How to Beat Dalang in Where Winds Meet (March 2026) Ultimate Boss Guide

I’ll never forget my first encounter with Dalang in Where Winds Meet. As a white war horse accompanied by its mysterious Horse Dancer companion charged toward me in the broken shrine atop Moonveil Mountain, I knew this wouldn’t be just another standard boss fight. After dying seven times in my initial attempts and spending over 20 hours studying every attack pattern, mastering parry timings, and testing various build combinations, I’ve cracked the code to defeating this formidable early-game skill check. Dalang represents one of the first real difficulty spikes in Where Winds Meet, and many players hit a frustrating wall here during Chapter 1’s “A Horse Neighs in the Forest” main quest.

What makes Dalang particularly challenging is the two-phase structure where you initially fight both the horse and its owner simultaneously before transitioning into an empowered 1v1 duel. The fight demands mastery of parrying, positioning, mobility skills, and strategic use of environmental hazards that most early-game content doesn’t require. But here’s the good news: once you understand Dalang’s surprisingly limited moveset and apply the right tactics, this boss becomes a reliable victory rather than an insurmountable obstacle.

In this comprehensive guide, I’m sharing everything I’ve learned from multiple playthroughs, extensive testing with different weapon combinations, and analyzing strategies from top players on both Chinese and global servers. Whether you’re struggling with the poison dart mechanics in Phase 1, can’t figure out the stomp parry timing in Phase 2, or just want to optimize your build before attempting the fight, this guide covers every detail you need to achieve victory in March 2026.

How to Beat Dalang in Where Winds Meet?

Dalang is the second mandatory story boss in Where Winds Meet, encountered during the Chapter 1 quest “A Horse Neighs in the Forest” at the Ruined Temple on Moonveil Mountain in the Qinghe region. This two-phase boss fight challenges players to master defensive mechanics while managing a 2v1 situation that transforms into an aggressive mounted duel.

Dalang Boss Fight Quick Reference

Aspect	Details
Boss Name	Dalang (White War Horse) + Horse Dancer (Phase 1 only)
Location	Moonveil Mountain, Ruined Temple – Qinghe Region
Quest Requirement	Chapter 1: “A Horse Neighs in the Forest” (Main Story)
Difficulty Rating	★★★☆☆ (Medium – Early Skill Check)
Number of Phases	Two (2v1 → Empowered 1v1)
Recommended Level	15-18+ with upgraded weapons
Best Weapons	Nameless Sword, Strategic Sword, Panacea Fan (healing)
Essential Skills	Threefold Skywalk, Cloud Steps, Talon Strike
Key Mechanics	Positioning, Parrying stomps, Jumping shockwaves, Poison darts
Phase 1 Strategy	Focus horse, ignore dancer, use owner’s poison against boss
Phase 2 Strategy	Master stomp parry timing, avoid golden glow attack, stay mobile
Major Rewards	20 Echo Jade, 10 Qinghe Exploration, 5000 Zhou Coins, 5000 Character XP, 500 Enlightenment Points, 2 Hemostatic Powder

Where to Find Dalang – Quest Location & Encounter Prerequisites

Dalang isn’t a random world boss you can stumble upon while exploring Where Winds Meet’s vast open world. This is a story-gated encounter tied directly to Chapter 1’s narrative progression, specifically appearing during the “A Horse Neighs in the Forest” sub-quest that follows after you win the General’s Shrine tournament in “Another New Wing.”

The quest chain leading to Dalang involves several key story moments. After parting ways with Ruby at the tournament, you’ll return to Heaven’s Pier and work at Aunt Han’s Blissful Retreat Inn. Events take a dramatic turn when investigating the delayed wine sets at the porcelain kiln, where you’ll encounter Killerblade (Yi Dao) and be drawn into a search for captives held by the Aureate Pavilion faction.

Your journey leads you up into Moonveil Mountain alongside Killerblade as you track down Han’s location. Eventually, you’ll reach a broken shrine area where Ruby and Bearded Guang are being held prisoner. After rescuing them and sending them to safety, the path pushes you deeper into the Ruined Temple’s main hall.

Here’s the crucial detail most guides skip: you can’t enter through the main door, which is locked. Instead, you access the boss arena by dropping through a hole in the temple’s roof. Inside, you’ll encounter a small figure wearing a golden mask and playing a drum – this is Dalang’s owner, the Horse Dancer. When you confront him, he’ll escape the building and summon his white companion, triggering the mandatory boss fight that blocks any further story progression until defeated.

From this point forward, beating Dalang becomes absolutely required to complete “A Horse Neighs in the Forest” and advance to the next quest “For Whom Does He Return.” There’s no alternative route, no way to skip the encounter, and no option to come back later when overleveled. You must defeat this boss to continue Where Winds Meet’s main storyline, making it one of the game’s first true skill gates.

For players wondering about preparation, I recommend completing all available side content in Qinghe before attempting Dalang. This ensures you’ve unlocked essential Mystic Arts like Cloud Steps (found in a cave under a shrine in Qinghe) and accumulated enough materials to upgrade your weapons at least twice. The difficulty spike is real, but proper preparation transforms Dalang from an insurmountable wall into a manageable challenge that teaches you Where Winds Meet’s core combat philosophy.

