Israel Hands is the second major boss encounter in Windrose after Thomas Richards. The boss can be found in the Foothills biome at the end of the Needle in a Haystack questline, and rewards players with a powerful weapon once defeated.
The Israel Hands fight represents a significant difficulty spike compared to everything players have to encounter up to this point in the game. The boss has a versatile moveset that includes both melee and ranged attacks, along with magic and poison to keep players on their toes. Defeating Israel Hands requires good timing, patience, and preparation.
1. How to Find Israel Hands in Windrose
Needle in a Haystack quest chain
Defeating Israel Hands is one of the final objectives of Needle in a Haystack, a main story quest chain that starts automatically upon completing Revenge is Best Served Cold. The quest chain consists of six different objectives that unlock one after the other. The locations for all the key objectives are marked on the map.
- Search the pirate camps in the Foothills
- Board the Unsinkable
- Search the camp near the ruins
- Collect the temple keys
- Defeat Hands
- Talk to the surviving captive
2. How to Prepare Against Israel Hands in Windrose
Israel Hands is a difficult boss encounter designed to punish overly eager players. While choosing the right equipment and buffs is important, the fight mostly boils down to knowing when to attack, knowing when to parry, and knowing when to wait for an opening.
2.1. Upgrade Your Gear to Level 10
Upgrade your primary melee weapon to level 10, the highest item level available in the Foothills. You can attempt the fight with level 8 or 9 gear if you want a tougher challenge, but level 10 is the safest recommendation. Upgrade your firearm and all five armor pieces as well.
2.2. Choose the Best Weapon
Rapier of a Thousand Cuts
Melee weapons are typically a lot more effective than ranged ones for this fight. There are two weapon types, in particular, that stand out for this encounter:
- Greatsword: Choose this if you want a hard-hitting weapon that deals strong damage in short punish windows. Israel Hands rarely gives you time for long combos, so one or two heavy hits are often safer than several quick attacks. The Dueling Greatsword is the strongest option if you have it upgraded.
- Rapier: Use this if you prefer faster attacks and safer recovery between swings. The Rapier of a Thousand Cuts is especially useful because its Bleed effect keeps dealing damage while you dodge and reset.
A firearm can also come in handy during the fight, however, you shouldn’t rely too much on ranged damage because the boss happens to be pretty good at dodging projectiles. That said, you can still make good use of your firearm whenever the boss is channeling an attack.
2.3. Equip the Best Armor Set Bonuses
Pikeman’s Gloves
Use armor set bonuses that match your weapon. Israel Hands hits hard even through upgraded armor, so your best option is to increase damage and end the fight faster.
A few armor sets are particularly good for this fight.
Pikeman Set (4P)
Pick the full Pikeman’s Armor set if you are using a Greatsword. The set increases two-handed weapon damage by +15% and also gives you more max HP through its 2-piece bonus.
Flibustier Set (4P)
Pick the full Flibustier’s Attire set if you are using a Rapier build. The set increases one-handed weapon damage by +15%, while the 2-piece stamina bonus helps you dodge and recover after short attack windows.
Privateer Set (2P)
Use two Privateer’s Regalia pieces with two Conquistador’s Armor or Flibustier’s Attire pieces if you want a hybrid setup. This gives you an extra +10% Critical Hit Chance while keeping either damage reduction or lower stamina costs.
2.4. Bring the Best Consumables and Buffs
Spicy “Chicken” with Sweet Potato
Enter the fight with two food buffs already active and your best healing items on the hotbar. Use one survivability buff and one damage or stamina buff, depending on your weapon choice.
Best Food Buffs
- Spicy “Chicken” With Sweet Potato: Grants +10 Vitality for 30 minutes. This is the safest food option because it increases your health pool and gives you more room to survive a missed dodge or failed parry. There’s also an epic variant of this food called the Seafood Platter that raises Vitality by +20 and drops from Thomas Richards if you want to go back and farm him.
- Spicy Breaded Kebab: Grants +10 Strength for 30 minutes. Use this if you are fighting with a Greatsword or another Strength-scaling heavy weapon.
- Hearty Egg Broth: Grants +10 Agility for 30 minutes. Use this if you are relying on a Rapier or another Agility-focused weapon.
- Coffee: Grants +20 Endurance for 30 minutes. This is a strong defensive option if you keep running out of stamina while dodging his spectral attacks.
Best Alchemy and Healing Items
- Healing Potions: Use these as your main emergency heal. Regular Healing Potions restore 55% maximum Health, making them much safer than Minor Healing Potions.
- Bandages: Use these only after creating distance or during a long recovery window. Damage can interrupt the healing effect, so avoid using them while Hands is still pressuring you.
- Elixir of Cruelty: Use this for an 8% damage increase for 15 minutes. This is the best general offensive elixir if you already have the recipe and materials.
