Where Winds Meet Sword Trial Lv.96 Ironheart Centipede Guide

To complete the Lv.96 Sword Trial against the Ironheart Centipede in Where Winds Meet, prioritize destroying summoned Segmented Puppets immediately while maintaining mid-range positioning to dodge linear lunges and wide sweeping attacks.

Core Battle Mechanics and Telegraphs

The Ironheart Centipede relies on fast gap-closers and arena-wide strikes to punish static playstyles. Remaining at mid-range gives you enough visual awareness to react to incoming attacks while keeping the boss centered in your camera view.

Key signals and responses include:

• Burrowing and Body Wind-Ups: The boss coils or digs briefly before delivering a rapid forward lunge. Sidestep or dash late in the animation to clear its path.
• Sweeping Flurries: Wide horizontal strikes cover a broad arc. Wait for the visual flash or audio wind-up cue before activating your dodge to make full use of invincibility frames.
• Stagger Windows: Consistently striking the centipede's weak points opens brief stun opportunities. Reserve high-burst skill rotations for these moments rather than using long channeled skills during neutral play.

Managing Segmented Puppets

The Segmented Puppets mechanic introduces add spawns into the encounter. Allowing these puppets to accumulate creates severe stagger risks, leaving you open to the boss's heaviest strikes.

Follow this sequence when puppets appear:

1. Shift Target Priority: Target the Segmented Puppets as soon as they materialize on the battlefield.
2. Reposition the Boss: Kite the Ironheart Centipede away from active puppet spawn points so you are not trapped between multiple threats.
3. Apply Area-of-Effect Damage: Use wide-swiping martial arts stances or AoE abilities to eliminate puppets while continuing to chip away at the centipede.

Combat Positioning and Stamina Control

Managing stamina is critical throughout the fight. Panic-dodging during multi-hit combos will quickly deplete your reserves, leaving you unable to escape follow-up attacks.

• Pacing Dodges: Rhythmically time your dashes to match individual strikes rather than spamming evasion buttons.
• Circular Movement: Maintain a continuous circular path around the boss during its aggressive late-fight phase. This movement path reduces the accuracy of the centipede's straight-line lunges.
• Wall Awareness: If backed against an arena boundary, use high-mobility skills immediately to reposition toward the center. Wall collisions limit dodge direction and disrupt camera visibility.
• Stance Selection: Utilize quick-strike stances with short animation locks. Avoid abilities that force your character to stand still for extended periods.