Understanding Dalang’s Complete Moveset & Attack Patterns

Dalang looks intimidating with its massive size and dramatic animations, but the boss actually relies on a relatively small set of repeated attack patterns. Mastering recognition of these moves is 80% of winning the fight, as each attack has specific tells and optimal counterplay strategies. Let me break down every single attack you’ll face.

Phase 1 Attack Patterns

Charge Rush – This is Dalang’s signature move and one you’ll see constantly throughout both phases. The horse rears back slightly or pulls its head down while positioning itself to face you directly, then explosively dashes across the entire arena in a straight line. The damage on hit is substantial, easily removing 30-40% of your health bar if it connects cleanly. The hitbox is narrower than it appears, so the counterplay is surprisingly simple: sidestep or dodge roll perpendicular to the charge direction right as Dalang begins moving. Never try to roll backward away from the charge – the distance covered is too great and you’ll get caught mid-roll. After successfully dodging, Dalang needs 1-2 seconds to reorient itself, giving you a perfect opening for 2-3 clean hits before backing off.

Body Slam – At close range, Dalang will angle its entire body and slide directly into you with surprising speed. This attack has minimal startup animation, making it dangerous when you’re focused on dealing damage. The tell is a subtle shoulder rotation toward your position followed by the slide. Unlike the charge which covers distance, the body slam is a short-range shove dealing heavy physical damage and often knocking you down. The best counter is maintaining awareness of your positioning – never stand directly at Dalang’s shoulder line. If you’re attacking from behind or the flanks, this move can’t hit you. When you see the startup, a simple backstep or quick roll through the hitbox (with invincibility frames) works perfectly.

Back Kick – When positioned behind Dalang, the horse will suddenly jump and kick backward with both hind legs in a powerful double-kick motion. This is Dalang’s anti-backstab tool that punishes players who think staying behind is always safe. The damage is moderate but the knockback is significant, often pushing you across the arena. The visual tell is Dalang’s body tensing and rear legs lifting slightly before the explosion. My strategy for handling this: when attacking from behind, never commit to full combo strings. Hit 2-3 times, then circle to the flank. This positioning keeps you in Dalang’s blind spot while avoiding both the back kick and body slam hitboxes.

High Jumps & Shockwave Sequence – This is Dalang’s most visually impressive attack and one that causes the most deaths for unprepared players. Dalang performs a series of 3-4 high jumps, and every single landing releases a shockwave that ripples outward in rings from the impact point. The final jump is always more powerful, featuring an arena-wide shockwave that’s impossible to outrun. Here’s the crucial knowledge most guides don’t emphasize: you can completely avoid all shockwave damage by jumping. Yes, simply jumping with perfect timing as each shockwave reaches your position grants invincibility to the ground-based hitbox. The Threefold Skywalk Mystic Art makes this trivial by giving you three consecutive air dashes. Alternatively, you can try parrying the shockwaves, but the timing is strict and missing the parry means eating full damage.

Head Swing Combo – Dalang has two variations of this attack that look similar but function differently. Version one is a rapid left-to-right-to-left head swing sequence performed in place, creating a wide horizontal arc. Version two involves Dalang taking several aggressive steps forward while swinging its head in an upward arc, almost like an uppercut motion. The forward version is more dangerous because the movement component makes the hitbox harder to judge. Both versions deal moderate damage but come out relatively fast. The counter strategy differs: for the stationary version, simply stay out of melee range or backstep twice. For the advancing version, dodge roll to the side at an angle, then punish during the recovery frames.

Ground Stomps – This attack becomes absolutely critical to master for Phase 2, though you’ll see it occasionally in Phase 1 as well. After completing certain attack sequences, Dalang may stomp the ground 1-4 times rapidly with its front hooves, each stomp creating a localized shockwave effect. The damage per stomp is moderate but they come out so fast that getting hit by all stomps in a sequence can be devastating. This is the most important attack to learn parrying on. The rhythm is consistent once you internalize it, and successfully parrying the entire stomp sequence in Phase 2 lets you execute a devastating counterattack that drains massive chunks of Dalang’s Qi bar. If you’re not confident with parries yet, jumping works as a backup strategy.

Horse Dancer’s Poison Darts – While not technically Dalang’s attack, the Horse Dancer accompanies you throughout Phase 1 and periodically shoots poison darts from your blind spot. These projectiles apply poison status on hit, dealing damage over time while slightly reducing your movement speed. The dart damage itself is negligible, but the poison tick can add up during extended fights. Here’s the genius strategy that transforms this liability into an asset: keep Dalang positioned between yourself and the Horse Dancer. When the owner fires a dart, it will hit Dalang instead of you, applying poison to the boss itself. This free damage-over-time effect significantly speeds up Phase 1 if you maintain proper positioning. Think of Dalang as your moving shield against its own ally.

Phase 2 Exclusive Mechanics

Phase 2 keeps all the same attacks from Phase 1 but introduces two critical changes that dramatically increase difficulty.

Increased Aggression & Damage – Every single attack deals approximately 40-50% more damage in Phase 2, meaning mistakes that were survivable before can now one-shot you if your health is below 60%. Dalang also chains attacks together more frequently with shorter recovery windows, giving you fewer opportunities for extended punish combos. The boss essentially goes berserk, pressuring you constantly rather than the more measured pace of Phase 1.

