Code Vein features many interesting and unique bosses, all of which must be beaten in order to progress the story. All of these are Lost, powerful but malicious, and feature a set of moves that are unique to them. With large health bars, memorable designs, and even fascinating lore surrounding them, these bosses are one of the many highlights of Code Vein.
Bosses in Code Vein do not respawn after being beaten, however, you are likely to encounter them again when exploring dungeons, so be prepared for the possibility of facing them again and again.
Code Vein Bosses
This Bosses Guide will detail various elements of the bosses, including where to find them, rewards gained, and even some tips on how to deal with them.
Oliver Collins
Location: In the Ruined City Underground, in Area D-12.
The very first boss of the game is someone the main characters will be familiar – an old ally now turned adversary. Similar in design as our protagonist, Oliver Collins will be your first, real challenge in the game, and is a compulsory fight.
Being the first boss, Oliver does not have as many attacks as many other bosses, making him relatively easy to deal with. However, if he’s able to strike you then he’ll do considerable damage. Make sure to dodge him at every possible chance.
Oliver likes to leap into the air and bring his hammer down on the ground. Dodge or move out of his way, after doing so, go up to him and do as much damage as you can before retreating.
He will most likely follow up by swinging his hammer to the side once, before bringing it down to the ground. Back up and stay far away, once he’s done, attack.
Sometimes he’ll only swing the hammer and then keep moving; be mindful of this. Once some of his health has been depleted, he will call forth a barrier of blood and transform into a large Oni-like creature.
His move set is similar but far more aggressive and with greater reach; some of his attacks may be protracted as well. Be wary of this and dodge when it seems appropriate to do so.
Some of his attacks can be deflected or parried if timed properly, though that’s not advisable due to the amount of damage you’ll take if you mistime it.
Try to get behind him as often as possible, but beware of his swing as it’s much faster than you would imagine.
He is likely to call forth the blood barrier a few times to ward you off, keep an eye on the ground or his hand and see if it’s glowing red; you’ll know the barrier’s coming when you see that.
He will cycle through these moves, so keep dodging and attacking, eventually, you’ll wear him down and kill him.
If you are able to beat Oliver Collins, you will be rewarded with the Berserker Vestige Core, Blood Code: Berserker, and the Juggernaut Sledgehammer.
Butterfly of Delirium
Location: In the Ruined City Center, the Park Ruins Mistle Precedes it.
A large monster with the face and torso of a beautiful woman, but monstrous in every other way. With several wings, a pinkish pallor, and a large, monstrous tail, this venomous she-devil is not to be trifled with. Not an optional boss fight.
First and foremost, have Antivenom slotted and ready for use as you’ll need it for this battle. This boss has 6 wings and a large, living tail, you need to be mindful of all of this when facing off.
The first thing the boss is likely to do is hurl balls of venomous substance at you, you need to roll out of the way!
She is also likely to attack you physically with her wings, it’s best to block these rather than dodging out of the way. If you do wish to dodge, the best way is to dodge towards her as she’ll be unable to follow up her attacks.
After a while she’ll stagger, the best opportunity to do a fair bit of damage. Afterward, she will release a poisonous mist that will blur the senses; use the Antivenom.
You will often see her tail tucked close to her back, but if you see it extending and winding up, know it’s about to attack. Best way to deal with it is to dodge into her, wait a few seconds to see if she follows up.
If she doesn’t, attack her, if she does, dodge that and then attack her. When she starts glowing purple, it means she’s about to release the poisonous mist once more. Back up as far as possible. Use projectile attacks as much as possible.
When her health is below half, she will send out a ball of poison that will track and follow you; you need to use your weapons or a projectile attack to destroy it when it’s still away – do not let it touch you!
She will repeat the cycle after this, so keep attacking her after dodging and you’ll eventually beat her. You receive the Mark of Honor for defeating the boss.
Insatiable Despot
Location: Dried-up Trenches
A demonic creature wielding weapons in both hands, he is reminiscent of tribal leaders but turned into something far viler; driven by a lust for destruction, this despot must be brought down. Not an optional boss fight.
The first phase of this battle is straightforward: he will reach into the ground and call forth a geyser of blood which will erupt from where you’re standing – dodge out of the way.
The best strategy is to not attack and first and simply bait him into coming to you and attacking; he will bring his large weapon down when near you.
