Final Fantasy XVI Guide: “Capital Punishment” Walkthrough

Mini Boss Fight – Coeurl

Whipcrack will see the Coeurl charge up its whiskers before trying to hit you in an attempt to deal damage. The range is actually much bigger than they may expect, so be wary of that when dodging.

There’s also Electrocharge too, which Coeurl will start using after staggering it for the first time. Much like the Iron Giant battle, this will see the red health bar turn purple so be sure to hit as many Eikon abilities as possible, along with possibly Limit Breaking too. Should Clive fail to disrupt this, Coeurl’s attack will almost certainly kill Clive so it’s imperative that you stop this asap.

If that wasn’t enough, there will also be small electrical charges across the map during this time, so be sure to dodge your way closer to Coeurl when this occurs. Post-Electrocharge and after the stagger that follows by interrupting this, expect a fiercer opponent still. Coeurl will be much stronger, and it will also try and trap Clive, using a new electrical charge skill that will see Clive confined between two lines of lightning either side.

Keep using your Eikon abilities throughout the fight, preferably by making sure you use Gouge and Wicked Wheel in quick succession. As mentioned earlier, Limit Breaks also work well here, and make sure to utilize Deadly Embrace too when the stun bar is halfway for an extra attack advantage.

Boss Fight – Hugo Kupka

Phase 1

During this first Phase, Hugo will predominantly use combination moves combined with Earth-based magic spells. On the melee side of things, watch out for One-Two Combo and Blocking Rush. The latter sees Hugo summon two giant fists that cross over and one another and rush toward you. Dodge out the way of this. As for the One-Two Combo, Hugo will lunge at you with a punching attack, followed by a kick.

Hugo also has a pretty nasty uppercut too, and you’ll go flying if he hits you with it. Be sure to Dodge this as soon as the giant fists appear.

A variation to Blocking Rush comes in the form of Sledgehammer, which sees Hugo rush at you shoulder-first. Should he connect with this, it’s followed up with a nasty smash down into the ground, which can do serious damage.

Should Hugo block any of your attacks, be mindful of Block Explosion too, which will see him follow-up a block with a hefty Uppercut.

Phase 2

Once you deal enough damage (usually after the first Stagger), a short cutscene will ensue, before the ground will give way and you’ll tumble under the throne room to a more formidable battleground.

You’ll now be fighting Semi-Primed Hugo so be careful, as he’s much more aggressive and has some new moves too.

Geocrush will see Hugo dive underground, with a large splash damage radius. It’s easy to spot as, just like the previous boss fights we’ve encountered, the ground will illuminate. Be sure to get out this area before Hugo bursts up with a big fist.

Hugo’s Uppercut has been upgraded now too, as he’ll punch forward with a second stone fist. Don’t be duped into letting your guard down here either with this one. The more damage you do to Hugo, the more combination moves are added.

Weight of the Land sees Hugo create circular areas across the ground that explode, while Landslide sees a single line appear across the battlefield, which will see the land rise up.

Finally, Tumult (a jumping attack that sends out shockwaves when he hits the ground) and Force of the Land (another splash damage attack, this time with horrible spikes) are also worth watching out for.

When Hugo is nearly out of health, he’ll use two more devastating abilities. Torment is a long attack so don’t even try to evade this and get a Precision Counter in, just get out the way. He’ll use a combo of projectiles, punches and shockwaves.

Earthen Fury is simply a larger version of Stripmine, another splash-based attack that will see a much larger radius across the battlefield than before.

As you can see, Hugo has a lot of different moves at his disposal and they can absolutely cripple you. In terms of battle technique, keep your distance and use Phase 1 as a way of feeling your way into the fight. Keep hitting him with projectiles, and when you’re confident you’ve seen the way Hugo hits, move in with your attack combos.

Finally, be sure to stop attacking Hugo completely when he starts blocking, and use that time to recover, using any potions you may need. The second Phase will be much tougher so use your Garuda abilities here to get that stun bar down as quickly (and safely) as you can.

When Hugo is nearly out of health, make sure you try and finish the fight as quickly as possible. If you have the health for it (and a couple of back-up potions too) go kamikaze style and use a good combination of Eikon abilities back to back to avoid Torment or Earthen Fury from being used! Eventually you’ll knock Hugo down.

Fire and Ice

Bolts from the Blue

You can check out our full walkthrough and game guide here!