthrough guide covers the wider progression task.

World-boss reward displays can also help you decide whether an encounter has something you want. One such display lists drop chances for books, skills and pills. Read those entries as possible rewards rather than a guaranteed bundle for winning.

Recognize the encounter’s damage opening

Tentacled boss in the mortal realm

The early mortal-realm boss resembling a small kraken has a specific stun-and-mount opening:

1. Wait for it to slam its tentacles onto the ground.
2. Attack while the tentacles are grounded to stun it.
3. Once it is stunned, press Y to mount it.
4. Repeatedly press the prompted buttons to deal damage.

The grounded tentacles are your cue to attack; the stun is your cue to use Y.

Bosses with parry and posture openings

One boss-combat approach is to parry attacks without a red warning, build toward a posture break, and then use skills during the boss’s vulnerable window. Keep the red-warning attacks outside this parry plan. See the combat guide for broader combat guidance.

Large boss that sends out rings

For the solo encounter against the large boss that sends rings around itself, stay underneath it, around its legs. Maintain that close position during its area attacks, including the rings, instead of retreating. This positioning advice applies to that particular encounter.

Enter the Black Bamboo Hideout boss mission

If you have access to Party Missions, open it, select Clear the Black Bamboo Hideout, and choose Go now. This bandit mission includes a boss.

On the approach, draw only one or two bandits at a time to keep the fight manageable. Before selecting Leave, collect all available loot. Finish looting first, then exit the mission.