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Ok, so we may have implied the last battle was the final hurrah for Fallen Legion Revenants. This was, of course, a cunning ruse designed to mislead and deceive. Defiled Warden is actually the final boss. This is Ivor’s true form - his miasma-infected, grotesque form. Interestingly enough, Ivor is in some ways easier during this fight.
Defiled Warden, despite being a bit of a sidegrade and less of an upgrade, is still a formidable foe. His damage is through the roof, and he can apply that damage very effectively thanks to a few sneaky tricks only Defiled Warden can pull off. Get ready to flip your controller upside down.
Defiled Warden’s Attacks
Defiled Warden shares some attacks with Ivor, but also comes with a suite of unique attacks that require your attention and respect. Defiled Warden can wipe your party with staggering ease if you are not prepared. To that end, be prepared to lose at least once as getting the timings down is no easy feat.
We haven’t included attacks he carries over from the Ivor fight (for the most part) as they are dealt with in the same way. We are only going to cover Defiled Warden’s unique attacks.
| Attack | Explanation | Counter |
|---|---|---|
| Shockwave | Defiled Warden will use this attack frequently throughout the fight, as well as during his recovery and phase transition. This attack deals heavy AOE damage. | This attack is really easy to block as the Defiled Warden is very slow. He will raise his fist slowly before punching the ground. Once you have parried this once, you are unlikely to get hit by it again. |
| Hypnostream | Defiled Warden obscures your HUD, blocking your Exemplars HP and AP, as well as randomising your controls. | This attack is a pain to deal with as it makes attacking Ivor much more difficult. Not only are your Exemplar's stats hidden for a substantial length of time, but because your attack buttons are randomised, it’s incredibly difficult to get Deathblows to execute when you want them to. You can’t counter this, you simply have to live with it until it wears off. |
| Delirium | Defiled Warden marks two tiles on your side of the field with yellow runes. After a brief delay, if you are standing on these runes, you take heavy damage. | Simply move to the safe spot. You should aim to stand in the middle of the arena as much as possible so you can move more easily. |
| Gravity Purge | Defiled Warden flips the screen so you are now fighting upside down. Not only that but your movement controls are reversed. | This move is quite shocking at first, but after a short while, you simply get used to it. There is no counter, just be aware that dodging Delirium is more difficult now. |
| Gestalt Awakening | This is very similar to the summon Ivor did in his first form; however, he no longer summons Revenants. Instead, he summons the spirits of NPCs who have died in your playthrough. He will only use this variation of this spell from phase three onwards. | Unlike last time, kill these spirits. Defiled Warden does not spam this spell like Ivor. Not only that, but the attacks these spirits have vary wildly based on your unique playthrough. It’s easier if they are just dead. |
Defiled Warden's Mechanics
Defiled Warden, unlike Ivor, has a lot going on. First things first, the Defiled Warden is constantly trying to mess with your controls and perception. On the plus side, this means he is not attacking as much. The downside is that it is harder to fight Defiled Warden. The best advice we can give here is to lay off the Deathblows and stick to basic attacks until your controls revert to normal.
Secondly, his minions. Phase three Defiled Warden can deal incredible damage with the aid of his minions as they all have unique attacks. The best way to handle it is to kill them. Aimed attacks are your best bet, as are any AOE attacks.
Finally, Defiled Warden can combine spells to make far more dangerous versions. For example, he can flip your screen and all of your controls with a single cast. This also increases his damage as multiple damage spells can be combined into screen-filling nuclear apocalypses.
Thankfully, there are a few ways to make this fight easier. Firstly, if you have found the Lantern in Rayne’s memory, then Lucien will assist by interrupting Ivor and lowering his defences temporarily. If you successfully completed the gear puzzle earlier, Lucien will also fire cannons at Ivor, similar to Archduke and Humbaba. You even get a chance to brew a potion.
Which Exemplars To Use
Like before, the Defiled Warden has no weaknesses and can strike with any element. This allows you to bring any Exemplar since there is no elemental advantage to be had here. We are fans of Jacquine and Evania as staples. Jacquine deals great BP damage, and Evania is excellent at restoring Mana - something you may rely on to stay alive in this fight.
Battle Strategy
If you have defeated Ivor, then you can beat Defiled Warden. Defiled Warden has a bunch of new attacks, but he is much slower, and many of these attacks deal no damage. Defiled Warden messes with you more often than not, and this makes him a surprisingly passive boss.
That doesn’t mean he can’t kill you of course. His attacks are devastating, so learning his timings is a must - as is reliably restoring your Mana for clutch healing. Remember his minions are far more dangerous in this form, so make sure you are killing them as soon as possible to reduce the mayhem on screen.
Defiled Warden is substantially tankier than Ivor, and you will need to Stagger him at least six times if you want to walk away with a win. The fight can drag on as a result, but being cautious whilst also applying sustained damage is the way to go. Having Lucien aid with cannon fire is also a huge boon.
With Defiled Warden dead, you have completed Fallen Legion Revenants…or have you?