Dodge out of the way and get to his side, doing damage while he’s distracted. You may also run to his backside but he is likely to quickly turn around and swing at you, being very difficult to dodge I advise not doing so.
He is prone to leap back and forth, so be ready to move at a moment’s notice. Eventually, he’ll falter and fall to his knees; attack him as much as possible.
Once half his health has been depleted, we move onto phase 2 where you must forego my previous advice and stick to his backside.
He will do very damaging spinning attacks and will often resort to an overhead AoE attack. Dodge away from him when you see him getting ready to unleash it. Rinse and repeat these techniques until he is brought down.
You receive the Tyrant’s Labrys for defeating the Insatiable Despot.
Invading Executioner
Location: In the Howling Pit, the Bottomless Shore Mistle will precede it.
Rising from the shallow waters you will come face-to-face with a siren-like entity wielding a large lance of sorts. Although she may not look that imposing, her power is not to be underestimated. Not an optional boss fight.
Slow will not affect her in the slightest but she is weak to fire, so either buff your weapons to do fire damage or equip Gifts that allow you to shoot flaming projectiles.
She’s very difficult to fight in close combat due to her size and reach. Best to stay away as much as possible and rely on projectile attacks. When she is near you and she attacks, dodge into her so as to prevent a follow-up.
After a while, she will bring her lance down and use it spin herself around multiple times.
Being near her will do considerable damage so get away when you see her plant her weapon but be careful after getting away as she’ll be hurdling water projectiles in every direction, so dodge out of the way.
In phase 2, she will begin to slide forward and charge you – a dangerous move that must be dodged at all costs; best way to do so is to dodge in the direction she’s coming from, going through her and her attack in the process.
She will also hurl balls of water at you which can be dodged. She will eventually resort to familiar tactics, dodge those as you will know how to do by then, attack and wear her down.
You will receive 13,340 Haze, Assassin’s Sickle, and Mia Karstein for defeating the Invading Executioner.
Argent Wolf Berserker
Location: Cathedral of the Sacred Blood
A large, ivory-like creature resembling a werewolf. This creature will be found on its knees, clutching its weapon by its side, waiting for someone to challenge it. Its imposing size will most likely intimidate you. This boss is not optional.
You can get a couple of swings in before he gets up if you’re quick enough that is. His large size means he’s not as agile, but do not let that get to your head as it only takes one hit to bring your health down.
He will begin by attempting to stomp you with his large weapon. He may follow up with a 2 hit combo, two quick swings from left to right; dodge out of the way, towards him.
Although you can easily get behind him, the large creature can quickly turn around and swing at you, something not very easily evaded.
It will gather energy and disperse it at random intervals of the fight, this is the perfect time to hit it as much as possible.
In phase 2, he becomes more aggressive, he will continue to attack you with the 2-hit combo but the combos will become more frequent, sometimes with only a second long disparity between them.
Block and dodge as much as possible and wait for him to halt his assault before attacking. It’s advised to have as many healing items as possible. Use projectile attacks when he leaps attack for a bit of extra damage.
It’s a battle of attrition but one that eventually yields results. You receive the Obliterator Axe after defeating the Argent Wolf Berserker in Code Vein.
Queen’s Knight
Location: Your Memory.
A formidable adversary, this poised Knight is clad in sable armor, with large spikes protruding from all over. He wields a mighty blade that looks as if it’s composed of charcoal and a shield that will ward off any attack.
With large wings on its back, he gives off the visage of a demon. His glowing red eyes is sure to strike fear into the hearts of all those that oppose him. This fight is not optional.
Depending on which of his sides you’re on, you will either have to deal with his sword or shield; it’s preferable to stay on the side of his sword as his shield attacks are difficult to dodge and deal a great bit of damage.
It is also advised to have Shifting Hollow for this fight.
In phase 1, he will dash forward to close the gap between you and him; this can be easily dodged and you’re given a moment to attack as he recomposes himself. He may also try to dash forward and hit you with his shield, dodge to the side to avoid it.
While near his sword, he will do a 2-hit combo, slicing the air in quick succession; dodge to the left then to the right, attacking afterward.
He will eventually lunge forward and try to jab you with his sword – due to the reach, it’s advised not to roll back but to the sides.
