V Rising 1.1 boss guide for Leandra the Shadow Priestess, covering location, key attacks, Normal and Brutal Mode strategy, rewards and progression.
Leandra the Shadow Priestess is part of the Risen Ancients V Rising 1.1 boss-guide progression. This guide covers where to find the encounter, the attacks that matter, a practical Normal strategy, Brutal Mode considerations and the progression rewards.
Verified 1.1 level: 47
The Church of the Damned is in northern Dunley Farmlands.
The approach contains undead enemies, including dangerous stronger units. Clear your route before engaging Leandra rather than arriving with several enemies following you.
Her arena contains gravestones that can provide cover against projectiles. Nearby undead summoners should be eliminated before the boss encounter begins.
Don't confuse clearing the approach with attempting to eliminate every undead creature in the wider church area. Your priority is securing a manageable fighting space.
Shadow Bolt
Leandra performs a backhand motion with her left arm and fires a single shadow projectile towards the player.
Counter: Move sideways as the projectile is released or intercept it with a suitable defensive ability.
Shadow Orbs
Her left hand glows purple before she releases three shadow orbs.
The outer projectiles follow curved paths before converging with the central orb. They then detonate in a large area.
Counter: Watch the entire projectile sequence. Avoid moving into the convergence point simply because the initial projectiles have passed.
Summon Shadow Soldier
Leandra raises her left hand and summons a temporary shadow soldier.
After a brief delay, it dashes towards the player, performs one melee attack and disappears.
Counter: Strike it before it reaches you. Any successful damage destroys it.
Summon Shadow Army
Introduced at approximately half health.
Leandra rises into the air, disappears and darkens the edges of your vision. Four shadow soldiers then attack sequentially.
Counter: Concentrate on the approaching shadows rather than searching for Leandra. Destroy or avoid each soldier until she returns.
Brutal: Triple Bolt
Leandra alternates her regular Shadow Bolt with a version that fires three parallel projectiles.
Brutal: Enhanced Shadow Orbs
The detonation also summons a shadow soldier.
Brutal: Enhanced Shadow Army
Five shadow soldiers attack instead of four.
Eliminate nearby undead summoners and any remaining enemies before attacking Leandra.
Start at medium distance and use ranged damage to establish pressure.
Don't spend your movement ability immediately. Her shadow soldiers are easier to handle when you retain a reliable escape option.
Watch Leandra's left-arm animation.
A sideways movement is generally sufficient to avoid the single projectile when you have adequate space.
Use the nearby gravestones for cover when practical.
This is one of the most dangerous attacks because the projectiles do not simply travel in straight lines.
When her hand glows purple, prepare for three orbs.
Move clear of their eventual meeting point and wait for the explosion before returning to your original position.
Do not dodge through the gap between the initial projectiles and assume the attack is finished.
When Leandra summons a soldier, briefly switch targets.
One successful attack can destroy it, preventing the incoming dash.
This is where a fast Sword or Spear becomes particularly valuable.
Don't use your ultimate simply to remove one temporary shadow.
At approximately half health, Leandra begins using Summon Shadow Army.
She disappears, your vision becomes restricted and four soldiers attack one after another.
Surviving the darkness phase
Stop trying to attack Leandra once she disappears.
Watch for the first approaching shadow.
Destroy it with a quick weapon attack or avoid its dash.
Repeat for the remaining three soldiers.
Preserve your defensive spell for an awkward approach.
Resume attacking Leandra once she reappears.
The important detail is that the soldiers attack sequentially. You don't need to defeat all four simultaneously.
Leandra can repeat Summon Shadow Army.
Maintain enough health and defensive resources to survive another darkness sequence.
Attack during her recovery windows, but switch your attention to summoned shadows whenever they appear.
More projectiles and additional shadow soldiers
Brutal difficulty increases the number of threats without fundamentally changing the encounter's objective: eliminate the shadows before they connect.
Mechanic | Normal | Brutal
Shadow Bolt | One projectile | Alternates with three
Shadow Orbs | Three orbs and explosion | Also summons a shadow
Shadow Army | Four soldiers | Five soldiers
Primary defensive concern | Individual shadows | Overlapping threats
Recommended weapon | Fast melee weapon | Fast melee weapon
Keep a fast weapon equipped. The additional soldiers make attack speed especially valuable.
Watch for Triple Bolt. Don't assume every backhand animation produces only one projectile.
Expect a shadow after Shadow Orbs. Avoid the explosion, then immediately prepare to destroy the additional soldier.
Count five soldiers during darkness. Attacking Leandra after the fourth shadow is a particularly avoidable mistake.
Consider two defensive spells. Blood Rite and Discharge provide more flexibility when several attacks overlap.
A community discussion published in April 2026 independently highlights fast weapons, especially Swords and Axes, as useful for this encounter.
Leandra grants a Tier 1 Unholy Spell Point, the Artisan Table, Scourgestone Pendant, Scourgestone and Dusk Caller recipes.
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