Chariots - Information and Speculation

[Lordwafik]

Posted this on my LS forums and crossposting it here, I beleive this info could be helpful in the long run if everyone contributes together in a topic specifically made for the bosses only. Btw post if you have something to contribute, like a past experience with the boss or boss behaviour, not "how 2 i kill homong misiylz", gtfo!


------------


I just had a random thought, and realized the boss names give us clues about themselves (if my theory is correct).

Bhaflau = Long Bowed Chariot.
The "bow" signifies his ranged attacks, so the strategy ended up being do not go near those lasers and his "bow" (Homing Missiles) didnt fire.

http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/6062/longbowhd7.jpg



Silver Sea = Long Armed Chariot.
After fighting him today, I don't know if you guys got close enough, but this boss has 2 extendable arms, is it possible we're not meant to touch his sides at all? or stay away from them? Or maybe we have to hang by his sides, just not his front, since in the MV the hands only reach out forwards, and cannot reach out for someone to the side, or behind him. Looks like the shields serve to protect his arms, so maybe the arms are the weak spot.

http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/7647/longarmjp6.jpg


Next are the bosses that I personally have not seen, but am just playing by ear here so to speak, could be wrong, don't take all my info for granted.



Arrapago = Armored Chariot

His name obviously hints at his shields, speculating him to have slightly higher defense. Also, this guy is completely shielded from the front and appears to be completely vulnerable from the rear, MV shows shields move, but only around the front and nothing at the back. Possibly straight tanked from the front/side, and WS onto the butt? No clue ;p

http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/3401/armorhn8.jpg

Zhayolm = Battleclad Chariot.

Battleclad; Battle - obvious what that's referring to, clad = covered in, so it's probably referring to his offensiveness. When you take a look at him, it kinda shows too, he has turrets all over him, and they all face one way in the MV and do not move around (it's possible however in game they move around and the MV doesn't have all the animations, but once again, can't be too sure).

http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/7056/turretmg8.jpg

---

Sub note - Bhaflau also has another chariot, "Archaic Chariot" which is this one :

http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/2...hinegunmh0.jpg

Other zones have "Archaic Chariot" aswell, not sure if they're all that model but pretty confident it is.

His name doesn't really give a clue, unless they were hinting that it's an "Old" chariot - which is why it's weaker.

[Lordwafik]

First Q - To those who've fought Long Arm, our one didnt use brainjack yesterday at all (we got it to 79% and died), but when he uses brainjack, does he use his arms to do it or just run up to you and use it? Also did you try the typical bhaflau style of tanking it? (by standing on the sides)

[Millael]

I hate to say that I don't remember what state the chariot was in when it brainjacked the hell out of my alliance. All I remember is it happened at AROUND 75% the first time, and then afterwards seemed to work on a timed schedule where no matter how much damage you did, it'd brainjack after a certain amount of time. Also, it felt like the brainjack phase itself was timed - no matter how many people it got, it seemed to stop going psycho after about 30 seconds. There are two things I'd like to try next time I fight him.

1. I'd like to try hitting every charmed person once. If it's a "brainjack", perhaps a quick smack to the head could fix it. Or, if not a hit, possibly a stun.

2. I'd also like to have, when the mob is about to brainjack, everyone who isn't the tank run way back to the entrance, to see if it really is timed, or if it just keeps going until it nabs X people.

[aurik]

I hate to say that I don't remember what state the chariot was in when it brainjacked the hell out of my alliance. All I remember is it happened at AROUND 75% the first time, and then afterwards seemed to work on a timed schedule where no matter how much damage you did, it'd brainjack after a certain amount of time. Also, it felt like the brainjack phase itself was timed - no matter how many people it got, it seemed to stop going psycho after about 30 seconds. There are two things I'd like to try next time I fight him.

1. I'd like to try hitting every charmed person once. If it's a "brainjack", perhaps a quick smack to the head could fix it. Or, if not a hit, possibly a stun.

2. I'd also like to have, when the mob is about to brainjack, everyone who isn't the tank run way back to the entrance, to see if it really is timed, or if it just keeps going until it nabs X people.

That's interesting, because the Bhaflau boss doesn't start turning to face the tank until ~70% (or maybe even ~75%).

