
Boss mechanics
Telegraphs, adds, totems, soaks and pillars: what each boss does and how to answer it.
How to read a mechanic
A red mark pulses on every tile the hit will land on, from 1.5 to 3 seconds before it (harder content warns later). The hit lands only on the tiles still marked: walk out. There is always a safe tile you can reach in time at normal speed.
Orange warnings name the big casts, and a bar under the monster bar names the next mechanic with a countdown: red = move out, purple = kill the totem, green = stand in the circle, blue = hide behind a pillar.
Omen guardians
| Boss | Mechanic | Warning | Counterplay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sangrith The Bloodmoon Herald | Red Crescent (cone) | 2.6 s | A cone towards you: step around him. |
| Sangrith The Bloodmoon Herald | Blood Moon (follows you) | 2.6 s | The red moon follows you, then stops: walk out of it. |
| Sangrith The Bloodmoon Herald | Bloodmoon Wardstone (adds, immune) | 50% health | At 50% he is immune until his 2 Wardstones die (about 10 s each alone). |
| Morvane The Hollow Crown | Crown's Cross (cross) | 2.6 s | Beams through him: stand on a diagonal. |
| Morvane The Hollow Crown | Hollow Ring (ring) | 2.6 s | A ring: hug him or run out past it. |
| Morvane The Hollow Crown | Dirge of the Empty Throne (channel) | 10.0 s | A Hollow Totem rises while he sings: kill it (about 8 s alone) before the cast ends. |
| Thalcyra The Stormbound Seer | Storm Marks (puddles) | 2.6 s | Bolts on you and around: step off the marks. |
| Thalcyra The Stormbound Seer | Sky Lance (line) | 2.6 s | A line towards you: one step sideways. |
| Thalcyra The Stormbound Seer | Skyfall (line of sight) | 3.5 s | Stone pillars rise: put one between you and her before the sky falls. |
Rift guardians (every tier; more from tier 8 and 12)
| Boss | Mechanic | Warning | Counterplay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rift guardian | Guardian Slam (circle) | 3.0 s | Back away from the guardian. |
| Rift guardian | Guardian Sweep (cone) | 3.0 s | Step to its side. |
| Rift guardian | Rift Scatter (puddles, tier 8+) | 3.0 s | Tier 8+: marks under you: step off. |
| Rift guardian | Rift Anchor (adds, shield) | 50% health | Tier 12+: at 50% it takes 60% less damage until 2 Rift Anchors die. |
Dungeons and hunting grounds
| Boss | Mechanic | Warning | Counterplay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vault Keeper Ossrim | Vault Slam (circle) | 2.9 s | Everything within 3 sqm: back off. |
| Vault Keeper Ossrim | Rolling Stones (line) | 2.9 s | A three-wide line towards you: sidestep. |
| Vault Keeper Ossrim | Vault Warden (adds, shield) | 50% health | At 50% he takes 75% less damage until the 2 Vault Wardens die. |
| Ossivane The Gravecage | Grave Slam (circle) | 2.8 s | Everything within 3 sqm: back off. |
| Ossivane The Gravecage | Rib Cage (ring) | 2.8 s | A ring of ribs: hug him or run out past it. |
| Ossivane The Gravecage | Marrow Reliquary (adds, immune) | 50% health | At 50% he takes no damage until the 2 Marrow Reliquaries die (about 15 s each alone). |
| Ossivane The Gravecage | Grave Dust (stacks) | on its hits | His hits stack Grave Dust (+3% damage taken each): step away now and then. |
| Forgewarden Kharzun | Molten Cleave (cone) | 2.7 s | A cone towards you: step to his side. |
| Forgewarden Kharzun | Slag Rain (puddles) | 2.7 s | Molten slag lands on you and around: step off. |
| Forgewarden Kharzun | Furnace Heart (channel) | 9.0 s | A Bellows Totem rises while he stokes the furnace: kill it (about 5 s alone) before the cast ends. |
| Vaelith The Fallen Seraph | Fallen Cross (cross) | 2.7 s | Beams of light through her: stand on a diagonal. |
| Vaelith The Fallen Seraph | Judgement (follows you) | 2.7 s | It follows you, then stops: walk out. |
| Vaelith The Fallen Seraph | Last Hymn (soak) | 2.7 s | Stand in the circle: alone you take 60% of your health; nobody in it: 45% to all. |
| Vaelith The Fallen Seraph | Gilded Ward (adds, shield) | 50% health | At 50% she takes 70% less damage until the 2 Gilded Wards die. |
| Azhkarrath The Chained Wyrm | Pyre Breath (line) | 2.6 s | A three-wide beam towards you: sidestep. |
| Azhkarrath The Chained Wyrm | Chain Lash (ring) | 2.6 s | Her chains sweep a ring: hug her or run out. |
| Azhkarrath The Chained Wyrm | Ashfall (puddles) | 2.6 s | Burning ash on you and around: step off. |
| Azhkarrath The Chained Wyrm | Throne Inferno (line of sight) | 3.5 s | Pillars rise round the throne: put one between you and her before the fire. |
| Azhkarrath The Chained Wyrm | Pyre Chain (adds, immune) | 40% health | At 40% she takes no damage until the 3 Pyre Chains die (about 8 s each alone). |
| The Emberdeep Maw | Magma Spew (cone) | 2.8 s | Step to its side. |
| The Emberdeep Maw | Ember Rain (puddles) | 2.8 s | Step off the circles. |
| The Ossuary Warden | Bone Ring (ring) | 2.8 s | Hug it or run out past the ring. |
| The Ossuary Warden | Bone Requiem (channel) | 9.0 s | Kill the Bone Totem in time. |
| Cinderwing | Cinder Breath (line) | 2.8 s | A beam towards you: sidestep. |
| Cinderwing | Falling Ash (follows you) | 2.8 s | It follows you, then stops: walk out. |
Dormant bosses (not spawned yet)
| Boss | Mechanic | Warning | Counterplay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ormathulak | Cataclysm (circle) | 2.6 s | Back off 4 sqm. |
| Ormathulak | Rain of Fire (puddles) | 2.6 s | Step off the circles. |
| Ormathulak | Infernal Seal (adds, immune) | 50% health | At 50% immune until 3 Infernal Seals die. |
| Talath | Frost Lance (line) | 2.6 s | Sidestep the beam. |
| Talath | Winter Ring (ring) | 2.6 s | Hug him or run out. |
| Talath | Deep Freeze (line of sight) | 3.5 s | Hide behind a pillar. |
| Gloomfire | Gloom Cross (cross) | 2.6 s | Stand on a diagonal. |
| Gloomfire | Shadow Pursuit (follows you) | 2.6 s | Walk out once it stops. |
| Gloomfire | Eclipse (channel) | 9.0 s | Kill the Gloom Totem in time. |
| Saga | Storm Verse (puddles) | 2.6 s | Step off the marks. |
| Saga | Thunder Cone (cone) | 2.6 s | Step to her side. |
| Saga | Chorus (soak) | 2.6 s | Three or more stand in the circle. |
| Legendary Warrior | Whirlwind (circle) | 2.8 s | Back off 2 sqm. |
| Legendary Warrior | Charge (line) | 2.8 s | Sidestep the line. |
| Legendary Warrior | Sundered (stacks) | on its hits | His hits stack Sundered (+3% damage taken): step away now and then. |