Captain Thomas Richards is the first boss in Windrose and is a true test of skill compared to previous combat encounters. As a soulslite, boss fights in this game are about patience and learning enemy moves, which means it might take a few tries for you to beat him.
To make the fight easier, below you can find a list of gear to bring, what to expect from the boss’s moves, and strategy tips to beat Thomas Richards in Windrose.
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Best gear against Captain Thomas Richards in Windrose
By the time you reach the boss fight, you should be around level four, especially if you took some time exploring different points of interest.
Here’s a checklist of gear to bring into a fight:
- Uncommon / Rare armor (level five)
- Rare weapon (level five)
- Healing Potion x10-15
- Food
Bring at least a full set of uncommon armor, ideally with a couple of rare pieces and maybe a rare weapon. Upgrade all your gear to level five, which is the maximum level at this stage. Prioritize Rare pieces, as you’ll likely use them for longer.
If you want to get some gear ahead of the boss fight, loot pirate camps or outposts. Some good armor sets to look for include: Filbustier’s Attire (attacks consume less stamina) and Conquistador’s Armor (increases damage resistance).
To increase survivability, prepare food to use before starting the fight. Food increases maximum health, allowing you to take more damage. Something like Boiled Crab is easy to make and lasts 15 minutes, but the buff disappears on death. Alongside food, bring plenty of Healing Potions (not Minor Healing Potions).
Lastly, configure your stat points and Talents. For stat points, it’s worth investing in Vitality and Endurance. For Talents, choose those that fit the damage type of your weapon. For example, if you’re using a mace, go for Bonecrusher.
Captain Thomas Richards moves in Windrose
Most of Thomas Richards’ moves have two to three swings, after which there’s a short window to land a few hits. You can dodge the attacks and avoid damage even when you’re right in the boss’s face, as long as you have stamina.
Apart from regular swings, he has several special attacks:
- Grab: Runs and grabs you, slamming you into the ground
- Slam: Slams the mace into the ground, dealing AoE damage
- Bombs: Throws out a pack of bombs around you
The grab attack is the deadliest. You only have a small window when the red light blinks to dodge it. The slam and bomb attacks are easier to dodge; however, the bombs have an inconsistent hitbox, so stay clear of them.
Strategy against Captain Thomas Richards in Windrose
Because it’s a boss, you can’t simply put down a tent and then respawn until the boss is dead – death means starting the fight over. Although you can still put the tent down outside the cave for quick respawns.
Here are a few tips to fight Thomas Richards:
- Come with the Rested buff
- Put a tent outside the cave
- Use food before entering the arena to increase health
- Put all heals into a convenient hotbar slot
- Use the target lock-on feature
- Dodge instead of parrying
- Don’t be greedy with hits to avoid getting punished and preserve stamina
- Deal consistent damage to bring down shields
You get the Rested buff after briefly staying in camp or on the ship. It boosts stamina regeneration for about seven minutes. Like food buffs, Rested disappears after death, so it’s mostly useful for your first attempt.
During the fight, don’t worry about parrying and ranged weapons. Focus on dodging and landing melee hits. Don’t get greedy – land one or two hits, then back away if the boss moves. Overheating will result in you draining stamina, leaving you unable to dodge.
At the same time, keep consistently landing hits to bring down the boss’s shields. Once all shield icons are gone, the boss will be stunned for one to two seconds, allowing for some free damage. If the boss doesn’t take damage, he will start slowly regaining shields.
Beating Thomas Richards unlocks Foothills, upgrading gear to level six and beyond, and a series of resources to keep improving your gear.
