Quick answer: The Faceless Swordsman Captain ambushes you in the Mandate Encampment near the stone lion statue. Deflect his overhead strike, blue flash sweeping slash and two-handed low slash to open red counters while his archers fire from behind.
Faceless Swordsman Captain location in the Mandate Encampment
Rather than waiting in a boss chamber, he attacks during your walk toward the stilt hall and its chest with the Nameless Thumb Ring.
Before the ambush, rest at the Training Grounds bell at the Mandate Encampment to refill your health and healing.
Leave through the open main gate and head down the slope. Keep following the valley toward the stilt hall.
Watch the route near the large stone lion statue: the captain and his archers attack before the stairs leading to the stilt hall come into reach.
How to recognize the captain and his group
The ambush has more than one enemy in it, so it helps to know which one you’re dealing with up close.
- His outfit pairs a blue robe with a tall black hat, and he wields a sword.
- A small health bar floats above him; no boss bar appears at the bottom of the screen.
- His archers accompany him, firing from behind.
- Within the group, he alone engages in melee combat.
- The fight covers the open slope and valley by the stone lion statue.
Faceless Swordsman Captain moveset and counters
He is fast, and his heaviest swings come after a blue flash on his body. The descriptions below explain what each attack looks like. They aren’t the game’s names for them.
| Attack | What you see | How to answer |
|---|---|---|
| Lunging thrust | Runs in from about 6 m, crouches, lunges | Deflect as he arrives |
| Diagonal slash into spinning kick | Sword behind head, big diagonal cut, kick | Expect the kick right after |
| Overhead strike | Sword raised high, straight down | Deflect for a red counter |
| Blue flash sweeping slash | Blue flash, sword drawn back level, sweep | Deflect the sweep, then red counter |
| Wide horizontal sweep | Sword over shoulder, wide swing, more slashes | Deflect the follow-up slashes |
| Two-handed low slash | Both hands on hilt above head, low cut | Deflect for a red counter |
| Spinning leap | Jumps from about 4 m, spins, lands on you | Deflect as he lands |
| Blue flash two-way slash | Blue flash, sword up, two crossing cuts | Get ready to deflect on the flash |
The lunging thrust is how he usually opens, and it closes the gap quickly. Have your deflect ready the moment he reaches you.
The diagonal slash flows straight into a spinning kick that knocks you flat. Keep your guard up after the slash instead of treating it as a finished attack.
The first swing of his wide horizontal sweep can miss if you aren’t standing right beside him. The slashes that follow are the part to deflect.
Distance doesn’t protect you from the spinning leap. He starts it from a short gap and lands on top of you, so time the deflect to his landing.
Fighting the captain with archers in play
You face the captain up close while the archers keep their distance and fire. The pressure comes from his speed, and the arrows add to it from the back.
Your openings come from deflects. Three attacks lead to red counters when you deflect them cleanly: the overhead strike, the blue flash sweeping slash and the two-handed low slash. Treat every blue flash as your cue to get ready.
Faceless Swordsman Captain reward and what follows
He goes down by the stone lion statue and drops Remnant Dust. The Nameless Thumb Ring chest sits in the stilt hall ahead.
Defeating him leaves the route contested: more enemies occupy the stair top leading to the stilt hall, so prepare for another fight before reaching the chest.
