As you explore Salt and Sacrifice’s first level, Ashbourne Village, you’ll come across a handful of deadly Mages. Arzhan-Tin The Ceaseless Fury is the pyromancer, and Celus Zend The Mourning Winter is his cold counterpart. Once you hunt down the cryomancer through the village, you’ll have to actually beat him in a battle. Here’s how.
Step one, note that all of Celus’ attacks cause cold damage, which means your health will continue to trickle down for a moment after the initial hit. This makes dodging even more important. You’ll also need to be prepared to fight in a smaller section of the overall arena. Celus can create a cluster of floating ice that bursts on contact, so it’s best to just avoid that part of the screen until the ice disappears.
As for active attacks, Celus has two other icy spells you need to know. The first is a group of icicles that fire right toward you. Blocking these is best, as you’ll likely catch the tail end of the spell if you attempt to roll through. The second spell is a cloud that patrols the battlefield, firing down icicles at a constant pace. Stay on the move and keep away from the cloud as best you can to avoid damage.
Celus himself wields a sword, and he can attack at short and long range with it. At close rage, it’s best to roll through him so that you can attack his back while he continues slashing. At long range, he’ll glide across the battlefield toward you in a stabbing motion. This is heavily telegraphed, and he takes a moment to actually reach you, so hit your dodge roll to slip right past him as he flies by.
As long as you’re ready to move a lot during this fight, you’ll be able to win. Celus Zend’s cold damage is annoying, so keep a close eye on your health even after you’ve healed up to make sure it doesn’t trickle down again. Smart dodges and movement around the arena are the keys to victory.
