Fallen Archbishop Andreus was the first wall I hit when playing Lies of P. Everything was (mostly) smooth sailing up until this guy showed up. Part of what stopped me was because he’s the first boss in the game to have a second phase. I wasn’t accounting for that when I went into the fight, so I gave everything I had during the first part of the fight and had nothing left for the second. But beyond that, Fallen Archbishop Andreus puts up a heck of a fight that seems to just get more dangerous the closer you inch him toward death.
Unfortunately, I don’t have an easy way to defeat the Archbishop, but I do have some tips that may help you get to the other side.
Preparation
One thing to note is that Fallen Archbishop Andreus is diseased in the same way as the enemies you fought throughout the cathedral. This means he’s susceptible to flame and shock damage. I stubbornly clung to my favorite wrench, which may have made things more difficult than they had to be. A faster weapon might allow you to chip away at his health more easily, but you might also consider trying the Electric Coil weapon, which is bought from the merchant at the house on New Elysium Street.
I also recommend using either the Fulminis or Flamberge Legion Arms. The Flamberge can let you inflict overheat from a safe distance, whereas a charged punch from Fulminis might stagger the archbishop and allow you to get a fatal attack in.
Also note that the Fallen Archbishop Andreus inflicts the decay status effect, which will eat through your weapon’s durability. I never had a problem with it in all my attempts, but if you’re worried, you can equip some items to reduce decay buildup or use an Ampoule to fortify yourself.
Lastly, you might consider summoning a specter. In this fight, they’re pretty useless at damaging the boss. But they do draw its aggro, which can give you a much-needed opening to attack or a chance to heal.
Phase 1
The first phase of the fight is relatively straightforward. The Archbishop will either lash at you with his tongue, causing decay buildup or will swipe with his arms. These are pretty easy to dodge or block. However, neither method gives you a lot of time to reposte. This is where the specter is useful in giving you an opportunity to attack. Otherwise, wait for a moment of hesitation and hit him in the face. You can also attack the legs or his sides, but a section of his back is armored. Hitting him in the face has a chance to stagger, but just be ready to retreat.
The other attacks he will resort to involve the Fallen Archbishop Andreus lifting himself off the ground and dropping the mass of his body on top of you. These are easy to spot not only because of the movement but also he’ll glow red, signifying that you can only parry with a perfect block. Keep out from under him, but the moment he lands is the best time to try and get some swings in.
As I said, the fight is rather straightforward. Just be warned that once that bar depletes, the fight isn’t over.
Phase 2
This is where things heat up. What remains of the Archbishop’s body will extend from the grotesque monster and will attack you. This phase will start off with you on the opposite end of the arena, which is the perfect time to heal or butter up your blade with a status effect.
Whichever side of the monster you’re on, that half will try to attack you. During the fight, I preferred to fight on the opposite side of the Archbishop, putting me up against the same monster as the first phase. His attacks are unchanged, whereas fighting the newly formed holy growth would require learning to read a separate set of attacks. Either way, there are no major surprises here beyond some new attacks.
That is until Fallen Archbishop Andreus gets down to half health. Once there, he will almost immediately step back and start charging an energy attack. I’ve tried to take advantage of this vulnerable state to attack, but it’s not worth it. The butt-face will blast at a range, causing a huge area of destruction. However, in my experience, the Archbishop himself deals the most severe side of the attack. He slams the ground in front of him, causing a massive blastwave that reaches his legs. Either way, a hit from the attack will cause massive damage. My advice is to just back far away and wait for the blasts to dissipate.
However, it’s not over yet. The final portion of health sees the Archbishop throwing everything he’s got left at you. The attacks seem neverending and the opportunities to strike back are extremely rare. Try not to panic, and don’t get backed into a corner. Keep in mind everything you’ve learned in the fight to maintain whatever health you have left and take whatever opportunities to strike that you can.
Winning the fight will net you Twisted Angel’s Ergo. Good luck.