Golden Glow Super Attack – This is Phase 2’s signature new move and the single most dangerous attack in Dalang’s arsenal. Dalang’s entire body begins emitting an intense golden light while charging up for 1-2 seconds, then performs a devastating lunging charge that covers the entire arena distance while dealing massive damage capable of instantly killing you from 80% health. This attack is not meant to be blocked, parried, or tanked under any circumstances. The moment you see that golden glow appear, stop whatever you’re doing and sprint to the opposite side of the arena. The startup is your warning – use it. There’s no clever counter-trick here; this is a pure reaction test. After the attack misses, Dalang has significant recovery time, giving you your best opening in Phase 2 for aggressive damage.

Optimal Build & Equipment Loadout for Dalang

Weapon choice and skill selection dramatically impact your success rate against Dalang. After testing all available early-game options across multiple playthroughs, I’ve identified the optimal loadout that maximizes survivability while maintaining decent damage output. Here’s exactly what you should bring to this fight.

Primary Weapon Recommendations

Nameless Sword (Most Recommended) – This is the signature weapon of Where Winds Meet and remains competitively viable throughout the entire game. For Dalang specifically, the Nameless Sword excels because of its balanced reach, respectable damage output, and most importantly, its mobility tools. The weapon’s light attacks come out quickly, allowing you to land hits and retreat before Dalang can counterattack. The charged heavy attack deals significant burst damage when you have a proper opening, particularly effective after successfully parrying the stomp sequence in Phase 2. The sword’s dash attack also helps with repositioning mid-combat, crucial for maintaining optimal distance from both Dalang and the Horse Dancer in Phase 1.

Strategic Sword (Excellent Alternative) – If you prefer slightly different attack patterns, the Strategic Sword works equally well for this encounter. It offers similar benefits to the Nameless Sword with marginally better combo flow for players who like maintaining pressure. The main difference comes down to personal preference regarding attack animations and timing windows. Both swords belong to the same Arsenal Path, so either choice is perfectly valid for defeating Dalang.

Nameless Spear (For Aggressive Players) – The spear’s extended reach allows you to tag Dalang’s flanks while staying outside the horse’s counter-attack range. This extra distance makes the body slam and back kick significantly less threatening. However, spear attacks are slightly slower than sword strikes, requiring better timing and commitment to avoid getting interrupted. I recommend the spear specifically for players who’ve mastered the combat controls and feel confident with precise positioning.

Essential Secondary Weapon

Panacea Fan (Absolutely Critical) – This ranged weapon is non-negotiable for optimizing your Dalang strategy. The Panacea Fan serves three vital functions that make it irreplaceable for this fight. First, it allows you to maintain safe distance while still dealing damage, particularly valuable when learning Dalang’s attack patterns in your initial attempts. Second, and most crucially, the fan has built-in healing skills that let you recover health without consuming precious healing consumables. This self-sustaining capability is absolutely game-changing for a boss fight with two distinct phases where resource management matters. Third, the ranged poke damage is perfect for safely finishing off the last 10-15% of Dalang’s health in Phase 2 when playing aggressively becomes too risky. If you haven’t found the Panacea Fan yet, it’s available as a beginner weapon option and can be obtained through early exploration in Qinghe.

Mystic Arts Selection

Your Mystic Arts (special abilities) can single-handedly determine victory or defeat against Dalang. Here are the three absolutely essential skills you must have equipped:

Cloud Steps (Highest Priority) – Found in the Qinghe region inside a cave located under a shrine, Cloud Steps provides enhanced vertical mobility that’s specifically designed for countering Dalang’s shockwave attacks. This skill allows you to quickly reposition vertically or horizontally, making it trivial to avoid the high jump shockwaves and ground stomp effects that kill so many unprepared players. Even beyond Dalang, Cloud Steps remains one of the most valuable Mystic Arts for the entire game, useful in countless situations. If you haven’t unlocked this yet, go get it immediately before attempting the boss fight.

Threefold Skywalk (Essential Mobility) – This skill is unlocked by default early in Where Winds Meet and grants you three consecutive air dashes or jumps. Threefold Skywalk synergizes perfectly with Cloud Steps, giving you maximum airborne control for dodging Dalang’s most dangerous attacks. When the boss performs its high jump sequence, activate Threefold Skywalk and you can essentially hover above the arena while all the shockwaves harmlessly pass beneath you. This also helps with quick repositioning after dodging the charge attack, letting you close distance immediately for punish hits.

Talon Strike (Damage Burst) – Obtained through the Skill Theft mechanic (a system worth exploring thoroughly), Talon Strike is a high-damage ability perfect for burst windows. Here’s the optimal usage pattern: save Talon Strike for moments when you successfully stagger Dalang, particularly after parrying the stomp combo in Phase 2. The stagger state reduces Dalang’s defense significantly, and landing Talon Strike during this window can shave off 10-15% of the boss’s health bar in one go. Don’t waste this skill randomly during combat – treat it as your reward for perfect defensive play.

For more detailed information about optimizing your entire character build, check out our comprehensive Where Winds Meet Weapons Tier List.

Consumables & Preparation

Before engaging Dalang, ensure your inventory contains adequate healing items. Hemostatic Powder is readily available from merchants in Qinghe and should be your primary healing consumable. I recommend having at least 10-15 healing items before the fight, though with proper use of the Panacea Fan’s self-healing, you may only need 3-5. Also verify your weapon has been upgraded at least twice using available materials from exploration and side quests – the damage increase is substantial and makes Phase 2 significantly faster.

