Boss: Shiva
Shiva is a formidable opponent, known for his lightning-fast martial arts and devastating special attacks. This guide will help you dismantle his offense and emerge victorious.
Phase 1: Initial Engagement
Shiva begins the fight aggressively. Your primary goal here is to bait out his attacks and punish his recovery frames.
- Keep Your Distance: Shiva's normal attacks have excellent reach and speed. Avoid standing directly in front of him for prolonged periods.
- Dodge and Punish: His most common attacks in this phase include a rapid three-hit combo and a lunging kick. Sidestep these attacks and immediately counter with a quick combo or a special move. Characters with fast, multi-hit combos like Axel or Blaze excel here.
- Utilize Environmental Hazards: The arena often contains breakable objects that can yield health-restoring Apples or Chicken, or even weapons like Pipes or Knives. Use these to your advantage, but be wary of Shiva's speed; he can easily interrupt your attempts to pick them up.
Phase 2: Special Attacks and Teleportation
Once Shiva loses approximately 30-40% of his health, he will begin incorporating more dangerous special moves and teleportation into his repertoire.
- Teleporting Kick: Shiva will frequently teleport behind or in front of you, often followed by a powerful kick. The key is to anticipate his re-appearance. Listen for the audio cue and watch for the brief visual distortion. Immediately block or dash away.
- Spinning Kick Barrage: He may also unleash a series of spinning kicks that cover a wide area. This attack is telegraphed by a brief charge-up animation. If you're caught close, use your defensive special (e.g., Axel's Grand Upper, Blaze's Vertical Slash) to gain invincibility frames and escape.
- Air Combo: If you launch Shiva into the air, be prepared for him to retaliate with an aerial combo. It's often safer to stick to ground-based combos or throws to avoid this.
- Optimal Strategy: After he teleports and misses an attack, or after he finishes a spinning kick barrage, there's a brief window of vulnerability. This is your chance to land a full combo. Consider using a Star Move if you have one available, as they offer significant damage and invincibility.
Phase 3: Increased Aggression and Reinforcements (on higher difficulties)
In the final third of his health bar, Shiva becomes even more aggressive. On higher difficulties like Hard or Mania, he may even summon minor enemies to distract you.
- Prioritize Shiva: If reinforcements appear (e.g., Garcias or Signals), try to group them together and use an area-of-effect special move to clear them quickly. However, your main focus should remain on Shiva.
- Patience is Key: Don't get greedy. Shiva's recovery frames are still your best friend. Wait for him to commit to an attack, then counter.
- Health Management: By this point, you've likely taken some damage. If there are any remaining Apples or Chicken on the stage, now is the time to grab them. If you have a defensive special that costs health, weigh the risk versus the reward.
- Finishing Blow: Once Shiva is critically low on health, a well-timed Star Move or a sustained combo can finish him off. Don't let up the pressure until he's defeated.