How To Beat The Angler — Inscryption (Game Guide)

The best strategy to use, regardless of your deck strength

The Angler’s unique mask

With Inscryption’s DLC entering playable beta via steam, many players are diving back in to fight through the new rogue-like ascension mode. However, unlike with the narrative driven base game, ascension mode seeks to restrict players access to overwhelmingly powerful cards, running you through a gauntlet of bosses with a more narrowed down, bare-bones deck. So in today’s guide, we are going to be discussing the best strategies to take down one of the tougher initial bosses — The Angler.

Upon landing your game piece on The Angler’s boss tile, Leshy will dawn his change of mask and fisherman’s hook. Like any other boss in Inscryption, The Angler features two different phases. Let’s get started with phase 1.

PHASE ONE — KINGFISHER

Phase 1 will start with The Angler playing Kingfisher cards. These cards have both flying and diving sigils. What this means is that they can attack OVER your cards to deal direct damage, only to retreat underwater during your turn so that they cannot be attacked. It’s important to note that during phase 1, all Leshy’s alter ego will player are Kingfisher cards. Don’t panic though, as they only deal one damage per card. While we cannot attack to destroy these cards, we can take them out of commission soon enough.

Kingfisher cards can be deeply irritating and impossible to kill

My strongest advice in this early stage is to only summon one creature to deal damage, and to summon that creature in a spot that is not directly across from a King Fisherman. We’ll explain why very soon.

After a few turns, you may notice that the angler lurches his hook wielding arm forward, holding it over your one creature. As he does so, a blue hook icon will also appear over your card. This is one of The Angler’s abilities. If left unattended, our seafaring opponent will hook your creature, and drag it to his side of the board to use against you.

I placed my bullfrog diagonal from the kingfisher so that it could attack directly

When you see that he is hovering his hook, this is your time to play either a squirrel or a pelt of some kind. Placing a new creature seems to divert his attention away from the prior card, regardless of what you play. Additionally, ensure you place the squirrel or pelt directly across from a Kingfisher. When reeling your new card to his side of the map, this will push his Kingfisher back, ensuring that it can no longer deal damage, effectively removing it from the game.

Place your squirrel/pelt card in direct opposition to the kingfisher when you see the hook symbol

When he pulls the squirrel/pelt, it’ll render his Kingfisher obsolete. Repeat this per each Kingfisher

Typically the angler only places two Kingfisher cards, so you’ll only need to use this strategy twice.

Again, ensure that you only have one creature on the field and slowly chip away at Leshy’s health over the course of a few turns, while you gather cards in your hand for phase two. Upon dealing enough damage and snuffing the flame of his first candle out, you’ll enter stage two.

PHASE TWO — BAIT BUCKETS

During stage two, The Angler will place fish bait cards in front of EVERY card you have on the field. When these chum buckets are attacked, they disappear, absorbing the attack and leaving behind a great white shark card. These cards deal 4 damage and have two health. With 4 damage at their disposal, they will likely wreak havoc on most of the cards you have.

In phase 2, bait buckets get placed in front of each card you have in play

Bait buckets turn into Great White cards if they’re attacked

However, if you only had one creature in play, only one fish bucket will be played. If you were slowly whittling his health state and drawing cards and squirrels, you should be able to sacrifice and summon. You have a few options here. I personally will sacrifice the monster that is right in front of the fish bait, placing the new creature in an unobstructed area to do damage. Alternatively, you can simply place flying creatures like Ravens or your own Kingfisher cards.

I sacrificed my ringworm and a squirrel to summon a wolf in an unobstructed tile, ensuring the bait never gets touched

Regardless, if you never attack the buckets directly, The Angler never summons a monster and you can use this to your advantage to easily sweep the boss fight.

Since you had time to stockpile cards, you can really just blitz The Angler and do so much damage.

I find that this strategy doesn’t necessarily rely on you having specific cards — like flying cards — and instead can be effective even with a fairly mediocre deck.

Congrats! If you’re playing the story, beating The Angler has some pretty powerful implications! If you’re playing Kaycee’s Mod, this is just another notch in your belt as you press ahead towards your next challenge!

Inscryption is available on PC via both the Epic Games Store and Steam. Steam grants you access to the never ending Kaycee’s Mod challenge mode if you purchase the title, right click on the game in your library, hit properties, betas, and enter “givemeascensionmode” to unlock the download.