Phase 1 Strategy – Mastering the 2v1 Battle

Phase 1 of the Dalang fight is where most players develop bad habits that doom them in Phase 2. The presence of the Horse Dancer creates a chaotic battlefield that tricks you into making poor decisions, but with the right approach, Phase 1 actually becomes easier than Phase 2. Let me walk you through the optimal strategy.

The Golden Rule: Ignore the Horse Dancer

This is the single most important strategic decision you’ll make in Phase 1, yet it’s counterintuitive enough that many players get it wrong. When the fight begins and you see both Dalang and the Horse Dancer, your instinct might be to eliminate one threat before focusing on the other. Resist this urge completely.

The Horse Dancer may seem like an easier target with his smaller size and relatively weak attacks, but attacking him is a trap. He has his own substantial health bar, and more critically, he can restore his entire health pool when critically wounded, forcing you to effectively kill him twice. During this entire process, Dalang continues pressuring you with full aggression. Trying to kill the Horse Dancer first means fighting a long battle against a tanky enemy while constantly being interrupted by a massive horse – it’s a recipe for disaster that wastes time, consumes healing resources, and leaves you vulnerable.

Here’s what actually happens if you ignore the Horse Dancer and focus solely on Dalang: once Dalang’s health reaches zero for the first time, Phase 1 automatically ends and the Horse Dancer is removed from the equation entirely regardless of his remaining health. The game’s scripted event triggers where the Horse Dancer sacrifices himself to empower Dalang, meaning all the time you would have spent damaging the owner was completely wasted effort.

The correct Phase 1 strategy is simple: treat the Horse Dancer as a mobile environmental hazard, not as a target. Dedicate 100% of your damage output to Dalang while using positioning and awareness to neutralize the Horse Dancer’s threat.

Weaponizing the Poison Darts

Now that we’ve established you’re ignoring the Horse Dancer as a target, let’s flip him from a problem into a solution. The Horse Dancer periodically shoots poison darts from the periphery of the arena, and these projectiles can affect Dalang if he’s in the path of fire.

Implement this positioning strategy: always keep Dalang’s body between yourself and the Horse Dancer. Imagine drawing an imaginary line from the Horse Dancer’s position to your position – Dalang should intersect that line. When the owner fires a poison dart, it travels toward you but strikes Dalang first, applying poison status to the boss instead. Poison deals consistent damage over time, and since the Horse Dancer fires multiple times throughout Phase 1, you’re essentially getting 10-15% of Dalang’s health removed for free without any effort on your part.

This strategy requires camera awareness and spatial positioning, skills that serve you well beyond just this fight. Keep both the Horse Dancer and Dalang visible in your camera view as much as possible. When Dalang charges across the arena, reposition yourself so the horse ends up between you and the owner again. Circle around Dalang rather than backing away in straight lines – circular movement maintains this protective positioning while keeping you in melee range for counterattacks.

Attack Pattern Management & Punish Windows

Once you’ve mastered the positioning fundamentals, Phase 1 combat flow becomes almost rhythmic. Here’s the optimal engage pattern I use:

Step 1: Watch for Dalang’s charge attack, which has a clear telegraphed startup. When you see the rearing animation, prepare to sidestep dodge at the last moment.

Step 2: After dodging, Dalang momentarily faces the wrong direction with 1-2 seconds of recovery time. Sprint to its flank and land 2-3 light sword attacks.

Step 3: Immediately retreat back to medium range before Dalang can counter with a body slam or head swing. Don’t get greedy with extra hits.

Step 4: If Dalang performs the high jump sequence, activate Cloud Steps or Threefold Skywalk and jump to avoid all shockwaves. While airborne, observe where Dalang lands and plan your next approach.

Step 5: When Dalang executes the ground stomp attack, this is your chance to practice the parry timing you’ll desperately need in Phase 2. Try to deflect at least 2-3 stomps in the sequence even if you can’t perfect parry all of them yet. Building muscle memory here pays massive dividends later.

Step 6: If your health drops below 50%, create distance using the Panacea Fan’s range advantage and activate a healing skill while backpedaling to maintain safe space.

Repeat this cycle patiently and Phase 1 becomes a controlled dance rather than a frantic scramble. The key philosophy is trading efficiency: land guaranteed hits after confirmed dodges, then back off before Dalang can retaliate. Never commit to full combo strings that leave you animation-locked. Three hits and retreat beats five hits and getting trampled.

One final Phase 1 tip that many guides miss: save your Talon Strike Mystic Art for Phase 2. The burst damage is far more valuable later when every second counts and Dalang’s increased aggression limits your attack opportunities. Conserve your resources and play patiently in Phase 1 knowing that the real challenge is still coming.

Phase 2 Strategy – The Empowered Dalang Duel

After depleting Dalang’s health bar in Phase 1, a dramatic cutscene triggers where the Horse Dancer performs a dark ritual, coughing up a purple parasite that merges with Dalang. The horse rises with glowing red eyes, possessed and significantly more dangerous. The Horse Dancer has sacrificed himself, transforming the fight into a pure 1v1 duel against an empowered boss. This is where Where Winds Meet tests if you actually learned the combat mechanics or just got lucky in Phase 1.

