Image: Rebel Wolves / Bandai NamcoOfficial screenshot from Rebel Wolves / Bandai Namco.
Xanthe, the Dark Mistress
Xanthe is fought in Svartrau Cathedral at night. Her health bar names her the Dark Mistress. A blood mage Boyar, she is often called the hardest of the court fights, so go in at level 25 or higher.
- Threat
- High
- Type
- Boss
Appears in
A Monk and a SaintIn A Monk and a Saint, Coen searches Svartrau for clues to a sword said to be hidden in the city's crypts. It ends in a tough boss fight and gives you the broken sword you need for Forge It Anew.
The Cycle of LoveThe Cycle of Love is the boss quest for the boyar Xanthe, unlocked once her anger is maxed through court activities. You get into her mansion with a lantern and face her in a locked room.
Found in
Howling KeepThe Howling Keep is Xanthe's mansion deep in the Tantari Woods, a house that seems to appear and vanish. You need one of Xanthe's Lanterns to get in, and legendary amulets wait inside.
Svartrau CathedralSvartrau Cathedral is the large church in the capital, richly decorated with art, stained glass and tapestries. It holds the tallest city scouting tower, a key fresco and a phial of Xanthe's blood nearby.
Good to know
- You must defeat her three Blood Guards first.
- She fights with blood whips.
- A stamina-based shield protects her.
- You can also reach her through The Cycle of Love, which ends at Howling Keep and is the only route that lets you spare her.
- Her Boiling Blood glyphs are ground circles that explode after a delay and cannot be blocked.
- Copies of her burst and knock you down when struck, so find the real Xanthe first.
- The fight drops the Corrupted Pendant, a legendary amulet for vampire builds.
Getting to her
For the early route, enter Svartrau Cathedral at night when the front gate locks. Climb the scaffolding, drop through a gap and head to the altar, where she holds a blood ritual with three Blood Guards. The other route is The Cycle of Love: anger her through her court quests, then take her lantern to Howling Keep.
How to beat her
Break her yellow shield bar before you can hurt her health. Step off glyph circles and back away when she wraps herself in one. Block or parry her lashes. For Wicked Tendrils, hold block and press toward each tendril. Break line of sight when she leeches your health. Perfect blocks interrupt her strings.
Blood orbsSpoilerShow
At two points on her health bar she floats up and spawns red orbs to heal from. Stop attacking her and destroy the orbs. That cancels the heal and staggers her.
The fightSpoilerShow
She has phases where she cannot be hurt. A Boiling Blood countdown shows under her bars, and Coen dies if it reaches zero.
Kill, drain or spareSpoilerShow
Draining her is the only way to get Blood Surge from the fight, and it adds Corruption. Sparing her keeps her out of the finale. Killing her removes her from the court.
Related enemies
- Boss
Saint Mihai
Saint Mihai is a Dawnwalker who attacks Coen when he is freed from his tomb. He is a fast, pure sword duel, and beating him starts the quest to reforge one of the best swords in the game.
Image: Rebel Wolves / Bandai NamcoHumanBlood Guards
Blood Guards are the most loyal and feared human servants of the vrakhiri, bound to Xanthe by blood oaths. They hit hard with two weapons, and you have to beat them before you can reach her.