- Elixir of Firm Hand: Use this as an alternative melee damage buff if it is available.
Before leaving base, stand near your Bonfire to trigger the Rested buff. Faster stamina regeneration helps you dodge the Spectral Halberd Charge, Soul Barrage, and X-shaped AoE without running out of stamina. Use the nearby fast travel point to refresh your buffs before each attempt.
2.5. Place a Tent Near the Entrance
Before entering Israel Hands’ arena, place a Tent close to the entrance, then set it as your active revival point. Boss arenas like this are instanced, so a Tent placed inside the arena will not work properly as a respawn point.
This does not make the fight easier, but it does make failed attempts much less frustrating. If Israel Hands kills you, you can revive near the entrance, reapply any missing buffs, recover your gear, and start another attempt without sailing or running all the way back from your base.
3. All Israel Hands Attack Patterns
Israel Hands uses regular saber attacks and spectral abilities. Perfect Block the normal saber swings to damage his poise, but dodge the red-glow finishers, poison trails, projectiles, and AoE attacks.
3.1. Saber Combo
Israel Hands’ Saber Combo
The Saber Combo is Israel Hands’ main close-range attack and your best chance to break his poise. The regular swings can be Perfect Blocked, but the combo becomes dangerous when he adds red-glow finisher attacks at the end.
- Tell: Israel Hands stays close and attacks with his one-handed saber.
- Pattern: The basic combo has three hits, but it can extend into one or two extra finisher swings.
- Danger: The red-glow finishers hit much harder than the standard saber cuts.
- Counter: Perfect Block the normal swings to damage his poise, then dodge away when a red-glow finisher starts.
- Punish window: Attack only after confirming the combo has ended. Do not swing automatically after the third hit.
3.2. Spectral Halberd Charge
Halberd Charge attack
Spectral Halberd Charge is a forward lunge that creates a poison trail across the arena. Treat it as a dodge-only attack, especially because it can lead directly into skull projectiles afterward.
- Tell: The boss summons a ghostly halberd before lunging forward.
- Pattern: The charge travels in a straight line and leaves a poison trail behind it.
- Danger: Skull projectiles will sometimes appear after the charge.
- Counter: Dodge sideways instead of backward, then keep moving until the poison trail and skulls disappear.
- Punish window: Move in only after the follow-up projectiles are gone.
3.3. Soul Barrage
Soul Barrage spectral attack
Soul Barrage is a projectile attack that forces you to keep moving. The skulls track your position and can hit several times in a row if you stop too early.
- Tell: Israel Hands grabs his head and begins channeling spectral skull projectiles.
- Pattern: The skulls rain down on your position.
- Danger: Each skull deals modest damage, but several hits in a row can quickly drain your health.
- Counter: Sprint or dodge sideways in a wide arc until the final skull lands.
- Punish window: Heal, reload, or attack only after the barrage fully ends.
3.4. Spectral Shot
Israel Hands preparing to unleash a Spectral Shot
Spectral Shot is a quick ranged attack that punishes players who stand still at a distance. Expect it when you back away to heal, reload, or reset your stamina.
- Tell: A spectral apparition appears and aims a pistol-like shot.
- Pattern: The projectile fires quickly toward your position, usually when you create distance.
- Danger: The attack punishes healing, reloading, or standing still in the open.
- Counter: Keep moving sideways and dodge as the shot comes out.
- Punish window: Rush in immediately after dodging the projectile to get in a couple of free hits.
3.5. X-Shaped Poison AoE
X-Shaped Poison AoE attack
The X-Shaped Poison AoE is Israel Hands’ most dangerous arena-wide attack. It covers most of the floor with crossing poison trails, so survival depends on finding a safe gap immediately.
- Tell: Israel Hands jumps into the air and hovers for a couple of seconds before crashing back down.
- Pattern: The attack creates a large X-shaped hazard across most of the arena.
- Danger: This is one of the most lethal attacks in the fight and can kill you outright if it hits you directly.
- Counter: Stop attacking and move into one of the safe gaps between the X lines.
- Punish window: Wait for the poison effect to fade before stepping back in.
3.6. Whirlwind Spin
Israel Hands’short-range spinning attack
Whirlwind Spin is a short-range melee AoE that punishes players standing too close for too long. It is easier to avoid than the X-Shaped Poison AoE, but it can still interrupt greedy attacks.
- Tell: Israel Hands starts spinning in place with his weapon.
- Pattern: The spin creates a short-range circular attack around him.
- Danger: It does not cover as much space as the X-shaped AoE, but it punishes greedy melee pressure.
- Counter: Back away as soon as the spin begins.
- Punish window: Step back in only after the full spin animation ends.
The main rule is simple: Perfect Block normal saber swings and dodge everything spectral or red-glowing. The basic saber combo is your best chance to break his poise, while the special attacks are there to punish greedy counterattacks.
