The Trial of Chaos marks the second installment in a challenging series of trials designed to put your combat prowess to the test. If you found the Trial of the Sekhemas to be a formidable obstacle, prepare yourself for an even steeper challenge ahead.
However, with ample practice and diligent preparation, any player can tackle these trials and achieve victory.
Introducing a New Format
You can enter this trial by acquiring the Chimeral Inscribed Ultimatum, which drops from Xyclucian the Chimera located in the Chimeral Wetlands. After obtaining this item, insert it into the Trial Pillar, similar to the Baryas from Act 2.
This trial consists of navigating through four distinct rooms, comprising three trial encounters and culminating in a boss fight. Importantly, you will need to select a Tribulation before each encounter, presenting a unique challenge each time.
These tribulations introduce additional debuffs or environmental hazards that can significantly impede your progress. Fortunately, previous damage mechanics, such as the Honour Meter from earlier trials, have been omitted, allowing you to focus more on strategy.
Despite the area being set at level 38, it’s advisable to level up beyond this threshold before attempting the trial. Even seasoned players may find the bosses can catch them off guard.
To enhance your chances of success, consider gathering permanent buffs from various locations prior to the trial. For instance, securing two books of specialization—one from the Mighty Silverfish and another from the Sacrificing a Heart—can greatly aid your progress. Additionally, defeating Ignagduk for an extra 30 Spirit can provide a beneficial boost!
Understanding Tribulations
As previously noted, tribulations play a crucial role in the difficulty level of this trial. While fending off waves of enemies, you will also contend with detrimental debuffs such as increased chaos damage or flaming projectiles.
Before each encounter, you’ll have three tribulations to choose from. Here are some suggestions for which tribulations to embrace and which to avoid, bearing in mind that these effects will persist into the boss fight.
Manageable Tribulations
- Reduced Resistances (Weakened elemental resistances) – This moderate debuff results in just a 15% reduction, which is fairly manageable in the heat of battle.
- Chaotic Monsters (Additional Chaos Damage) – While this adds an extra 20% damage to enemy strikes, maintaining careful play along with a reliable healing flask should mitigate the impact.
- Burning Turrets (Turrets produce fire damage) – Damage from these turrets is minimal, especially if you possess evasion skills. With precise timing, you can evade their projectiles entirely.
As you approach the boss, considering choosing Lethal Rare Monsters—since rare mobs do not spawn during boss encounters, this can provide a strategic advantage!
Challenging Tribulations
- Enraged Bosses (Increased damage, reduced vulnerability) – Expect your kill speed to dwindle significantly as these bosses can deal immense damage and are harder to eliminate.
- Entangling Monsters (Slow damage from vines) – Being ensnared can be catastrophic, leaving you vulnerable to enemy attacks from multiple directions.
- Petrification Statues (Statues turn players to stone) – If you become petrified, the odds are bleak. Constant movement is essential to avoid this devastating effect.
While these are just a few tribulation examples, their effectiveness can vary greatly depending on your play style. Personally, I tend to avoid environmental hazards in favor of debuffs that don’t impede movement, allowing me to maintain agility while focusing on eliminating foes.
Trial Encounter One
This encounter has a fixed layout, in contrast to the Trial of the Sekhemas. Your goal is simple: eliminate the spawning monsters across the room.
Instead of rushing in, tackle the enemies methodically. Swarming can lead to getting trapped and overwhelmed.
It’s crucial to be prepared, as there is always at least one rare monster present. Equip yourself with good gear and a solid strategy to navigate this phase.
Once you have defeated all the foes, a platform will lower, granting access to the next trial.
Trial Encounter Two
Like the first trial room, this area remains static. Those familiar with the Hourglass room from the Trial of the Sekhemas will note its similarities, apart from the extended survival time of 90 seconds.
The best strategy here is to secure a spot in a distant corner and confront only the monsters that spawn nearby.
Typically, around 3-4 creatures will appear approximately every 15 seconds, making this survival test manageable.
Exercise caution with your attacks; using long-range projectiles might inadvertently provoke off-screen monsters.
Another viable strategy is to maintain mobility around the room. If equipped with fast boots, you can lead the monsters in a chase without sustaining significant damage.
Trial Encounter Three
The Floating Pillar
Your mission in this encounter is to escort a pillar through valleys while fending off descending monsters. Remain near the pillar for it to advance. Rest assured, it poses no risk of harming you.
Patience is key; avoid engaging too many enemies simultaneously. If necessary, let the pillar settle as you clear out minions before continuing.
There’s no time constraint here, allowing you to approach the challenge with strategy rather than haste; rushing could lead to frustrating repeats of earlier rooms.
