Lies of P Overture – Markiona Fight Tips: How to Beat Puppeteer of Death ~ HaploGamingChef

Introduction - Markiona Fight Tips: How to Beat Puppeteer of Death

Markiona, Puppeteer of Death, is one of the most challenging encounters in Lies of P: Overture. Found deep within the puppet-infested greenhouse section of the DLC, this boss fight is not only about timing — it's about knowing when to strike, when to hold back, and how to handle both Markiona and her relentless puppet sidekick.

This guide is built for players on standard hard difficulty, not New Game Plus. It assumes your character is around level 89, with a balanced build leaning toward Vitality, Vigor, Capacity, and Advance. If you’re struggling to get past this two-phase tag-team boss battle, these tips will help you turn things around.

Where to Find Markiona: Puppeteer of Death

You’ll run into Markiona at the end of the greenhouse area filled with puppets and alchemists in the Overture DLC. Her boss arena is marked with a Stargazer checkpoint nearby, making repeated attempts more manageable. Right outside the entrance, you’ll also have a chance to summon an ally — don’t hesitate to use that option if you need extra help.

Keep in mind: this guide is based on the standard hard mode, not any level of New Game Plus. The character used to defeat Markiona was level 89 with a solid 30 Vitality, 30 Vigor, 20 Capacity, and 30 Advance, which provided a good mix of survivability and damage potential.

General Strategy: Focus on Markiona, Not the Puppet

In this fight, you’re dealing with two enemies at once — Markiona and her puppet. However, you only need to defeat Markiona to win. The puppet is a dangerous distraction and respawns throughout the battle, which makes it inefficient to focus on it.

Here’s what to know:

Red thread = incoming puppet attack
When the puppet is about to attack, its threads glow red. If you’re locked onto Markiona, you might miss the cue, so stay alert and back off when this happens.
Markiona’s orb attacks are the key to learning timing
Many of her blue orb attacks are great opportunities to perfect guard and build stagger. Once you get used to the rhythm, you can land a few hits safely.
Ignore the puppet, punish the boss
Every time the puppet is destroyed, Markiona tries to revive it. This gives you a small opening to deal direct damage. Keep an eye on her patterns, and resist the urge to overextend.
Stay close, play reactive
Keeping close helps you better read her moves — just don’t be greedy with attacks. Use acid damage and decay effects for added pressure over time.

Markiona’s Core Moveset and How to Respond

Markiona relies heavily on a set of orb-based magical attacks, many of which can be either dodged or perfect guarded once you learn the timings. Here's how to handle her main patterns:

Double Orb Slash + Aerial Slam
This combo starts with two quick slashes followed by a jump and slam. Sometimes she adds a frontal orb projectile afterward. Perfect guard is the safest response, as it builds stagger and keeps you close.
Aerial Slam Only
Occasionally, she skips the slashes and goes straight into the slam. The guard window is similar and quite forgiving once practiced.
Powered-Up Slam (Slower Descent)
This orb drop has a slower animation and is easier to time. If you guard too early, use that opportunity to recover health quickly and reset.
Fast Orb Flurry (Rare)
This high-speed barrage is dangerous and not seen often. Dodging can work, but it’s unreliable. If you can’t guard consistently here, it's better to retreat briefly.
Two Giant Orbs with Pullback
When at mid-range, she throws two orbs and pulls them back, which can still damage you. Stay to either side to avoid the full arc of the attack.
Spinning Orb Shield
A rare move where orbs rotate around her. If you time it right, you can dodge into the inner circle and land several safe hits.
Rapid Orb Slam Combo (Under Half HP)
She performs this aggressive three-phase slam barrage as her health drops. It’s difficult but possible to perfect guard through. If you’re lucky or skilled, this can open her to a near-instant stagger.
Thread Grab Setup
When she raises two orbs connected with threads, a grab attack is coming. Wait until the last second, then dodge in any direction. Getting caught will likely kill you.

Understanding the Puppet’s Role in Battle

The puppet supports Markiona with area control and follow-up attacks, especially when you're locked onto her. Managing the puppet is more about avoidance than direct confrontation:

Opening Charge Attack
As soon as the fight begins, the puppet lunges at you. You can perfect guard it if ready, or just dodge backward.
Single Spin, Then Multi-Spin Attack
Markiona signals this by raising her hand before the puppet spins around her several times. Back away and wait it out before punishing Markiona during her recovery.
Hammer Slam + Energy Burst
A combo where she slams her fist, and the puppet responds with a heavy hammer hit. This is followed by a double slam with blue energy waves. These are fairly telegraphed and can be dodged if anticipated early.
Basic Combos and Surprise Chains
The puppet sometimes initiates random chains with Markiona. If you see them working in tandem, back out of range and wait for a safer moment to re-engage.