Do not attack after the third saber swing every time. Israel Hands can extend the combo with one or two red-glow finishers, so wait half a second, confirm the string is over, then punish with one or two attacks before resetting.
4. How to Beat Israel Hands
Israel Hands’ Saber Combo finisher move
Once you understand Israel Hands’ attack patterns, the fight becomes a test of patience more than raw aggression. His basic saber combos give you the best chance to build poise damage with Perfect Blocks. Meanwhile, his spectral attacks are designed to punish players who stay too close or attack before the full animation ends.
4.1. Core Combat Loop
Israel Hands is easiest to control when you stay close, bait his saber combo, and use Perfect Blocks to break his poise. Follow this loop throughout the fight:
- Rush toward Israel Hands when the fight starts and land a few free hits while he finishes his opening ritual.
- Stay close enough to bait his regular saber combo. Do not back away unless you need to heal, avoid a red-glow finisher, or escape a spectral attack.
- Perfect Block the normal saber swings to damage his poise.
- Dodge away as soon as the combo changes into a red-glow finisher. Do not try to block these attacks.
- Wait until the full combo ends, then step in for one or two attacks.
- Return to defense immediately after your punish. Do not keep swinging unless Israel Hands is staggered.
- When his poise breaks, use your strongest attacks until he starts recovering.
- Back away once he gets up, then repeat the same loop: bait the saber combo, Perfect Block the safe hits, dodge the red attacks, punish briefly, and reset.
When Israel Hands uses spectral attacks, pause the loop and focus on survival. Run in a wide circle during Soul Barrage, dodge sideways during Spectral Halberd Charge, and prioritize escaping the X-shaped AoE over attacking or healing.
4.2. Break Israel Hands’ Poise
Attacking Israel Hands while he’s stunned
Breaking Israel Hands’ poise gives you the safest damage window in the fight. Use his regular saber combo to build poise damage, then punish hard once he falls into a staggered state.
- Stay close enough to bait the saber combo. Israel Hands uses more spectral attacks when you stay far away, so remain near him unless you need space to heal or avoid an AoE.
- Perfect Block the normal saber swings. Each clean Perfect Block chips away at his poise and moves you closer to a stagger window.
- Dodge away from red-glow finishers. Do not try to parry every swing. If the combo extends into a red attack, move away and wait for the animation to end.
- Punish briefly after the combo ends. Use one or two attacks, then reset. Do not chase long combos unless his poise breaks.
- Attack aggressively once he staggers. Use heavy Greatsword attacks, a full damage combo, or quick Rapier hits to stack Bleed before he recovers.
- Return to defense as soon as he gets up. Back off, watch for the next saber combo, and repeat the same parry-and-punish loop.
If you are using the Rapier of a Thousand Cuts, use the stagger window to stack Bleed quickly. If you are using a Greatsword, focus on heavy hits instead. Both options work, but only commit to full damage when Israel Hands is actually staggered.
4.3. Avoid Spectral Magic and AoE Attacks
Soul Barrage projectiles chasing the player
Spectral Attacks
Israel Hands’ spectral attacks are much more dangerous than his basic sword swings. The Spectral Halberd Charge, Soul Barrage, Spectral Shot, Whirlwind Spin, and X-shaped AoE are all designed to punish players who either back away at the wrong time or keep attacking after a safe window has already ended.
X-Shaped AoE
The X-shaped AoE is the biggest threat in the fight. As soon as Israel Hands jumps into the air, stop attacking and look for the safe space between the poison trails. Getting clipped by this attack can easily kill you outright or leave you low enough to die to the next follow-up.
Combo Finishers
His red-glow saber finishers should be treated the same way. Even if you have been Perfect Blocking the first few hits of his combo, dodge away when the red attack starts. These finishers are there to catch players who assume the combo is over or try to parry every swing on instinct.
Healing Window
Whenever you need to heal, wait for a safer recovery window. The best moments are after avoiding the X-shaped AoE, after the Whirlwind Spin ends, or after the final skull in Soul Barrage lands. Healing just because you created distance is risky. Israel Hands can quickly punish that space with a Spectral Shot or another ranged attack.
5. Israel Hands Rewards
Israel Hands rewards
Defeating Israel Hands immediately rewards you with 50 XP, 1 Charon’s Obol, and 20 Undead Essence. The fight also updates Needle in a Haystack and gives you the next objective to talk to the surviving captive.
Here is everything you get from the boss kill:
- 50 Experience Points
- 1 Charon’s Obol
- 20 Undead Essence
Do not leave the arena right away after the fight. There is also an Ancient Chest in the boss room that contains Soul Eater. This is a powerful two-handed sword and one of the best weapons available around this stage of the game.
After collecting your rewards, speak with the surviving captive to continue the questline.
