Nilandia's Guide to Sanity's Edge - All Bosses, Mechanics, and Strategies

Introduction

Sanity’s Edge is the newest trial for the Elder Scrolls Online, released in June of 2023 as part of the Necrom chapter.

Warlock Vanton of the Mages Guild has fallen under the influence of Ansuul, who inflicts mental torments to break his sanity. She seeks to use his power to cross over into the real world and continue spreading her corruption.

This guide includes information on the enemies, bosses, and mechanics that will be encountered in the trial, as well as some ideas for strategies. They are, however, not the only possible strategies. Groups are encouraged to check out the trial and find out what works for them.

Note: This trial is new, and a lot still has yet to be learned. This information is the best I know of, but it may be incorrect or incomplete at times. Be careful out there! If you have any corrections or feedback, please feel free to send them my way!

Second Note: PC players can use addons that will provide information and alerts to help their gameplay. This guide will not assume addons are being used.

Item Sets

Four item sets can be found in Sanity’s Edge. Each set has a non-perfected version that can be found at the normal trial difficulty. The perfected version can be found in veteran and veteran hard mode difficulty.

Ansuul's Torment

Peace and Serenity

Test of Resolve

Transformative Hope

Achievements

Reaching the Trial

Sanity’s Edge is located in the south of the Telvanni Peninsula, the new land area part of the Necrom chapter. It can be reached by walking to it or porting directly.

Trial Preparations

A group venturing into Veteran Sanity’s Edge will need to have two tanks, two healers, and eight DPS. DPS are encouraged to have shields and/or self-heals for the boss fights. A tank or DPS will be needed to chain adds with the first and final bosses. Ranged interrupts are also helpful for the final boss.

Group composition is less rigid compared to previous trials. A Z’en DK and an EC cro are still helpful, but otherwise, classes and sets may vary depending on group preference. Some groups may run sets and mythics that increase penetration, making Alkosh or crimson less necessary. Arcanists in the group may provide minor courage, so a tank will not need to run Yolnahkriin.

Initial Add Pulls

To enter the trial, the group will approach Warlock Vanton lying on a bed. They will enter his mind and find themselves in a nightmarish version of Alinor, a city in Summerset. Making their way toward the palace, they are accosted by a series of enemies.

Elite Adds

Elite adds have certain attacks specific to each. The most important will be given here. All elite adds have basic attacks that are not mentioned unless they have unique effects.

Butchers

Dual wielding melee fighters found before boss 1 and between bosses 2 and 3. They have about 3.9 mil health.

Weeping Slash: A basic attack which applies Bleeding to the target and may also snare.

Butcher: The butcher’s heavy attack. Depending on whether the attack is blocked, dodged, or shielded, it will apply certain buffs or debuffs identical to those seen in Dreadsail Reef.

• Dodging applies Seethe to the butcher, increasing its damage by 60% for 12 seconds.
• Blocking applies Rattled and Hindered to the blocker for 12 seconds. Rattled decreases damage done by 70% and increases damage taken by 40%. Hindered is a healing debuff that prevents healing until a sufficient amount of HP healing is received.
• Neither blocking nor dodging will apply Devitalized to the target for 8 seconds. Resistances are reduced by 60%, damage taken is increased by 30%, and damage shields are decreased by 30%.

Tectonic Fissure: The butcher conjures a series of 2.5 meter fire AOEs spreading out in an X-shaped pattern from its position. Damage ticks from this AOE ramp up quickly over time.

Ember Chains: The butcher chains 2 group members, pulling them toward him. It is not entirely clear what determines who is chosen, and the ability does not appear to do damage.

Fiery Totem: Soon after the fight starts, the butcher summons a totem that pelts group members with fireballs for about 10 seconds. Fireballs hit one group member at a time and do not appear to do significant damage. The totem has 287k health and can be destroyed or ignored.

Enforcers

Archers found before boss 1 and between bosses 2 and 3. They teleport to a different position a few seconds after the fight begins. They have approximately 2.5 mil health.

Static Rain: About 15 seconds into the fight, the enforcer fires an electric projectile into the sky. Soon after, a series of electric spheres crash into the area. Some of the spheres are focused on specific locations in the area, while others track group members. This attack is much like an electric version of the molten rain summoned by Rockgrove’s ash titan.

Eagle Eye Shot: The enforcer lines up a shot on a single person. This attack appears to target non-tanks and can do significant damage if the target is unprepared.

Paranoxia

A translucent crimson watcher which can be found in trash packs outside of all bosses. They have approximately 2.6 mil health.

Doom-Truth’s Gaze: The paranoxia summons a fan of green eye beams that move upward along the ground in front of it. Anyone hit by the eye beams takes damage, will be stunned, and will need to break free.

Shockwave: The paranoxia spins around and hits anyone near it with its tentacles. Everyone hit is snared, even if blocking. Those who are not blocking are stunned and need to break free.

Tentacle Burst: The paranoxia surrounds itself with green mist and lashes out with its tentacles at anyone close to it. Anyone hit takes damage and is knocked back even if they are blocking.

Wamasu

These lizard-like creatures appear before boss 1 and between bosses 2 and 3. They have approximately 3.6 mil health.

Charge: Soon after the fight begins, the wamasu charges in a particular direction. Anyone hit can take a good amount of damage, especially if they don’t have high resistances, and will be knocked into the air. The wamasu will continue charging about every 15 seconds after that. The wamasu before boss 1 seem to charge toward the tanks, while those between boss 2 and 3 will target a random group member.

Charged Headbutt: The wamasu’s heavy attack. Like Butcher, it will apply Seethe, Rattled, Hindered, or Devitalized depending on whether the attack is dodged, blocked, or shielded.

General Tips

Enforcers should be killed before they use Static Rain. Because they like to teleport, placing a target marker on them might make them easier to follow. Wamasu will charge soon after the fight starts, so be ready to dodge them. Tanks should be aware of the butchers’ heavy attack and the applied debuffs. Paranoxia like to wander between pulls and may show up unexpectedly.

*Map of the pulls before Boss 1

Pull 1: Enforcer and wamasu toward the back right, but the enforcer may wander toward the left.

Pull 2: Butcher toward the front right, but a paranoxia spawns in toward the back left. Groups may choose to move toward the paranoxia spawn point and stack the butcher there.

Pull 3: Wandering paranoxia on the stairs leading upward.

Pull 4: Enforcer at center, flanked by a wamasu on either side.

Pull 5: Enforcer at front right, wamasu center middle, butcher at the far back.

Pull 6: Wamasu center middle, butcher on the back right, enforcer on the back left.

Mini Boss - Spiral Descender

17.6 mil health

The Spiral Descender is a mini boss that appears like a transparent crimson scorion, an arachnid-type daedra. The mini boss appears before boss 1, and again between boss 1 and 2.

Unique to Sanity’s Edge, the Spiral Descender does not have a set spawn location. Instead, it can randomly appear at almost any time, possibly except for the very first add pull in each section. It can, however, appear just after that first add pull. It can appear on its own or with an add pull, sometimes even behind the group. There does not appear to be any way of predicting when it will show up, so be on guard!

Mini Boss Abilities

Lacerate: Basic attack on the target with taunt.

Raze: Heavy attack on the target with taunt. Depending on whether the attack is blocked, shielded, or dodged, it will apply Seethe, Hindered, Rattled, or Devitalized.

Maddening Wail: The spiral descender lifts its head and a red mist surrounds it briefly. 6 group members take significant damage.

Pervade: An attack on the target with taunt that places a red haze on them. They continue to take damage from Mind Rend for 8 seconds, ticking every second, even if the initial attack is fully blocked or shielded.

Disrupting Splinter: The spiral descender fires a projectile at a target, usually the person with taunt. This ability is not used very often and may have more details yet to be uncovered.

Frightening Grasp: The spiral descender pulls all group members toward it, snaring everyone and doing significant damage that appears to scale based on max health. After everyone is pulled in, an AOE begins to fill around the boss. As it does, everyone takes ramping damage from Mortified Mind. The AOE explodes when filled, doing damage with Unbound Horror. Unless the spiral descender is enraged with Seethe or someone is already at low health, the damage can usually be blocked without dying.

Ruin: This ability has two parts. The spiral descender attacks in a front-facing conal AOE approximately every 0.35 seconds over a 2.5 second period. At the same time, the mini boss sends a series of AOEs in all directions.

