Valor Mortis NG Plus Bosses: Rematch Scaling & DLC Tier List

Valor Mortis ng plus bosses represent one of the most punishing difficulty spikes in the 2026 soulslike calendar. After the credits roll, the rematch versions of Napoleon's Eternal Guard and the plague-corrupted abominations gain new attack chains, inflated poise bars, and elemental resistances that invalidate most first-playthrough builds. Understanding exactly how the scaling works, and which fights deserve priority preparation, determines whether your NG+ run takes 20 hours or 60. This guide breaks down the rematch mechanics, ranks every boss by NG+ threat level, and provides refreshed strategies for the tutorial encounter and the multi-phase Napoleon finale. y preparation, determines whether your NG+ run takes 20 hours or 60. This guide breaks down the rematch mechanics, ranks every boss by NG+ threat level, and provides refreshed strategies for the tutorial encounter and the multi-phase Napoleon finale—but before you commit to a route, cross-reference the NG+ ordering with our Valor Mortis Bosses Ranked breakdown so you don’t waste resources on a rematch that outscales your current build.

How NG Plus Scaling Changes Valor Mortis Bosses

The jump from New Game to NG+ in Valor Mortis is not a flat percentage multiplier. Instead, each boss receives a modular scaling package that targets specific weaknesses from the base playthrough, which forces players to abandon comfortable strategies rather than simply hitting harder. Community testing across multiple platforms confirms that the scaling applies unevenly, with early-game bosses receiving proportionally larger health pools while late-game fights gain more aggressive AI behavior.

The core scaling components include a 1.8x health multiplier on tutorial and Act 1 bosses, a 1.4x damage multiplier on all grab attacks, and a poise regeneration buff that makes stagger-locking significantly harder. Bosses that previously could be stun-locked with heavy weapons now recover poise in roughly 2.5 seconds, which means players must commit to shorter punish windows. Additionally, several bosses gain elemental absorption auras that reduce fire and decay damage by 30%, directly countering the most popular base-game builds.

The most significant change, according to the Valor Mortis official site, is the introduction of rematch-only attack chains on elite commanders. These chains are not present in the base game files and appear exclusively when the NG+ flag is active, which means players cannot practice them without committing to a full NG+ cycle. The tutorial boss, for example, gains a delayed overhead slam that punishes early dodges, while the Eternal Guard commanders add a three-hit thrust combo that tracks player strafing.

Tutorial Boss Rematch Mechanics

The tutorial boss in Valor Mortis serves as a skill gate for new players, but its NG+ version transforms into a legitimate threat that filters out players who coasted through the base game with overleveled gear. The rematch version retains the base moveset but adds the delayed overhead slam, a 360-degree sweep, and a grab counter that triggers when players attempt to parry the third hit of the standard combo.

The most reliable strategy for the NG+ tutorial boss involves baiting the delayed overhead slam, which has a 1.2-second windup that is visually distinct from the standard slam. Players who dodge too early get caught by the tracking, while players who wait for the weapon to actually descend can land two charged heavy attacks before the boss recovers. The grab counter is the real run-killer, because it punishes parry-happy players who relied on the base game's generous parry windows.

• Bait the delayed slam: Stand at mid-range and wait for the weapon to drop before dodging

• Avoid parrying the third hit: The grab counter triggers on the third parry attempt in a 10-second window

• Use decay weapons: The tutorial boss has lower decay resistance than other NG+ bosses

• Keep stamina above 40%: The 360-degree sweep forces a roll, and running out of stamina guarantees a hit

The tutorial boss fight in NG+ rewards patience over aggression, which is a significant departure from the base game where players could trade hits and heal through the damage. Players who attempt to rush the fight with the same tactics that worked on their first playthrough will burn through all healing items before the boss reaches half health.

Valor Mortis Boss Difficulty Ranking for NG Plus

Before you plan your NG+ prep, review what actually carries over into the second run — the New Game Plus guide lists every inventory and unlock that survives the transition.

Ranking the Valor Mortis ng plus bosses requires separating the base-game difficulty from the NG+ scaling impact. Some bosses that were trivial in the base game become roadblocks because their scaling targets a specific mechanic, while others remain manageable because their core patterns do not change. The following ranking reflects community consensus from players who completed NG+ within the first week of launch, based on reported death counts and build diversity.

The Napoleon Bonaparte finale remains the hardest fight in NG+, but the gap between Napoleon and the second-place boss narrows considerably. The plague-corrupted abominations, which were mid-tier threats in the base game, jump to near-top difficulty because their long reach combined with the NG+ damage multiplier creates one-shot scenarios for players without heavy Vitality investment. Meanwhile, the Eternal Guard commanders, despite their new attack chains, remain manageable for players who master the parry timing.

