How to beat Calliope, Euterpe, and Kleio in Dead Cells’ The Queen and The Sea DLC

Once you access The Queen & the Sea DLC in Dead Cells, you’ll set foot in a new area — the Infested Shipwreck. After this is the Lighthouse, which is totally different from any other biome in the game. As you race up the tower to avoid a growing fire, you’ll have to tangle with the Queen’s trio of guards. Calliope, Euterpe, and Kleio may be named after the Greek muses, but they’re anything but gentle. Here’s how to take down each one.

First, a quick note: don’t bother fighting them as you’re climbing the tower normally. You’re just meant to dodge their attacks and avoid the flames. You’ll know it’s time for the real fight when the fire temporarily stops and a boss health bar appears. Calliope is the first of the three you’ll face, and she attacks using large spiked balls on chains. When close to you, she’ll slam the ball down on either side once or twice, then finish by slamming both down simultaneously, sending out a shockwave. Dodge behind her to avoid the slam, then back up and jump to avoid the double-sided attack and its aftershock. At a distance, Calliope will throw the ball toward you, and you can either roll through or jump over it to avoid damage.

Continue up the tower, and you’ll meet Euterpe. As an archer, she usually keeps her distance, aiming her bow at you from ledges above. Steer clear of the reticle to dodge the arrow, but don’t bother going after her just yet. She may also hop across the screen, firing down a line of arrows in an arc. These don’t move as fast as the main arrow, so just sidestep or roll through them. After this, she’ll slam down and cause a small shockwave. Avoid that, then close in to start dealing damage. She’ll still try to peg you with arrows point-blank, so be ready to roll away from the reticle again.

Lastly, Kleio will join the fight for the last portion of the tower. She fights with dual blades, attacking in a three-hit combo when in close quarters. Step back to avoid getting sliced. She may also grab onto a wall and launch herself forward in a directional slashing attack. Bright beams showing her path appear as she prepares to do this, so steer clear of those to avoid damage.

Individually, the mini-bosses aren’t too bad, but here’s the twist: you’ll fight more than one as you climb the tower. Calliope shows up first. Then you’ll face Calliope and Euterpe together. Finally, you’ll face the entire trio at once. This is very difficult, but note that only two will attack you at a time in the final fight. Focus on the one on the ground and deal as much damage as possible while being mindful of two sets of incoming attacks — thankfully, they’re all pretty telegraphed. Bleeding, burning, and poison effects will go a long way in this fight, as the debuff is still registered even if the affected mini-boss isn’t on screen.

Remember what each of the three guards does, and you’ll be prepared to dodge any attack from any one of them. After all that, the final fight against the Queen may seem easy by comparison.