Whether you’ve tried taking on the Jailer before and thought he was invincible, or you just want to get a head start in tackling one of the scariest foes in Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, you’re in the right place.
You will encounter the Jailer in Mount Qaf, early into your delve through the Sacred Archives—and I’ll tell you right now, he fights dirty. Here’s how you can take down this behemoth of a prison warden in Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown.
Getting past the optional Jailer encounter in Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
Taking down the Jailer in Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is all about beefing up Sargon, but sadly, that’s not an option during your first run. Your main game plan is to steer clear of the Jailer’s hearing range. If you slip up, dash to the closest exit pronto and slide under him if he tries to block your path.
Chances are most players will get nabbed the first time they face the Jailer, landing them in jail—shock horror. Escaping is a breeze: just break through the boarded-up ceiling on the left side of Sargon’s cell. Once you’re out, you’ll find exits on both the west and east sides of the slammer.
Preparing for the Jailer boss fight in Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
As you progress through The Lost Crown, Sargon will build up a collection of essential time powers—one of which you’ll need is Clairvoyance.
As you find yourself in the room with a snazzy blue portal, it’s puzzle-solving o’clock. Four head-scratching puzzles in the Sacred Archives stand between you and that coveted portal access. Put Sargon’s abilities to good use—leave a double here, air dash there—and conquer those puzzles. Once the mental gymnastics are over, the path to the final portal opens up. Enter it, and voila! Sargon bags the Clairvoyance ability, the fourth of the six Time Powers used to toggle between two world states, perfect for manipulating those pesky purple transparent objects.
But the fun doesn’t end there. Keep climbing, and sooner or later, the Jailer decides to play gatekeeper, blocking your exit from the Sacred Archives. No running away this time: Brace yourself for a climactic showdown with the Jailer.
How to beat the Jailer in Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
Upon entering the expansive arena, your eyes lock onto two raised platforms and a snug alcove below, cunningly lined with menacing red circle block traps. The Jailer, having moved past the phase of capturing you, spots you from afar, with his intentions far more bloodthirsty than before. However, the real challenge unfolds as he summons waves of enemies to intensify the showdown.
Prepare for the initial assault; two Cursed Archers perched on the high platforms and a Cursed Axeman lurking below, which marks the beginning of the first phase of the battle. The Jailer engages in a teleportation dance, chasing you wherever you scamper. Exploit this by creating wide circles around the arena, efficiently dealing with summoned minions while avoiding the Jailer’s pursuit.
Once the minions are dealt with, shift your focus back to the Jailer. If you’ve tangled with him before, you’ll recognize his arsenal—charging thrusts, wild swings, and aerial attacks if you dare to ascend the raised platforms.
Now’s the time to unleash an Athra Surge for substantial damage. Decide whether to reserve it for the next wave of reinforcements or invest it now, based on your Athra buildup speed.
As the Jailer drops to his knees, turning purple and transparent, seize the opportunity to deploy your newfound Time Power in Clairvoyance—swap dimensions and resume the assault.
Acknowledging his inability to escape your relentless pursuit decorated with your array of weapons, the Jailer teleports to a platform and calls in reinforcements. This time, two Rat Assassins grace the high platforms, accompanied by a Djinn below, which signals the initiation of the second phase of the boss fight. Simply employ Clairvoyance to unveil the Djinn’s hiding spot, making it easier to track and eliminate him.
Prioritize overwhelming the Djinn, then tackle the Assassins one by one to avoid a barrage of poison knives from all sides. The two-tailed assassins prove to be more elusive and potent in their attacking prowess, and as much as you have to be careful with both of them, keeping an eye out for the teleporting enemy will do you wonders in avoiding sudden unexpected attacks. Efficiently use Athra Surges like Arash’s Ray to hit multiple targets along a path before refocusing on the Jailer.
As the Jailer kneels for the last time, and you revert to the regular dimension, brace yourself for his final move: The Jailer will summon two Pirates, which begins the third and final phase of the Jailer boss fight. These aggressors demand strategic positioning, and the alcove below could offer a quick escape route.
The Pirates exhibit agility comparable to Sargon’s, making them adept at dodging attacks. Your best bet is getting them into the air and juggling between attacking the two of them to taking them down swiftly. Alternatively, you can easily lure the Pirates close to the Jailer and unleash an Athra Surge like Wind of Sistan, trapping them in a cyclone attack and quickly dealing with survivors, while also making sure you don’t catch a stray hit or two from the Jailer.
With the Jailer gone, you can roam around in the Sacred Archives without worry. Apart from this, there are a couple of actual tangible goodies you receive. Once you’ve taken down the Jailer, you will receive a whole bunch of Time Crystals and the Time Served achievement.
More importantly, however, you receive the Holy Scholarship Key, the item needed to let you enter corridors and rooms guarded with “sensor eyes.”