The valor mortis boss difficulty ranking shifts dramatically when players factor in build compatibility. A decay-focused build that shredded the base game will struggle against NG+ bosses with elemental absorption auras, while a physical damage build with high poise damage remains viable across the entire rematch gauntlet. Players who invested heavily in fire damage during their first playthrough should respec before starting NG+, because the 30% fire resistance on multiple bosses represents a massive effective DPS loss.

Why the Abomination Jumps in NG+ Ranking

The plague-corrupted abomination deserves special attention because its NG+ scaling is disproportionately punishing compared to its base-game difficulty. The abomination's long reach attacks, which were already difficult to avoid in the base game, gain a 1.4x damage multiplier that turns a survivable hit into a near-death experience. Combined with the abomination's grab attack, which now deals enough damage to one-shot players below 25 Vitality, the fight becomes a positioning puzzle rather than a damage race.

The abomination's corruption puddles also scale in NG+, lasting 40% longer and covering a wider area. Players who relied on sprinting through the puddles in the base game will find themselves taking constant chip damage, which forces a more methodical approach. The key to the NG+ abomination fight is maintaining distance and baiting the long-range lunge, which leaves the boss vulnerable for a full three-hit combo.

Refreshed Strategy for the Napoleon Finale

The Napoleon Bonaparte fight in NG+ is not simply a harder version of the base encounter; it is a fundamentally different fight that requires players to relearn the multi-phase structure. The base game's Napoleon fight combines parry, dodge, and transmutation mechanics, but the NG+ version adds phase-specific AI aggression that changes the optimal response for each phase. Players who memorized the base-game patterns will find themselves punished for relying on muscle memory.

The first phase of the NG+ Napoleon fight introduces transmutation counters, where Napoleon converts player projectiles into plague orbs that home back toward the player. This mechanic was present in the base game but triggered rarely; in NG+, it triggers on every third projectile, which effectively removes ranged builds from viability. The second phase adds parry feints, where Napoleon starts a parryable attack but cancels it into an unblockable grab if the player commits to a parry too early.

The parry feint mechanic is the most frustrating addition to the NG+ Napoleon fight, because it punishes players who developed good parry timing in the base game. The feint has a distinct tell: Napoleon's weapon flashes white for a single frame before the feint, while a true parryable attack flashes gold. Players who can distinguish the two flashes can punish the feint with a charged heavy attack, but the window is tight and requires significant practice.

Managing the Transmutation Chain

The final phase of the NG+ Napoleon fight introduces a chain transmutation that converts all active player buffs into plague stacks. This mechanic is devastating for players who rely on buff stacking, because it strips their entire setup in a single attack. The counter is to bait the chain transmutation and then reapply buffs during the recovery window, which requires careful resource management.

The official Steam page for Valor Mortis confirms that the Napoleon fight is designed as a multi-phase encounter that combines parry, dodge, and transmutation mechanics, but the NG+ version adds a layer of unpredictability that rewards adaptive play over memorized patterns. Players who can switch between aggressive and defensive stances on the fly will find the NG+ Napoleon fight challenging but fair, while players who rely on a single strategy will hit a wall.

DLC Bosses and NG+ Interaction

The Valor Mortis bosses DLC adds several new encounters that are available in both the base game and NG+, but the NG+ scaling applies differently to DLC bosses than to base-game bosses. DLC bosses receive a reduced scaling multiplier compared to base-game bosses, which means they are relatively easier in NG+ than their base-game counterparts. This design choice encourages players to tackle the DLC content during NG+ rather than rushing it in the base game.

The DLC boss roster includes two elite Eternal Guard commanders and one plague-corrupted abomination variant with a unique moveset. The DLC abomination variant, known as the Rotting General, has a shorter reach than the base-game abomination but compensates with faster attack speed and a corruption aura that deals passive damage in melee range. The Rotting General's NG+ scaling is modest, with only a 1.2x health multiplier and no new attack chains, which makes it a manageable entry point for players testing their NG+ builds.

The valor mortis bosses dlc content is best tackled early in NG+ because the reduced scaling provides a smoother transition into the rematch gauntlet. Players who complete the DLC bosses first will have access to DLC-exclusive weapons that offer unique properties against the base-game NG+ bosses, including a decay-infused halberd that bypasses the elemental absorption auras on several rematch fights.