The Stakes Are Higher

Phase 2 Dalang is essentially the same boss with the difficulty dial cranked to maximum. Every attack deals 40-50% increased damage compared to Phase 1, meaning mistakes that previously cost you 30% health now remove 50-60%. Two clean hits from the charge attack can kill you from full health. The body slam that felt manageable before now nearly one-shots you if your health isn’t topped off. This damage amplification means you cannot afford to tank hits anymore – every attack must be dodged, parried, or avoided.

The other critical change is attack frequency and chaining. Where Phase 1 Dalang would perform an attack then give you a recovery window, Phase 2 Dalang immediately chains attacks together. Charge into body slam into head swing combinations become common. The boss rarely gives you the comfortable breathing room you enjoyed earlier. This aggressive pressure tests whether you truly internalized the attack patterns or were just reacting randomly.

However, there’s one massive strategic advantage in Phase 2: the Horse Dancer is gone. No more poison darts to track. No more splitting your camera awareness between two targets. You can focus 100% of your mental bandwidth on reading and reacting to Dalang’s moves. This is a pure skill check – can you consistently avoid the boss’s attacks while finding windows to deal damage?

Mastering the Stomp Parry

If there’s one skill that separates players who struggle in Phase 2 from those who dominate it, it’s the stomp parry. Dalang’s ground stomp sequence in Phase 2 becomes significantly more common, sometimes occurring 3-4 times during the fight. Each sequence consists of 4 rapid stomps with consistent timing between each stomp.

Here’s why this matters so much: successfully parrying the entire stomp sequence triggers a special stagger state where Dalang becomes vulnerable to a devastating counterattack. During this stagger, you can unleash your Talon Strike Mystic Art plus a full combo string, potentially removing 15-20% of Dalang’s health bar in one burst window. This is by far the most efficient damage-dealing opportunity in the entire fight.

The parry timing rhythm goes like this: when the first stomp begins, tap your parry button (E on keyboard, R1/RB on controller) at the exact moment the hoof impacts the ground. If successful, you’ll see the deflect animation and Dalang will immediately initiate the second stomp. Tap parry again at the second impact. Then the third. Then the fourth. Each successful parry builds toward the final counterattack opportunity.

In my experience teaching dozens of players this technique, the most common mistake is pressing the parry button too early. You’re not parrying the wind-up animation of the stomp – you’re parrying the impact itself. Wait for the visual and audio cue of the hoof hitting the ground, then tap parry. The window is approximately 0.3 seconds, which feels strict at first but becomes second nature after 15-20 attempts.

If you miss a parry in the middle of the sequence, don’t panic. You can either jump to avoid the remaining stomps or try to parry the next one. Missing one parry doesn’t reset your progress – you can still parry the 3rd and 4th stomps even if you missed the 2nd. However, you need to parry all four stomps in the sequence to trigger the full stagger and counterattack window.

Practice this during Phase 1 on every stomp sequence you encounter. The timing is identical, but Phase 1 has lower stakes if you fail. By the time you reach Phase 2, the muscle memory should feel automatic.

Surviving the Golden Glow Attack

Phase 2’s new signature move is the golden glow super attack, and it absolutely will kill you if you don’t respect it properly. When Dalang begins glowing with intense golden light, you have approximately 1.5-2 seconds before the devastating lunging charge activates.

This is a pure reaction test with a binary outcome: you either dodge it completely or you die. There’s no partial credit. The damage is so high that even players with full health and upgraded armor can be one-shot if they’re not at maximum level for this stage of the game.

The counterplay is brutally simple: the moment you see golden glow, immediately sprint toward the opposite side of the arena. Don’t try to time a dodge roll at the last second – the tracking on this attack is too good and you’ll get clipped. Don’t try to parry it – it’s unparryable. Don’t try to trade damage hoping to kill Dalang first – you’ll die. Just run away.

After Dalang completes the golden glow charge and misses you, the boss has substantial recovery time – approximately 3-4 seconds where it’s completely vulnerable. This is your safest and most generous punish window in all of Phase 2. Sprint back toward Dalang and unload everything: full combo, Talon Strike if available, charged heavy attack, whatever deals your maximum burst damage. This recovery window is so long that even slower weapons like the spear can land complete combo strings.

The golden glow attack typically occurs 2-3 times during Phase 2, usually when Dalang’s health drops below specific thresholds (approximately 75%, 50%, and 25%). After you’ve seen it once, start anticipating it whenever you push Dalang through a health threshold.

Resource Management & Patience

Phase 2 becomes a battle of attrition if you’re not optimal with parries. Your goal is to steadily chip away at Dalang’s health while avoiding major mistakes rather than rushing for aggressive damage. This philosophy is especially important once Dalang drops below 30% health – the boss doesn’t have an enrage mechanic or secret Phase 3, so there’s zero reason to get reckless.

Use the Panacea Fan liberally in Phase 2. After dodging an attack sequence, back off to medium range and heal up if you’re below 70% health. The self-healing is free and keeps you in the safe zone where one mistake won’t instantly end the attempt. Many players try to conserve healing for an emergency, but the better strategy is maintaining high health proactively so emergencies don’t occur.

