Darkness Descends

Mission Name	Darkness Descends
Number	37
Level	75
Title Granted	Wanderer of Time

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Fall of the Hawk	Adieu, Lilisette

Replay Cutscenes
Darkness Descends (pt.1-2)	Goblin Footprint Throne Room (S)
Adieu, Lilisette	Goblin Footprint Throne Room (S)

Walkthrough

Warning: This mission is considerably more difficult than previous missions in this expansion. Proceed with caution.

• Zone into Throne Room (S) for a cutscene.
  • Note: To get to the Throne Room (S) from Castle Zvahl Keep (S), you will need to open several gates that require at least one player to remove Invisible. The northern path is safer to traverse when attempting to sneak around, as it is littered with sight/sound-aggro Dire Gargouilles on the first floor, but only sound-agro Quadavs on the second, rather than all sight-aggro enemies to the south.
  • The path is the same route as in the present Castle Zvahl Keep using the portals to travel around the 3rd map.
  • There are also True Sight Imps and Tauri along that way to the Throne Room (S).
• Click the Throne Room door to choose the option "Darkness Descends." Like a regular BCNM, everyone in the party must do this to enter. There will be a short cutscene before the fight.
• After winning the fight you will receive a cutscene and be transported back outside the Throne Room door.

Fight

• Buffs will wear upon entry. However, if you fail and reenter, buffs will not wear.
• Experience is not lost upon death.
• You have 30 minutes to complete this fight.
• You fight alongside Lilisette, similar to the mission, Distorter of Time.
  • Possesses high attack, HP, evasion and above-standard defense (for this battle).
  • Uses Sensual Dance giving an Attack Bonus to all in range and Attack Down to enemies. Appears to give Magic Attack Down to enemies as well.
  • Uses Thorned Stance giving a Defense Bonus to her.
  • Uses Whirling Edge, which appears to be single-target damage.
  • Lilisette is affected by Area of Effect Blood Pact: Wards, including Alexander's Perfect Defense, but cannot be targeted by in-party spells such as Magic Fruit.
  • Uses Dancer's Fury, unknown effect.
  • At 30% HP, Lilisette will use a 2-hour-style Trance with the additional effects of Invincible (with magic damage immunity), Mighty Strikes, and Hundred Fists. She may use this ability multiple times.
  • Unlike the mission, Dawn, in which Prishe may be Raised, if Lilisette is defeated, the mission is failed and your party will be automatically warped out of the battlefield. She cannot be Raised.
  • Lilisette will automatically engage Haudrale if the party takes no action for 3 minutes. Note that Lilisette may also engage immediately when the party enters the battlefield. When a player engages either target, Lilisette will engage too.
• Your fight is against Haudrale (Elvaan) and Aquila (Hume).
  • Haudrale will fight with a one-handed sword and only casts tier-2 Enspells on himself. He does not appear to have access to any other spells.
    • Possesses high defense and attack, with critical for up to 500 damage with 200 damage Additional Effect, both to Lilisette and regular players.
    • Uses Savage Swordhand, a powerful (1000+ damage), fan-shaped Area of Effect attack with Additional Effect: Knockback and Amnesia. Damage is reduced depending on the target(s)' relative distance to Haudrale.
    • Appears to absorb magical damage, similarly to Aquila's physical absorption shield.
  • Aquila fights hand-to-hand with access to tier IV/III-ga Elemental Magic, Enspells, Sleepga II, Dispelga, Blindga and Death, which he appears to gain access to below 30% HP. Lilisette is immune to this effect.
    • Hits for 170+ damage per hand with approximately 50 damage Additional Effect.
    • Susceptible to Stun from all sources, but casts more frequently than the standard Stun recast can support. Susceptible to Head Butt when used with high Blue Magic Skill and Magic Accuracy equipment/abilities.
    • Uses Altair Bullet, which deals moderate (400-600+) cone Area of Effect damage and paralysis, absorbed by 2 Shadow Images. The paralysis effect will process frequently, both on players and Lilisette. This ability will also reset enmity on him.
    • Occasionally, when Aquila casts an Enspell, he will say, "Here's a little big something I've prepared for you!" This triggers a temporary physical absorption shield similar to the Mammet ability, Transmogrification. Lilisette herself will disengage until this effect wears off.
    • The tier III -ga spells Aquila casts are the same element as his current Enspell.
    • Follows standard Black Mage A.I.; he will not move into melee range until he has lost a certain amount of HP, making him easy to hold with Stun and/or Magic Defense Bonus equipment/abilities.
  • Both Fomors can be stunned while casting their respective Enspells, preventing their use. They may also be Dispelled.
  • A simple rule of thumb to follow to avoid healing either of the two fomors: Haudrale is always susceptible to physical damage and Aquila is always susceptible to magical damage.
• Like the Distorter of Time fight, a "Curebomb" method is possible. You will need at least 1 dedicated healer on Lilisette regardless of setup. Lilisette will run out of HP very quickly if she is not watched carefully by your healer(s). White Mage is a good choice due to the low enmity generation of Cure V.
• It is highly recommended that one or two members of the party hold Aquila somewhere in the BC while Lilisette fights Haudrale; Lilisette will be unable to keep hate on both enemies simultaneously. Note also that Altair Bullet will reset enmity, which may draw Aquila toward your party.
• A stunner is helpful, but not necessary, if one or two party members can successfully distract Aquila (do not kite him, as his -ga magic will hit other party members). One or two players with solid MDB/MDT sets and the ability to self-heal will be able to simply hold Aquila so that Lilisette can focus on Haudrale.
  • See testimonies for other possible ways to do this fight.

Game Description

Mission Orders

Your pursuit of Sir Ragelise and Portia has brought you back to the enemy stronghold. Seek them out before the unthinkable comes to pass!