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The Deathstroke boss fight in Batman Arkham Origins is arguably the most memorable encounter you’ll face in the entire game. The expert assassin tests your combat and reflex skills while punishing aggression and button mashing. Unlike other boss fights in the game, the encounter with Slade Wilson is more of a duel than a brawl, catching most players off guard who are accustomed to an aggressive playstyle.
Deathstroke takes on Batman in three unique combat phases. Understanding how to counter the superhuman assassin is the key to overcoming his barrage of attacks and emerging victorious. Detailed below is a breakdown of Deathstroke’s full boss fight and how to beat the Most Wanted assassin without trouble.
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Understanding The Deathstroke Boss Fight
The Deathstroke encounter features three phases. The assassin first squares up the Batman with his iconic staff, before moving on to his sword, and finally to the rope launcher. Deathstroke puts forward an aggressive display of his combat skills, which compels players to play passively while looking for opportunities to punish him.
Brute-forcing this fight is a bad idea, as the assassin is quick to punish reckless button-mashing. Staying on the defensive and looking for counter cues is the most effective strategy to take down the assassin.
Phase 1: Staff
Deathstroke starts his onslaught with his iconic staff. Each time the Terminator attempts his attack, you can counter him by looking for the distinct blue counter indicator over his head. Once Deathstroke suffers enough damage, he’ll resort to using smoke bombs to disorient the caped crusader before ambushing him with a barrage of quick staff attacks. This is the only moment when you’re free to spam the counter button to turn the tables and deliver a satisfying beatdown of your own and whittle down the assassin’s health.
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Phase 2: Sword
At about 50% of Deathstroke’s health, Batman dismantles the assassin’s staff, leading him to pull out his sword, effectively transitioning to his second phase. Deathstroke becomes even more deadly in the second phase and his attacks deal even more damage. However, your strategy remains the same: time the counters.
Again, Deathstroke relies on smoke bombs to disorient Batman and follows up with a flurry of sword strikes that must be countered by spamming the counter button. Eventually, he brings out his third gadget to the fight: the rope launcher.
Phase 3: Rope Launcher
Deathstroke uses the rope launcher to tether Batman to explosive cylinders. The trick to escaping the incoming explosive is to look for the counter indicator when tethered to the explosive cylinders. A successful counter causes Batman to throw the cylinder back at Deathstroke. While it might seem like a powerful counter, the explosive cylinders barely deal any damage to Deathstroke. Eventually, after you deliver 3-4 beatdowns, the Most Wanted assassin will be brought to his knees and the boss fight is won.
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Tips To Beat Deathstroke In Batman Arkham Origins
Deathstroke can be a challenging boss who punishes the player’s aggression and overuse of Batman’s gadgets. However, the following tips will prepare you to respond to the boss as he transitions from phase to phase:
- Use The Batclaw: While Deathstroke can counter or evade many of Batman’s gadgets, he is vulnerable to the Batclaw, which gives you the opportunity to close the distance with a batclaw slam. However, it isn’t recommended to rely too much on the batclaw, as the assassin will adapt to your strategy and dodge your subsequent attempts.
- Time Your Counters: Briefly during the encounter, Batman and Deathstroke will engage in hand-to-hand combat, which is essentially a quick-time event. Winning this spar comes down to nailing the counter timing. Hitting the counter button too early or too late results in Deathstroke punishing you for the error.
- Play Passively: Up until this fight, many players are likely to assume a more aggressive approach to combat when fighting off regular thugs. However, Deathstroke compels you to slow down and rewards a passive playstyle. Again, brute-forcing your way to victory isn’t the way to go about beating Deathstroke.
