Mastering Commander Honglan: Three Battle-Tested Builds to Overcome WuChang’s First True Boss Wall
Wuchang: Fallen Feathers doesn’t pull its punches, but few moments will test your mettle like your first true boss wall: Commander Honglan. Up until this point, you may have breezed through skirmishes, dodged enemy patterns with ease, and perhaps even developed a false sense of dominance. But as you step into Honglan’s arena, all of that is stripped away. She is ruthless, rapid, and reactive—marking the game’s first major skill check.
In this comprehensive guide, you’ll learn how to defeat Commander Honglan through three effective, battle-tested builds. Whether you’re looking to cheese your way to victory using spell-based strategies, deflect her with precision melee counters, or go toe-to-toe with blade clashes, we’ve got you covered.
Let’s dive into how to not only survive but dominate this encounter—and walk away with your pride intact.
Understanding Commander Honglan: The Soul of a Fighter, the Mind of a Predator
Before you can defeat a boss in any Soulslike game, you need to understand them. Commander Honglan isn’t just another scripted enemy with a set of moves. She reacts, adapts, and punishes overconfidence. She’s designed to crush reckless players while rewarding deliberate, thoughtful engagement.
From the moment the battle starts, she doesn’t wait for you to get your bearings. Honglan launches herself toward you with a calculated dash—closing the distance in an instant. What follows is an unpredictable sequence of slashes, stabs, and stomps that can catch even seasoned players off guard.
Let’s dissect her core moveset:
Phase One – The Furious Intro
Honglan opens with a relentless assault. Her initial dash is a hallmark move—fast, direct, and deadly. If you attempt to create distance, she will follow with multiple pursuit dashes, alternating between sword-led charges and brutal hand-to-hand strikes. These quickfire bursts of aggression end in different ways—sometimes with a wide stomp that causes area-of-effect damage, making her deceptively hard to punish even when she "misses."
Stay too close? She switches tactics. A flurry of kunai gets tossed in your direction as she retreats, creating space to reset her stance.
Every move is a bait—every breath she takes in battle is designed to test your reflexes and patience.
Phase Two – Energy Wave Mayhem
Once you shave her health down to roughly 60%, Commander Honglan unleashes her second form. It’s not a full transformation in the classic boss-fight sense, but the increase in tempo and complexity is undeniable.
She gains a set of arcane-like energy wave attacks that radiate outward in horizontal bursts. Some of these are embedded at the beginning or end of her regular combos, while others are stand-alone punishes. These shimmering waves are fast and wide—perfect for catching greedy players who overcommit or dodge too early.
Among the most dangerous additions is her leaping combo, where she propels herself into the air and slams downward, dealing massive stagger damage if it connects. Worse, her dashing sword attacks now conclude with an energy wave finisher, demanding extra precision when dodging or deflecting.
You cannot brute-force your way through this phase. You must adapt. Below are three ways to do exactly that.
Three Builds to Break Commander Honglan
The Infernal Spellcaster – Magic Cheese Done Right
Let’s be real—sometimes you want to win without the stress. If you're looking for a “cheese” method that feels less like cheating and more like outwitting your opponent, the Infernal Spellcaster build is your best bet. It capitalizes on ranged combat, bait-and-punish tactics, and elemental magic.
Core Strategy:
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Stay far, far away. Create a gap at the start of the fight and force her to engage.
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Bait her dash attack. She always opens with it, and it's your moment to shine.
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Use the Infernal Flame spell ("Fiery Face"). Cast immediately after dodging her initial charge.
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Repeat. Slowly. Deliberately.
The "Fiery Face" spell deals consistent fire damage and has decent stagger potential. The key is restraint—only cast when you’ve got distance and a safe window. Overcasting leads to punishment.
Build Essentials:
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Weapon: Astroblade One-Handed Sword – provides passive skybound might and increased magic damage.
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Attributes: Invest heavily in Endurance (for stamina and casting flexibility) and Arcane (for spell power).
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Talents: Prioritize spell-casting speed and mana regeneration on your skill tree.
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Flask Use: Carry at least five mana flasks. You can outlast her, especially if you play with discipline.
This strategy trivializes her first phase once you’ve got the rhythm. Her second phase does complicate things slightly due to wave spam, but the principles stay the same—stay alert, dodge wisely, and strike with fire.
The Juggernaut Duelist – Deflect, Counter, Conquer
If you enjoy that classic Soulslike rhythm of deflect and punish—where every battle feels like a duel—then the Juggernaut Duelist setup is your path to mastery.
This build is all about perfectly timed counters and swordplay finesse. It’s for players who enjoy the tension of getting nose-to-nose with death and walking away victorious.
Core Strategy:
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Use a two-handed sword with a strong counter move.
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Bait her dash, then deflect using “Sword Counter Variant 1.”
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Follow up with “Sword Counter Variant 2” for massive damage.
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Rinse and repeat with patience. You are not in a hurry.
This method doesn't require mana, but it does require focus. You’re trading precision and timing for power.