Summons

When no other enemies remain with the spiral descender, it is surrounded by a crimson haze and begins to summon adds. In general, 3 spiral shalks and 1 spiral incarnate are summoned together. About 20 seconds later, another group may begin to arrive. The summoned adds despawn when the mini boss is killed.

Spiral Incarnate

This add appears similar to a bone goliath, but transparent crimson and carrying a two-handed sword.

Quick Strike: Basic attack on the target with taunt. Anyone hit will receive a bleed that is refreshed on subsequent hits.

Thrash: Heavy attack on the target with taunt, appearing like an uppercut.

Waves of Fire: This ability is not used very frequently. The incarnate swings its sword and hurls a wave of fire along the ground which appears as a single AOE and moves in a straight line toward the target of the ability, hitting anyone in its path. The target may be the person with taunt, but other people have been observed to be targeted. At least two waves will be sent out, about 3 seconds apart.

Spiral Shalk

Bite: Basic attack on the target with taunt.

Fire Bite: A heavy attack on the target with taunt which may apply hamstrung.

Flamethrower: The shalk breathes an AOE cone of fire focused on the target with taunt.

Burning Ground: This ability is not used very frequently. It appears that it may be a fire AOE on the ground, channeled for 4 seconds.

Combustion: When the shalk falls to very low health, it will erupt in a fire AOE and explode. The shalks may explode very quickly one after another, making it even more dangerous.

Possible Strategies

In many cases, the spiral descender can be handled by having the main tank hold it with the rest of the group stacking behind. The off tank can work on wrangling the adds and keeping the shalks away from the main tank when they explode.

Because the mini boss can spawn in with add pulls, the strategy may have to change if there are a large number of elite adds. For example, the main tank can hold the mini boss while the off tank can stack the other adds on the main boss for cleave. However, some adds should not be stacked on the mini boss. This includes the disruptor which appears after boss 1.

Groups are encouraged to be flexible and ready to respond to changing situations due to the randomness of the mini boss spawn.

Boss 1 - Exarchanic Yaselya

65.2 mil health (veteran), 97.8 mil health (HM)

Exarchanic Yaselya has a massive grudge against mages, and she takes it out on anyone who tries to help them, including the group. She wields two swords and fights with knives, bombs, chains, archers, and trained wamasu.

Fight Phases

The fight with Exarchanic Yaselya proceeds through phases determined by the boss’s health. Each given percentage indicates when certain adds or mechanics spawn.

Boss Abilities

Exarchanic Yaseyla tends to use her abilities on cooldown, depending on priority. However, she usually opens with Chain Pull and/or Knife Blast.

Slash: Basic attack on the target with taunt. Anyone targeted by the attack, regardless of whether they took damage, will bleed from Hemorrhage for 8 seconds, ticking every second. Targets may potentially also be slowed by Hamstrung.

Chain Pull: Yaselya hurls chains at 3 group members, pinning them in place. Those targeted can break free, but they will bleed from Hemorrhage for 8 seconds, ticking every second. If they do not break free, they are pulled to the boss 2 seconds after initially being pinned and will still take damage from Hemorrhage.

*A character targeted by Chain Pull. She is glowing red due to having gone into portals, which is explained later.

Fire Bomb: Yaselya tosses a cluster of bombs near her. AOEs fill to show where the bombs will explode a couple seconds later. Anyone in the AOE explosion will take damage from Fire Bomb and will be set on fire. They will continue to take heavy, ramping damage from Ignite, ticking every half second. They will also have an AOE around them, which will set on fire and deal damage from Ignite to any other player within it, much like the fire from keelcutters in Dreadsail Reef.

The fire bomb AOEs will linger for about 20 seconds.  Anyone stepping into the AOE left by the fire bombs will take damage from Fire Bomb, be set on fire with Ignite, and can spread that Ignite.

The boss will toss increasing numbers of bombs through the fight, starting with 3 and increasing to 5 in later fight phases. The boss tosses bombs approximately every 25 seconds at the start of the fight, but speeds up as the fight continues. In later phases, she tosses them every 15 seconds, or even faster.

*Exarchanic Yaselya’s fire bombs will explode when the AOEs fill, but the fire persists for 20 seconds.

*Being in the fire AOEs will set a person on fire, which can easily spread to other group members.

Frost Bomb: Yaselya places a frost bomb on the person closest to her who doesn't have taunt on her. Healers or even another tank may be targeted. An AOE begins to fill around them, a blue and white target marker appears above their heads, and their screen turns blue.

When the AOE explodes after 5 seconds, anyone in the AOE takes damage from Frost bomb (or Frostbomb) and is encased in a pillar of ice. They continue to take damage from Frostbite, ticking every second, and can only be released from the ice by being fully healed. The victims must be freed within 8 seconds, or they will die to Icy Collapse.

One person is targeted by this ability before the boss hits 50% health. After that, two people are targeted. Frost Bomb appears to have about 30 seconds or more between casts.

*A player targeted for a frost bomb. The screen turns blue, a blue and white marker appears above their head, and an AOE fills at their feet.

*After the AOE explodes, the person is encased in ice, which they must be healed out of.

Hamstrung Strike: A conal attack aimed in the direction of the target with taunt. Anyone hit by it takes the Armor Shred debuff, reducing their armor for 5 seconds. Anyone hit who is not blocking will take the Hamstrung Strike debuff, slowing them for 5 seconds. There appears to be at least 10 seconds between uses.

*The conal AOE as Exarchanic Yaselya uses Hamstrung Strike

Knife Blast: A large AOE quickly fills around the boss. When the AOE is filled, the boss jumps in place and hurls knives at everyone in the AOE. This damage is potentially enough to one-shot a healer or DPS if they are not prepared. Anyone hit by this ability bleeds from Hemorrhage for 8 seconds, ticking every second. Targets may also be Hamstrung, slowing them for 5 seconds. There appears to be at least 15 seconds between uses.

*Exarchanic Yaselya prepares Knife Blast as the wamasu charges away.

Vengeful Strike: The boss’s heavy attack on the target with taunt. The target will bleed from Hemorrhage for 8 seconds, ticking every second. The attack will also apply Seethe, Hindered, Rattled, or Devitalized, depending on whether it is dodged, blocked, or shielded. There appears to be at least 20 seconds between uses.

Adds

Contramagis Wamasu

7.7 mil health (vet)
13.4 mil health (HM)

The wamasu starts with a Charge a few seconds after it enters the fight. It then uses a rotation of:

• Charged Headbutt
• Overwhelming Lightning
• Charge
• Repeat

This rotation is not 100% guaranteed, but it is the general tendency.

Bite: Basic attack on the target with taunt.

Charge: The wamasu targets a random person in the group as an AOE grows underneath it. When the AOE fills completely, the wamasu charges in a straight line at the location where the person was when they were targeted. After being targeted, the person can move out of the way and the wamasu will not track their new location.

The wamasu will trample anyone in their way, even if they are not the target. Anyone surviving a hit from the charge will be knocked back and stunned, from which they will need to break free. Blocking will not prevent being knocked back.

This ability is used about every 20-25 seconds.

NOTE: Currently, the wamasu will bug out if it attempts to charge someone who is dead. The wamasu will continue charging, change course, and begin to use its lightning breath even while running. The wamasu is extremely dangerous when this happens, so be careful!

*The wamasu has chosen a target and will charge when the AOE fills.

Charged Headbutt: The wamasu’s heavy attack, targeting the person with taunt. This attack will apply Seethe, Rattled, Hindered, or Devitalized, depending on whether it is blocked, dodged, or shielded. It is generally used about every 20-25 seconds.

Overwhelming Lightning: The wamasu breathes a huge cone of lightning in front of it for about 10 seconds. The lightning cone ticks every half second and can do severe damage to any non-tanks. At the same time, small, circular lightning AOEs travel away from the wamasu in all directions. These can also do significant damage to a non-tank from Lightning Arc.

This ability is used about every 20-25 seconds.

NOTE: The wamasu is notorious for turning around abruptly while using this ability. It’s not certain what is causing it, but it may be due to height differences in terrain.

*The wamasu’s Overwhelming Lightning is even more dangerous when it is enraged, as seen here. One of the lightning AOEs can be seen behind the wamasu, traveling toward the doorway.

Contramagis Archer

287k health (vet)
503k health (HM)

Quick Shot: Basic ranged attack. A person interrupting True Shot appears to often become the target for Quick Shot.

