Cave of Despair There will be a third dungeon available for Throne and Freedom Players to face, and quite challenging ones at that. Its challenging mechanics and large amount of AoE damage can be a problem for unprepared parties. So, with that in mind, this guide covers every aspect of dungeons – from small details to advanced tactics – to prevent needless death at the hands of Ant Queen Lacune and her minions.
This dungeon also drops a lot of great items for those looking to complete their collection, and is a prerequisite for completing Codex Chapters 4 and 6. It also holds several challenges that allow players to earn additional rewards. But, first things first, let's see how the map is distributed, as well as how many types of enemies players will face during this 6-player challenge from the Dimensional Circle co-op dungeon pool.
Cave of Desperation Overview – What to Expect
This dungeon will be open to all playersStarting at level 40And it's a very straightforward one at that. Starting from the entrance, where grappling hook area, players must defeat a series of Elite Ant enemies to enter the first boss stage.
Before looking further, here are the enemies players should expect to encounter in the Cave of Despair:
- Mutant acid ants: Spits venom in a row and attacks from range. Too annoying — priority number one to take down.
- Mutant soldier ant: Flexible and with a huge HP pool, it doesn't do any noticeable damage and has no particularly annoying mechanics.
- Exploding larvae: Not much of a threat, but if left unattended, it can create an explosion and fire AoE.
- Explosive acid larvae: Same as above, but creates a poison/acid AoE.
- Explosive acid ant: Probably the most dangerous enemy in the dungeon, it runs towards players and explodes. Those who don't pay attention will be killed or badly injured immediately. Avoid it at any cost. Don't waste time and skills killing it – just dodge or keep moving to avoid it.
- Gem Ant: Buffs the rest of the ants and provides other mechanics during the final boss fight. More on this later.
Player preferences during exploration between boss fights
Here's what each player has to do during exploration parts and battles against smaller enemies:
- Tanks: Focus on growing the ants, avoid growing exploding acid ants at all costs and leave the DPS to handle.
- Ranged DPS: Focus on eliminating explosive larvae and mutant acid ants; Avoid exploding acid ants at all costs.
- Brawl DPS: Try to off-tank when the main tank is overwhelmed; Grab the aggro from the mutant acid ants, as they will be the priority.
- Healers: Keep away from exploding ants and AoE as much as possible. Avoid unnecessary damage, always keep a close eye on the tank's health, as poison can cause serious damage — even if the player's build is the strongest.
Once players have dispatched enough enemies, it will be time for the first boss of this dungeon, which takes place a little further after players take down the first wave of enemies. Don't forget to do it Light a campfire Before proceeding to face the first boss.
How to beat Mutant Princess Ant (First Boss)
In the next room there are some ants that need to be killed before a party Larvae need to be destroyed Before the battle begins. Once they die, the mutant princess ant will spawn, and the battle against the boss will begin. The boss will use the following skills during the fight, so pay attention to their descriptions to know how to counter them.
- Con Breath Attack: Mutant Princess Ant breathes a cone-shaped AoE attack from her mouth. The best way to deal with this is to make the tank fight with the boss with his back to the wall so that the AoE only targets him, and then he can block and take damage.
- Summon the Exploding Larva: Mutant Princess Ant summons a time bomb in the form of a larva and targets one player. The other player must run quickly and touch the player's body to diffuse it.
- Summon the larva swarm: The boss will shout and call for reinforcements. While the red larvae will mature into soldier ants Green colors will mature into explosive mutant acid ants. They should be killed as soon as possible. Usually, using AoE does the trick.
Ranged DPS
: to avoid corners
Exploding acid ants
Move into 'C' formation when dealing damage, and always keep moving. The ants approach and start exploding. Use dodge abilities as a last resource.
Brawl DPS
: Focus on dealing with AIDS, and when explosive ants pop up, run away from squishier party members.
Mutan Princess Ant boss fight during battle tips
Here's a summary of each role during combat, so players know where to stand and how to deal with boss attacks:
- Tanks: Focus on aggroing the ants until Mutant Princess Ant appears, then aggro the boss and fight away from the wall to prevent the boss AoE from hitting the party.
- Ranged DPS: Focus on taking down the exploding larvae quickly to prevent more spawning. Avoid the exploding acid ants because they do a lot of damage.
- Brawl DPS: Try to off-tank when the main tank is overwhelmed, grab aggro from stray aids, and save ranged DPS.
- Healers: Dodge the AoE on the ground, stick close to the tank (but not in front of the boss) and everything will be fine.
After the beating Mutant Princess AntThe new wall of the cave will shatter, and players will be able to advance down the nest. They will immediately face another boss Same mechanics: Mutant giant acid ant.
