How to Beat Sadness in Duskfade
Sadness is one of the emotion bosses Zirian faces on the road to the Clock Tower — a fight built around short punish windows and shield phases rather than one long combo. Every time she raises a bubble shield, the fight turns into a platforming check: climb, break the clocks, drop back down, and punish the knockdown.
The Three Bubble-Shield Phases
When Sadness is inside her bubble shield she cannot be damaged at all. Do not waste resources swinging at it — switch immediately to the clock objective. Breaking the required clocks pops the shield and creates the next damage window.
| Shield Phase | Clock Objective | What Happens Next |
|---|---|---|
| First shield | Break 1 clock, then drop down | Grounded punish while she is knocked down. |
| Second shield | Break 2 clocks across the upper route | Return to Sadness and punish the second knockdown. |
| Final shield | Break 3 clocks quickly | Land near Sadness for the last full damage cycle. |
Each bubble shield turns the fight into a quick platforming check: climb the floating route, use the bounce platforms, follow the glowing grapple points, and break the clock mechanisms to bring her back down.
Route & Tempo
- Do not over-commit to long combos. Sadness is built around short punish windows — forcing damage through a slam usually costs more time than it saves.
- When the bubble goes up, bounce up immediately and start the clock route. Speed matters more than precision on the first two phases.
- Grab health pickups only if they are on your route. The clock routes do carry pickups, but turning the climb into sightseeing is how the health drain catches you.
- Drop straight back down after the last clock so the shield break converts into real damage.
- Do not back up too far after the spin. If you are late to the dizzy window you lose one of the cleanest damage chances in the fight.
The longer the final clock phase drags on, the more dangerous the health drain becomes. There are health pickups on the routes, but the fix is speed — break the clocks, drop back, and return to the normal dodge-and-punish loop.
Closing the Fight
After the final shield break, Sadness resumes slams and heavy attacks — retreat and keep dodging. Wait out the last spinning attack, then take the dizzy punish and finish the fight on a clean opening. Do not chase the last hit through unsafe attacks.
Sadness — FAQ
Can I damage Sadness while she is inside the bubble shield?
No. When the bubble is up, switch to the clock objective. Breaking the required clocks pops the shield and creates the next damage window.
How many clocks do I have to break in total?
One in the first shield phase, two in the second, and three in the final phase.
My health keeps draining during the clock phase — what am I doing wrong?
Keep moving toward the clocks and only grab health if it is on your route. The fix is speed: break the clocks, drop back down, return to the dodge-and-punish loop.
What is the safest damage window against Sadness?
The knockdown after each shield break, and the dizzy state after her final spin. Both are free openings — just do not drift too far away before the spin ends.