Perhaps there's some precondition to use Brainjack -- much like there is a precondition to use HM -- and once he gets to 75% he starts trying to fill that precondition -- much like the Bhaflau boss tries to fill the HM precondition by turning to face.

[Millael]

Huh. I'll have to test that out next time I go to Silver Seas, or hell, any other area aside from Bhaflau. It'd be interesting to know if all the bosses have a 70-75% "Trigger".

[Khamsin]

I've fought it a few times, but don't really recall what it did with its arms during Brainjack. It just jacked 4 people in quick succession and proceeded to own us. Closest we've ever had it was 11% through a DoT/zombie method, though I wasn't present during that particular run. Each time, people just zerged it and didn't position themselves in any particular spot around it.

Next time I'll watch and see how it moves its arms. The only visual part of Brainjack I remember is the animation effect, itself (the blue rings shooting from it).

[Millael]

4 was definitely not a hard limit of brainjacked people for us - we got tagged with 7 brainjacks in rapid succession the first time we went.

[aurik]

Did it use a specific "readies brainjack" instance for each charm? Did it seem to use it in response to being hit maybe? Were these people facing the chariot? Next to the chariot? Behind/infront of the chariot?

If you are correct in that it uses it after precisely timed intervals, and there is some condition to avoid it, you could just have people "take cover" when it prepares to brainjack.

[Millael]

Yeah, there's a "Readies brainjack" instance for each one. IT's obviously not TP-based, though, unless it gets 100TP/tic regen. And yeah, that "Take cover" thing was one of the two things I'm planning on trying out.

Also, since the major issue with the Brainjack is the DoT that prevents sleepage, I'm going to bring a pair of BLUs next time so they can diamondhide everyone before the brainjacking starts. Thus, the charmed can be slept with no issue.

[Kaeko]

About Long-Arm:

Brainjack I am sure is not purely TP based - it uses Brainjack in series of 4 (like Jorm roars in series of 3). The initial trigger for it is either TP or time - I'm leaning towards time or even HP% like some have said previously.

Considering once you see it Jack once, it will Jack 3 more times in succession as fast as it can, it's extremely risky to avoid it. Also as far as the animation, I clearly remember that it is very unique.

Basically those 2 shields on the sides raise up, the two little arms extend towards you, then shoots out 2 blue lasers. It is definately used when you're in front, I do not know from back or sides.

[Millael]

I now find myself wondering if Brainjack is avoidable. Could it be that Brainjack's trigger causes it to go into a sort of "counterstance" mode where anyone who damages it gets charmed? I'm full of a lot of batshit-crazy ideas about this mob... it seemed like all of our melees were charmed by the time Brainjack was over, with all our mages still uncharmed. I refuse to believe there isn't a trick to this move, because it's so overpowered it's just ridiculous.

EDIT: Also - I distinctly remember my group being hit by 7-8 jacks consecutively before the chariot decided to stop.

[Hiruke]

Yeah, there's a "Readies brainjack" instance for each one. IT's obviously not TP-based, though, unless it gets 100TP/tic regen. And yeah, that "Take cover" thing was one of the two things I'm planning on trying out.

Also, since the major issue with the Brainjack is the DoT that prevents sleepage, I'm going to bring a pair of BLUs next time so they can diamondhide everyone before the brainjacking starts. Thus, the charmed can be slept with no issue.

Sadly, Diamondhide doesn't absorb very much damage. Unless you can time it rather precisely, all Diamondhide is likely to absorb is the AoE from its other WSes. You'd probably be better off casting Bind/Gravity on everyone instead (and then proceeding to run the hell away before those wear off and until Brainjack wears off... don't forget to DoT the NM!)

[Suiram]

EDIT: Also - I distinctly remember my group being hit by 7-8 jacks consecutively before the chariot decided to stop.

8 could simply be him using it twice in succession, although I'm not totally convinced anymore that it's limited to 4, either. I feel like there was once where he brainjacked 1 person, then did a couple other TP moves then brainjacked a few more, but perhaps someone in my alliance who recalls it better than I can will confirm/deny this.

