[WLK:V4] Ven's Story: Badlands

Guide to defeating Vanitas in the Badlands during Ven's story in Among the Sleep. Learn his attacks and the best strategies to win.

Hey there! So, remember that guy who first pushed Ven out into the world? Well, he's back and waiting for you in the Badlands. Get ready, because you're about to face Vanitas!

Boss Fight: Vanitas Round 1

Stats / Weaknesses:

• HP: 550
• Strength: 14
• Defense: 6
• Vulnerable to: Stun, Freeze, Ignite, Poison, Zero Gravity, Magnet
• Weaknesses: None
• Resistances: None
• Reward: NONE

This first fight is pretty much a warm-up. It's very similar to the second round, but you're on your own. Don't worry too much about winning or losing here; the fight will end on its own after either two minutes pass or if one of you gets down to 50% health. Just try to survive!

Boss Fight: Vanitas Round 2

Stats / Weaknesses:

• HP: 550
• Strength: 14
• Defense: 6
• Vulnerable to: Stun, Freeze, Ignite, Poison, Zero Gravity, Magnet
• Weaknesses: None
• Resistances: None
• Reward: DECK COMMAND SLOT, HP BOOST

Alright, this is the real deal. Vanitas might not be pulling out all the stops yet, but he's incredibly fast, unpredictable, hits super hard, and has high defense. Even with Mickey helping you out, this is going to be a tough one. Make sure you've got Cure equipped, and maybe pack a few Potions just in case. Honestly, I highly recommend focusing on magic for this fight. Poison and Ignite spells are particularly effective here. If you don't have Poison yet, you can buy Ignite from the Moogle Shop, or meld it yourself using Fire and Bind.

Vanitas's Attacks:

1. Two-Hit Combo: He'll start with a long dash that can catch you even if you're at a distance.
2. Homing Fireballs: He throws a slow fireball that then splits into five fast, homing fireballs.
3. Dive Bomb: Vanitas jumps into the air (he can cover a lot of distance to reach you), then sprays the ground with dark lightning. He sometimes does this after being hit, leaving a decoy behind before diving.
4. Ground Spray: After jumping, he may spray the ground with dark lightning.

Strategy:

• Dodging is Key: Since you don't have Counter Rush yet, your best friend here is Dodge Roll. Keep moving constantly and be ready to dodge roll the moment Vanitas makes a move.
• Magic Over Melee: Vanitas is just too fast and unpredictable to get in full Keyblade combos. He can easily teleport or slide away mid-combo to hit you. Forget the Keyblade for now and stick to magic.
• Patience with Magic: If you cast offensive spells directly, Vanitas will often evade and counter. The safest approach is to let him attack first. Keep dodging until his attack misses, then quickly hit him with a spell or two as he lands. Be ready to dodge again if he evades or disappears for his dive bomb.
• Healing Safely: If you get hit, don't try to heal immediately. Keep dodging until Vanitas attacks again, then use Cure. You don't want your healing spell interrupted by him!
• Mickey's Help: While most of your magic spells (besides Poison and Ignite) don't do a ton of damage, Mickey is there to help. He might give you a prompt to do a joint attack by pressing Square. It might not be super effective depending on your level, but give it a shot!

After this intense fight, Mickey saves the day, and it's on to the next challenge!