Exclusive: Aion's Beshmundir Temple goes hard mode (p3)

The Garden of the Dead and the Blue Flame Incinerator

The next Named Monster is Flarestorm, which resides at the Blue Flame Incinerator connected to the Garden of the Dead. To reach the Blue Flame Incinerator, head up the path towards the Temple of Eternity. In the middle of the path and to the right is a stone arch. Pass through it to find Flarestorm.

To access Flarestorm, players will need to be on the correct step of the corresponding Quest. Otherwise, players will not have the key needed to unlock the Blue Flame Incinerator.

Named Monster 1d: Flarestorm

While Flarestorm is a simple encounter on Normal Mode, on Hard Mode it is much more difficult. The additional mobs that Flarestorm summons at 80%, 60%, 40%, and 20%, in particular, become a problem.

Like in Normal Mode, Flarestorm will begin the encounter with Pressure Wave, and follow Pressure Wave with Shroud of Ash. However, in Hard Mode, Shroud of Ash is instant cast, while in Normal Mode it has a short cast time. Shroud of Ash applies a debuff that inflicts periodic damage, but increases Darkness Defense. The Shroud of Ash debuff will prevent players from receiving colossal damage from Orb of Annihilation, which Flarestorm will cast before the next Pressure Wave.

Pressure Wave deals massive damage, and can be avoided by moving out of melee range. However, it's important to move back in range as soon as Pressure Wave is cast, otherwise players will miss Shroud of Ash. If the Cleric is confident in their Group healing skills, it's possible for the Group to remain in range for Pressure Wave, and thus ensure that the entire Group receives Shroud of Ash.

At 80%, Flarestorm will summon additional Monsters called Calamities. These are Rank 4 Normal Monsters, and don't have much health. However, if the Calamities are left alive for too long, the little devils will sacrifice themselves with Reckless Abandon, and deal massive damage to all targets in melee range.

The best strategy for dealing with the Calamities is to use area of effect spells and attacks, and kill them as soon as possible. Multiple Reckless Abandon attacks will kill the Group fast, so it's important that all damage switches to the Calamities.

Flarestorm will summon Calamities again at 60%, 40%, and 20%, and the number of Calamities summoned will increase each time. It's a good idea to time reaching these HP milestones to follow Pressure Wave, as dealing with Pressure Wave and Calamities at the same time can spell disaster.

The Temple of Eternity

The Temple of Eternity boasts some impressive architecture and is protected by several dozen Balaur. In order to access the Ritual Chamber where Isbariya the Resolute resides, players will need to defeat a series of Gatekeepers and Protectors in search of the Ritual Chamber Key.

Gatekeeper monsters will spawn on the first floor of the Temple in predetermined locations. The Gatekeepers are: Gatekeeper Darfall, Gatekeeper Kutarrun, Gatekeeper Rhapsharr, and Gatekeeper Samarrn. Each Gatekeeper carries a key to one of the four chambers surrounding the Ritual Chamber. The four chambers are: Meditation Chamber, Contemplation Chamber, Petition Chamber, and Supplication Chamber. Inside each chamber is a Protector monster.

Defeat the Protector, and another Gatekeeper will spawn. However, beside each Protector, there is a chance that the Mystery Box will spawn.

The Mystery Box contains the Ritual Chamber Key leading to Isbariya the Resolute. Players might defeat one Gatekeeper and find the Mystery Box in the corresponding Chamber, or might have to defeat all four Gatekeepers and Protectors to acquire the Ritual Chamber Key; it's just a matter of luck.

Named Monster 10: Isbariya the Resolute (lol no stormwing 4 u)

Stormwing might be the final boss of Beshmundir Temple, but in some respects, Isbariya the Resolute is just as difficult.

Isbariya the Resolute is one of the more complex encounters in Beshmundir Temple, and is even more challenging on Hard Mode. The encounter can be broken down into four phases, and in each phase players will often have to perform tasks outside of their standard class roles.

This encounter is about as anti-tank and spank as it gets in Aion.

Phase 1

Before engaging Isbariya, note the location of the two artifacts in front of him.

The blue artifact on the left side is the Divine Artifact. Striking this artifact with an auto-attack provides the player and any surrounding allies with the Foul Shroud buff, which reduces the damage from Seething Explosion for a short time.

The red artifact on the right side is the Magic Artifact. Striking this artifact with an auto-attack provides the player and any surrounding allies with the Abjurant Mantle buff, which reduces the damage from Arcane Combustion for a short time.

Once Isbariya the Resolute is engaged, he will begin casting Seething Explosion and Arcane Combustion. These abilities will deal fatal damage, and must be avoided to survive. To mitigate the effects of Seething Explosion and Arcane Combustion, players must receive the corresponding artifact's buff.

Seething Explosion = Blue Artifact
Arcane Combustion = Red Artifact

Attacking an artifact will provide the attacker and any allies in close range with a buff that will mitigate the damage from Seething Explosion or Arcane Combustion.

Phase 2

When Isbariya is at 75% HP, Phase 2 will begin. In this phase, Isbariya begins transforming Group members into spirits and summoning Sacrifical Souls. The Sacrificial Souls will spawn behind Isbariya the Resolute, and begin walking towards him. Should a Sacrificial Soul reach Isbariya, he will unleash a powerful attack that can devastate the Group.

On Hard Mode, Isbariya will continue Phase 1 and Phase 2 at the same time, so players will still need to continue to bunch up and attack the artifacts to mitigate the damage from Seething Explosion and Arcane Combustion.

