Quick summary
- Boss position: end of Act 1 and first boss in current public Early Access gameplay.
- Current combat rule: boss block-breaking attacks have been parryable since 0.8.57278.
- Fixed old behavior: Paper Cult says Gilles should no longer ignore attacking players for an extended period.
- Branch warning: a Steam Crossplay Beta player may be on an older compatible build.
Walkthrough progress
Current: Gilles the Hog
Completed
- ✓ Act 1 route
Ahead
- ○ Act 2
- ○ Act 3
What is verified about Gilles
| Claim | Status | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Gilles ends Act 1 | Official | Paper Cult's demo announcement; corroborated by current public gameplay |
| Boss block-breaking attacks can be parried | Official patch rule | Version 0.8.57278 change log |
| Gilles ignoring attackers was fixed | Official fix claim | Version 0.8.57278 change log |
| Exact phase thresholds and damage values | Not yet publication-ready | Requires current original captures under recorded conditions |
Current-patch fight checklist
- 1
Confirm the branch and version
Use the version displayed by the game. Normal Steam is verified at 0.11.57863; Paper Cult's Crossplay Beta can trail it for compatibility. - 2
Use the current parry rule
Paper Cult made boss block-breaking attacks parryable in 0.8.57278. Learn the visible cue in your current run instead of following a demo-era statement that says these attacks cannot be parried. - 3
Do not plan around the old aggro bug
The same patch says Gilles should no longer ignore players who attack him for an extended time. If that behavior still occurs, record the version, mode and video before reporting it. - 4
Judge the build by its observed failure
If the attempt fails while setting up, use the next run to cover that survival problem. A named high-damage build from another Hero or patch is not a controlled comparison.
What current public gameplay can and cannot prove
Two Early Access samples provide useful corroboration:
- a July 29 duo run on Trials of the Mother 2 reaches Gilles at 20:03 and begins Act 2 at 21:42;
- a July 23 dedicated Gilles video shows the first boss fight in a 2:27 guide;
- a July 24 complete Act 1 playthrough identifies Gilles as the final first- biome fight.
Those timestamps show that Gilles is present and defeatable in the released build. They do not create a general 99-second kill target, prove a solo strategy, or establish exact thresholds across Heroes, difficulty settings, party sizes and patches.
If Gilles appears to ignore a player
The official 0.8 note says the extended ignore behavior was fixed. If it still happens:
- capture the displayed game version and Steam branch;
- record whether the session is solo or co-op and identify the host;
- preserve a short video showing attacks landing and the boss behavior;
- report it as a possible regression rather than assuming the old guide is current.
Who is the first boss in Tears of Metal?
Gilles the Hog. Paper Cult identifies him as the fight culminating Act 1, and current Early Access gameplay shows the same boss position.
Can Gilles's block-breaking attacks be parried?
Paper Cult's version 0.8.57278 notes say boss block-breaking attacks can now be parried. The note applies the rule to bosses generally rather than publishing a Gilles-specific move list.
What is the best build for Gilles?
No universal current best build is publication-ready here. Hero, campaign offers, difficulty, party size and patch all affect the result, so use the build framework and respond to the failure you observe.
Sources
- Paper Cult's official demo announcement naming Gilles
- Paper Cult's version 0.8.57278 announcement
- Current full-run sample with Act 1 chapters
- Current Gilles-focused gameplay sample
- Current complete Act 1 sample