True Shot: The archer spends 7 seconds lining up a shot. During this time, the archer must be interrupted, or their attack will one-shot their target. It will instantly kill anyone, even a tank, and the attack cannot be dodged. A person who is targeted will have a red and white target marker over their head, and the archer targeting them will have the same marker.

*A person targeted by True Shot will have a red and white icon over their head.

*The archer’s True Shot an instant before killing its target

Horror

316k health (vet and HM)

Horrors appear with a set of archers when the boss is at 60% and 35% health. They are invisible and cannot be interacted with unless using the portals.

Torment: Horrors conjure small red clouds that drift around the arena. They are invulnerable and cannot be interacted with. Coming into contact with them does moderate damage and stuns a person, forcing them to break free.

*Torments drift through the area when horrors are active.

Portals: Each horror tethers itself to one of the archers, turning the archer red and causing them to be invulnerable. The archers continue to use their usual attacks while invulnerable, including True Shot.

Simultaneously, four ‘portals’ appear around the area. They appear like a sphere of white light hovering a couple feet off the ground, accompanied by a green ring on the ground below it. Moving into the green ring and synergizing causes a person’s screen to become hazy and take on a dark red cast, a phenomenon known as Vanton’s Clarity. While the person does not actually go to a different place, they are now able to see and fight the horrors.

Each person can kill one horror before their sight returns to normal, at which time the Agony debuff will be placed on them for 2 minutes. While Agony is active, they will not be able to see or interact with other portals, and their character turns slightly red. If someone dies while in the portal, the portal re-appears at the location where they died. They will not have Agony placed on them, so they would be able to re-enter the portal if needed.

*Head to the portals to find and kill the horrors.

*While in portals, a person’s screen turns red and slightly hazy, and the horrors tethered to archers are now visible.

Possible Strategies

The hallmark of this boss fight at the moment appears to be chaos. Between a wamasu charging through the group, bombs setting people on fire or sealing them in ice, and archers sniping people from the corners, there is hardly a moment to think.

It is crucial for the group to be able to direct their DPS at the correct target. Like other fights in recent years, simply trying to burn the boss causes the group to have to deal with multiple mechanics at once. One wamasu is a pain, but two wamasu are most often deadly.

In general, the boss is the last priority for this fight. Archers are typically the first priority, as they can one-shot a person if the group isn’t careful. Wamasu are next to keep them from continually charging the group. An experienced group may attempt to burn the boss along with the adds, but it is risky in many cases.

Several boss positioning strategies may be worth considering. Some may prefer to have one tank hold the main boss while the off tank holds the wamasu. The off tank can choose to hold the wamasu far away from the boss to minimize cleave, or near the boss so there is some cleave. This is generally the “safer” strat, as it lessens the possibility of burning the boss too quickly and having other mechanics accumulate. On the other hand, the main tank needs room to move to get out of the fire bomb AOEs.

A strategy used by some groups has the tank holding the boss toward the center of the arena where she can be attacked in cleave with the adds. The tank moves her toward the outside when she is about to toss her fire bombs to minimize the risk they pose. The tank then moves her back to the center after the bombs go out. This strategy requires a constant awareness of the time until the next fire bombs will go out.

Another possibility is to have one tank hold both the boss and wamasu together, with the boss taking damage in cleave. This is more efficient, but also has more risk. The tank holding both also obviously takes more damage, though this can be mitigated through various means.

Archers should be the top priority, and it is common for groups to have someone designated to chain archers in for the group to bring down. A tank or even a DPS may have this responsibility. The archers during portal phase are briefly vulnerable to being chained for a few seconds after spawning in. Be aware that interrupting the archers makes them unable to be chained for a couple seconds, so chaining before interrupting may be preferable. Regardless, everyone in the group should be helping to interrupt where possible.

Groups should designate 2 portal teams of 4 DPS each. The first group will take the first set of portals at 60%, while the second group will use the set at 35%. This helps prevent having to wait for the Agony debuff to wear off of the people who used the first set of portals, and also helps to get the Positive Visualization achievement.

Hard Mode

There are few mechanical differences for hard mode. Damage is increased, and all of the enemies except the horrors have increased health. Wamasu charges in hard mode are now one-shots, even for tanks.

Beyond that, the only additional mechanic is that of Shrapnel (Deflect as the active ability) where the boss flings shrapnel at the entire group. Damage ticks about every 0.3 seconds for 10 seconds and can be dodged, blocked, or shielded. Damage can be severe for DPS, making this ability a heal check. In addition, an AOE surrounds the boss, and anyone stepping into that AOE takes damage from Furious Slash, also about every 0.3 seconds.

Shrapnel is used at 80% and 55%. Beginning at 25%, the boss will use Shrapnel on cooldown, about 50 seconds between uses.

*Exarchanic Yaseyla swings her swords wildly as she uses Shrapnel.

Possible Hard Mode Strategies

Strategies are similar in HM as compared to regular vet. The addition of Shrapnel makes it all the more vital not to push the boss too far and to be stacked with the healers. People in portal will be away from their healers but can still be hit by Shrapnel, so groups should complete portals at 60% before pushing to Shrapnel at 55%.

Between Boss 1 and Boss 2

After killing Exarchanic Yaselya, the group passes through a portal and enters an alternate version of Wrothgar in Orsinium. They will encounter more packs of adds, with three more elite adds being introduced: the disruptor, the gryphon, and the voidmaster.

Remember, the spiral descender mini boss will appear at some point!

New Elite Adds

Disruptor

A melee elite carrying a single dagger and nothing in the off-hand. It has approximately 3.5 mil health.

Fulminating Flare: Essentially a heal check. The disruptor targets 4 group members who do not have taunt. Those targeted take initial damage from Fulminating Flare and have a red haze surround them. They continue to take ramping damage from Roiling Fulmination for 10 seconds. This ability is first used approximately 5 seconds after the start of combat and about every 14-15 seconds after that.

Vehement Preservation: The disruptor raises their weapon and a red AOE surrounds their feet. Any enemies within the aura take approximately 85% reduced damage. Disruptors also deal approximately 60% increased damage. The aura remains in place for 15 seconds. This ability is used approximately 10 seconds after the start of combat, and then approximately 10 seconds after each aura fades.

Gryphon

A creature combining the head of an eagle with the body of a lion. It has about 2.6 mil health and fights using melee abilities similar to those used by gryphons outside the trial.

Slashing Talon: Basic attack at the target with taunt, but may also have some amount of cleave.

Riposte: The gryphon rears up and drops back down with a conal attack focused on the person with taunt.

Aeriel Pounce [sic]: The gryphon pounces on a group member. If it hits, the group member is knocked down and the gryphon begins tearing into them using Feast. Feast does ramping damage over 2.75 seconds, ticking every 0.5 seconds.

Voidmaster

A spellcaster carrying a staff. It has about 2.9 mil health.

Bludgeon: Heavy attack on the target with taunt, used about every 12-13 seconds. Another attack that applies Seethe, Rattled, Hindered, or Devitalized depending on whether the attack is blocked, dodged, or shielded.

Reaper Hounds: About 12-14 seconds after the fight begins, the voidmaster summons 3 reaper hounds, each with 845k health. After 3 seconds, each hound is surrounded by a red light and will charge a member of the group. Reaching that person, they erupt in an AOE called Fetch. This ability can potentially do severe damage to a non-tank while knocking people back if they aren’t blocking. The hounds disappear soon after, but may be killed before they can use Fetch.

Void Crash: About 4-5 seconds into the fight, the voidmaster targets two members of the group. An AOE is placed at their location, which detonates 2 seconds later. Anyone hit by the AOE will be snared for 4 seconds. The AOEs persist for about 20 seconds and continually do damage once per second unless the voidmaster is killed first. While active, they may also periodically send smaller AOEs in 8 directions. The damage can generally be healed through unless someone stands in multiple AOEs at once.

General Tips

The types of elite adds in this section are slightly different. There are no butchers, enforcers, or wamasu. Instead, add pulls can have disruptors, gryphons, voidmasters, and paranoxia, in addition to the random mini boss spawn.

The group should focus the voidmasters to kill them before they summon the reaper hounds and to remove the Void Crash AOEs. Always be on alert for the reaper hounds and be ready to block or dodge when they charge.

