Crimson Desert: How to beat Kailok the Hornsplitter
Summary
Having trouble beating the Hornsplitter in Crimson Desert? Kailok the Hornsplitter is the boss at the end of Crimson Desert's Chapter 2, and he's also one of the first walls that a lot of players will encounter. While it's perfectly possible to make it this far by recklessly using Kliff's attacks without carefully investing in the skill tree or mastering blocking and evasive tactics, Kailok is one goblin who demands patience. He'll punish newbies and really make you work for the Sword of the Lord, the nice blade that you get for beating him.
In this guide, we'll offer a quick rundown of how to beat Kailok the Hornsplitter in Crimson Desert, ensuring that you can dodge his nasty AoE moves and retaliate with full strength.
Having trouble beating the Hornsplitter in Crimson Desert? Kailok the Hornsplitter is the boss at the end of Crimson Desert's Chapter 2, and he's also one of the first walls that a lot of players will encounter. While it's perfectly possible to make it this far by recklessly using Kliff's attacks without carefully investing in the skill tree or mastering blocking and evasive tactics, Kailok is one goblin who demands patience. He'll punish newbies and really make you work for the Sword of the Lord, the nice blade that you get for beating him.
In this guide, we'll offer a quick rundown of how to beat Kailok the Hornsplitter in Crimson Desert, ensuring that you can dodge his nasty AoE moves and retaliate with full strength.
1. Block, then follow up with Force Palm and Heavy Attacks
Keep holding LB (on a gamepad) or B (on the keyboard) to maintain your shield height and stay locked-on to Kailok during this entire fight. Spamming away at the goblin isn't going to work, and the best strategy is a defensive one.
Don't let up on holding LB during this fight. You want that shield raised high. | Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/Pearl Abyss
Ideally, you should try to block (or parry, but I prefer blocking) Hornsplitter's first series of attacks, and then press the Right Stick or the Mouse Wheel to Force Palm him backwards. Once he staggers, hit RT or the Right Mouse Button ASAP to unleash one or two heavy attacks. It's a bit dangerous to go for more than that, so don't get greedy. Alternatively, if you've got the Clothesline skill, this is also a great time to use it to bring Kailok to his knees. Then, roll away before Kailok has a chance to hit back. Rinse and repeat as many times as it takes to bring him down.
2. Learn his attack chains
Kailok's attack patterns seem unpredictable and devastating at first, but they're learnable over time. He generally defaults to three fast attacks before delaying ever so slightly and delivering a fourth blow, which is often him jumping backwards and sending an AoE shockwave your way. Try to Force Palm him before he can get this fourth blow in. If you mess up, dodge to the side or jump over his shockwaves and regain your bearings.
You'll also note that Kailok is a nimble fella who makes use of the Evasive Roll ability to create distance between him and Kliff so he can utilise his AoE attacks. You'll learn this ability naturally as you fight him, giving you your own dodge roll after you're hit.
3. Upgrade your Stamina
If you haven't invested in the best skills to get early on, you may be at a disadvantage during this battle. This is especially true regarding Stamina management, as you'll be doing a lot of blocking during this battle.
Watch out for your Stamina reserves, as you don't want to be on the receiving end of Kailok's attacks with no gas in the tank. | Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/Pearl Abyss
If you're truly struggling, this might be time to take a break and upgrade your gear, doing a few blacksmith quests that you may have missed around Hernand. At the very least, I recommend hunting down the Hwando if you're having trouble - it made our list of the best early weapons in Crimson Desert, and it also comes with an Abyss Gear slotted into it that allows for Stamina Siphon - meaning you'll gain Stamina every time you deal damage to an enemy.
4. Stun him and push him into the arena's boundaries
Ideally, you want to stun Kailok into submission and make him let up on the constant assault. Pay attention to the yellow bar beneath his health metre at the top of the screen, and keep blocking and punishing him with heavy strikes until it's full. Then, after he's stunned, hammer away with your attacks and use a finishing move for major damage.
Use the confines of the arena to your advantage - it'll trip Kailok up. | Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/Pearl Abyss
I've also had some luck by Force Palming Kailok into the onlookers standing around the boundaries of the arena. This usually makes him stumble and stand up, and as he's doing so you can slap one or two extra attacks on him before he gets back into the fight.
5. Load up on cooked meals (or insects)
Take advantage of the health-generating power of cuisine by bringing lots of cooked meals to this combat - which is good advice for any boss encounter, really. We've got a guide on all cooking recipes in Crimson Desert for your perusal, but if you can wrangle together a nice supply of Meat Skewers prior to this fight, it'll make things easier.
Also, if you haven't tried eating insects for buffs yet, do so before this fight. Buckeye Butterflies and Camel Crickets, for instance, will give Kliff temporary attack and defence boosts respectively, and these effects stack. Also, it's amusing to imagine your grim Greymane showing bugs into his mouth before slamming his sword into Kailok's rear. Kliff's true power is the ability to ingest anything in the throes of mortal combat, like a deadly human rubbish bin.
If you've made it this far, you're well on your way to beating Kailok the Hornsplitter in Crimson Desert. For more info on tricky boss fights in this expansive game, refer to our guide on how to beat Tenebrum. If you're having trouble with another elusive goblin opponent, we've also got a guide on how to complete the Blix Bounty. And if you're simply interested in general Crimson Desert hints to help you on your quest, we've got a stellar list of tips and tricks ready for your perusal.