The Relic First Guardian Brutals Boss Guide
Up to eighty tragic bosses — each one a combat puzzle with a human story underneath.
Brutals are the heart of The Relic: First Guardian’s challenge fantasy. Marketing and previews cite roughly seventy to eighty tough boss encounters — former people twisted by curses, starvation, and forgotten names. Beating them is not only a DPS check; it is how you recover Relic pieces and close tragic stories. This guide teaches a method for reading Brutal kits, then applies that method to publicly discussed encounters.
Refresh combat fundamentals before a boss evening, and keep a coherent Relic package ready.
How to scout any Brutal
Ask five questions on the first attempt:
- Guardable or unblockable? If overheads punish blocking, prioritize dodge. If repeated strikes are parryable, invest in Groggy.
- Pressure style? Does the boss chase constantly, or does it wait and punish greed?
- Phase language? Watch for stance changes, new mobility, or adds.
- Arena tools? Cliffs, pillars, explosive barrels, and cramped rooms all change safe strings.
- Story hint? Notes on the approach often foreshadow the mechanic — obsession, hunger, cowardice, regret.
Write the answers down. Your second attempt should be a plan, not a prayer.
Branko, the Bloodstained Shield
Public previews describe Branko as a ferocious warrior whose overhead onslaught punishes blocking. The intended solution leans on repeated parries that drain his stamina or stance until a counter window opens. If you arrive with a pure dodge-roll habit from other soulslikes, this fight will feel unfair until you switch goals: you are not surviving forever — you are filling the break condition.
Prep tips:
- Bring a weapon you can confidently parry with (Sword and Shield is the natural classroom).
- Keep stamina for the defensive sequence, then spend the Groggy window greedily.
- Resist the urge to block the overhead “just once.”
Entom the Starved
Entom is framed as a hunger curse story — a young man who consumed a mysterious cure and was forced into endless appetite. Mechanically, coverage highlights unblockable charges and overhead drops that demand evasion and chip damage rather than defensive parrying. If your Relics all reward perfect guards, respec your thinking toward mobility and cooldown punishes.
Prep tips:
- Practice lateral dodges on the approach road before the fog.
- Use ranged skills or quick gap-closers after a missed charge.
- Do not stand still to “feel out” an unblockable — treat first contact as deadly.
Mog, the polished swordsman
Mog is presented as a duelists’ Brutal with a cowardice story: a former Brutal-slayer whose remorse manifests through spectral pressure. Expect a fight that answers your aggression — enemies that parry the player are part of the design language developers described. Patience and baiting matter more than nonstop R1.
Prodigal Bound in Dust
Combat deep-dive footage walks a regret spirit born from a son who left home seeking treasure. The fight showcases exploration storytelling and the Groggy loop: abilities and parries open a massive damage state, while the Brutal can also parry back. Defeating him recovers a Relic piece and closes the tale. Use this encounter as a mid-game exam for everything in the getting started and combat guides.
Elemental and consumable preparation
Interviews stress that elements and consumables can significantly change boss difficulty. Before a wall:
- Match status effects to the Brutal when you have information
- Refill Breath of Esser at a Tibelle’s Blessing
- Upgrade the weapon you know, not a fresh pickup from the last chest
- Confirm your Relic passives still support the plan — see Relics tier list
Multi-Brutal sessions and mental resets
With dozens of bosses in the campaign, fatigue is a real enemy. After two failed attempts, change one variable only: positioning, Relic, or defensive strategy. Changing everything at once teaches you nothing. Between sessions, explore for materials and story notes — the world guide explains why side routes are power routes.
After you win
- Read the aftermath text; Brutal stories are the game’s emotional payload
- Slot any new Relic with intention, not autopilot
- Check updates after launch for balance notes that may shift punish windows
- Compare your clear style with impressions in the review hub
Related pages
- Weapons Tier List
- Controls
- Release Countdown if you are still waiting for day one
Brutals remember who they were. Your job is to learn who they became in combat — then write the ending with a clean Groggy punish.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the most common questions.
How many bosses are in The Relic: First Guardian?
Official materials describe up to around 70–80 tough boss encounters known as Brutals, each with a tragic backstory.
Should I parry or dodge Brutals?
It depends on the kit. Branko-style fights reward parries; Entom-style kits punish blocking and demand evasion. Scout first.
Do bosses drop Relics?
Defeating story Brutals can restore Relic pieces and unlock progression. Pair clears with the [Relics and builds guide](/guides/relics-and-builds/).
Where can I watch Brutal showcase footage?
The Meet the Brutals trailer is embedded above. For longer gameplay context, also see the combat preview linked from the [combat guide](/guides/combat-and-parry/).