Isbariya will spawn about 7-14 Sacrifical Souls behind him at a time, and will transform 1-2 players into spirits. Note that the tank, or the target that has enmity, cannot be affected by the transformation, but all others can. Players who have been transformed into spirits will only have access to auto-attack, and cannot use other abilities.

Defeat the souls as soon as possible, and push Isbariya to 50% HP.

Phase 3

At 50% HP, Isbariya the Resolute will begin summoning Apocalyptic Energy. The Apocalyptic Energy are small spheres of energy that float around the room, and aggro and de-aggro on random Group members.

On Hard Mode, Isbariya will continue Phase 1 and Phase 3 at the same time, so players will still need to continue to bunch up and attack the artifacts to mitigate the damage from Seething Explosion and Arcane Combustion.

The best strategy for dealing with the Apocalyptic Energy spheres is to kite them around the room until their aggro switches to another target. The Apocalyptic Energy can do a lot of damage to a single target, and having to heal that target and the tank can strain the Cleric or Chanter. The Apocalyptic Energy also make bunching up for artifact buffs more of a challenge, and it may be necessary to take some extra damage in favor of receiving the artifact buff.

Phase 4

At 25% HP, the final phase begins. Isbariya will begin summoning Holy Servants, which will drain HP and MP if not destroyed. It's important that all damage dealers switch to these Holy Servants and destroy them as quickly as possible, then switch back to Isbariya the Resolute.

On Hard Mode, Isbariya will continue Phase 1 and Phase 4 at the same time, so players will still need to continue to bunch up and attack the artifacts to mitigate the damage from Seething Explosion and Arcane Combustion.

Isbariya will also use Tiamat's Chaos, which is an area of effect fear attack that applies a debuff which inflicts damage over time. Tiamat's Chaos will wreak havoc on the Group, so it's important that Isbariya dies as fast as possible in this phase.

Control the chaos, and the fight will be over soon.

The Prison of Ice

If players have completed the appropriate Quests, they will be able to access Stormwing once Isbariya the Resolute has been defeated. Stormwing resides in the Prison of Ice, which can be accessed via the orb on the pedestal behind Isbariya the Resolute.

Named Monster 1e: Stormwing (that spectral dragon thing that's sometimes on the login screen)

If Beshmundir Temple: Hard Mode were a sandwich, Isbariya the Resolute would be a gluttonous dollop of hot mustard, Shadowshift would be an oversized pickle, and Stormwing would be a barbequed semi truck tire tucked between two slices of toasted artisan bread. The point of this metaphor? The Hard Mode Stormwing encounter is difficult to swallow.

Hard Mode Stormwing makes all the other encounters in Beshmundir Temple: Hard Mode seem like dress recitals. This encounter was designed not to be beaten, but for those bold enough to make an attempt, here is how best to do it.

Stormwing will begin the encounter with several heinous skills, all of which will become more heinous as the encounter wears on. Stormwing's core abilities include Midnight Wind, Distant Wind, and Threshing Wind.

Midnight Wind inflicts massive damage in a frontal cone, and applies a debuff that decreases physical and magical defense for 10 seconds. Distant Wind inflicts massive damage to a single target. Threshing Wind inflicts massive damage to all targets in melee range, and stuns for 1 second.

To avoid Midnight Wind, it's advised that only the tank stand in front of Stormwing, and all others stand at his flanks. When Stormwing starts casting Threshwing Wind, all players should move out of melee range to avoid it. When the tank moves out of melee range, Stormwing will often pursue the tank and use Savage Teeth, which inflicts colossal damage and causes knockdown for 1 second. Stormwing will also use Savage Teeth at random from time to time.

The Group will need to spend much of the Stormwing encounter in motion. Stormwing will begin summoning Sharp Twisters and Root Twisters soon after he is engaged. These twisters tend to start inside of Stormwing and move outward in random directions. However, Stormwing will also spawn Twisters at the four corners of his hit box. It's in the Groups best interest to avoid Twisters when possible.

If a Sharp Twister hits a player, it will use Blade Cyclone, which inflicts massive damage and applies a debuff that inflicts damage over time and decreases movement speed. If a Root Twister hits a player, it will use Restraining Gust, which inflicts moderate damage and immobilizes the player mid-air for 4 seconds.

From 100% HP to 50% HP, Stormwing will spawn Twisters based on the amount of damage per second he receives; more damage per second means more Twisters. It's in the Groups best interest to do slow damage per second from 100% to 50%.

When Stormwing hits 50% HP, he will begin summoning a great deal more Twisters, and will also start summoning Twisters on top of the players. Evading the Twisters after 50% is much more difficult, but at this point it's also important to start piling on the damage, as attrition from Twisters and the sheer amount of damage that Stormwing inflicts is almost inevitable.

Stormwing will also start using Dragon's Quake at 50%, which inflicts colossal area of effect damage, and stuns all targets for 1 second. Dragon's Quake has the same attack animation as Threshing Wind, but has double or triple the range. It is possible to get out of range of Dragon Quake, but it can be difficult as it has a short cast time.

Once Stormwing reaches 35% HP, he applies the Voltaic Storm buff to himself, which makes the encounter even more hectic. Voltaic Storm increases Stormwing's attack and defenses, makes all of his abilities hit harder, and cannot be dispelled. This is the time for players to deal as much damage as possible as fast as possible, as the damage from Stormwing's abilities and rampant Twisters will wear down the healers and make the encounter a nightmare.

While Voltaic Storm is active, Stormwing will also discharge a Shocking Bolt from time to time, which inflicts massive damage to all targets in melee range. More or less, Shocking Bolt is just another area of effect attack from Stormwing with love.

Stormwing has no more surprises after 35%, but this part of the encounter is by far the most challenging.