When Dalang’s health reaches 20-30%, consider switching your playstyle to almost purely defensive with hit-and-run tactics. Land 1-2 hits after each dodge, immediately retreat, repeat. The final 20% takes longer this way, but your success rate increases dramatically because you’re minimizing risk exposure. A slow victory is still a victory.

Don’t forget about your Mystic Arts beyond just Talon Strike. Cloud Steps and Threefold Skywalk remain essential for avoiding shockwaves and repositioning. If you haven’t used Talon Strike yet, the absolute optimal time is after parrying the stomp combo, during the stagger window where Dalang’s defense is reduced.

For more advanced combat techniques and positioning strategies, explore our Where Winds Meet Flying & Water Walking Guide to enhance your overall mobility mastery.

Common Mistakes That Cause Defeats

Even with all the knowledge above, certain mistakes keep tripping up players attempting Dalang. Let me identify the most common errors I’ve observed across dozens of attempts and explain how to avoid them.

Mistake #1: Attacking the Horse Dancer in Phase 1 – I’ve already covered why this is wrong, but it bears repeating because it’s the single most common strategic error. The Horse Dancer contributes virtually nothing to your victory. Every second spent damaging him is a wasted second where you could be progressing toward Phase 2. Focus exclusively on Dalang and use the owner’s poison darts against the boss through proper positioning.

Mistake #2: Getting Greedy With Combo Extensions – After successfully dodging an attack, many players try to land 5-7 hits in their punish window. This works against trash mobs but fails against bosses with quick recovery times. Dalang can and will interrupt your fourth or fifth hit with a body slam counter, converting your punish into taking damage yourself. Stick to 2-3 hit sequences, then back off. Consistent small punishes beat risky large punishes that get interrupted.

Mistake #3: Rolling Backward From the Charge – The charge attack covers so much distance that rolling away from it rarely works unless you start the roll extremely early. The superior strategy is sidestepping perpendicular to the charge direction. Even a simple walking sidestep without any roll works if timed correctly because the charge hitbox is narrower than it appears. Save your dodge roll stamina for other attacks.

Mistake #4: Trying to Tank Shockwaves – New players often think they can just heal through the shockwave damage from the high jump sequence. While this technically works, it’s incredibly wasteful of healing resources. Jumping to avoid the shockwaves costs you nothing and keeps your healing consumables for actual emergencies. Use Cloud Steps and Threefold Skywalk – they exist specifically for this purpose.

Mistake #5: Saving Healing Until Low Health – Waiting until you’re at 20-30% health to heal is a terrible habit that leads to panic deaths. Dalang’s increased damage in Phase 2 means one unexpected hit at 30% health can kill you outright. I maintain my health above 60% at minimum during Phase 2, healing preemptively after taking any significant damage. The Panacea Fan makes this resource-free, so there’s no reason not to stay topped off.

Mistake #6: Camera Lock Failure – Where Winds Meet’s camera system works best when you manually adjust it to keep both Dalang and your character visible simultaneously. Relying purely on lock-on can cause you to lose track of Dalang during its charge across the arena or miss the golden glow startup animation. For optimal camera control settings, check our Best Controller Settings Guide.

Rewards for Defeating Dalang

Victory against Dalang grants a substantial reward package that significantly accelerates your early-game progression in Where Winds Meet. Here’s the complete breakdown of what you earn:

Echo Jade x20 – This is the game’s premium currency used for various high-value transactions. Echo Jade can be spent on cosmetic items, but for early-game players, I strongly recommend saving it for purchasing powerful passive skills and gear upgrade materials from in-game merchants. The early-game stat boosts are far more valuable than cosmetics.

Qinghe Exploration x10 – These points contribute toward your exploration completion percentage in the Qinghe region. Higher exploration completion unlocks regional rewards including Mystic Arts, weapons, and permanent stat bonuses. The 10 points from Dalang represent approximately 2-3% of total Qinghe exploration, a nice boost for relatively minimal effort.

Zhou Coin x5000 – Standard currency for vendors and services throughout Where Winds Meet. 5,000 coins might not sound impressive, but at this stage of the game it’s enough to fully upgrade one piece of equipment or purchase multiple consumable stacks. Don’t underestimate the value of having liquid currency for flexibility.

Character XP x5000 – This experience roughly equals 2-3 character levels depending on your current progression. The immediate power increase helps prepare you for upcoming challenges in Chapter 1’s remaining content.

Enlightenment Points x500 – Used to unlock and improve core character traits and passive abilities. Enlightenment Points are one of the more valuable resources in Where Winds Meet because they directly improve your character’s fundamental capabilities rather than just gear stats.

Hemostatic Powder x2 – Healing consumables that you probably used several of during the Dalang fight itself. Getting two back softens the net resource expenditure.

Beyond the tangible rewards, defeating Dalang unlocks story progression that eventually leads to additional quests, new regions, and access to more content. The boss also serves as an educational experience – mastering parry timings, positioning, and resource management here prepares you for significantly harder late-game encounters.

For players interested in exploring Where Winds Meet’s multiplayer features with friends after defeating Dalang, check out our comprehensive Multiplayer Guide.

Advanced Tips & Strategies Most Players Miss

Now that we’ve covered the fundamentals, let me share several advanced techniques and observations from my 20+ hours studying this fight that most guides completely overlook.

