Stray Blade

UPDATE
I redownloaded the game on Dec. 14, 2023 (about 3 weeks after the original post), and entered the spire from my last save and it unlocked! Don't know if a patch fixed it or something else did, but got 100% in about 10 minutes (because I still had to beat the final boss for the other achievement that hadn't unlocked).

*Not a Solution*

Just wanted to post a warning that this "unmissable" achievement did not unlock after 2 playthroughs. I sent a bug report to the devs a couple weeks ago, but haven't received a response.

This is a story based achievement that culminates in fighting the final boss of the game. You must first explore all three major zones: Everforest, Tamed Peaks and Seething Wastelands. Once you make it inside the Spire and climb to the top, this fight will commence.

This boss is pretty standard to what to expect by now. Unblockable/unparryable attacks are common and punishing if caught in follow ups but the boss does present windows for punishment.

The boss likes to do an unparryable charging dash at you in an instant that can take some practice to time properly when to dodge. If you do manage to dodge it, he will follow up with a circular staff swing that can be parried. When close by, the boss may do a four hit combo that will knock you back quite far but each of these attacks can be parried. A quick and hard to time attack the boss does is teleporting in a zigzag pattern that ends in a staff thrust which can parried.

Periodically the boss will teleport far away and just walk slowly while staring at you. This is a good time to use your Intium grapple ability to close in and get a hit or two. Otherwise he will end this with an unparryable jumping explsion.

At 60% health he will gain another weapon and new moves. He usually starts out with his jumping explosion attack if you are far away. His new weapon will add follow up attacks to his old moves and generally cannot be parried. One of these attacks will be a back swing and another will have him stomp his foot to cause Manninite to spring up to hit you. His zigzag teleport seems to get faster and cannot be parried now. He will also roar and go into a three hit ground smash combo that cannot be parried. Try to get parries off of the staff swing combo from the first phase.

This next phase is the worst phase of a boss I have seen, the only openings he gives are after his staff swing to parry or his jumping explosion, and these are now less frequent but what makes this awful is the teleporting. At 30% health he will gain a blue glow that gives him more new moves. He will run at you to pound the ground for Manninite and then teleport far away to laser sweep the room that ends in a jumping explosion that now sends out a huge damaging ring from the impact. He will now also fly up into the air and shoot lasers at you to dodge that also ends in the same jumping explosion. He continues to do his shoulder charge followed by staff swing, which is still the best time to parry, but after you do he will jump backwards for a laser. He will now also wave his weapon before flying up and then spinning whirlwind style in an arch pattern that ends with the damaging wave.

Once he is dead and the credits start rolling, this achievement will unlock.