You’d assume by now you may’ve realized that nothing good can come of attempting to hang around within the Shadow Hold’s yard, and but right here you’re, as soon as once more, getting walked down by an armored soldier driving an much more armored big boar. Commander Gaius isn’t the worst factor blocking your method within the Hold, particularly since he’s an non-obligatory boss, however he’s able to doing a disgusting quantity of harm for those who slip up. Fortuitously, we’ve obtained you coated with the data it’s essential to flip that pig into pork.
Commander Gaius’ Skills
Proper off the bat, Gaius’ first transfer will likely be to rear again, and attempt to run you over from clear throughout the sphere. As soon as it’s shut sufficient, Gaius’ Well-known Pig will begin attempting to gore you together with his tusks, stomp you together with his trotters, or all of the sudden kick you for those who’re at his rear. If it’s not kicking you when you’re behind it, it is going to increase up on its hind legs, and drop its entire physique down on you, with a light shockwave. On high of that, there’s the person driving the porcine beast, who’ll take frequent swipes at you together with his lance. After which, generally, all of those will coalesce into one brutal combo chain of headbutts and lance swipes. Ye-ouch. And it’s about to worsen.
At 50 % well being, Gaius will enchant his regular spear assaults with purple lightning. Whereas your first intuition is likely to be to throw on all of the lightning negation objects you’ve obtained, maintain your horses. It’s really gravity magic, which suggests his assaults now have the power to break your life in a single or two hits. That’s all on high of his two new methods: a dive bomb assault from 100 toes within the air that launches damaging particles, and a miniature black gap which pulls you nearer over 4 gravity surges. In the event you’re at lengthy vary, the boar may even shoot gravity blasts at you instantly. What a ache within the ass. However that is very doable.
Defeating Commander Gaius – First Stage
Imagine it or not, this struggle isn’t as robust because it as soon as was. Beforehand, the very first thing on the agenda was to dodge the hell out of the way in which as a result of the boar can be coming best for you the second you stepped foot within the enviornment. Nonetheless, in one among FromSoft’s uncommon acts of mercy, patch 1.12.3 really stalls Gaius for a couple of seconds if you get inside. So, sure, you’ll have ample time to name in a Spirit Ash, and when you do, Gaius is definitely type of a pushover. No, actually!
The principle challenge for the primary half is that Gaius, like a lot of the enemies within the DLC, hits like a Mac truck. His entire moveset is based on having the ability to gore or slash at enemies at excessive speeds from a distance. Meaning, when you’ve dodged out of the way in which of his preliminary cost, melee customers can completely dog-walk this man by staying at his flanks, particularly for those who can hold your Spirit Ash double-teaming him on the alternative aspect. The best factor right here is just to let Gaius make the primary strikes, and punish all of his assaults—particularly with guard counters—which may break his stance pretty simply. Don’t strive that on the kick from his hind legs, nonetheless; he usually takes off working after that, which may depart you extensive open. Tanks can take up something he tries, with the one actual hazard being his five-hit boar/spear combo. Even then, for those who take a success in there, defend can eat the following hit. Lastly, Gaius is severely weak to bleeding. Convey a weapon that may inflict blood loss, and also you’ll be stripping this dude’s life bar all the way down to a nub very quickly.
Magic customers can undertake an identical technique up shut, nonetheless studying his assaults and roll timing turns into far more essential. You may roll by way of single strikes, however for his large combo you’ll must create far, which supplies Gaius extra alternatives to run you over. You’ll possible be counting on the distraction from the Spirit Ash a bit extra, however staying shut means you may inflict big injury earlier than the boar even turns his head in your course.
Defeating Commander Gaius – Second Stage
On the 50 % mark, the scenario flips a bit. Melee of us can nonetheless keep comparatively shut and whale away at him, however Gaius’ gravity assaults can usually do a bit of harm by way of shields, which requires the occasional must roll out of vary to heal. Additionally, the leaping gravity assault can both break by way of a defend fully, or achieve this a lot stamina injury that it’d as properly. It may be rolled by way of on Gaius’ touchdown, although, you simply need to hold a watch out on what he does as a follow-up.
For magic customers, now holding a wholesome distance is sweet, however the brand new gravity assaults and their space of impact could be a ache to work round, particularly since being charged at continues to be a hazard. For these, play defensively, roll out of the way in which of the magic assaults earlier than firing something off. For the black gap assaults, you’ll must create extra distance to remain out of its vary, however for those who get caught it’s essential to keep on protection till the fourth pulse. In the event you’re persistent about injury, nonetheless, Gaius will nonetheless be achieved for very quickly.
Your reward for beating him shouldn’t be a number of the worst ham in human historical past, however 230,000 Runes and the Remembrance of the Boar Rider, which may be turned in on the Fingers both for Gaius’ Sword Lance, or Blades of Stone, Gaius’ area-of-effect magic. However, wait, there’s extra: After activating the brand new Web site of Grace, head to the valley past Gaius’ area. In the event you’re a fan of bows, there’s a shack off to the left the place you may kill an archer driving a wolf for the Sharpshot Talisman and Gaius’ Greaves, however for those who comply with the primary highway all the way in which to the top, it’ll result in the Scadutree Chalice, the place there’s 5 (!) Scadutree Fragments mendacity on the bottom. That’s a hell of a haul.
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