[Seyrr]

I remember something someone else posted in a thread here once that might be helpful on Brainjack. If you think you're likely to be charmed, go ahead and hit the run/walk toggle beforehand. When you get charmed, you continue to move at the slower walk speed, so it's way easier for whoever you're after to kite you.

... or so they said. Haven't gotten down to the bottom to actually TRY that yet.

[Xanthu]

Can't you dispel the charms? Thanks to Lamia 13 we know this works on anyone now, not just her lackies. Would make things easier than trying to deal with DoT

[Keider]

From the Silver Seas thread (second page, about halfway down):

It appears the move "Brainjack" overrides the walk command b/c everyone ran anyways...so that's out the door. We didn't manage to get dispel tested due to a rdm being dead and a melee forgot to take his buffs down before engaging so the other rdm's dispel just hit his buffs.

Another attempt, another loss.

Finale/Dispel was tried in order to remove charm and failed.

[Hiruke]

Can't you dispel the charms? Thanks to Lamia 13 we know this works on anyone now, not just her lackies. Would make things easier than trying to deal with DoT

That is not normal behavior. BCs of various sorts sometimes break the rules. Don't you think it would have been discovered sometime previous to that Assault being released? The game has been out for a little bit.

[Pendas]

Refering to Lordwafiks post it seems he's hit the nail on the head in terms of how the names of the NMs correlate to the moves they use.

Bhaflau = Long Bowed Chariot.
Special Attack: Homing Missile

Like the name suggests, Homing Missile is a ranged attack that explodes on impact hitting anyone near the target. Therefore, he is a "Bowed" Chariot that shoots Missiles.

Silver Sea = Long Armed Chariot.
Special Attack: Brainjack

Brainjack is a move that "Steals" your allies minds and manipulates them, much like Charm. Naturally when a person steals something they use their arms to do so. Therefore, he is an "Armed" Chariot that steals minds.

Arrapago = Armored Chariot
Special Attack: ???

Since nobody has fought this Boss before, all I can do is speculate what move it would use. I can only assume it would be a type of massive defensive technique (Bulwark moves by Hydra Maybe?) Who's main vice would be defeating it before time wears off.

Zhayolm = Battleclad Chariot.
Special Attack: 3000 Needle-Type

According to a recent Japanese attempt at this boss is was apparent this boss used a Needle type technique used by Cactuars. The fact that this Boss is covered in Turrets suggests that it could shoot a bunch of needles or bullets as its special attack.

[Archeons]

Yea i read the boss on Zhaylom do 3k needle.
However i am not certain how they open the door at the 6th floor.
The last time we did this we reached 6th floor with 5 minute left.

BrainJack charmed 7 people on the 11 people alliance on our 1st try.
The best setup would be by using the zerg strategy, like the one mentioned on Silver Sea Remnants Forum.
Our attempt involved 3 rng and 2 mnk, and luck on cor 2 hr.
26% is the best we could get before time ran out and the cor didn't give the 2 hr back so we kinda scerewed.
None of them were using TP wings since they just died every time they use Weapon Skill or JA.

Homing Missile is hate reset, the best strategy would be finding a place where a tank can solo tank while the rest of the people can DD from range.
Our Blms normally positioned themselves where homing missile can hit them but not the other AoE moves.

We did Arrapago with 8 people earlier 1 person dced for the whole hour.
80 minute farming the 1st floor and only 2 magic cells, 1 hp, 1 mp, 4 heads, and 1 ja dropped. 20 minute left and we decided to pop the Slot NM, we didn't clear the whole room but the drop rate also suck. We got 1 hp & 1 magic on this floor. We also learned why they put hermes quicher on the 1st floor chest.

[Almalexia]

Zhayolm = Battleclad Chariot.
Special Attack: 3000 Needle-Type

According to a recent Japanese attempt at this boss is was apparent this boss used a Needle type technique used by Cactuars. The fact that this Boss is covered in Turrets suggests that it could shoot a bunch of needles or bullets as its special attack.

"Discord" is the name of the attack (quickly translated from Aircommand's Salvage conquest page) and is supposedly a directional attack instead of the cactuar AoE, leading me to believe that this...

he has turrets all over him, and they all face one way in the MV and do not move around

...will be important to keep in mind.