DLC Weapon Advantages in NG+

The DLC weapons are not strictly better than base-game weapons, but they offer specific advantages against NG+ scaling mechanics. The decay-infused halberd bypasses the 30% decay resistance on several NG+ bosses, effectively dealing full damage where base-game decay weapons deal reduced damage. The Eternal Guard Vanguard's sword has a unique poise break bonus that helps counter the faster poise regeneration in NG+.

Players who are struggling with the NG+ tutorial boss or the Eternal Guard commanders should consider completing the DLC first, because the DLC weapons provide meaningful advantages without requiring a full build respec. The trade-off is that DLC bosses still require skill to defeat, and players who cannot handle the base-game NG+ scaling will not magically succeed against the DLC encounters.

Build Adjustments for NG+ Boss Rematches

Surviving the Valor Mortis ng plus bosses rematch requires more than just higher stats; it demands a fundamental rethinking of build priorities. The base game rewards damage-focused builds that can burst down bosses before their mechanics become overwhelming, but NG+ punishes this approach by inflating health pools and reducing stagger windows. Players must shift toward sustain-focused builds that can survive extended fights while dealing consistent damage.

The most important build adjustment is Vitality investment. The 1.4x grab damage multiplier means that players below 25 Vitality will be one-shot by multiple NG+ bosses, while players at 30+ Vitality can survive a grab and heal. The second priority is poise damage, because the faster poise regeneration in NG+ makes stagger-locking harder, and weapons with high poise damage become more valuable than weapons with high raw damage.

• Prioritize Vitality to 30+: Survive grab attacks that would otherwise one-shot

• Invest in poise damage: Counter the faster poise regeneration with stagger-focused weapons

• Drop fire damage builds: The 30% fire resistance on multiple bosses kills DPS efficiency

• Add decay resistance: Several NG+ bosses deal decay damage that stacks quickly

• Respec before starting NG+: The respec cost increases in NG+, so do it before the transition

The valor mortis first boss strategy from the base game does not translate to NG+, because the tutorial boss's new mechanics require a different approach. Players who attempt to parry-spam the tutorial boss will trigger the grab counter, while players who rely on fire damage will find their DPS cut by the elemental absorption aura. The NG+ tutorial boss is best handled with a decay weapon and a patient, bait-heavy playstyle that punishes the delayed overhead slam.

Weapon Selection for NG+ Rematches

Weapon choice in NG+ is more important than in the base game because the scaling mechanics target specific damage types. Physical damage weapons with high poise break values are the safest choice, because they are not affected by elemental absorption auras and contribute to stagger. Decay weapons are situationally excellent against bosses with low decay resistance, but players must check each boss's specific resistances before committing.

The Eternal Guard commanders are particularly vulnerable to parry-focused builds, because their new three-hit thrust combo has a consistent rhythm that can be parried on the second and third hits. Players who master the parry timing can stagger the commanders repeatedly, which negates the poise regeneration buff. The plague-corrupted abomination, by contrast, is best handled with a ranged physical weapon that allows players to maintain distance from the long-reach attacks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does NG+ change the boss order in Valor Mortis?

No, the boss order remains identical to the base game. However, the NG+ scaling makes early bosses disproportionately harder because they receive a 1.8x health multiplier, while late-game bosses receive smaller health increases but more aggressive AI behavior. Players should prepare for the tutorial boss to take significantly longer than expected.

What is the hardest Valor Mortis ng plus boss?

The Napoleon Bonaparte finale remains the hardest NG+ boss due to the parry feints and chain transmutation mechanics that punish memorized patterns. The plague-corrupted abomination jumps to second place because its long-reach attacks combined with the 1.4x grab damage multiplier create one-shot scenarios for players below 25 Vitality.

Should I complete the DLC before or after NG+?

Completing the DLC before NG+ is recommended because the DLC bosses receive reduced scaling in NG+, making them relatively easier than base-game rematches. The DLC weapons, including the decay-infused halberd, provide advantages against NG+ elemental absorption auras that make the base-game rematch fights more manageable.

How do I beat the NG+ tutorial boss?

Bait the delayed overhead slam by standing at mid-range and waiting for the weapon to descend before dodging. Avoid parrying the third hit of the standard combo, because the grab counter triggers on the third parry attempt within a 10-second window. Use decay weapons to exploit the tutorial boss's lower decay resistance.

Does the valor mortis boss difficulty ranking change in NG+?

Yes, significantly. The plague-corrupted abomination jumps from fourth to second place because its long reach and grab damage scale disproportionately. The tutorial boss rises from seventh to fourth due to new mechanics. The Napoleon fight remains first, but the gap narrows as other bosses receive more punishing scaling.