Healers should be ready to heal group members through the DoT disruptors place on them. The off-tank can pull the disruptors out of the stack to prevent them from shielding the other adds if the group isn’t prepared to kill the disruptor in the 10 seconds before it raises the damage shield.

If a pull has two disruptors, the group can approach it like the bulwarks in Kyne’s Aegis. Have the off-tank pull them both to the side. Once all the other adds are down, the main tank takes one of them so the group can focus them down one at a time.

Pull 1: Voidmaster at the top of the hill, 1 gryphon beside the voidmaster, 1 wandering gryphon.

Pull 2: Paranoxia, potentially wandering between add pulls. Pulling the paranoxia can also aggro nearby pulls if it is too close, especially pull 3.

Pull 3: Gryphon to the left, disruptor wandering around the left side, gryphon at the center rear, voidmaster around the corner on the right.

Pull 4: Disruptor on the left, voidmaster wandering around the right side, two gryphons toward the back. Groups with higher damage may stack the voidmaster on the disruptor to burn both.

Pull 5: Wandering paranoxia, may also be encountered with other add pulls.

Pull 6: Disruptor back left, another disruptor wandering between back left and back right, voidmaster and gryphon back right, another gryphon front right.

Pull 7: Two voidmasters at the bottom right of the stairs, disruptor and gryphon at the top right of the stairs, another gryphon at the bottom left of the stairs.

Boss 2 - Archwizard Twelvane and the Chimera

Twelvane: 17.5 mil health (veteran), 34.9 mil health (HM)
Chimera: 46.6 mil health (veteran), 93.1 mil health (HM)

Archwizard Twelvane, who originally asked the group for help with Vanton’s situation, now bars the way. She claims to have created a powerful creature to help the Mages Guild, the chimera.

This fight takes place in three phases. First, the group will need to deal with Archwizard Twelvane. When she is defeated, the group splits into three different rooms where they fend off an aspect of the archwizard while solving a puzzle. After the puzzles are solved, the group reunites to contend with the chimera itself. If the chimera is not killed quickly enough, it returns to stone and the group must solve the puzzles again to continue the fight.

At the beginning, Archwizard Twelvane has three constellations around her head. They represent one of the three animals comprising the chimera: the lion, the gryphon, and the wamasu.

Each constellation is depicted in a stone relief set at the edge of the room, flanked by banners of the animal the constellation represents. The lion is to the left of the entrance, the gryphon directly across, and the wamasu to the right. A circular stone pad is set on the ground in front of each stone relief, and these pads will become important in phase 2 of the fight.

Phase 1 - Archwizard Twelvane

The archwizard unsurprisingly fights using magic, though sometimes she uses her staff as a melee weapon. Her spells are themed on fire, ice, and lightning. Of her abilities, the most dangerous are circles of lightning moving across the floor, which she conjures near the start of the fight and periodically after.

Twelvane's Abilities

Clobber, Hammer, Strike: Twelvane’s melee attacks using her staff. Though not as flashy, they are still quite potent and can potentially one-shot a DPS.

Blizzard: Twelvane holds her hand towards the ground. For about 3 seconds, she sends a series of ice AOEs fanning out from her in all directions. Those hit take damage and may be stuck in place by ice for 4 seconds, but they can roll dodge to break free.

*Blizzard’s ice AOEs fan across the ground.

Circle of Immolation: Twelvane raises her staff skyward and begins to channel a ring of fire around her. Keep outside of the ring to avoid damage. She channels this ability for 7 seconds, during which time she does not take any other actions.

*Stay either inside or outside of the Circle of Immolation to avoid getting burned.

Coruscating Field: The most dangerous ability of this phase. Twelvane slams the butt of her staff into the ground and summons a series of circular lightning AOEs, each centered on the location where a group member is standing. These circles slowly travel along the ground toward the group member closest to them and will periodically change to another person if they are closer. The lightning circles do Coruscating Arc damage that ticks about every 0.8-1 second and quickly ramps up over time.

The boss continues summoning additional lightning circles as the fight continues, with at least 30 seconds in between casts.

*Twelvane summons the Coruscating Field.

Entropic Flare: This ability is not used very often, so the information is not certain. It appears to be a violet flare the boss shoots at a target from the end of her staff. It seems to be a conal attack, and other people may be caught in cleave. Damage to the primary target can be quite high if they are not a tank.

Firestorm Simulacrum: Twelvane raises her hand and summons simulacra made from fire to attack the group. She waits at least 30 seconds before summoning additional simulacra. Simulacra have a single ability, Firestorm. They use it to hurl fireballs at one random group member about every 0.5 seconds. The damage is not very high, so they are not of great concern. Simulacra have 575k health and take a constant 9.5k damage per second from Fiery Consumption, so they will eventually dissipate on their own.

*Twelvane calls on simulacra to attack the party.

Ice Cage: Twelvane summons rings of ice on the ground around randomly chosen group members. These ice rings remain stationary after being summoned. Walking or running across the ice cage will cause damage and slow a person for 2 seconds.

Lightning Rod Slam: Twelvane spins her staff end over end, winds up, and slams it onto her target. The initial target takes significant damage from Lightning Rod Slam, which can easily one-shot a non-tank. At the same time, a number of lightning AOEs appear at the location where group members are standing. These AOEs detonate in 1 second, doing damage with Attracted Arc to anyone in them. It is possible to move out of the AOEs before they detonate, even for one of the targeted people. Someone in multiple AOEs will take damage from each.

*Twelvane comes crashing down with Lightning Rod Slam.

*Random group members have a lightning AOE detonate soon after Lightning Rod Slam is used.

Racing Flames: Twelvane holds her hand out and sends out streams of fire in all directions. These streams of fire appear like small fire salamanders, and the mage moves in a counterclockwise direction when sending them out.

*Twelvane conjures Racing Flames along the ground.

Shadeway: This ability is not used very often, and the details are still uncertain. Twelvane swings her staff in an arc around her body for about a second, and a crimson haze surrounds someone. It appears that the target of the ability takes damage over time, but the dot can possibly be transferred to another player in a few circumstances such as the dot carrier’s death. It also appears that Shadeway can stun a person, requiring them to break free.

Phase 2 - Puzzle Room

Archwizard Twelvane disappears when she’s brought to 0 HP, but the fight has just begun. To start phase 2, each group member has the image of one of the constellations appear above their heads. If there is a way to choose which constellation a person will receive, it is not yet widely known. The constellations in the stone slabs in the wall begin to glow, and each group member hears the archwizard call on the animal that matches their constellation.

Each group member must go to the stone circular pad in front of the constellation matching the one above their head. Move onto the pad to enter a portal to a separate room with an aspect of Archwizard Twelvane which cannot be killed. This aspect will attack the group with spells of a specific element. The lion room has fire, the gryphon has ice, and the wamasu has lightning.

Each group member has 15 seconds to get to their assigned puzzle room, or they will be killed by the Radiance ability.

*Look for the stone pad marked with the constellation matching the symbol over your head. Step onto the pad to go through the portal to the puzzle room.

*Aspects of the archwizard wait for the groups in each puzzle room.

While trying to avoid the mage, the group must solve a puzzle to escape the room. Crystals are set on pedestals along the walls of the room, 4 in regular vet and 5 in hard mode. These crystals will rise off of the pedestals in a specific order and then set back down. When the crystals rise once more, the group will shatter them in the order they originally lifted from the pedestals. A light attack will break the crystals, even if wearing the new Velothi mythic, and an attack from a ranged weapon usually works best.

*Two crystals have risen from the pedestals on the left while showing the correct sequence. The crystal on the far right remains on its pedestal.

*The crystal on the left has been broken, while the right remains intact.

If the crystals are broken in the proper order and within about 10 seconds, the group will receive a message of “asterism aligned” and they will be returned to the main room. If they break the crystals out of order, they receive a message of “asterism misaligned,” and the crystals restart the sequence of lifting from the pedestals in order. If they take too long to break the crystals, they receive a message of “entropic collapse,” and the crystals also restart the sequence.

Any group that finishes their puzzle before the others will return to the main room and will be assigned the constellation of another animal. This lets them enter one of the other rooms to help their group mates. The phase continues until all puzzles are solved.

Abilities of Twelvane's Aspects

In general, the aspects use abilities which are identical to those used by the original archwizard. The abilities each aspect uses will be from one specific element, or will be melee abilities like Clobber, Hammer, and Strike.

