Zankou Boss Guide

Zankou is fought during A Research in Scarlet and appears again inside the Black Coffin during Fogden Game. Her boss encounter is separate from the playable Zankou character.

The boss is weak to Incantation and has no listed elemental resistance. Her heavy attacks have a readable rhythm, so leave room to dodge and counter rather than attacking through every wind-up.

Guard and reflected wave

In A Research in Scarlet, Zankou can raise her sword to guard. Attacking into that stance causes her to retreat and launch an energy wave. You can wait out the guard or deliberately trigger the wave and parry it back at her. Treat the stance as a timing opportunity instead of continuing an uninterrupted damage combo.

Phantom clones

The second phase begins with four phantom copies attacking one after another. A successful Critical Riposte eliminates a clone. Watch the incoming sequence and counter each copy to force the real Zankou out of hiding. This phase rewards timing; chasing an invisible target wastes the opening.

Fogden Game encounter

The later Black Coffin fight has a simpler attack sequence. Keep using Critical Dodges and Ripostes to answer the heavy swings. Story victories advance the episode and do not provide a separate boss material bundle. Zankou can also be challenged through Anomaly Pilgrimage after its story requirements are met.