Dragon King — Final Apex
Stage 18 (and every 5th stage after) · All-purpose pressure boss with a bottomless Ki gauge — neutral is permanently dangerous.
The Dragon King is the campaign’s final boss, first appearing at stage 18 and returning as the boss of every fifth stage in the endless mode beyond. With 800 HP and a punishing 2.0× damage multiplier, he combines a little of every boss you have faced — pressure, mobility, projectiles, and a sustained beam — into one fight.
His defining trait is a bottomless Ki gauge: the Dragon King never runs out of meter, so he can throw out screen-covering specials indefinitely. That means there is no safe “wait him out” state the way there was against slower bosses. Neutral is permanently dangerous, and the fight rewards patience, precise defense, and disciplined meter management above all.
Boss stats
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Stage | Stage 18 (and every 5th stage after) |
| Health | 800 HP |
| Speed | Average (1.0×) |
| Damage | Extreme (2.0×) |
The three phases
Like every boss, Dragon King runs a three-phase AI that escalates at 66% and 33% remaining HP. Each transition adds aggression and speed — and opens a brief invincible intro you can use to charge Ki.
Phase 1 (100% – 66% HP)
He pressures with Dragon Roar projectiles and Wing Sweep mobility, feeling out your defense. Play conservatively and learn the gaps between his specials.
Phase 2 (66% – 33% HP)
He weaves Eternal Flame beams into his rotation and speeds up. Bait the beam, dodge-roll through it, and take small, safe punishes — do not overstay.
Phase 3 (33% – 0% HP)
Everything comes out faster and his 2.0× damage makes any mistake fatal. Keep at least 50% meter so Ki Burst is always available as a panic button, and close with a saved Dragon Fist when you see a real opening.
Signature moves & how to counter them
Dragon Roar
Screen-wide projectile. A massive projectile that covers most of the screen horizontally, forcing a defensive reaction.
Counter: Read the start-up and use the depth move (↑/↓) to leave its line, or dodge-roll through it. Because his meter is infinite, do not try to trade projectiles — you will lose the war of attrition.
Wing Sweep
Mobility + AoE. A sweeping movement attack that repositions him while covering an area — both an approach and a space-control tool.
Counter: Dodge-roll the sweep and watch where he lands; his recovery is your only reliable punish window. Do not chase him across the screen.
Eternal Flame
Sustained beam. A long, sustained beam that dominates a lane for its full duration — lethal if you are caught in it.
Counter: Bait it out, then dodge-roll through the beam for a punish window as it winds down. This is your single best offensive opportunity in the fight.
How to beat Dragon King
Play patient. Because the Dragon King never runs out of meter, there is no phase where standing still is safe — but there is also no reward for rushing. Take the small, guaranteed punishes and refuse the greedy ones.
Bait Eternal Flame and dodge-roll through it. The beam’s wind-down is the most reliable punish window in the fight; treat it as your primary source of damage rather than trying to force offense in neutral.
Conserve Ki. Against every other boss you saved meter to burst them down; here, keeping at least 50% is a defensive necessity so Ki Burst (Shift+E) is always available as a panic reversal. Spend the top of your meter on a Dragon Fist (100%) only when you have already earned a clean opening.
Recommended Ki specials
Keep 50% banked for Ki Burst as a permanent panic button; cash a Dragon Fist (100%) only on a confirmed opening, ideally the Eternal Flame punish.
Common mistakes
- Trying to out-zone him — his infinite meter wins any projectile war.
- Dumping all your Ki, leaving no Ki Burst for the phase-3 panic reversal.
- Chasing Wing Sweep across the screen instead of waiting for the recovery.
TL;DR
Be patient, punish Eternal Flame with a dodge-roll, keep 50% meter for Ki Burst at all times, and finish with a Dragon Fist on a clean opening.
More boss guides
- Previous: Void Harbinger (Stage 17)
See the full boss roster, brush up on the core mechanics, or review the command list before you climb the ladder.