The aspect in the lion room will use fire abilities, including Circle of Immolation, Firestorm Simulacrum, and Racing Flames. The aspect in the gryphon room will use ice abilities, including Blizzard and Ice Cage. The aspect in the wamasu room will use lightning abilities, including Coruscating Field and Lightning Rod Slam.

Additionally, each aspect has a new ability. Depending on the room, it is known as Flare, Ice Arrow, or Shock. It is a ranged attack that usually hits one person but appears like it can hit other people as well.

Phase 3 - The Chimera

*The animated chimera, covered in glowing sigils that are symbols of the Mages Guild

When all three puzzles have been solved, the group returns to the main area, and the chimera statue at the center of the room comes to life. It leaps down from its pedestal, the first time by the entrance door and subsequent times in front of the animal whose puzzle was last completed. Now the main fight begins. Like Twelvane, the chimera has melee attacks along with attacks using fire, lightning, and ice.

The group has 90 seconds to kill the chimera before it returns to stone. During this phase, ascendant versions of the lion, gryphon, and wamasu will attack the party. One will spawn 30 seconds after the chimera appears, with another 30 seconds later, and the final 30 seconds later as the chimera returns to stone.

The ascendant versions tend to spawn in a clockwise order, such as lion to gryphon, gryphon to wamasu, and wamasu to lion. They will spawn on the pad by their matching constellation.

Killing the ascendant animals will re-open the portal to the associated puzzle room, and the 4 people closest to the killed animal will be assigned to go there. Because the assigned people must go into the portal within 15 seconds, killing an ascendant animal before the chimera returns to stone may cause group members to have to leave during the fight with the boss.

Once the chimera turns to stone, killing the ascendant animals and going back into portals is the only way to continue the fight.

The Chimera's Abilities

The chimera has a general rotation for its non-basic abilities.

• Chain Lightning
• Arctic Shred
• Maul
• Lightning Bolt
• Arctic Shred
• Inferno
• Repeat

The basic attacks are interspersed with the given rotation. The rotation is not 100% ironclad. The chimera will occasionally not use Lightning Bolt, for example.

Basic attacks on the target with taunt include Bite, Chomp, Peck, Quick Stirke [sic], and Stab.

Chain Lightning: The wamasu head rears up and lightning gathers in its mouth. A line of lightning connects the wamasu head with its target, and from the target to the 5 closest group members. After 3 seconds, the wamasu head releases the lightning at its target. The target and the 5 linked group members take damage from Chain Circuit that appears to scale with max health. This places a 2.5 meter radius AOE around each person that detonates after 2 seconds. The person with the AOE on them and anyone in the AOE will take damage from Chain Burst. A person can take damage multiple times from the same Chain Lightning if in multiple AOEs.

Chain Lightning is used approximately every 20 seconds.

*The chimera prepares Chain Lightning. A line of lightning connects the wamasu head to the tank directly in front of it. More lightning connects the group members who will get hit by Chain Circuit when Chain Lightning is cast.

*Chain Burst detonates a couple seconds later, centered on the people hit by Chain Circuit.

Arctic Shred: The gryphon head breathes a cloud of ice and lays a small AOE at the location where the target stands. The initial attack will do damage using Arctic Blast, but entering or remaining in the AOE will do damage with Arctic Shred once per second. Taking damage from Arctic Shred will also place a debuff on the player for 10 seconds, stacking and refreshing each time the damage is taken. Each stack increases damage taken by the player.

*The gryphon uses Arctic Shred, placing an ice AOE where the tank is standing.

Maul: The heavy attack as the chimera swipes a paw at its target.

*The chimera Mauls its target.

Lightning Bolt: The wamasu head rears up and calls down lightning on the target with taunt which may also hit nearby people. The lightning quickly spreads to all group members and deals damage a second later with Attracted Bolt, but they have a 3 meter radius AOE around them. Anyone who is in someone else’s AOE will take damage from their Attracted Bolt as well.

*The first part of Lightning Bolt, striking the entire group.

*AOEs surround all group members, which will detonate a second later.

Inferno: The lion’s head opens its mouth and sweeps a cone of fire in front of it, damaging anyone who is too close with Inferno about every 0.8 seconds. At the same time, the chimera calls meteors to fall individually on each group member. The meteors initially track each person, but will lock onto a location just before hitting the ground. This allows the person to dodge out of the way of the meteor at the last second.

Anyone who is hit by Sunburst and is not blocking will be knocked to the ground for 2 seconds. They may need to break free. The meteors leave behind a 3.5 meter radius Sizzling Crater that will persist even after the chimera returns to stone. Anyone entering these craters will take ramping damage ticking every second.

*The conal AOE appears as the lion’s head prepares to breathe fire.

*The lion’s head sweeps its fire breath from left to right in front of it.

*AOEs warn of the incoming meteors, which will persist when the meteor hits the ground.

*Meteors fall on all group members.

Ascendant Animal Abilities

All of the ascendant animals have 3.89 mil health in regular vet and 7.76 mil health in hard mode.

Gryphon

Eviscerate: The gryphon rears up on its hind legs and comes back down with a conal AOE attack using its claws. This attack can be a one-shot on a non-tank.

Peck: Basic attack on the target with taunt.

Talon Slice: Basic attack on the target with taunt.

Wind Lance: The gryphon briefly lifts into the air and sends a series of small circular AOEs of churning air moving away from in front of it. A person can easily take damage multiple times in quick succession as the AOEs move over them.

*The gryphon uses Wind Lance, sending AOEs out in front of it.

Lion

Claw: Basic attack on the target with taunt. It may inflict Hamstrung for 5 seconds.

Double Strike: The lion’s heavy attack as it lifts up on its hind legs and attacks its target with both front feet.

Pride’s Call: The ascendant lion lifts its head and roars, summoning 2 lions made of fire. The fire lions use the Claw and Rend abilities, but appear to do fire damage instead of physical damage. The lions have 287k health in regular vet and 575k health in hard mode. They remain until killed.

Rend: Basic attack on the target with taunt. It may inflict Hamstrung for 5 seconds.

Wamasu

Bite: Basic attack on the target with taunt.

Impending Storm: The wamasu lifts up on its hind legs and comes back down, sending 8 small lightning AOEs moving slowly away in all directions. These AOEs can do heavy damage to anyone in them.

Repulsion Shock: The wamasu breathes a cone of lightning in front of it for 3 seconds. This ability seems to have a 15 second cooldown.

Shed Lightning: The wamasu stomps the ground. All group members within 50 meters are struck by lightning twice.

Possible Strategies

A number of different strategies could be used, depending on what the group is comfortable with.

Phase 1 - Twelvane

The most pressing issue is dealing with the lightning circles. Most of the possible strategies involve designating at least one person to kite them while the rest of the group focuses the boss.

One possible strategy is to have the group stack closely on the boss until the lightning circles go out. The group then runs away, dragging the boss with them, leaving the lightning circles behind as the circles travel much more slowly. The off-tank remains behind to kite them.

Another possible strategy is to have the main tank hold the boss in place and the DPS stack behind the boss. When the lightning circles appear, the healers and the off-tank step in to kite them away from the group, with the main tank and DPS staying in place.

Of the two general strategies, moving away while the off-tank kites the circles could be considered the simpler and easier of the two, but it may be more time intensive.

Phase 2 - Puzzle Rooms

No method as yet has been found to force specific people to be assigned to certain rooms during the first room assignments. For the moment it appears to be random. However, it appears to remain the same from one pull to the next, if the group should wipe.

Because there are 2 tanks and 2 healers, each run will have at least 1 room with no tank and at least 1 room with no healer. DPS should plan their builds on the assumption that they might not have a tank or a healer. A strong self-heal is therefore likely very useful, even for tanks.

Given that there will be 3 smaller groups all solving a very similar puzzle, making callouts of the puzzle solutions in voice chat might lead to confusion. Groups might instead have people state that they will be solving the puzzle in specific rooms, or give the answer in text chat.

Phase 3 - The Chimera

Soft stacking is the name of the game. Soft stack to catch heals but don’t overlap your AOEs from Chain Lightning or Lightning Bolt.

Meteors leave behind a crater that doesn’t go away during the entire phase. Make sure everyone drops their meteors as far from the group as possible to keep the fighting area clear.

