Enemies Encountered: Shaft & Dracula.

Master the boss fights against Shaft and Dracula in Castlevania: Rondo of Blood. Learn their attack patterns and strategies to defeat them and finish the game.

Alright, you've made it to the final stretch in Castlevania: Rondo of Blood! Before you face the big bads, Shaft and Dracula, you can visit the save room revealed by the Vlad relics. This is also a great time to pick your favorite sub-weapon, since you'll have access to all of them here.

Shaft

Shaft is a pretty manageable boss, not too tough once you get the hang of his patterns. He's not overly complicated, and his attacks are fairly easy to avoid.

Stats / Weaknesses:

• Attacks: Summons orbs that fly around and hit you. Two orbs will combine to channel elemental attacks (fire or lightning).
• Weaknesses: Mist form can be used to dodge attacks. Circlets can heal you from elemental attacks, though switching them can be clunky.

Strategy:

• When Shaft summons orbs, watch out for the combined elemental attacks. If you're struggling, use the available circlets to heal from these.
• Don't forget you can use your Mist form to dodge his attacks; it's often quicker than fiddling with circlets.
• Shaft has a straightforward attack pattern, so focus on learning it. Once you do, this fight should be a breeze.

After you defeat Shaft, you'll get a cutscene, and then it's time to face the main man himself!

Dracula

This is it – the moment you've been working towards! Take a second to appreciate reaching Dracula, Alucard's father.

Dracula's current form is quite the sight: he's seated on a massive, floating throne made of demon parts, complete with three devil heads and two large arms. Don't let the spectacle distract you!

Stats / Weaknesses:

• Form: Seated on a large, demonic throne with three heads and two arms.
• Immunity: Immune to the Gas Cloud Mist form.
• Damage Areas: Primarily takes damage from his hands.

Phases:

1. Initial Assault: Dracula sits on his throne, allowing you to attack him directly with your sword, sub-weapons, or magic. This is a good time to use powerful spells like Soul Steal, Summon Spirit, or Tetra Spirit, or just go to town with normal attacks. Be aware that his hands are the main source of damage in this phase, so watch both sides.
2. Aerial Barrage: After taking some damage, Dracula will fly up, becoming temporarily invulnerable. He'll then unleash a massive, aimed spell. The Mist form can dodge this, but if you're low on magic, a well-timed backdash is your best bet. Position yourself to one side, and as the spell nears, backdash quickly to evade it. Getting hit by this attack deals around 75 HP damage.
3. Combined Assault: Dracula returns to his throne. The three heads will lunge and then combine to shoot light-colored triangles at you, while his hands continue their alternating attacks. At this point, you'll need to manage both the projectiles from the heads and the physical attacks from the hands.

Strategy:

• In the first phase, focus on dealing as much damage as possible while avoiding his hands. Spells like Soul Steal are particularly effective here.
• When Dracula flies up for his big spell, prioritize evasion. Backdashing is key if you can't rely on Mist form.
• The final phase is about managing multiple threats. The room can feel cramped, leading to collision damage, so stay mobile and learn the rhythm of his attacks.
• Keep applying pressure and sticking to the patterns you've learned. Eventually, you'll deal the final blow.

Once Dracula is defeated, you'll trigger another dialogue scene, followed by a cinematic, and finally, the credits will roll. Congratulations on beating Castlevania: Rondo of Blood!