Build Essentials:
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Weapon: Greatsword or any two-handed blade with parry and counter capabilities.
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Attributes: Prioritize Strength, Dexterity, and Stamina.
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Talents: Invest in clash timing, poise breaking, and stamina regeneration.
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Playstyle: Stay mid-range. Not too close, not too far. Keep baiting her dashes and punish when she overextends.
In terms of satisfaction, this is arguably the most fulfilling way to defeat Honglan. Every strike you land is earned. Every combo you interrupt feels like a tactical victory.
The Blazing Blade Dancer – Clash and Sustain
The third method is for the bold. The Blazing Blade Dancer build turns the fight into a storm of steel, flames, and recovery—a dangerous, relentless, and stylish approach.
This is a dual-swords build that relies on clashing attacks rather than dodging or deflecting. You’ll be in Honglan’s face the entire time, forcing her to respond to your aggression.
Core Strategy:
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Clash, don’t evade. You’ll be interrupting her strikes while healing in the process.
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Activate “Battlem” skill. This buffs your blades and triggers health regen on successful clashes.
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Weave in firearm blade shots. Use the “Perfect Aim” skill to stagger her at key moments.
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Use Temperance charges. Keeps your flame blades active for extra damage and style.
Build Essentials:
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Weapon: Dual swords with firearm integration.
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Attributes: High Dexterity, Reflex, and moderate Temperance.
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Talents: Prioritize clash bonuses, movement speed, and healing-on-hit traits.
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Gear: Choose light armor that favors stamina regen and dodge roll distance.
This method is risk-heavy but massively rewarding. You’ll be locked in a dance of death—clashing blades, dodging the occasional energy wave, and striking like a storm. It’s flashy, effective, and borderline poetic.
Adaptations for Other Builds
If you’re not running a build that fits cleanly into these three archetypes—say you're using a spear or axe—you can still overcome Honglan. You’ll simply need to lean into baiting her dash and carefully punishing during her cooldowns.
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Spear users: Use the weapon’s reach to punish her after she overcommits to a combo.
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Axe wielders: Time your heavier hits to the recovery windows in her second phase. Focus on staggering.
While these weapons aren’t optimized for clash or deflect playstyles, their raw damage can still carry you through if you're deliberate and patient.
Pro Tips to Turn the Fight in Your Favor
To wrap up this guide, here are a few final recommendations that apply to all builds:
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Don’t get greedy. Trying to squeeze in one more hit or cast usually results in you getting punished.
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Watch for visual cues. Honglan telegraphs most of her attacks—learn the signs and react accordingly.
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Use terrain wisely. You can sometimes reset her aggression by positioning near arena walls or objects.
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Take breaks between attempts. Frustration clouds judgment. A fresh mind sees patterns more clearly.
Victory Through Strategy, Not Just Skill
Commander Honglan is one of those bosses that defines a game’s early trajectory. She demands respect. She forces growth. And ultimately, she rewards mastery. Whether you beat her through careful spellcraft, punishing parries, or fiery clashes, the result is the same: a hard-won, satisfying triumph.
Looking for More Wuchang: Fallen Feathers Content?
This guide is just one piece of a much larger puzzle. If you're exploring the rich world of Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, make sure to check out more in-depth content—covering weapon optimization, lore deep-dives, skill trees, and hidden boss strategies.
For now, go forth. Take up your weapon—or your spellbook—and bring Commander Honglan to her knees.
Frequently Asked Questions – Wuchang: Fallen Feathers: Commander Honglan Boss Guide
Who is Commander Honglan in Wuchang: Fallen Feathers?
Commander Honglan is the game’s first major boss that tests player skill with aggressive melee combos and energy wave attacks in a two-phase fight.
What is the easiest way to defeat Commander Honglan?
The easiest method is a magic-based cheese build using the Infernal Flame (“Fiery Face”) spell. It relies on baiting her dash, dodging, then casting safely from range.
What weapon is best for deflecting Honglan’s attacks?
A two-handed sword with Sword Counter Variants is highly effective. Properly timed deflects allow you to interrupt her dash and combo attacks for safe counter-hits.
Can you defeat Honglan using dual swords or melee clashes?
Yes. A dual swords build with the Battlem skill enables clashes that heal on contact. Firearm blade integration and perfect aim can stagger her mid-combo.
Does Honglan have a second phase?
Yes. At around 60% health, she starts using energy wave attacks that make her more dangerous. Her combos become longer and more punishing, especially her leap slam.
Can spear or axe users defeat Commander Honglan?
While harder, spear and axe users can succeed by baiting her dash and punishing recovery frames. These weapons lack strong deflect options but deal heavy damage.
Is it possible to defeat her without taking damage?
Yes, with precise timing and spacing. Using a magic or counter-based build and mastering her patterns can lead to hitless victories.
What level or stats are recommended before facing her?
Ensure a solid balance of endurance (for stamina), your weapon scaling stat (like arcane or strength), and enough healing or mana flasks to sustain through the fight.
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