Boss Fight: The Queen of Smiles

Learn the Queen of Smiles' weaknesses, attack patterns, and effective strategies for defeating her in Salt and Sacrifice. Master this boss fight!

Alright, let's talk about the Queen of Smiles. You might remember me mentioning those Lightvessels from the Cleric back at the _Bandit's Pass_ Sanctuary. If you didn't grab 'em, no worries, but if you did, you're already a step ahead. The main idea here is to have something you can hit her with from a distance. If you're using a Bow, make sure you've got Arrows (the Stone Merchant Offering should have some), and if you're going for a Crossbow, grab some Bolts from the Beggar. It's not strictly *required*, but trust me, it makes this fight way less of a headache.

My Level: 18

Note: Some attack names here are my own since I don't know the official ones. They might not perfectly match her resistances, so don't take my descriptions too literally!

Weakness: Holy (primary), Arcane (secondary)

Attacks:

• Lunge: She'll pull out two swords and charge right at you, aiming them low. It's tough to dodge, but you can try blocking or just getting out of the way. Jumping over them as she thrusts them down is *possible*, but the timing is super tricky. Rolling behind her usually doesn't work either, as one of the swords will catch you. Your best bet is often just to run away from the charge. The damage isn't too bad, thankfully.
• Radial Swords: She summons a bunch of swords around her that then shoot outwards. You can usually block these or just stand still. They fly in straight lines, but sometimes they spawn in awkward spots. Most of the time, they'll fly right over your head if you're just standing there, but rarely, they might all aim directly at you.
• Impale/Upward Slice: She'll stab a sword into the ground and then usually follow up with an upward slice. Rolling through the initial stab is manageable, but that follow-up slice is a lot harder to avoid.
• Blade Dance: She charges forward while spinning her swords in a circle. Blocking or rolling *through* her is your best bet here, as she moves in a straight line. Try rolling in the opposite direction to get past her.

Strategy:

• Melee: This is where things get tricky, especially when her health drops. She gets super aggressive. That's why having ranged options is key. When you're at max distance, she sometimes just… stops moving, which is your cue to strike!
  • Long-Range is Your Friend: Seriously, you can almost cheese this fight with a Bow. If you've got one, enchant your weapon with Holy (you should have found 3 Blessed Pages upstairs) and just blast her from afar. Keep your distance, dodge as needed, and watch your enchantments – they wear off! Stained Pages (Arcane) work too if you're out of Holy ones.
  • Teuthis Shield = Easy Mode: Big thanks to an anonymous reader for this tip! It turns out *all* her attacks can be blocked with the Teuthis Shield (bought from the Blacksmith at the Sanctuary). With 100% Strike and Slash Resistance, she's a non-threat. The key with any shield is stamina management: keep it up, attack during openings, and remember to drop it briefly to let your stamina recharge before blocking again. This fight is actually a great place to practice that skill!
  • Melee Early, Back Off Later: You *can* fight her up close initially. Her early attacks are pretty similar to The Sodden Knight's. However, once she hits about 50% health, she goes into a frenzy. Unless you're feeling brave, it's best to back off and switch to ranged or blocking then.
• Caster: Honestly, this fight is a breeze from range. She doesn't seem to smarten up much when you're far away. I just spammed Lightning Bolt the whole time and had zero issues.

Next Up: Traveling to the Watching Woods