The Underking is the wall that stops most players cold in their first Absolum run. He's the final boss of Grandery, he swings a scythe that doubles as a gun, and his sweeping attacks punish anyone who gets too comfortable. Beating him once isn't enough either — because Absolum is a roguelite, you'll face him every single run. This guide breaks down the optimal path to reach him, both phases of the fight, and the reward waiting on the other side.
What is the best path to reach the Underking?
Every route through Grandery eventually leads to the Underking, but one path sets you up noticeably better than the rest. According to the DualShockers guide on the fight, there's a secret passageway accessible at the very bottom of the first area you spawn into. Break the rock blocking it and you'll find yourself inside a hidden zone full of mushroom enemies and dogs.
The boss inside is the Mushtroll, and he's far easier than anything else you'll face before the Underking. Killing him rewards you with an Inspiration ability from your character's pool, which is a meaningful power spike that most players skip entirely by taking the obvious route.
After clearing the Mushtroll, head toward the bottom direction past the camp. This path puts you near a waterfall that provides health recovery opportunities before you push further. You'll then fight Gazorg, Son of Zorg, who drops another Inspiration on death, meaning this route can net you two Inspirations before you ever see the Underking's health bar.
After beating Gazorg, skip the bridge entirely. Jump off the side to enter the mists directly — it's faster and skips unnecessary combat.
Once through the mists, you'll reach a trinket shop. Buy what you can, then walk straight into the Underking's chamber.
How do you beat the Underking in phase one?
The Underking's first phase has a limited attack set, but don't let that fool you into being reckless. This is a beat 'em up, so staying in close is necessary to deal damage, but his sweeping strikes create constant pressure to back off. The trick is reading his patterns and only committing to offense during his recovery windows.
His attacks in phase one are manageable once you've seen them a couple of times. The key mechanic to understand is deflecting — some attacks can be deflected for a counter-window, while others require a dodge. The DualShockers source notes that a video reference is particularly helpful for learning which is which.
Phase one ends when the Underking performs his Fire Away attack, which he typically triggers around the halfway point of his health bar. After that scream, you're in phase two.
One or two mistakes in this fight can end your entire run. The Underking hits hard enough that a short combo of his attacks will take a significant chunk of your health.
How do you survive the Underking's phase two?
Phase two is where the fight gets genuinely dangerous. The Underking keeps all his phase one attacks but several receive upgrades, and some now display a red indicator. Per the DualShockers guide, red indicator attacks cannot be deflected without getting stunned — you must dodge these outright.
His sweeping strikes remain his primary tool, and because they cover a wide arc, closing distance after a dodge is harder than it sounds. The key is patience: wait for his downtime between combos, then burst damage before retreating again.
Red attacks must be dodged
Phase comparison
Tips and tricks for every build
Because Absolum's roguelite structure means no two runs are identical, the strategies below are intentionally general. They apply regardless of which character you're playing or what upgrades you've picked up.
- Read his rhythm before committing. The Underking chains powerful moves together. Waiting for the gap between combos is smarter than trying to trade hits.
- Stay aggressive when you're already in. If you're mid-combo on him, don't pull back until you have to. Backing off at half-health from a good position wastes your damage window.
- Hire an ally before the fight. For 50 gold, you can recruit a companion on any path. According to the DualShockers guide, most hired allies won't survive the first phase, but they're excellent for eating hits and pressuring the Underking while you recover.
- Commit to your build. If your primary attack has two or three upgrades on it, use it constantly. Switching to your secondary because it feels flashier when your primary is stronger will cost you the fight.
Absolum supports local and online co-op. Bringing a second player into the Underking fight dramatically increases your survivability, since he'll split attention between two targets.
What do you get for beating the Underking?
The reward structure here is different from every other boss in Grandery. Defeating Gazorg, Son of Zorg and the Mushtroll both grant Inspiration abilities. The Underking does not. According to the Absolum Wiki, all standard bosses award an Inspiration on death — but the Underking is the final boss of his zone, and instead of an Inspiration, he drops a new ability for your alternate slot.
That alternate ability also comes with an additional mana chunk, which is a meaningful resource boost heading into the next zone, Jaroba. It's not as immediately satisfying as an Inspiration, but the utility carries forward.
Beating the Underking also unlocks the Uncrowned Peak achievement on Steam, according to the community achievements guide on Steam by MAGNUSnoos.
Reward summary
Understanding Absolum's roguelite structure
The Underking isn't a one-time obstacle. Because Absolum is a roguelite developed by Guard Crush Games and published by DotEmu, every run resets your progress and sends you back through Grandery. That means every strategy in this guide applies on repeat playthroughs, and your approach will naturally sharpen as you learn his patterns.
Absolum also features a Ritual system that functions similarly to Boons in Hades, as noted by NoobFeed's coverage of the game. Breaking Crystals during a run offers elemental upgrades like Fire, Thunder, Necromancy, and Chaos. The stronger your Ritual selection heading into the Underking fight, the more damage output you'll have during his brief openings.
For more boss guides and strategies across Absolum's full zone list, browse more guides on GAMES.GG to keep your runs moving forward.