We’ll come right out and say it: Xigbar is an S.O.B. His ranged attacks are constant yet spaced out enough that missing a block will often get you stun locked to death even if you have Withstand Combo and Leaf Bracer equipped (which you always should, anyway).
Before you rage quit and declare yourself the worst Kingdom Hearts player on the planet, take a look at our handy guide to besting Organization XIII’s resident sharpshooter. It turns out, Xigbar is more predictable than he seems. As long as you block well and learn his openings, you can make quick work of Xigbar (or should we say Luxu?).
Getting Geared Up
You’re not going to be able to slide right into Limit Cut after finishing the story without some grinding. I finished both the base game and Re:Mind around level 45 and was getting absolutely housed by the Limit Cut bosses on Proud Mode. While there are those that manage to pull off level one crit runs with one hand behind their back, the rest of us need to be prepared.
First step is getting the right Keyblade. Assuming you haven’t gone through the process of getting the Ultima Weapon, your options are either Oathkeeper on Normal/Proud or Oblivion on Critical. All you need to do to get Oathkeeper is find all 90 of the Lucky Emblems scattered around the worlds. As for Oblivion, simply complete the game on Critical.
Once you’ve leveled the Oathkeeper up all the way, I recommend using the Royal Ribbon and 2 Cosmic Belt+. These three items will give you the highest defense and resistance combo possible.
As for accessories, I like to use the Crystal Regalia from the Dark Inferno secret boss and the Mickey Clasp, again from the 90 Lucky Emblems, for the fastest MP regeneration. The third slot is more open to preference; Orichalcum Ring, Flanniversary Badge, and Celestriad are all good choices.
After that just make sure you have a Kupo Coin, lots of Hi-Potions and Hi-Ethers (or Elixirs if you’re boujee) and eat a high HP/defense meal.
Xigbar’s Move Set
Shooting - 99% of Xigbar’s Attacks are some variation of shooting at you. He’ll shoot you from the ground, he’ll shoot you from the air, he’ll teleport around and shoot at you, sometimes he’ll shoot at you from a direction he’s not even standing. The answer to being shot at is always exactly the same: block. Don’t try to block each individual shot, just hold through on the block until the flurry of attacks finishes. In fact, even if they’re spaced out considerably, just holding your block should be fine.
Bounce Shot - This is a slow projectile that will bounce around and try to hit you multiple times. Don’t get distracted trying to watch it because that’s exactly what it is: a distraction. After Xigbar fires this bounce shot we’ll lay into you with burst fire. If you’re blocking the fast shots, you’ll naturally block the bounce shot too.
Rain of bullets - This is the large cone that comes down and spreads across the arena. The key here is not to pursue Xigbar while it’s still expanding. Just stand still with your back to the wall and block everything that comes in. When the rain of bullets gets to you you’ll be able to just block right through it. Don’t try to dodge through it, it’s not worth it.
Array of bullets - This is a very quick shot that will immediately turn into an array of shots. They pause for a second before converging on you. Don’t dodge, just block. This is one of the hardest attacks to block but he starts the battle with one every time, so practice this timing.
Showdown - Twice in the fight you’ll be able to trigger the showdown reaction command. All you need to do is hit X as soon as Xigbar moves.
The Arena - At about half health the arena will shrink down and Xigbar will do a ton of crazy attacks. This is a bullet hell segment and the only appropriate time in this entire fight to dodge. Circle around the arena counter-clockwise and try your best to dodge all of his shenanigans. Don’t heal until you’re at 1.
The Strategy
The arena will have a big hole in the center of it when the fight starts. Don’t pursue Xigbar during this phase. Instead, stand still and block everything he shoots at you. It can be tempting to unleash some Firagas at him to get some extra damage in, but if you do you’ll miss out on an even bigger damage opportunity.
Eventually, he’ll teleport to your right side. Block his shots and the quickly counter with a Counter Kick an unleash hell on him. If the counter misses, use an Airstep to dash to him and start comboing.
The arena will reset to normal and Xigbar will start bouncing around firing shots at you. It can be tempting to start chasing now, but we don’t recommend it. Instead, block some more shots and wait for that Showdown reaction command to pop up. Win the showdown, and you can get a ton of hits in.
Once he recovers, keep your distance and wait for him to pick a spot and fire a string of shots at you. As soon as you’ve blocked all of them, he’ll teleport. Lock on to his new position immediately and Airstep to him.
Do your best not to chase, even when he seems open. There a particularly trolly move where Xigbar will casually walk around baiting you in. Attacking him will result in no damage and open you up for more hellfire. Bide your time, block your butt off, and Airstep at him when he’s open. You’ll be able to best Xigbar with a little patience and a lot of well-timed blocks.