Hidden Mechanic: Environmental Poison Synergy – During Phase 1, if you successfully get the Horse Dancer’s poison darts to hit Dalang multiple times consecutively, the poison damage stacks subtly. Most players think poison just applies a flat damage-over-time effect, but successive poison applications before the previous one expires actually increase the tick damage by approximately 15% per stack. Getting 3-4 poison stacks on Dalang in Phase 1 can shave off nearly 20% of its health bar passively, dramatically speeding up the fight. This requires deliberate positioning, but the time investment is absolutely worth it.

Optimal Camera Positioning – Position your camera at a 45-degree angle to Dalang rather than directly behind your character or directly behind the boss. This angle allows you to see both Dalang’s body language (for reading attack tells) and your character’s positioning relative to environmental elements simultaneously. The 45-degree angle also makes it easier to spot the golden glow startup in Phase 2 because the effect is visible from multiple angles rather than just frontally.

Parry Training Method – If you’re struggling with stomp parry timing, visit areas in Qinghe with basic soldier enemies and practice parrying their attacks until the mechanic feels automatic. The timing window is universal across all parryable attacks in Where Winds Meet, so building muscle memory against low-stakes targets translates directly to Dalang. Spend 15-20 minutes just practicing parries before attempting the boss again if you’re consistently failing the stomp sequence.

DPS Check Alternative – Players struggling with damage output can actually cheese Phase 2 slightly by extending the fight duration and focusing purely on survival. Dalang has no enrage timer, so a 15-minute Phase 2 where you only attack during 100% safe windows is perfectly valid. This strategy requires patience but eliminates most risk. Each safe punish deals 2-3% of Dalang’s health, meaning you need approximately 40-50 clean hits to win. It’s slower but dramatically increases success rate for players who haven’t mastered aggressive play.

Perfect Dodge Timing – Dalang’s charge attack has a specific timing quirk: if you dodge roll at the exact moment the horse’s front hooves leave the ground (during the charge windup, not the charge itself), you get extended invincibility frames that last through the entire charge hitbox duration. This “perfect dodge” makes the charge completely free to avoid and grants you extra time to position for the counterattack. Practice this timing because it converts Dalang’s most frequent attack into guaranteed free damage for you.

Phase 1 Speedrun Technique – Advanced players can skip approximately 30% of Phase 1 by using Talon Strike during a poison stack window. Here’s the sequence: get 3+ poison stacks on Dalang, bait the stomp attack, parry the sequence, then immediately use Talon Strike during the stagger window while poison is still ticking. The combination of reduced defense (from stagger), bonus damage (from Talon Strike), and ongoing poison damage creates a massive burst that can remove 25-30% of Dalang’s health in about 5 seconds. This is the highest DPS window available in the entire fight.

If you’re looking for more quest guides and puzzle solutions in Where Winds Meet, our Yin Yang Puzzle Guide and Echoes of Old Battles Guide provide similar in-depth walkthroughs for other challenging early-game content.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you skip the Dalang boss fight in Where Winds Meet?

No, Dalang is a mandatory story boss that blocks progression in Chapter 1’s main questline. There is no alternative route, no option to overlevel and return later, and no way to continue the story without defeating this boss. You must beat Dalang to complete “A Horse Neighs in the Forest” and advance to the next quest. This is intentional design – the developers want to ensure players learn fundamental combat mechanics like parrying and positioning before progressing further.

What level should I be to fight Dalang comfortably?

I recommend being at least level 15-18 with weapons upgraded at least twice before attempting Dalang. While the fight is technically possible at lower levels with perfect execution, the increased damage output from character levels and weapon upgrades provides crucial margin for error. If you’re struggling, spend 1-2 hours completing side quests in Qinghe to gain levels and materials. The fight becomes significantly more manageable when you’re not being two-shot by the charge attack.

Should I kill the Horse Dancer first or focus on Dalang?

Always focus on Dalang exclusively and completely ignore the Horse Dancer as a damage target. The Horse Dancer has his own health bar and can restore it when critically wounded, making him a time-consuming target that doesn’t contribute to ending the fight. Once you deplete Dalang’s health in Phase 1, the game automatically transitions to Phase 2 and removes the Horse Dancer regardless of his remaining health. The only interaction you should have with the Horse Dancer is positioning Dalang between yourself and him so the poison darts hit the boss instead of you.

How do I avoid Dalang’s arena-wide shockwave attack?

The high jump sequence ending with an arena-wide shockwave is one of Dalang’s most punishing attacks, but it’s also one of the easiest to avoid once you know the trick. Simply jump at the moment the final shockwave reaches your position. Using Mystic Arts like Threefold Skywalk or Cloud Steps makes this trivial because they grant extended airborne time and multiple jumps. You can essentially hover above the battlefield while all the shockwaves harmlessly pass beneath you. If you don’t have these skills yet, even a basic timed jump works – the invincibility frames from jumping are sufficient to avoid ground-based hitboxes.

What’s the best weapon for beginners fighting Dalang?

The Nameless Sword paired with Panacea Fan is the optimal beginner-friendly combination. The Nameless Sword provides balanced damage, good mobility, and forgiving attack speeds that let you land hits and retreat safely. The Panacea Fan serves as your secondary weapon and offers ranged damage for safe poke attacks plus self-healing skills that eliminate dependence on limited healing consumables. This combination maximizes survivability while maintaining decent damage output, making it perfect for players still learning Dalang’s attack patterns.

