I stand before the broken husk of my own legend, the air thick with the scent of ozone and regret. This is not merely a final boss; it is a mirror, a trial by fire where I must face the ghost of the Great Sage, Equal of Heaven. The echoes of a thousand battles whisper in this arena, and now, in the year 2026, I add my own story to the tapestry. He is the true conclusion, the hardest encounter in all of Black Myth: Wukong, a mechanical marvel that tests every lesson learned on this long, arduous pilgrimage. The fight is a dance in four brutal movements, a symphony of clashing staves where I, the Destined One, must first conquer the Stone Monkey before the true specter of the Great Sage manifests. Even bereft of his divine Relics, his shadow is a tempest.
His difficulty is surpassed only by the stern visage of Erlang, the Sacred Divinity. Yet, this foe is uniquely terrifying because he wields my own moveset—every stance, every spell—but with a preternatural mastery that seeks to blindside and obliterate. Each swing of his staff carries the weight of a mountain, each combo a cascading avalanche. He sees through my feints, sidesteps my most committed heavy blows, and in his second phase, he strips me bare, debuffing this transformed body back to a weaker, more vulnerable state. The sense of fighting a perfected, merciless version of oneself is a psychological warfare all its own.
But I have learned. The key lies not in brute force, but in patient observation. His patterns, once deciphered, become a script you can read. Countering becomes possible. The overwhelming dread gives way to a tense, beautiful rhythm. Here is the wisdom I carved from countless defeats, a guide forged in the crucible of this shattered shell.
Gearing for the Reflection
For this intimate duel, I found no better armor than the legacy of the self. I highly recommend the Monkey King's set, with the faithful Jingubang staff in hand. The synergy, the defensive bonuses, they feel like coming home. For those on a New Game+ journey, the Bull King's set and the Dark Iron Staff are formidable, brutal alternatives. But for the first, fateful meeting, wear your own legend.
The Four Phases of the Storm
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Phase One - The Stone Monkey: With the Monkey King's set, this phase can be breezed through. I like to open the dance with a statement: a fully charged heavy attack (four Focus charges) in the Smash Stance, amplified by Loong Amplification Pills. A single, earth-shattering blow can erase a quarter of his health. For Spirit abilities, the Gore-Eyed Daoist magnifies this opening salvo, though the Apramana Bat or Wandering Wight are cunning choices. Beware only his Ring of Fire—do not step inside its burning circumference. Lure him out, then strike.
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Phase Two - The Awakened Echo: The real fight begins. He always starts with a thunderous overhead slam and a whirlwind spin. These are telegraphed, dodgeable. If the timing daunts you, Cloud Step is your ethereal escape. I switch to the Thrust Stance here for precision and keep the Plantain Fan Vessel close. The first half of this phase is about restraint. Do not rush. Learn the cadence of his aggression. Attack only in the silences between his combos.
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Phase Three - The Unshackled Will: The battlefield changes. Now, you must use every tool. Transformation Spells like Golden Lining or Azure Dome become vital shields and weapons. I hoard my Mana for this moment to unleash A Pluck of Many. Swap out Immobilize for Ring of Fire—he shatters holds too easily. A Spell Binder can accelerate the duel, but only if your dodges are poetry in motion.
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Phase Four - The Final Reverberation: A culmination of all that came before. This is where your consumables make the difference between a glorious victory and a crushing defeat. Do not be proud; use your Medicines. Boost your attack, fortify your defenses. They are the silent companions that tip the scale.
The fight is a marathon of endurance and adaptation. I learned to read his tells: the slight crouch before a lunging thrust, the shimmer in the air before a spell is countered. My mantra became: Dodge, observe, strike once, reset. Greed is punished with instant devastation.
A Pilgrim's Arsenal (A Summary Table)
| Category | Primary Recommendation | Key Alternatives | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Armor Set | Monkey King's Set | Bull King's Set (NG+) | Damage & Defense Synergy |
| Weapon | Jingubang | Dark Iron Staff (NG+) | Core Combat |
| Spirit | Gore-Eyed Daoist | Apramana Bat, Wandering Wight | Enhance Opening/Utility |
| Transformation | Golden Lining / Azure Dome | (Situational) | Survivability & Counter |
| Key Item | Plantain Fan Vessel | - | Phase 2 Mobility/Control |
| Critical Spell | A Pluck of Many | - | Burst Damage in later phases |
| Avoid | Immobilize Spell | - | He breaks it too easily |
In the end, the Great Sage's Broken Shell is the most profound teacher in Black Myth: Wukong. He does not demand perfection, but he demands deep, fundamental understanding. You must know the weight of your staff, the cost of your spells, the limit of your stamina. 
The medicines in your pouch are not a cheat; they are part of your strength, as vital as any mantra. This battle is a reward for the skillful, a final, glorious testament to the journey. When you finally land the last blow, and the spectral shell dissolves into memory, you haven't just defeated a boss. You have faced a legend, understood it, and in doing so, truly begun to forge your own.