Otherwise, have the tank hold the chimera, moving out of the Arctic Shred AOE as necessary. Have the other tank hold the animals out of the way so they don’t die before the chimera. You want your group on the boss as long as possible.

If the chimera returns to stone, make sure to send the tanks and healers to the rooms you want them in by having them be closest to the associated animal when they die. In general, the lion (fire) and wamasu (lightning) are more dangerous than the gryphon (ice), but the group may wish to have at least one support in all of the rooms.

Hard Mode

Much like boss 1, hard mode mechanics are generally not sharply different from regular veteran. Everything hits harder, and everything except for the simulacra has more health.

The archwizard will summon 3 lightning circles in hard mode, compared to 2 circles in regular vet. The ascendant lion will summon 3 fire lions in hard mode, compared to 2 in regular vet. The ascendant lion will summon new fire lions when 2 fire lions are killed, meaning that 1 will remain in hard mode when 3 more are summoned. More will continually arrive when more are killed.

The most notable difference in hard mode involves the chimera’s Chain Lightning. In hard mode, the initial target of Chain Lightning and the 5 people closest to the target take damage from Chain Burst 2 seconds later. People hit by Chain Burst also receive the Circuit Charge debuff for 30 seconds. Their screen turns dark and they have a tongue of fire mingled with red lightning flashing in the air above their head.

If anyone has the Circuit Charge debuff active - received from the delayed portion of Chain Lightning - taking damage from Chain Circuit, the initial hit from Chain Lightning, will instantly kill a person with over 1.5 million damage.

*With the Circuit Charge debuff, a person’s screen becomes darker, and their character has a mixture of fire and red lightning over their head. The icon at the bottom left indicates the debuff is present.

Possible Hard Mode Strategies

The Circuit Charge debuff, which marks a person for death if they get hit by Chain Lightning, lasts for 30 seconds. The chimera uses Chain Lightning about every 20 seconds, meaning that a tank cannot hold the boss indefinitely. A tank swap is needed for them to survive.

Because each use of Chain Lightning will hit the 5 people closest to the initial target regardless of range, the only way to avoid a death when a person has the debuff is to not be one of the targets when it is cast.

One of the possible strategies for the chimera is to divide the group into two half-groups. Each half-group will have a tank, a healer, and 4 DPS. When the chimera revives, each half-group positions itself on either end of the creature, one at the head and the other at the tail.

The idea is that one tank will taunt the chimera until that half-group receives the debuff from Chain Lightning. The other tank will then taunt the chimera, turning it around to face the other half-group. In doing so, the next use of Chain Lightning will hit the second half-group, preventing the first half-group from getting hit.

The tanks will continue trading taunt of the chimera after each Chain Lightning until the chimera is killed or returns to stone.

This strategy requires that no one die during the fight, or that they are raised before Chain Lightning goes off. It is vital that there are enough targets so no one with the debuff will get hit.

All other aspects of strategy from regular veteran remain in place, including soft stacking and taking meteors out to the edge of the fight area.

*Diagram of possible half-group stacks for Chimera hard mode, courtesy of Skinny Cheeks

Between Boss 2 and Boss 3

After killing the chimera, the group passes through a portal into the third phase of Warlock Vanton’s torments. The landscape is far more fragmented than before, perhaps reflecting Vanton’s fragmenting sanity.

There are no more spiral descender mini bosses, but an additional elite add is introduced in this section. All adds have taken on a spectral appearance, including add types that have been seen earlier in the trial.

New Elite Add - The Summoner

Arcanist elite with approximately 3.9 million health.

Meteor from Beyond: The summoner repeatedly raises their arms to the sky, calling down a series of meteors in the area. The meteors strike about every 1.2-1.3 seconds over the 5 second duration. The damage can be dodged, blocked, or shielded.

Seeking Runescrawl: Similar to the arcanist’s ability, the summoner hurls a green projectile at the target with taunt.

Tentacular Flail: Much like the arcanist’s ability, the summoner lashes out with a cluster of tentacles in front of them. It is focused on the target with taunt, but is an AOE that may also hit other people. Anyone hit takes damage and is immobilized for 2 seconds.

Summons

At 15 seconds and 30 seconds, the summoner summons an additional spectral add. The first type summoned appears to be random, and the second add will be of a different type. The summons will vanish when the summoner is killed.

Demented Brood

This add does not seem to appear as frequently as the others. It appears like a spider daedra and has 2.6 mil health.

Because this add doesn’t appear as often, there may be more abilities that have yet to be seen.

Web: The demented brood lays a 4 meter radius web persisting for 15 seconds. Anyone entering the area is snared for as long as they remain in the area and for 1 second after they leave.

Fetid Flesh

With about 2.6 mil health, this add appears like a flesh atronach.

Fear the Flesh: Exact details of the attack are not confirmed, but appears to be an AOE that grows from the fetid flesh. When it is initially cast, nearby players are feared and will need to break free. The ability also does damage 2 seconds after the initial cast, which can be blocked. The ability itself lasts 6 seconds and may continue doing damage over the duration, but this is not confirmed. This ability can be used about every 18-20 seconds.

Pound of Flesh: Exact details also not confirmed, but this appears to be a single target attack on the nearby target with taunt. This may be similar to the heavy attacks used by regular flesh atronachs that knock people down if they are not blocking. This ability can be used about every 18-20 seconds.

Hollow One

Appearing like a soulrazer knight carrying a sword and shield, it has 2.6 mil health.

Exploding Charge: The details of this attack are not yet known for certain. It appears as if the hollow one charges at a target within 15 meters and does AOE damage on reaching its destination. The damage has a radius of 3 meters, and the ability can be used about every 12 seconds.

Pulverize: Heavy attack on the target with taunt. It will apply Seethe, Rattled, Hindered, or Devitalized depending on whether the attack is dodged, blocked, or shielded. It is used about every 8-10 seconds.

Shield Throw: Similar to the shield throw by the Warrior, the final boss of Hel Ra Citadel, the hollow one throws its shield in front of it to hit everyone in a 25 meter range. Anyone hit will be stunned or knocked down, but the attack may be blocked, dodged, or shielded. It can be used about every 10 seconds.

General Tips

Every type of elite add can be seen at some point in this section, which will lead to a shift in add priorities.

Summoners should be focused down first to prevent summoning adds or removing those already summoned.

Voidmasters are the next priority after summoners to prevent Void Crash and the reaper hounds.

Enforcers are next due to their Static Rain ability.

Disruptors should be held to the side and killed last once everything else is dead.

Pull 1: Summoner on the left, paranoxia in the center, enforcer and wamasu on the right.

Pull 2: Summoner on the left by the tree, butcher to the back right, disruptor to the far right.

Pull 3: Wandering paranoxia which may be encountered with the other pulls.

Pull 4: Possibly the most treacherous pull of this group. Enforcer and wamasu on the left, summoner on the back left, voidmaster on the back right, disruptor midground right, gryphon front right. Focus the summoner as usual, though experienced groups may choose to stack the adds on the wamasu before it charges.

Boss 3 - Ansuul the Tormentor

70.0 mil health (veteran), 160.7 mil health (HM)

At last, the group reaches Ansuul the Tormentor. Vanton is still under Ansuul’s influence, and she will not give it up willingly. She turns Vanton’s very memories and emotions against the group, sending her opponents through dangerous mazes and side battles before the final confrontation.

Fight Phases

Like the first boss, this fight takes place in phases which are marked by health percentages. More details on each of the enemies and their abilities and behavior will be given later.

Taunt Sent Away (Manic Phobia)

When Ansuul reaches the required health percentages, she will use Manic Phobia on the person with taunt, sending them to the corner farthest from her. A creature called an essence manifestation will appear next to the person sent away, looking much like a blood knight from Kyne’s Aegis. The creature begins to attack them after a couple seconds.

*Essence manifestation

The person sent away can come back toward the group and bring the essence manifestation with them, but an AOE ring surrounds the boss which only that person can see. If that person crosses that AOE ring, they will instantly die to Avulse. If the boss moves so that the AOE ring crosses them, they will instantly die. The essence manifestation may freely move into the AOE ring, however. The only way to remove the AOE ring is for the essence manifestation to die.

Ansuul purges taunt when she sends someone away. She will need to be taunted again by someone who was not sent away.

Hedge Maze

Again when Ansuul reaches the required health percentages, she will disappear into the ground and reappear above one of the corners of the arena. An AOE quickly fills, taking up almost all of the arena except for the edge farthest from the boss.