Eventually, he will leap backward and do a horizontal slash which will send out shockwaves. Keep your distance when he does this as the attack won’t reach you; you can hurl projectiles in the meantime.
Once his health has been reduced considerably, he will go into phase 2: he will begin by leaping into the air and bringing his blade down on you.
Lock-on him and wait for the right time to dodge, attacking once you’ve evaded. He will not stop there, he has a triple leap attack, thrusting at you after every leap.
Dodge each one and be mindful of the fact that once he’s done, he will go to the center and release pillars of light from the ground; dodge those as well.
If you’re far away from him, he will turn to a spinning attack to close the gap and do considerable damage; this is where Shifting Hollow comes into play.
Once his health is low enough, all of his attacks will become overcharged, making it all the more important for you to not get hit. Keep going until he falls. You just receive 32,900 Haze for defeating the Queen’s Knight.
Successor of the Ribcage
Location: Cathedral of the Sacred Blood.
Akin to many deities from mythology, this is a large white wolf with several humanoid limbs, a golden headpiece, and markings that allude to something significant. This boss is not optional.
This boss makes use of lightning and dodging it can be a real challenge. First and foremost, once the battle begins you should run to the columns on the side and use them as cover.
The creature will resort to calling forth lightning which will strike down across the entire area. You can dodge them if you time it properly.
The boss does not move as much but it does teleport sporadically (lock on to it to know where exactly it is) so whenever you get the opportunity, run up to it and attack, running to the back of the room or to the columns when it begins to attack.
In phase 2, you follow the same strategy even though the creature’s attacks become far more aggressive. Every time it teleports it creates a barrier which must be destroyed before it can be attacked.
Stay as close to the creature as possible, attempting to get to its backside to avoid getting hit by any of its limbs. If you strafe left and right, you can dodge the lightning bolts without having to roll.
It will also sporadically create a blood AoE attack that hits you from underneath, be mindful of this and dodge to the side when you see blood appearing beneath you. Stay close to it as much as possible and you’ll eventually kill it.
Successor of the Breath
Location: Outside the Icy Caverns.
A large creature clad in decrepit and worn-out armor, wielding a large, circular shield with razor-sharp edges. With antlers and glowing, yellow eyes, this is an odd sight but it belies the true strength of this creature. This boss is not optional.
Due to his unwavering strength, it is advisable that you stick to projectile attacks for most of the fight, waiting patiently for openings where you can get near and attack him.
Many of his attacks involve charging at you with a shield or, if you’re close, simply swing his fist or stomp his foot – both do immense damage so dodge out of the way and attack afterward.
An attack to keep an eye out for is when he leaps into the air and comes crashing down. Dodge out of the way but be careful as he might do a shield spin right afterward. If he does, get out of the way and then attack.
A lot of this fight is about baiting the enemy and attacking when he’s taken the bait.
He will stick his antlers into the ice at one point when he does be ready to roll out of the way as a giant icicle will jut out of the ground.
He will be staggered for a few seconds afterward so attack him then to replenish Ichor and continue shooting projectiles.
When he slams his shield into the ground, expect him to charge at you with it; roll out of the way and attack. He sometimes creates an ice sword as well which disappears the second after he uses it; relatively easy to dodge.
Phase 2 is mostly the same as the 1st phase, albeit a bit more challenging; the main differences lies in his desperation move.
He will leap and remain in the air for a few seconds before coming down onto your positon – a blizzard will form surrounding a small area. You will need to get as far away as possible from him when he does. Keep attacking until his life drains away.
Gilded Hunter
Location: Ashen Cavern.
A golden warrior bearing a large weapon, a red cape, and exuding the aura of a true warrior. This will be an exceedingly difficult boss but beating it will unlock a new achievement.
He will charge and teleport at you, thrusting his weapon, or he might stand before you, leaping or swinging his weapon with fervor. You must dodge out of the way, never towards him.
It’s not so much the damage per hit you must worry about but how many hits you can actually afford to take. He’s very fast and dodging him may be a problem.
To counter this, you must bait him out as much as possible and control the flow of combat, punishing him for every miss.
He’ll eventually resort to an overhead slam that releases energy in the vicinity; get away from him when he does so, or dodge into it to reach him and punish him – this one is risky as a poorly timed roll could cost you.
He’ll begin to throw red projectiles at you; roll back to dodge the first one but roll forward to dodge the second and to give yourself an opening to attack.
