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Yes—General Lothaire can be defeated, but guides disagree about the first meeting. PC Gamer describes the Battlefield encounter as winnable and says a victory awards 10,000 Catalysts, the General’s Catalyst Clot and the Torn-Banner achievement. AllThingsHow and PowerPyx describe that scene as an intended loss, with the reward-bearing battle occurring during the Chapter II rematch at the Abandoned Church. Method also says the opening fight can be won. Treat the progression question as unresolved and use the same core plan either way: parry readable attacks to fill Posture, land a Critical Attack when Lothaire kneels, shoot his glowing growths to refill Nephtoglobin, spend Fire Transmutation at full charge, and dodge red or otherwise unblockable attacks.
Is the first General Lothaire fight supposed to be unwinnable?
There is no settled answer in current walkthroughs. PC Gamer reports one normal attempt in which Lothaire can die before a death cutscene, while AllThingsHow and PowerPyx call the Battlefield encounter scripted or intended to end in defeat. Method’s guide, written around the second encounter, likewise says Lothaire can be defeated in the initial Battlefield section.
The practical distinction is important: do not abandon a successful attempt because you expect a cutscene, but do not assume a Battlefield victory is required to unlock the later fight. The Abandoned Church rematch in Chapter II is the encounter consistently described as the full reward-bearing battle by the guides that classify the opening as a loss.
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How should you prepare for the rematch?
Enter the second fight with enough health and endurance to survive extended exchanges. Method recommends meaningful investment in both and a defensive or critical-hit Amber. Keep Ferrofluid Flasks and part of your ammunition rather than spending every resource before phase two.
- Equip an Amber that supports defense or critical damage.
- Carry enough healing for a second health bar and the summoned soldiers.
- Keep Pistol ammunition for the glowing growths, not just ordinary damage.
- Start with room to maneuver; being cornered makes Lothaire’s red attacks harder to read.
What should you dodge at the start?
Lothaire may open with an unblockable jumping slam or a three-shot projectile volley. Dodge either attack instead of trying to parry it. The jump can leave him exposed long enough for a counterattack, but only after you have cleared the landing zone.
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- Jumping slam: evade the landing and punish during the recovery.
- Three-shot volley: move out of the line of fire; do not stand still waiting for a parry window.
How do you build Posture and trigger the Critical Attack?
Stay close enough to see Lothaire’s wind-up, but do not trade long sword strings. Parry his readable standard and spear swings. Successful parries build Posture; when the bar fills, he kneels, creating the opening for a Critical Attack.
- Watch the shoulder and weapon wind-up rather than reacting to the weapon tip.
- Parry standard or spear swings that are not marked red.
- Stop attacking once the exchange becomes unclear; reset your spacing.
- When Lothaire drops to a knee, step in and perform the Critical Attack immediately.
AllThingsHow reports approximately 500 Posture and 1,800 HP per health bar for the rematch. Those are guide-reported values, not an official developer frame-data or stat table, so use them as planning figures rather than guaranteed in every version.
Which attacks must you dodge instead of parry?
Red attacks and other unblockable moves are dodge checks. Trying to parry them wastes health and can end the attempt.
- Leaping attacks and the grab.
- The heavy bash.
- Projectile volleys.
- A thrown corpse.
- The shockwave and lines of ground spikes, especially in phase two.
When an attack is visibly red, prioritize a clean escape over one more hit. After the animation finishes, return to parrying ordinary swings.
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How do the glowing growths and Nephtoglobin work?
Lothaire has three glowing body growths that act as weak points. Shoot them with the Pistol when they are exposed. The guides say the resulting drops restore Nephtoglobin, turning ranged fire into a resource tool rather than a simple damage option.
Use Fire Transmutation when Nephtoglobin is full to apply damage over time. PC Gamer’s Sean Martin summarizes the timing as: “Use fire to ignite him for DoT damage whenever your Nephtoglobin is full.” Avoid spending the resource at a low charge unless you need emergency damage; the growths give you a reason to refill it.
What changes in phase two?
Phase two restores a health bar, adds harder attack strings and introduces summoned soldiers. Conservation matters more here than in the opener.
- Keep at least some Ferrofluid Flasks for the restored bar.
- Save enough ammunition to shoot exposed growths and recover Nephtoglobin.
- Watch for the new ground-based shockwave and spike-line attacks; dodge them.
- Clear summoned soldiers when they can flank or interrupt your parry rhythm.
- Return your attention to Lothaire after the immediate adds are safe.
Do not let the summons pull you into a long, uncontrolled melee string. A short retreat, add clear and reset is safer than losing the camera or being hit from behind.
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Should you parry, dodge or use the Pistol?
| Situation | Best response | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Readable standard or spear swing | Parry | Builds Posture for a Critical Attack |
| Red or unblockable attack | Dodge | Avoids damage from the leap, grab, bash, volleys and ground attacks |
| Glowing body growth exposed | Shoot with the Pistol | Hits a weak point and can restore Nephtoglobin |
| Nephtoglobin is full | Use Fire Transmutation | Applies damage over time |
| Phase-two summons threaten a flank | Clear them, then reset | Protects your healing and parry rhythm |
What rewards are reported for defeating Lothaire?
PC Gamer lists 10,000 Catalysts, the General’s Catalyst Clot and the Torn-Banner achievement for a victory. Because other guides disagree about which encounter is intended to be lost, treat the reward timing as guide-reported rather than a universally confirmed progression rule.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I practice Lothaire’s parry timing safely?
Use the opening exchanges to observe his ordinary weapon wind-ups before committing to a long attack string. If an animation turns red, stop practicing parries and switch to evasion; the visual cue is more reliable than trying to memorize every attack immediately.
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The Pistol’s glowing-growth targets are the intended refill opportunity. Save ammunition for those weak points and avoid spending Fire Transmutation before the resource is full unless the extra damage is necessary to survive.
Should I defeat the summoned soldiers before Lothaire?
Only when they can flank, stagger or obscure your view. If they are distant, keep Lothaire in sight and finish a safe punish; a full reset is preferable once multiple enemies threaten your camera or escape route.
Are the 1,800 HP and 500 Posture figures guaranteed?
No. AllThingsHow reports those numbers for the rematch, but no official stat table or frame-data source establishes them as universal values. Treat them as approximate planning figures for that guide’s encounter description.
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