The AOE explodes when it fills, killing anyone still inside with Ritual Blast. Most adds are not killed when this happens, except for enraged fragments. A maze is revealed in the arena, the walls comprised of fire, poison, or lightning. Small AOEs of the matching element drift through the maze area. Which element the maze will be patterned after appears to be random.

When Ansuul appears above the corner of the arena, she will be colored red, green, or blue. The color corresponds to which element the next phase will be. Red indicates fire, green indicates poison, and blue indicates lightning.

*A group member hurries to escape the AOE explosion before the hedge maze appears.

Fire AOEs set a person on fire with Ignite, which can be spread to other group members. Poison AOEs do damage with Toxic Impression and apply a stacking slow debuff with each hit, even if all damage was avoided by shielding. Taking enough stacks will cause a person to almost stop completely. Lightning AOEs do significant damage with Chilling Thought and stun a person for a few seconds.

An AOE wall moves across the hedge maze, ahead of the group. Someone moving too quickly through the maze and into the AOE wall will be killed by Mental Barrier.

*Group members run through the poison hedge maze, dodging the green voriplasm-like creatures which are the source of Toxic Impression. The yellow AOE in the distance is the wall of Mental Barrier, killing whoever touches it.

Members of the group will need to travel through the maze to reach a portal in the far corner. Four people can enter this portal to reach a side area with an aspect of Warlock Vanton that will attack them. The aspect’s attacks will use the element matching the maze. The only way for the group members to return to the main area is to defeat this side boss.

The group has approximately 50 seconds from when the hedge maze appears to have one person enter the portal. If no one has entered the portal by then, Ansuul uses Neural Takeover to wipe the group instantly. If everyone in the side boss area dies, Ansuul will wipe the group using Neural Takeover.

Between Hedge Mazes (Additional Mechanics)

After each hedge maze, an additional mechanic is introduced which will remain until the rest of the fight. These mechanics will be present in all phases except for hedge mazes.

Fire

Enraged fragments (appearing like fire atronachs) begin to appear at the edge of the arena, particularly in the corners. They cannot be chained or otherwise brought into group. They appear to spawn approximately every 16 seconds in regular veteran, and they attack the group using Flare and Inferno. Flare is their basic attack, while Inferno is a channeled attack that tosses fireballs at group members for 12 seconds, unless they are interrupted first.

*An enraged fragment

Lightning

Small lightning AOEs will appear at random locations, sometimes called landmines. Moving into the AOE will do damage using Anxiety’s Grip and apply a slow for 10 seconds which will stack and refresh with each additional hit from Anxiety’s Grip. These landmines can be quite tricky and may pop up under a person if they are unaware. This is especially true if there are other effects which make the landmines hard to see, such as the poison effects.

*Lightning landmines, the source of Anxiety's Grip

Poison

AOEs begin to grow under the feet of random group members, ticking damage every 0.5 seconds using Poisoned Mind. It appears to grow to a radius of about 5 meters. Anyone in the Poisoned Mind AOE will take damage from it, and a person in multiple AOEs will take damage from each. A new person is chosen every 5 seconds, and it will last for 10 seconds for each person, meaning 2 people will have it at any given moment. Following the final hedge maze in regular veteran, it appears to go out every 10 seconds and last 10 seconds. Then, only one person will actively have it at any one time.

*A group member with Poisoned Mind

Boss Split

Upon reaching 20%, Ansuul splits into three fragments of herself, one each in blue, green, and red. Each has 3.89 mil health in regular vet, and use specific abilities that are not used by the other fragments. The fragments remain active even when brought to 0 health, and only when all three fragments are brought to 0 health will they reunite once more.

*Ansuul split into fragments. The red is in the foreground, the blue in the back left, and the green in the back right.

After Boss Split

When Ansuul’s fragments reunite, the fight enters the final phase. There are no more hedge mazes, but the landmines, the enraged fragments, and the poisoned mind AOEs continue to appear. In addition, the person with taunt can still be sent away, but now on a timer rather than based on health.

Enemy Abilities

Ansuul

Phobic Bolts: Ansuul’s basic ranged attack on the target with taunt.

Phobic Claws: Ansuul’s basic melee attack on the target with taunt. It can potentially apply Hamstrung for 5 seconds. It can also potentially apply Gaping Wound, a stacking debuff that can be purged.

Calamity: Ansuul’s heavy attack with a conal AOE. There is a chance that those hit by the attack may take further damage from Mental Disturbance for 8 seconds.

Execute: An ability not frequently used, but very dangerous. Ansuul turns toward a group member and links with them using lightning. If Ansuul is not interrupted before completing the cast, the person she is linked to instantly dies.

*Ansuul attempts to use Execute to kill a group member.

Manic Phobia: Ability used by Ansuul to send the person with taunt to the corner farthest from her. An essence manifestation will appear next to them and begin to attack them. They will not be able to come closer to Ansuul than the AOE ring they see around her, or they will instantly die.

Spray: This ability is not frequently used. It is a conal attack charged up like a heavy attack, but this time using poison. It has a larger reach than Calamity, Ansuul’s usual heavy attack.

Sunburst: An ability used toward the very end of the fight in regular vet. Ansuul turns toward the group member furthest away and raises all of her arms as fire briefly appears in her hands. A meteor falls toward that person, hitting the ground about 0.8-1 second after Ansuul finishes her cast. Much like with the chimera, the meteor will initially track the person but will lock onto a location just before it hits the ground, allowing the person to dodge out of the way. Often a person can simply outrun the meteor without having to dodge.

When the meteor hits the ground, it will leave an AOE that remains for about 8 seconds. The AOE will send smaller AOEs out from it in 5 different directions, though the exact path may vary slightly that each of the smaller AOEs will travel in the same direction. These AOEs will damage anyone in them using Afterburn.

*A group member targeted with Sunburst

*The meteor continues sending fire AOEs out in 5 directions after hitting the ground.

Wrack: Ansuul turns in place and gathers lightning which she then sends into the ground. A series of 6 circular lightning AOEs about 8 meters in radius begin to appear in the location of random group members. These AOEs will detonate soon after appearing. Anyone caught in these detonations will take damage from Wrack and will be stunned for a few seconds. They are not able to break free from it.

As each AOE detonates, a memory fragment (a creature that looks like an imp) appears in the center of each.

*Ansuul’s Wrack AOEs appear underneath group member locations.

*Memory fragment, spawned at the center of a Wrack AOE

Wrathstorm: Another ability not frequently used but potentially very dangerous. Ansuul first summons a series of small fire AOEs in a ring around her. These AOEs appear to have a radius of about 2 meters. Another larger AOE begins to fill from the boss to the radius defined by the smaller AOEs, roughly a radius just under 10 meters. The larger AOE detonates when it is full. Both the smaller AOEs and the larger AOE detonation do Wrathstorm damage. Anyone hit by it will also be set on fire and take damage from Ignited, ticking about every half second.

This ability is particularly dangerous because there is very little warning that the ring of fire AOEs will be going out, so it is easy to get hit by it simply by being in the wrong place. There is also a small amount of time between the small AOEs being laid and the larger AOE detonating, making it difficult to react quickly. While getting out of the larger AOE can be difficult without crossing the border of smaller AOEs, the larger AOE can be dodged before it detonates, even by dodging inside of it.

*Ansuul lays the ring of fire AOEs to begin Wrathstorm.

*The larger AOE fills, detonating when it reaches the smaller AOEs.

Essence Manifestation

4.4 mil health (veteran)
10.1 mil health (HM)

Pummel: The essence manifestation’s heavy attack, it holds its arms wide before striking at the target with both claws.

Talons: The essence manifestation’s basic attack on the target with taunt. Occasionally it will apply Infected Wound, a stacking debuff that can be purged.

Voidwave: The essence manifestation pounds the ground with both fists and sends a conal AOE attack in the direction of the target with taunt.

Memory Fragment

503k health (veteran)
1.1 mil health (HM)

Bolt: The memory fragment’s primary attack, it hurls a small electric projectile at the target.

Zap: Used much less frequently, the memory fragment channels electricity at its target until it is interrupted. Damage ticks once per second.

Enraged Fragment

201k health (veteran)
443k health (HM)

Appearing like fire atronachs, these creatures begin to appear after the fire hedge maze. They spawn about every 16 seconds in regular veteran, but do not appear in hedge mazes. The start of a new hedge maze will also despawn any active enraged fragments.