You can generally expect a rare monster lurking somewhere in this vicinity, so stay alert for anything oversized or with a unique elemental effect.
The Soul Cores
This trial is rare, and I’ve encountered it only once in several attempts, where I faced overwhelming odds.
You’ll be tasked with collecting Soul Cores and bringing them to an altar amidst monster attacks. Speed is critical here, as you will suffer gradual damage while carrying a core.
Consider either clearing the area completely first or rushing efficiently. Zoning into new areas may require using the initial elevator. I found this mechanic initially perplexing.
The Final Trio
By this point, you will have completed the previous encounters and accumulated three tribulations. However, the challenge isn’t over yet; you will now select a fourth disadvantage before confronting the area’s final boss.
Much like the Trial of the Sekhemas, the true challenge isn’t simply the mechanics but the lengthy trek through the dungeon to face these bosses repeatedly.
Moreover, you have a chance of encountering three distinct bosses instead of just Rattlecage, with differing mechanics that pose unique challenges. You only have a one-in-three chance of repeating a familiar fight.
Being unprepared is a recipe for disaster. Study up on each boss’s skills; their powerful moves can quickly reset your progress without warning.
Uxmal, The Beastlord
Do not be misled; Uxmal essentially serves as a reskin of the Chimera fight from the Wetlands. Unlike before, however, there are no destructible pillars, so your tactics will need to adjust accordingly.
Pay keen attention to the battlefield levels, as Uxmal utilizes various attacks depending on your positioning. He also spends considerable time airborne, so expect to be on the move!
Here are some critical attacks to watch for:
|
Attack Name |
Description |
Platform Level |
|---|---|---|
|
Fire Breath |
Uxmal briefly flies before unleashing flames on the ground. Avoid rolling—outrunning this attack is your best bet. |
Top Level |
|
Frozen Ground |
A frost breath freezes the area around Uxmal, inflicting damage and slowing you down. The best tactic is to distance yourself until the ice melts. |
Medium Level |
|
Lightning Orbs |
Three lightning orbs will be dispatched, followed by rain bolts in a large area. Stay mobile and try to position yourself behind Uxmal. |
Bottom Level |
|
Ground Pound |
Upon landing, Uxmal will slam the ground around him. Be prepared to roll away quickly! |
Any Level |
Chetza, the Feathered Plague
Prepare for an increase in difficulty against this boss, who may not possess a myriad of mechanics; the few he has can combine in troublesome ways.
Similar to Uxmal, keep to the sides or back during the fight and don’t overextend your attacks.
|
Attack Name |
Description |
|---|---|
|
Spiral Spike |
A swirl of spikes emerge, damaging and maiming players. Predict this attack to roll through the gaps effectively. |
|
Corpse Rain |
Potentially lethality increases if you’ve been slowed previously. Bodies plummet from above—your best course is to focus on evasion instead of offense. |
|
Plagueling |
Chetza releases a small beast that will chase you. While not uniquely dangerous, eliminate it swiftly to avoid additional distractions during combat. |
If you’re unable to eliminate the Plagueling quickly, it will return to Chetza and recover health.
Bahlak, The Sky Seer
This formidable boss has earned notoriety in player circles.
In my opinion, Bahlak presents the most significant challenge among the trio, especially for melee players. Prepare to effectively adjust your tactics if you face him.
Bahlak frequently takes to the air and boasts several deadly attacks with minimal wind-ups.
|
Attack Name |
Description |
|---|---|
|
Dive Bomb |
If Bahlak ascends in the arena, dodge immediately as he will slam down in a damaging AoE. |
|
Lightning Rush |
Bahlak may shoot out lightning orbs or create streaks of damage on the ground. |
|
Bat Tunnels |
A dark cloud indicates Bahlak’s summoning of bats across the arena, making it more cramped while avoiding extra attacks. |
|
Feather Spray |
After a powerful kick, Bahlak unleashes sharp feathers; positioning behind him will keep you safe from this assault. |
|
The Run Killer |
The most dangerous, rapid-fire attack. Bahlak spins into a hurricane, covering a large area with lethal potential. Keep moving—boosts to movement speed are vital. |
Claiming Your Vaal Victory
After defeating the boss and catching your breath, you can access your hard-earned rewards, including the option to secure your next two ascendancy points.
You’ll receive three rare quality items, though do note they will be corrupted and not further modifiable.
However, the primary benefit lies in the ascendancy points, as you should now have four points to allocate, allowing you to complete a branch of your ascendancy tree.
With this powerful boost, you’ll be ready to confront Doryani, the ultimate boss of Act 3.
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