35 replies to this topic

[Broganisity]

So people are having problems with the Demon Commander? I noticed because there are more people whining about the (admittedly very hard. ;-; ) boss than there are people giving advice. So here, have this thread.

 

Attack Pattern

 

The Demon commander follows a relatively easy and predictable means of attack:

 

- Underground

- Melee hit (other melee hits and movement optional) and scream

- Underground

- Distance himself and attack people at range (usually those he's panicked.)

- Underground; repeat.

 

By knowing this pattern you can predict what he will do when (maybe not as much where, but that's a different story), but the first step is always knowing your enemy, hm?

 

Possible Attack Plans

 

- With the Red Templars and Venatori, you can just funnel enemies in through the doors of the Recovery Font Room, laying waste to them and the boss who is hopefully focused on your tank (or at least someone who's kiting them around in large circles). The Demon Commander throws this strategy out the window. I've personally found that kiting him through the hallways helps to greatly ease the battle.

 

Someone who can taunt or otherwise hold his attention can run through the hallways and, depending on who they are, can either dive out of the way of his dig attack (requires timing; mainly rogues with evade and mages with fade step) or block it entirely. Your team should be following a safe distance behind the tank/kiter, chipping at the demon commander. Make sure you are moving in the direction the least enemies are coming from so that you have more room to maneuver and are running into less damage overall.

 

Specific Counters

 

I haven't been able to check all the classes, but there are some specific things characters can do that directly affect the Demon Commander (Whether it's giving him status effects or nullifying one of his S.E.s or attacks.). I'll post what I have here, but by all means tell me what else there is and I'll put it down:

 

- Characters with Payback Strike can break out of panic using this move. The Legionnaire and his ability to generate massive amounts of guard (and the glorious Walking Fortress move) make him ideal for luring the Demon Commander away from his team, taking the hits with barely a scratch (and hopefully a barrier from a mage.    )

 

- STAIRS. When situated on stairs (possibly other uneven terrain) He will prioritize melee swings over everything else: Ranged, Underground, screams...He will still do them all, but much less frequently. Keep your distance and have a tank keep his attention.

 

- Archers/Hunters with evade can easy get out of range of his erupting strike, allowing them to effectively kite the D.C and still do damage. if need be, also leaving the team free to take out the trash mobs.

 

- Not so much a counter, but you can still revive nearby fallen teammates if you are panicked. Contribute as best as you can, and all that!

 

...and that's it so far. By all means throw wood onto this fire and all that, I'm going back into the game now.

[Sabor]

You can cast Dispell on him and he'll cancel the move I believe.  Also when he disappears underground, start sprinting, and when he comes up he'll miss you.  As for being panicked, you're SOL if you don't have an active ability to get out of it.  25% chance he doesn't target you, So you'll play the odds and you'll like it.

[Hiero_Glyph]

You cannot sprint away from his underground strike every time.  The radius is large enough and the warning is too late to make it 100% avoidable.  Even when you know it is coming it can still get you.  It really is a cheap fight just like the Geth were from ME3.

[Sabor]

If you start sprinting as he's falling underground, and don't stop until he's back up, it's a miss every time.  Just make sure you hit your sprint button for the increased speed or else you won't make it

[Broganisity]

I have discovered an amazing counter to the Demon Commander.

STAIRS.

 

If you can get close to him while he's on stairs, he will focus more on melee swings than he will on anything else. While not the best idea without a great tank, it is amazing when it works.

[Catastrophy]

I have discovered an amazing counter to the Demon Commander.

STAIRS.

 

If you can get close to him while he's on stairs, he will focus more on melee swings than he will on anything else. While not the best idea without a great tank, it is amazing when it works.

The old incline trick again? Now we just need headbutts.

[Peer of the Empire]

You can cast Dispell on him and he'll cancel the move I believe.  Also when he disappears underground, start sprinting, and when he comes up he'll miss you.  As for being panicked, you're SOL if you don't have an active ability to get out of it.  25% chance he doesn't target you, So you'll play the odds and you'll like it.

 

Nice.  I know what I'm doing with my Templar

 

Soon to be farming the Demon Commander and smiting alien ass

 

 

If you start sprinting as he's falling underground, and don't stop until he's back up, it's a miss every time.  Just make sure you hit your sprint button for the increased speed or else you won't make it

 

Wonder if I can sprint and roll just in time to get out of it

[coldflame]

Wait, the sprint command actually does something?

[Broganisity]

Nice.  I know what I'm doing with my Templar

 

Soon to be farming the Demon Commander and smiting alien ass

 

 

 

Wonder if I can sprint and roll just in time to get out of it

 

Honestly? You're better off blocking the dig attack, but you MIGHT be able to roll out of panic, I'm not sure.

...And he sprint button does next to nothing, but it DOES do something.

[Broganisity]

The old incline trick again? Now we just need headbutts.

Just like old times, huh?

[Pee Jae]

Barrier is a must. Which kind of sucks, to be honest. One of you needs to be a Keeper. Round 5 can be beat without one, but you need a couple of high dps guys in there.

[silentwindfr]

actually the commander, like the 2 other, are not that hard.

 

 yes... he hit hard.

 yes... he do have a tons of hp

 

but the real danger are the green wrath that will weaken you... not really him. when you focus on killing them and take care of him after... he become a joke.

like i have said in another post, he only have 3 skill:

- the ground travel, really predictable.

