NiOh 2: Imagawa Yoshimoto | Boss fight NiOh 2 guide, walkthrough
Last update: 30 March 2020
On this page of the Nioh 2 guide, you will learn how to successfully fight the first human boss in the game, Imagawa Yoshimoto.
General information
Imagawa Yoshimoto is the first human boss in Nioh 2. Imagawa mostly uses two swords, spears, and a lightning bow in combat. Fighting such an opponent is somewhat easier due to the lack of passage into the land of Yokai (the equivalent of the second stage). Despite the number of weapons, Imagawa doesn't have a very large number of attacks, so there's really nothing to surprise the player with. It is best to prepare for a fight with him by gathering talismans that protect against lightning since his attacks often impose this effect (this leads to a slowdown in the character's actions). It is also useful to attack him from behind to inflict more damage. It is best to fight him in a medium or high position, wait for his attacks, and when he is open to the player's blows, deal him one or two powerful attacks.
Fight
Imagawa Yoshimoto can fight with several types of weapons, such as a spear, two swords, and a bow. He can also summon his guardian spirit in the form of a giant elephant.
Fighting with two swords, he will mostly put pressure on you. The distance between you and him will be very small. It is best then to move away from him a little and wait for him to perform a combination of two strokes. After making this attack, he will stand still for a while, holding both swords high and leaning slightly. The first attack is a sword Strike, and after a while he makes another one. In both cases, you must dodge at the right time. As soon as you manage to avoid these blows, you have a moment to attack it with a maximum of two more powerful blows to the back. He is unlikely to allow you more because he will block them, and it is not worth attacking him when he blocks, as he can parry you and make a counter.
Between his attacks, Imagawa uses his lightning bow. Then he raises his bow up and shoots them. After a while, the shots fall from the sky, then you have to run to the side until they all fall. Sometimes, however, Imagawa can make a mark of a shot in the sky, while quickly dodging and aiming the bow at your character. Then it fires five shots along a horizontal line. When it performs this type of attack, make a flip to the side.
Imagawa has one explosive attack that involves summoning his guardian spirit, and that's a big elephant. Calling an elephant causes an electric field to appear in a small area where the player is located, which causes a lot of damage and imposes a lightning status. Instead of doing a Counter Attack when you see this move, just quickly dodge from this field and perform an attack on the boss.
When Imagawa pulls out his spear, he gets new blows. They include a grab, which is quite slow and easy to avoid - just run backward or to the side, as the attack is performed in a straight line. He also has an attack in which he stomps his foot into the ground and makes several turns of the spear, after which he makes one turn and attacks the player. The movement is also quite slow, so you can safely get away from it and attack at the moment of the Imagawa's attack.
Imagawa is a very repetitive boss, making several attacks, openly spamming Burst Attack, and using a bow. Just use the opportunities when he misses you with attacks, and make a counterattack. There is no pressure on him, just wait for his attacks and punish him for missed shots.