In phase 2, his attacks are mostly the same but he is far more aggressive, leaving you very little room to retaliate. You must block his attacks as many times as you dodge.
When he attempts to do his overhead AoE slam, use your healing items as it’ll be the only time to do so.
This aggression is short-lived, fortunately, therefore, the only objective is to stay alive rather than to hurt him. Once he’s out of it, he’ll stagger for a bit to give you time to attack.
Do as much damage as possible as he’ll go berserk once he’s composed himself.
Successor of the Claw
Location: City of Falling Flame
A strange creature, this one. An amalgamation of anthropomorphic feline and a fiery entity, bearing large, crimson claws, two tails with balls at the end, and a flaming fury that makes her a formidable enemy.
She’s very agile, therefore always be ready to strafe or dodge in order to avoid her. She may begin her assault by sending out multiple fire projectiles in multiple directions; get out of the way.
She will then charge at you, you’re given a momentary interval to attack her.
Afterward, she’ll leap back and charge at you once more. Once near, she will do several sweeping attacks, if you do not block you will sustain fire damage that will continuously do damage.
You must always be on the lookout for her charges and sweeping attacks. Attack whenever she isn’t moving.
Do not remain too close to her as she’ll unleash a wall of fire around herself which will do immense damage. You will see the fire build up around her so you’ll know when to make your egress.
In phase 2, she begins utilizing her sword, making unbelievably quick slashes. If you see her stomping the ground and reaching for her sword, stop attacking and be prepared to block or dodge.
At one point she’ll create a pillar of fire, this serves two purposes – to damage you and to distract you. She is likely to slash at you after creating the pillar so be ready with a block or a dodge.
She will cycle through these attacks, go for the offensive whenever she’s done with an attack. You receive the Blazing Claw as a reward for defeating the Successor of the Claw in Code Vein.
Successor of the Throat
Location: Crown of Sand.
A large and imposing maiden with an angelic voice. Do not be beguiled by any of this as underneath it lies a fierce warrior who must not be underestimated.
She manipulates sand and can conjure up something tangible with it, therefore there’s more to her than meets the eye. When near her she is likely to create giant limbs of sand and sweep them around in order to push you back.
When she begins to swing them, keep dodging towards her or dodge completely away from her. She may also slam her coarse limbs down onto the ground. If timed properly, you’ll be able to avoid taking a hit and punish her.
She’ll then plant her limbs into the ground, be wary as giants hands will erupt from beneath and do significant damage.
You need to time it properly to strafe or dodge out of the way just as they’re about to unearth. She may try to slap you away but keep a fair bit of distance and attack when she’s retracted the sand.
In phase 2, you will see energy emanating from her hands, this is the sign that she’s about to do a powerful attack that’ll cover a large area: she will call forth multiple sand storms for a few brief seconds.
Get as far away as possible and try to block rather than dodge when it appears. The sandstorms may sporadically return so be wary of that as well. She will cycle through her attacks, so go in for the kill whenever there’s an opening.
Blade Bearer and Cannoneer
Location: Depths – Town of Sacrifice. You need to collect all the keys before being given access to this area.
Duel bosses who are the exact opposite of one another. One is a nubile and deft woman with ice powers, the other a large, burly man with fire capabilities, however, the two come together to form a terrifying duo that will challenge you to the extreme.
The fight is not optional! Starting with the Blade Bearer, she will use a frost spear and charge at you. Do not preemptively dodge, wait for her to charge and dodge when she does so.
She will most likely follow up with a 3-hit-combo; dodge to the left or roll to the back but never dodge to the right. Punish her after the 3rd attack.
She may plant her weapon into the ground and create ice pillars that will pop up in random parts of the area; dodge toward her to close the gap and attack.
She will then create a wall of icy spikes which you can avoid by dodging towards her, attacking her when she’s open. At this point, she’ll shift to phase 2 where she’ll become far more aggressive.
Her attacks are all the same but far fiercer, follow the strategy from above.
Cannoneer is much simpler in comparison. When near him, he will conjure up flame or slam into you to push you back; dodge appropriately.
He will also call forth fire when you’re at a distance, the flames will erupt from the ground so strafe away when you see flames appear beneath you.
He may also resort to his flamethrower, trying to burn you alive; you can use the pillars as cover but this will be difficult with the Blade Bearer around.
