By the point you’re coming to Cleaver in The Relic: First Guardian, you’ll already have fought some serious bosses. From the introduction to Branko, to the dual personalities of Mog, you’ve seen a lot, and now, you’re trying to work your way through cannon fodder to make your way to Cleaver, and in the process, save a trio of villagers held hostage by the titular man.
In this guide, we’ll explain not only where he is, but how to beat Cleaver in The Relic: First Guardian, and how to do it with minimal stress and frustration.
How to Find Cleaver in The Relic: First Guardian
You’ll hear Cleaver long before you see him, with him chatting with an emotional and discordant woman hidden behind a wall and rockface. Located at The Old Garrison, you’ll find two, yes two, Tibelle Blessings here. One outside the door of the Garrison itself, and the other inside the inner courtyard, right in front of another area, where, through the door, you’ll be able to see the menacing figure of Cleaver in the distance.
A useful tip, before heading through to Cleaver, head over to the left and dispatch several enemies around a camp fire, where you’ll find a tied up Gavin, an NPC that will lead you into another quest, A Matter of Life and Death.
How to Beat Cleaver in The Relic: First Guardian
As soon as the battle begins, you’ll notice that Cleaver’s arena is littered with barrels, but unlike most other bosses, it’s not just fire barrels this time round. Now, you’ll have fire, poison and ice barrels to contend with, and as before, these can all be used to your advantage, or end up absolutely destroying your health bar.
Your first move should be to immediately, upon Cleaver’s health bar appearing, throw your elemental attack at him, and then straight away block. He will either rush you, or throw his own elemental attack at you. Those distance attacks are integral to his approach, so get used to dodging or blocking them.
You’ll quickly notice that, with enough distance between yourself and Cleaver, he will slowly prowl around the arena, not particularly approaching you all that quickly. Use this to your advantage, and aim your elemental at the barrels and blow them up when he’s near one. He’ll end up with more damage than just your weapons can provide, and maybe even an elemental status.
CHEESE METHOD: The arena’s many barrels and fires can be used much the same as they were in the fire-filled church against Branko. Blow them up, make him hit them, or walk through the fire, and continually keep your distance. His health will drop continually, and if you pair that with your own elemental attacks, can do the whole boss fight at a distance.
As the fight progresses, and the barrels are blown up and the fires go out, you’ll have to switch up your tactics if you’ve not killed Cleaver by this point.
He may now be a little more aggressive, mixing in unblockable red attacks to his ranged elementals and sweeping combos. Dodge these, remember. Do not try and block the red attacks. As is the name of the game with the rest of the bosses in The Relic: First Guardian, patience is key here. At most, you’ll want to try and take one, maybe two hits at the boss after he ends a combo, or, if you can put a few feet between the pair of you, whip out a skill attack move. The opening Sword and Shield skill move that you buy is great here, as it’ll wind up and then push you forward quickly, damaging Cleaver more than a normal attack would.
UPCOMING BOSSES
- Looter Borja and SPOILER
- Philip, The One Who Lost His Peace
Given enough patience, ranged attacks and smart use of the barrels, you’ll find the brute force of Cleaver isn’t the most difficult of mountains to climb. Don’t forget to equip Guardian of Flame, to ensure maximum resistance in that regard, and don’t be afraid of using your Eden’s Wine and Dried Meat, as and when required.
With a little luck and some skill, and the tips above, you’ll now have beaten Cleaver, congratulations!
Rewards:
- Seed of Venom
- Relic Energy
Beating Cleaver continues the Event ‘No Survive’, given to you by Logan in the Refugee’s Village. Make sure to talk to the three prisoners in the cell behind Cleaver, before heading back to the village to turn it in, or rather, to continue it on.
For your next read, don’t miss our tips for the game, or our review of The Relic: First Guardian.
Luke Addison is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Thumb Wars. Having previously been a part of multiple outlets over the years, including building an entire gaming team from nothing to something, he thought it best to forge his own path and answer only to himself. As likely to be found playing the latest game as he is in the kitchen relaxing (by cooking), he always brings the same bold and brash attitude to everything he does, with a heavy leaning on sarcasm and dry wit!