Can I parry all of Dalang’s attacks or only specific ones?

Most of Dalang’s attacks are parryable, but certain moves are designed to be dodged instead. The ground stomp sequence is specifically intended to be parried and rewards perfect parries with a stagger counterattack window. The charge attack, body slam, head swings, and back kick are all technically parryable but the timing windows are strict and missing the parry often results in taking full damage. The high jump shockwaves are better handled by jumping rather than parrying. The golden glow super attack in Phase 2 is completely unparryable and must be avoided by sprinting away. Focus your parry practice on the stomp sequence since that’s where consistent parrying provides the highest value.

Why is Phase 2 so much harder than Phase 1?

Phase 2 Dalang deals 40-50% increased damage on all attacks, chains combos together more aggressively with shorter recovery windows, and introduces the golden glow super attack that can one-shot you. Additionally, the psychological pressure increases because you know one major mistake could waste all the progress you made in Phase 1. However, Phase 2 has one major advantage: the Horse Dancer is gone, so you only need to track one target instead of managing a 2v1 situation. The key to Phase 2 is patience – slow, methodical damage with perfect defense beats rushing and making mistakes.

Where can I find Cloud Steps before fighting Dalang?

Cloud Steps is located in the Qinghe region inside a cave found under a shrine. This Mystic Art is essential for the Dalang fight because it provides enhanced vertical mobility perfect for avoiding shockwave attacks. If you haven’t unlocked it yet, prioritize finding it before attempting the boss. The cave isn’t hidden – it’s marked on your map if you’ve explored the area surrounding shrines in Qinghe. Cloud Steps remains one of the most valuable Mystic Arts throughout the entire game, so acquiring it early is beneficial beyond just this fight.

Does Dalang have any elemental weaknesses I should exploit?

Dalang doesn’t have specific elemental weaknesses in the traditional RPG sense, but the boss does take increased damage during stagger states triggered by perfect parries of the stomp sequence. The poison applied by the Horse Dancer’s misdirected darts is technically a weakness you can exploit through proper positioning. Beyond these mechanics, the fight is primarily about execution and timing rather than elemental advantages. Your weapon upgrades and character level matter far more than attempting to find elemental synergies.

Can I coop Dalang with friends?

No, the Dalang boss fight is a single-player story encounter that doesn’t support cooperative multiplayer. The game’s coop features unlock later in Where Winds Meet after progressing past the early story chapters. You must defeat Dalang solo as part of the campaign. If you’re struggling, the solution is practicing the mechanics, optimizing your build with better weapons and Mystic Arts, or gaining a few levels rather than seeking multiplayer assistance. Once you progress past Chapter 1, cooperative features become available for other content.

Conclusion

Defeating Dalang represents one of Where Winds Meet’s first real skill checks that separates casual button-mashers from players who’ve actually internalized the combat system’s depth. This boss fight teaches essential mechanics – parry timing, positioning awareness, resource management, and patience under pressure – that you’ll need for every subsequent challenge in the game. The lessons learned here compound throughout your entire wuxia adventure.

Looking back at my initial seven deaths against Dalang followed by eventually achieving consistent no-hit victories, the transformation came from understanding that this fight isn’t about overwhelming the boss with damage. It’s about controlling the battlefield, exploiting environmental advantages like the Horse Dancer’s poison, and waiting for guaranteed openings rather than gambling on risky aggression. Phase 1 rewards intelligent positioning. Phase 2 rewards defensive mastery and pattern recognition.

If you’re still struggling after reading this guide, remember that practice is the ultimate teacher. Each attempt provides data: which attacks are you consistently failing to avoid? Are you getting hit because of mechanical execution errors or because you don’t recognize the attack startup animations? Identify your specific weakness and focus training on that element. Visit areas with basic enemies to practice parry timing in low-stakes environments. Test different weapon combinations to find what feels most comfortable for your playstyle. Upgrade your gear, unlock those essential Mystic Arts, and don’t hesitate to gain a few extra levels if needed.

The satisfaction of finally defeating Dalang after understanding and implementing these strategies is genuinely rewarding. That moment when you perfectly parry the entire stomp sequence in Phase 2, unleash your Talon Strike during the stagger, and watch Dalang’s health bar evaporate – that’s where Where Winds Meet’s combat system truly shines. You’re not just pressing buttons; you’re executing a carefully choreographed martial arts performance where every movement has purpose.

Beyond Dalang, the skills you’ve developed here scale to every future encounter. The parry timing becomes muscle memory for the next challenging boss. The positioning awareness helps in PvP content once you reach higher levels. The resource management prevents wasteful consumable usage in longer dungeon explorations. Dalang is your training ground, and graduation means you’re ready for what Where Winds Meet throws at you next.

For comprehensive resources covering every aspect of Where Winds Meet from beginner tutorials to endgame optimization, bookmark our complete game guide and join our community of wuxia enthusiasts mastering this incredible martial arts RPG.

Now get back into Moonveil Mountain, implement these strategies, and show that possessed white horse who’s the real legendary warrior. Your journey through tenth-century China continues, and Dalang is just the beginning. May your parries be perfect and your dodges precise, wandering swordsman. The path of martial arts mastery awaits!