Get Duelist Focus before beating the opening guard. You'll find Valor Mortis Eternal Guard fights in the opening battlefield, the Salt Mines, near Green Meadow and on a Fields backtracking route. Each one is an optional duel: clear the regular enemies around him first, then learn his side swipe and heavy swing so you can parry both.
Where is the Eternal Guard in the opening battlefield?
The opening-area Eternal Guard is on the backtracking route through the area where you began the game. Remember the helmet you passed earlier: it gives you a landmark to revisit.
- Once you can fast travel back, return to the starting area. The wooden walkway beside the rock face helps you recognize the return route.
- Follow the rocky ledges back toward the encounter. Take the crossing carefully rather than rushing straight into combat.
- Find the guard along the muddy path between the rock walls. A white symbol is visible on the right-hand wall, with the guard farther ahead.
- Kill the ordinary enemies nearby before engaging him. Fighting both at once makes an already demanding encounter harder.
Take Duelist Focus and return later: recommended if you are underpowered
Lure the guard away from his position, pass him, and loot the chest behind him for Duelist Focus. You can leave with the item without finishing the fight. Look for the open red chest and its bright loot beam.
Duelist Focus increases your parry window, so the detour is worth it even if you skip the fight for now.
Fight now if your weapon and parry damage are ready
Stay for the fight if you have a substantially upgraded weapon and strong parry posture damage. One player who beat him early said to wait unless your weapon is well upgraded and your parry damage is maxed. Upgrading your weapon first saves a lot of retries.
His swings look like a flurry at first, but the side swipes and heavy swings each have a rhythm. Learn those and parry; the parry timing guide covers the basics.
You don't have to beat this guard now. Grab Duelist Focus and come back stronger.
How do you reach the Eternal Guard in Salt Mines for Perfectionism?
Reach the Salt Mines Eternal Guard by turning and freezing the moving mechanism, crossing the platforms, and kicking down the ladder near his route. Set the route up before you start the fight, so a retry is a short run back.
- Turn the mechanism, freeze it, then jump across and climb up. Keep the freeze active while you still need the mechanism as a platform. Releasing it too early disrupts the crossing.
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From the platform, release the mechanism when you are ready, jump over, and kick down the ladder. Do this before challenging the guard so the ladder is ready for your return.
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Slow the guard as you begin the encounter. You will face him down a narrow timber-lined passage. Learn the attack pattern rather than relying on a rushed finish.
- Fire is another useful opener. One player narrowly lost an attempt, then started the next with fire and won after settling into the guard's pattern. On a retry, recover your lost catalysts on the way back.
After the fight, loot the chest for Perfectionism. Its name appears beside an orange triangular icon. It increases melee damage while your health is full, so it's only worth slotting if you rarely get hit.
Where is the Eternal Guard near Green Meadow with the beekeeper hut key?
Reach the Eternal Guard near Green Meadow by jumping up and across beside the lodge; defeat him to collect the beekeeper hut key. The lodge entrance initially shows that it is locked from the other side, so take the nearby jump route.
- Climb onto the rocks near the lodge, then jump across.
- Beyond the crossing, you will see the guard in a grassy clearing between the trees.
Expect a demanding fight and a long run back if you die. The return route passes two dogs, and one player found this guard hit much harder than the earlier encounters. Slowing him helped, but reliable parries still mattered. If each attempt ends quickly, returning with better upgrades is the steadier choice.
Avoid getting greedy at the finish. One player killed the guard but died at the same time, then returned to find him dead and collect the key. Aim to survive the final exchange rather than trade your life for an extra hit.
Once he is down, collect the key to the beekeeper's hut. The hut stands beside the clearing, with beehives in the grass and a ladder against its wall.
How do you find the Eternal Guard in Fields for Superiority?
Return to the Fields with the power that pops open obstacles, take the right-hand route, and defeat the guard inside for Superiority.
- Head right toward the previously inaccessible opening. You will see a pale, web-like obstruction ahead between the rocks.
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Jump and activate the power in midair to get through the route. Line up your aim before the jump so you can use the ability while airborne.
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Continue inside. The guard waits in a rocky chamber near a fire, with a chest along the left side. Be ready before advancing toward him.
After defeating him, collect Superiority and Pure Transmutation Material. You will see a journal-entry notification and the material pickup; William also identifies an Eternal Guard insignia bearing a mark.
That's four optional fights for Duelist Focus, Perfectionism, the beekeeper hut key and Superiority. Head back to the walkthrough to carry on.