It’s recommended to focus on one boss at a time; take out Blade Bearer or Cannoneer first and then focus on the other. Have lots of healing items with you.
You receive x2 MJ109, x2 Queen’s Steel, Ice Blood and Burning Disaster for defeating the Blade Bearer and Cannoneer.
Juzo Mido
Location: Further ahead from the Previous Fight.
A Revenant researcher that became a Revenant himself, this is a formidable enemy that may have good intentions but is acting out in the most deplorable way. This fight is not optional.
In the 1st phase, Mido can teleport you towards him, allowing him to perform a combo. Always be on the ready, even if the jarring change may discombobulate you. He can also fire red projectiles which can be blocked or dodged.
He will follow up with a 3 or 4-hit combo. He will both charge forward and then attack with his left arm, followed by two slashes, or he may forego the charge and do the 3-hit combo.
Dodge to the side and wait for him to finish the combo and leap back. When he leaps back, you can rush him.
In phase 2, his blade will begin to glow red, and he will conjure up swirling balls of darkness that will spiral around you. Touching them will cause them to explode, and they will eventually shoot towards you.
Keep your distance while they are swirling and wait for them to disappear before rushing forward and attacking. He will begin doing longer combos; attacking more with his free hand multiple times.
Dodge in the direction the attacks are coming from – he should stop after the 5th attack, giving you an opening. Cycle through his attacks and defeat him.
You receive the Judgement Edge for defeating the Juzo Mido.
Queen’s Knight Reborn
Location: Provisional Government Outskirts
The knight from earlier has returned with a vengeance. He is visually different as his dark armor is now silver and metallic in nature. He is still as intimidating and powerful (if not more so) than before.
His attack pattern is the same as before, albeit a bit more aggressive. He has greater health and does far more damage but you must approach him the same way you did before.
The only real change is that he will sporadically teleport away and attack you from behind. This is very quick so always be at the ready.
He will also leap backward and slash at you at the same time, so don’t chase after him if he leaps backward. Outside of that, fight him the same way you did before.
Attendant of the Relics
Location: Provisional Government Center
The old adage ‘never judge a book by its cover’ has never been apter than here. Although this boss looks like a young, petite woman, she is in fact something far greater and far deadlier.
What makes her such a dangerous foe is her agility and speed. She is able to dodge and roll out of the way of many attacks the same way you are. She’s capable of punishing you with quick, sweeping attacks and lunges.
She can perform combos with 2 or possibly 5 hits! Always be ready to move out of the way when it seems she’s about to do so.
Despite her agility, she does not have a great defense, meaning as long as you keep the assault going, she will sustain a great deal of damage and go down relatively quickly.
As long as you don’t get caught up in her pace, you will not have too much trouble with this fight. You receive the Eos Vestige Part-E for beating the Attendant of the Relics in Code Vein.
Skull King
Location: Gaol of the Stagnant Blood.
Gregorio Silva transformed into something far more deadly: a giant, beat-like creature with the head of a wolf.
Carrying two, large, golden blades, and having two, gigantic, metallic wolf heads sprouting from his back, this is one of the toughest boss fights in the entire series. This fight is not optional.
He will begin the battle by lunging at you from a distance at tremendous speed. Dodge out of the way and get a hit in. He will follow this up with a 3-hit combo that you must dodge.
He may then jab you with one of his blades or leap forward and attack you with both weapons. If he tries to jab you, roll to the side if he leaps forward then roll towards him. He moves at incredible speeds so always be ready for an attack.
When you see red energy beginning to swirl around him, it means you should get away as he will unleash a burst of energy that will take the form of a twister; it will last only for a second.
At this point, he will do a new kind of attack where he will swing both blades from the same side and then bring one down from above. Dodge in the direction the attack is coming from then dodge to either side.
All the while attacking between every interval. In phase 2, his combos will involve more sweeping attacks that cover a large area, so getting away is not much of an option, nor is blocking.
Try to roll towards him or in the direction of where the attack is coming from.
He may do more lunges or cross slashes; all-in-all, he is far more aggressive and dangerous in this phase. Whenever the wolves on his back appear, it’s a sign that he’s about to charge forward, so be ready to roll or strafe out of the way.