- the scream, that hit hard and make you panic

- a range attack.

 

when you understand how manipulate him and avoid him skill... he is not that hard.

 

- the ground travel, like said when he disappear begin to run, if you are the target, flee and continue to run, the boss will purchase you and ignore the other for a time, allowing the melee dps to simply burn him

- the scream, if you are inside and have no skill for flee, get ready to be spanked hard. however, if you have avoid the ground travel and move away from him, he will rarely use it. a tips for the legionnaire and the templar if you use your guard before he do it, you will take no damage and half of your guard will be filled.

- the range attack, simply hide behind wall if you are not a legionnaire and a templar... that it.

 

this boss is not hard, it's just that you haven't yet get how he work. believe me i'm more annoyed by the add than him.

[Broganisity]

My thoughts, essentially. As long as your tank is competent and your team gets rid of the trash mobs (along with the fear demon and the other mini terror).

Also STAIRS. Seriously, I'm so happy about that.

[Catastrophy]

actually the commander, like the 2 other, are not that hard.

 

 yes... he hit hard.

 yes... he do have a tons of hp

 

but the real danger are the green wrath that will weaken you... not really him. when you focus on killing them and take care of him after... he become a joke.

like i have said in another post, he only have 3 skill:

- the ground travel, really predictable.

- the scream, that hit hard and make you panic

- a range attack.

 

when you understand how manipulate him and avoid him skill... he is not that hard.

 

- the ground travel, like said when he disappear begin to run, if you are the target, flee and continue to run, the boss will purchase you and ignore the other for a time, allowing the melee dps to simply burn him

- the scream, if you are inside and have no skill for flee, get ready to be spanked hard. however, if you have avoid the ground travel and move away from him, he will rarely use it. a tips for the legionnaire and the templar if you use your guard before he do it, you will take no damage and half of your guard will be filled.

- the range attack, simply hide behind wall if you are not a legionnaire and a templar... that it.

 

this boss is not hard, it's just that you haven't yet get how he work. believe me i'm more annoyed by the add than him.

It's true, once you got rid of the trash he's quite easy to evade. Actually the wraiths often lure me out and then it's good-bye time fast. Few ranged people target and take them down quickly enough.

[Broganisity]

Also of note: An Archer/Hunter with Evade makes for prime Demon Commander Bait. Evade gets you right out of his attack range once you see the cue, and you don't have to stand near him to do damage.

Yay Dodge-Tanks!

[Blackstork]

I've played many threatening rounds with him and the best composition I saw is ... Arcane tank, Keeper, elementalist and alchemist with fire elexier bombing, poison AOE and evade. Elementlist cover with aoe from range and range shots trash and DC. Alchy evading non stop , sometimes closing gap to drop a lot of bombs and poison on him (with barrier) and ocassionally on new wave of trash . 0 revives during all combat. Barriers, ranged, AOE and evade.

[coldflame]

Get to a corridor and tank with a Reaver or Templar (in my experience Arcane Warrior is horrible at keeping aggro). DPS down the big baddy with mages. Worked like a charm for us.

[Peer of the Empire]

I'm sure the katari can charge to escape being feared; similarly with arcane warrior and the fade sprint

[tbxvividos]

Pretty sure the necro I grouped with last night was using panic on him. Can't move, can't attack, long duration.

I might start lvling necro tonight...

[Wikiri]

There's a subtle blinking animation that happens at the feet of the targeted player just before the demon commander comes up to hit from underground.  I had success with my legionnaire watching for this cue to know when to block or roll or when to just watch for him on someone else so that I could run in and war cry/strike/whatever.

[XxMrHollywood]

You can also use a potion at any time to break out of the panicked animation he puts on you.

[XxMrHollywood]

Great guide by the way, withought a doubt hardest boss.

[Rolenka]

What ever happened to that cool video explaining him that concluded with a flow chart?

[holdenagincourt]

...And he sprint button does next to nothing, but it DOES do something.

 

Yeah. Sprinting is not a sufficient condition for avoiding his attack, even on host. Not by a long shot. Such advice also assumes you're never slowed or body blocked by anything (including the low eaves and invisible walls on some maps) ever on wave 5, which is naive.

 

Sprinting while spamming jump is way more reliable, again, on host.

 

Off host, you better hope you have amazing baseline ping and no spikes, because otherwise, welcome to pain town. Evade moves won't help on moderate or higher ping because you'll get rubber banded back to the starting point. Amelia says she's looking into it.

 

Good to learn about your experience with the stairs. I have noticed that he seems to not emerge underneath tall terrain (statues etc.) that often, so characters that stand up there have a higher likelihood of safety. Of course, an ally always has to wander over just close enough to you that he emerges and instantly deletes both of you....

[ErtosiAngel]

Two tricks I use a lot...

 

Elementalists can use immolate to disrupt his shriek. Time it for when he starts leaning back and he will skip shrieking and drop back into the ground to continue his routine.

 

Archers and hunters have another great trick to get out of his area of effect... Leaping Shot! Not only will you jump to safety but you'll give him a great going away present! As an archer, I've had some success keeping his attention from the rest by using leaping shot on him while he's near and long shot each time he distances himself. Just know that because you're leaping away as he's coming up under you, the arrow swarm doesn't always hit him.