Second Phase: Supercharged Mode & Major Attacks

When Markiona drops to about half health, the fight ramps up. She enters a temporary supercharged mode, signaled by glowing effects and more aggressive patterns. Here's how to survive:

Triple Hammer Explosions
The puppet slams its hammer twice, each time releasing an explosion. Then comes a third, wider-area slam with a massive blast. Best strategy: create distance before the third hit. If you're caught, it’s risky even with high defense.
Mini Supercharged Attack
Occasionally, she triggers a shortened version of the above. The puppet may only swing once. Treat it the same way — keep your distance, then move in when it's over.
Extended Combo Chain
At times, Markiona will enter a sequence of unpredictable puppet attacks combined with her own. This can get messy. If you're too far, sprint out of range; if you’re close, play defensively and wait for an opening.

The second phase is all about survival and patience. If you overextend during these power bursts, you’ll likely get punished. Stick to safe damage and focus on controlling the pace of the fight.

Elemental Weaknesses: Acid and Decay Damage Tips

Markiona is noticeably weak to acid attacks. Inflicting decay damage over time is one of the safest ways to chip away at her health while minimizing risk.

Recommended setup:

Weapon Choice:
Use the Acidic Crystal Spear Blade + Acidic Crystal Spear Handle combo for consistent DOT and reach.
Fable Art: Radiate
Activate Radiate early in the fight to boost your acid damage. Recast when available to keep pressure on.
Ignore Fire and Electric
These elements weren’t effective in testing. Stick with acid for better results.

Playstyle advice:

Stay Close, Poke Often
Don’t aim for big combos. Small, repeated pokes build decay over time and reduce your risk of getting hit.
Use Charged Attacks Selectively
Charged hits were less reliable in this fight. Use them only when she’s staggered or locked in a long animation.
Block First, Strike Second
Focus on perfect guarding her orb combos. Once you land a successful guard, follow up with a hit or two — then retreat.

Final Tips: How I Beat Markiona on Hard Mode

Here’s the approach that finally led to victory on hard mode with a level 89 arcane build:

Weapon Setup
I used the Acidic Crystal Spear for its decay properties and paired it with its native handle. I tested other elements like fire, but acid proved far more effective overall.
Fight Opening
Right after entering the boss arena, I activated Radiate to enhance my acid attacks. I perfect guarded the puppet’s initial charge and positioned myself close to Markiona without engaging too fast.
Attack Pattern
Instead of going for big hits, I stayed in close proximity and delivered light pokes when safe. I avoided attacking whenever the puppet thread glowed red — a clear sign that a puppet strike was incoming.
Radiate Usage
Every time the Radiate Fable Art was available, I re-applied it to maximize ongoing decay. This steady damage helped me manage risk while chipping away at her health.
Supercharged Phase Survival
When Markiona entered her second phase, I had already built good timing on her orb combos. I stayed calm, guarded through her puppet’s explosions, and quickly used a Pulse Cell when needed. Getting caught in one of the final blasts is survivable — if you guard and heal smartly.
Finishing Blow
After wearing her down with decay and small counterattacks, I eventually staggered her with consistent pressure and sealed the win with a final string of light pokes and a charged hit while the puppet was inactive.

Conclusion: Beat Markiona by Playing Smart and Staying Patient

The Markiona, Puppeteer of Death fight is tough — but manageable. The key is to:

Learn and time her orb attack patterns
Avoid focusing on the puppet — it's a distraction
Use acid weapons to apply constant decay
Guard or dodge based on thread color cues
Save your big hits for safe windows, not during chaos

Stick to this plan, and you’ll come out of this fight victorious. Whether it takes a few tries or several, each attempt will teach you something new about her patterns — and that knowledge adds up.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: Where do I find Markiona in Lies of P Overture?
Markiona is located at the end of the puppet- and alchemist-filled greenhouse section in the Overture DLC. A Stargazer is right outside her arena.

Q2: Do I need to kill the puppet to win the fight?
No. The puppet respawns repeatedly. Focus your attacks on Markiona. Defeating her ends the fight.

Q3: What build is recommended for this boss?
An arcane build around level 89 with 30 Vitality, 30 Vigor, and 30 Advance works well. Use acid weapons for decay damage over time.

Q4: How do I avoid the puppet’s hammer explosions?
Back away when the puppet prepares to slam. The final explosion has a large area of effect and is best avoided with distance.

Q5: What’s the best way to deal damage to Markiona?
Use weapons with acid attributes and activate Radiate to boost decay damage. Avoid large combos and focus on safe pokes and counters.

Q6: Is perfect guarding important in this fight?
Yes. Learning the timing for Markiona’s orb attacks is key. Perfect guarding builds stagger and opens safe windows to deal damage.

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