How to beat mutant giant acid ant (2nd boss)
To start the fight, players will need to break a chain Empty venom sac which is placed in the middle of the room. At first, there will only be one sac, but after destroying it, four more will spawn, and among them many mutant soldier ants and gem ants. The mechanics are very similar to the previous encounter, and in order for the boss to spawn, players will need to destroy the ants until Giant acid ant eggs Spread across the room. Break it to make the second boss, mutant giant acid ant, Spawn, and then start the actual combat phase.
Important combat mechanics in mutant giant acid ant boss fight
- Poison spit AoE: Boss spits poison that falls on top of target players and creates an AoE damage zone on the ground. To control the battle, the tank must aggro the mutant giant acid ant and spit the goo in one place, preventing it from spreading across the arena.
- Stun and pull: The mutant giant acid ant will roar and launch a blocking attack. Players who don't manage to block it in time will be dragged towards the boss and risk falling into the poison AoE.
Exploding acid ants
Will spawn constantly during combat, and if players don't avoid them, they can be easily killed – esp
Ranged DPS
and squishy
Healers
Those who are subject to the worst part of the poison AoE and add a wanderer looking for blood.
Combat tips during the Mutant Giant Acid Ant boss fight
Players should split roles as follows, making sure each of them knows what to do to prevent unnecessary casualties:
- Tanks: Aggro the AIDS and prevent the explosive mutant ants from jumping on their backs. When the boss spawns, aggro it and direct it towards the northern part of the arena to better control the boss' acid spit.
- Ranged DPS: Focus on picking up gems and soldier ants, and help melee DPS with boss damage. Avoid the spit AoE, and avoid the exploding acid ants.
- Brawl DPS: Try to off-tank when the main tank is overwhelmed, grab aggro from stray aids, and save ranged DPS.
- Healers: Dodge AoE and explosive ants, and keep the team alive. Prioritize tank healers, as they will take the most damage.
When the owner thunderIt's time for a bridge attack, so players should Ready to block Stunning tendrils – or if they fail to parry, to stun if they fall into the Poison AoE. The rest of the fight is fairly straightforward, and once the mutant giant acid ant is dead, the wall will crumble once again, revealing the path to the dungeon's final boss.
How to beat Lacune (Final Boss)
Before starting the fight against Lacune, players will 3 eggs need to be destroyed Located in three different Platforms on the field. Take note of these platforms, as they will be important later on. Now, destroy the three gem ant eggs to start the fight against the boss. Once a boss spawns and combat begins, players should be aware of the following mechanics that occur during combat:
- Swipe attacks: Lacune will have a similar indicatoranger meter,' which appears as a purple bar under its health. Once it's full, it will launch a series of Fury Swipes in the direction of the player doing the most damage. Players should avoid this at all costs.
- Paralytic/venomous ants: Paralyzing and poisoning ants will periodically enter the field, and every DPS available must destroy them on sight. This is important to avoid wipes.
- Pillar of the Red Death: Lacune shouts and starts wiping a red AoE. At the same time, red circles will appear on the ground. Move At the top of the circle, And the pillars will raise the players above the ground level Buffing their damage. If players fail to reach the pillars and some platforms are nearby, they have to climb up there. Living on the ground means death.
- Gem ants spawn on the platforms: When the red pillars are shattered, Lacune will summon 3 gem ants that will attack targets in sight. Those available players should kill the gem ants quickly before they target the healer or distract the tank.
- Slam Attack: Lacune will slam the ground and send players flying. If they don't transform into their gliding forms, they will Falling damage.
- Summon the Exploding Larva: Once Lacune falls Less than 50% healthwill begin Infecting players With the same ticking Time bomb larvae As in the battle against the mutant princess Ant. Players can remove it the same way — by walking close to another player.
Lacune suggests fighting during the final boss fight
Here is the best strategy for each role during this complex battle. Pay attention because it will save you a lot of time and unnecessary pain:
- Tanks: Raise and keep the boss Blocking and facing the team. Instead of moving the boss towards the center, lean a bit towards one of the pillars, so Melee DPS can have a bit more time to get on top of them and avoid the death AoE.
- Ranged DPS: Focus to deal damage, search Red columnsAnd climb up when the AoE attack comes. If they can't find a pillar or platform to climb, it means game over, so they need to pay attention when the boss roars and starts charging AoE of death. When the gem ants spawn, kill them as quickly as possible.
- Brawl DPS: Try to off-tank whatever comes up and can distract the tank, stay away from gem ants on platforms, and go for paralyzing ants instead and let the ranged DPS take care of the other adds.
- Healers: Focus on tank healing, and if possible, keep Melee DPS above at least 50% health at all times. The healer's role is important, and their death means a Guaranteed wipe for the party. Close to Melee DPS and near the Red Pillar spawning zone – or close to the platform to guarantee death AoE survival.
Players should stay away from Lacune's health until he Ants start spreading bombsThen, help teammates remove the debuff Walking closer to them. With a little coordination and patience, this battle will be over quickly, and players will be able to collect the rewards of their hard work.