Flare: The enraged fragment’s basic attack, it hurls a fireball at the target with taunt.

Inferno: The more dangerous ability, the enraged fragment channels and hurls fireballs at group members about every 0.25 seconds. This ability can be channeled up to 12 seconds or more.

Fire Side Boss

5.6 mil health (veteran)
10.1 mil health (HM)

Hack: The boss’s basic melee attack on the target with taunt.

Sunburst: An ability similar to the one used by Ansuul. An AOE surrounds Vanton to indicate the ability is being used. 1 or 2 seconds later, the AOE explodes with 5 smaller fire AOEs emanating from it. At the same time, a meteor drops on one of the group members who does not have taunt, which also sends out 5 fire AOEs.

*The AOE used at the start of Sunburst

*The Sunburst AOE detonates, sending out the fire AOEs. To the left, the filling AOE shows where the meteor will hit. At the far left is the group member who was the target, dodging out of the way.

Wrathstorm: Another ability very similar to Ansuul’s. This one remains centered on Vanton, so it can be treated identically in both cases.

*Vanton’s Wrathstorm is nearly identical to the one used by Ansuul.

Lightning Side Boss

5.6 mil health (veteran)
10.1 mil health (HM)

Sparks: Basic melee attack on the target with taunt. This attack does additional lightning splash damage. Keep a good distance from the tank and stay behind the boss to minimize the chance of getting hit.

*Lightning emanates from the tank when Vanton uses Sparks.

Conduit: Vanton channels lightning at someone without taunt, causing them to take severe lightning damage for 10 seconds, ticking every half second. The target of this ability also has a 5 meter AOE around them, and anyone in that AOE will also take damage from Conduit.

*Vanton starts Conduit by channeling lightning at a group member.

*The lightning overloads into the AOE on the group member. The other group member to the right also takes damage while being in the AOE.

Execute: Very similar to Ansuul’s ability, Vanton turns and links himself to a group member. If he is not interrupted by the time the cast is finished, about 1.5 seconds, the group member is killed.

Uppercut: Vanton’s heavy attack, much like other uppercut abilities with two-handed weapons seen elsewhere.

Poison Side Boss

5.6 mil health (veteran)
10.1 mil health (HM)

Blight Burst: Vanton waves his hands and prepares an attack on the target with taunt. After the initial hit, the target will continue to take poison damage, ticking every second for 8 seconds. The target will take the ongoing damage even if the initial hit was completely shielded.

Corrupt: Vanton turns toward a group member, and an AOE grows under their feet. After a second, he sends a blast of poison at them, which they can dodge. If the attack lands, anyone in the AOE will also take damage from it, which can be severe.

*Vanton prepares to use Corrupt on the group member on the left.

Defile: Vanton’s heavy attack. He holds his hands together before him as he prepares the attack on the target with taunt.

Spray: A conal poison attack focused on the target with taunt. Vanton takes a moment to prepare the attack before releasing it.

*Vanton prepares Spray to cast on the tank.

Strike: Vanton’s basic melee attack on the target with taunt.

Split Bosses

3.9 mil health (veteran)
8.9 mil health (HM)

When reaching 20% health, Ansuul splits into three aspects, one red, one green, and one blue. Ansuul’s abilities are also divided among the aspects, and they are identical to the ones used by the main boss.

The blue aspect will use Phobic Bolts and Wrack.

The green aspect will use Phobic Bolts and Spray.

The red aspect will use Calamity, Phobic Claws, and Wrathstorm.

Every approximately 20 seconds, the blue and green aspects will use Reposition. They will then change their positioning, often to move away from the group or the person with taunt.

Possible Veteran Strategies

Given the phases of the fight, few suggested strategies can hold for very long.

The group does well to stay together whenever possible. Staying grouped up means the memory fragments spawn closer together during Wrack. A group member may also wish to have some ability to stack them together so they can be taken down more easily. Memory fragments should be killed before hedge mazes, as they do not despawn with the mazes.

When the person with taunt is sent away, it is possible for them to bring the essence manifestation back to the group, where the tank now holding the boss can take them both and stack them together. The group can then work on killing the essence manifestation while cleaving the boss. Make sure the essence manifestation is killed before the hedge maze, as it also does not despawn.

In regular veteran, the entire group does not need to run the hedge maze. Only the people going through the portal need to reach the other side, and having the whole group run it may cause unnecessary deaths. Backups may be needed in case some of the portal group die on the way. The AOEs tend to move and act in the same manner each time, making them somewhat predictable. Dodge rolls are also extremely helpful to avoid danger.

The group should designate the people going into portal ahead of time, including backups. A tank will be needed to take the harder hits, but each side boss has some ability to do damage to non-tanks. A strong self-heal is recommended for the DPS, especially for the lightning side boss.

Enraged fragments appear after the fire hedge maze. They are generally not so much of a problem in regular veteran, but the group should keep an eye on them so they don’t get out of hand. Having at least one group member slot a ranged interrupt may be helpful as they can’t be chained into group.

Lightning landmines begin to appear after the lightning hedge maze. While they should generally be avoided, they do accumulate over time. If there is an opportune moment, shielding up and stepping into one may help keep the field clear for everyone. Just be careful not to step on too many because of the stacking slow debuff.

Poisoned Mind AOEs appear after the poison hedge maze. While it may be tempting to take it out of group, doing so will leave a person vulnerable to the incoming damage. Instead, those with Poisoned Mind should stay in heals. The two people who have it should stack to either side, one to the right and one to the left.

The split bosses should be individually focused down when possible, as it is difficult to stack them together. Groups often focus on the red one first, and then move to either the green or blue.

Sunburst can do significant damage in the initial hit and the subsequent AOEs, so they should be taken out of group when possible. Having the meteor hit near a wall will cause some of the AOEs to run into the wall.

Hard Mode

Beyond more health and greater damage dealt by enemies, a few mechanical differences are introduced in hard mode.

Sunburst is used throughout the fight, approximately every 20 seconds except for hedge mazes.

During hedge mazes, a second wall travels behind the group. Everyone must now traverse the maze, or be killed by the Mental Barrier.

*A second wall chases the group through the hedge maze in hard mode.

Enraged fragments, which first appear after the fire hedge maze, spawn every 12 seconds instead of every 16 seconds.

Poisoned Mind, which in regular veteran goes out every 10 seconds after the final hedge maze, now continues to go out every 5 seconds.

After the split bosses recombine, the person with taunt continues to get sent away. This now happens every 20 seconds. The person sent away still cannot approach the boss until the essence manifestation is killed, making this phase a DPS check.

Possible Hard Mode Strategies

All of the previous strategy suggestions remain from regular veteran, except that the entire group needs to run the hedge maze. It can be particularly difficult in the lightning phase, as the AOEs in that phase can lash out at people who believe themselves out of them.

Keeping the group together becomes even more important, as damage as a whole is increased and healing is crucial to survive. Groups may wish to stack behind the boss, with people moving slightly to one side or the other when they get Poisoned Mind to prevent stacking the AOEs.

Wrack makes it particularly difficult to stay together, but it is possible to dodge within the Wrack AOE and avoid the damage and stun. Once Wrack is finished, the group should stack back up as soon as possible.

Enraged fragments are a major source of trouble. They spawn more quickly, have more health, and do more damage. Groups may wish to have one or two people specifically designated just for interrupting their Inferno ability, but everyone should be prepared to act as backup. Each DPS should have at least some ranged ability to reach the enraged fragments while staying in group.

The lightning side boss’s Conduit is extremely dangerous in hard mode. Everyone should slot a self-heal. An arcanist with a healing beam is particularly useful here, even if it is the tank.

To relieve some of the pressure from the tanks, some groups may choose to have a healer slot a taunt. Just before Ansuul is about to send the person with taunt away, the healer can taunt her and be sent away instead of the tank, who will need to re-taunt the boss. The healer then brings the essence manifestation to the group where the tank can bring it into the stack. This can be particularly helpful in later phases, especially the last phase where someone gets sent away every 20 seconds.

Acknowledgements

Thank you to Skinny Cheeks, Code65536, Cozen22, DoctorSparklepantz, the Crusty Bread Bakers, Raiding Rainbow, Mr. Evael’s Class, and everyone who has helped make this guide possible. You guys are awesome!