He will cycle through these attacks, be mindful of every action and attack whenever possible. You can receive the Argent Wolf King’s Blade for defeating the Skull King.
The Virgin Born
Location: Gaol of the Stagnant Blood.
After being beaten, Silva, aka the Skull King, will absorb all the relics to transform into a chimeric entity with multiple limbs and faces. This is the final boss of the game.
Due to its large size, this boss will not be easy to get around. It can also a great deal of distance very quickly, and will swipe its claws at you whenever you’re near. Roll forward to dodge these swipes.
When you blue, luminescent lights around you, it means that the boss is about to release a large burst of energy. Get as far away as possible as to avoid the attack.
Attack whenever you’re near, it does not have many moves to worry about in the 1st phase.
In the 2nd phase, not only does the creature swipe with more aggression and moves around more, but it also begins firing beams of energy aimed directly at you.
Once fired, the boss will begin to move its arm so as to hit as many targets with the beam as possible. The best strategy is to roll forward the very second the beam is launched. You will have an opening to attack.
Once its health is low enough it will resort to its desperation move. The creature will fly up into the air, and several lights will appear around it.
These lights will crash down into the earth and cause tremendous damage. A very difficult attack to dodge, therefore it’s recommended to have many healing items saved up for this.
It will begin cycling through its attacks, so keep up the offensive and you’ll eventually kill the final boss of the base game.
Hellfire Knight
Location: Depths: Fiery Oblivion in Hellfire Knight DLC
Talking about Hellfire Knight’s weaknesses, he is vulnerable to lightning damage, and as long as you manage your stamina right, you’ll come victorious out of this fight.
As soon as the battle begins, move in and draw a 2-hit swipe combo out of him. When he performs the attacks, roll through and attack him once or twice through the opening.
Keep hitting him until he jumps away from you. Then, charge at him once again to repeat the same process.
If you see him rearing up, dodge through and hit him. If he gets up in the air and charges at you, dodge him at the last second, and before he gets up, use either a skill or spell on him. If he fires up the ground beneath you, move either left or right. He may perform his jump attack while he casts fire, so watch out for that.
Once his HP is down to half, he’ll perform an AoE with his fire ability. Dodge this attack and launch an offensive as you did in phase 1. Keep attacking him until he has been killed.
During the second phase, keep an eye out for the 3 new moves he’ll bring to his arsenal; a fire puddle that chases you, a lightning-fast slash using two swords, and a lunge when you’re far away from him.
Frozen Empress
Location: Depths: Celestial Ice Prison in Frozen Empress DLC
During the face-off with Frozen Empress, you need to have all the information you can get about the two ice crystals that float around her, getting upgraded, and assisting her in the fight.
As for the Red crystal, the first upgrade enhances her defense, the second upgrade increases her physical damage with ice, while the third upgrade creates a field around her, dealing constant ice damage to anyone inside it.
As for the Blue crystal, the first upgrade springs up static ice pillars around the map that deal damage upon contact. The second upgrade causes these pillars to shoot icicles at you in close proximity, while the third upgrade results in ice blasts around the ice pillars.
Once both the crystals are at their maximum power, they’ll be able to temporarily teleport around the map, shooting ice beams at you from different directions.
Keep damaging these crystals as it will neutralize all their upgrades, making them almost ineffective.
If you’ve got the Dancing Fireblade gift from the Hellfire Knight DLC’s Surt Blood Code, it will prove to really useful in stripping down the Empress’s health and eventually killing her for good.
Lord of Thunder
Location: Depths: Eternal Abyss in Lord of Thunder DLC
This boss makes use of the element of lightning and is quite impressive at both long-range energy attacks and melee attacks.
Due to the high mobility of Lord of Thunder, stamina reservation is the key in this fight. In addition, bring along blood veils or blood codes to enhance your stamina even more.
He has two targeting points; his face and his body. Striking his face is far more damaging. However, since doing so opens you up for receiving attacks, try to go for his body unless there’s a clear chance of targeting his face.
Furthermore, the focus of the Lord of Thunder’s fighting style is around AoE attacks, which can electrocute or stun you, so watch out for them and dodge them accordingly.
Lastly, also keep an eye out for the color of his wings. When they turn purple, the boss will go with long-ranged energy attacks. On the other hand, when they turn blue, it’ll indicate that he needs to recover. Meanwhile, he’ll resort to melee attacks.
