AAC Light-heavyweight M4 Savage Raid Guide

Last updated on Aug 03, 2024 at 00:00 by Lyra

Welcome to our guide to AAC Light-heavyweight M4 Savage, the fourth encounter in the first raid tier of The Arcadion. This guide aims to prepare players for the raid so they will know what to expect, with detailed mechanic instructions for clearing and consistent weekly farming.

1.

Introduction

Wicked Thunder is the fourth boss fought in AAC Light-heavyweight (Savage).

Light-heavyweight 4
2.

How to Unlock Wicked Thunder

AAC Light-heavyweight M4 (Savage) can be unlocked at level 100 after completing the Normal difficulty of the Light-heavyweight raid and talking to Gabbro in Solution Nine (x22.3, y17.1). It requires a minimum item level of 710 to queue, but this requirement can be bypassed when entering with a full party.

3.

Lore

Your match against the neoteric witch came to an abrupt end when the former heavyweight fighter decided to fleeā”€but what if she hadn't? Inspired by a muse of your own from Gabbro's words, your thoughts drift back to that imaginary city of her creation once more, where you envision an altogether novel struggle taking place...

4.

Raid Guide

Wicked Thunder is fought on a floating platform divided into sixteen equal squares. In the first phase, she will divide the room into a 4 by 4 grid or a 5 by 5 grid of electricity. In the second phase, players are knocked towards a second platform, divided into twelve squares in a 3 by 4 grid.

Wicked Thunder's enrage is at 13:30 into the fight, requiring a cumulative raid DPS of roughly 141,145. Due to the forced transition downtime, actual DPS requirements are slightly higher.

This fight has into two distinct phases divided into several mechanic sets. As players progressing will have to learn each mechanic sequentially, we've divided the guide into each mechanic set so you can refer to it easily.

4.1.

Raid Preparation

Begin by splitting the raid into two light parties of one tank, one healer, and two DPS each. Multiple mechanics will pair a support and a DPS, although the pairing can change based on the uptime requirements of the mechanic. Stick to the light party for ease of execution.

Waymarks are not entirely necessary for the fight, as players fight in two separate arenas with only one set of waymarks. The following set of waymarks can be used in the first phase if necessary.

Waymark
4.2.

Wicked Thunder Phase One Main Mechanics

The following generic mechanics are used in the first phase.

  • Wrath of Zeus: Wicked Thunder deals roughly 160,000 raidwide magic damage.
  • Wicked Jolt: Wicked Thunder shoots two line AoE tank busters at the main tank, dealing roughly 460,000 magic damage both hits and applying a magic vulnerability debuff. This is followed by a magical auto attack.
  • Sidewise Spark: Wicked Thunder raises her hands to cleave one half of the arena.
  • Four Star: Four players are targeted with an unmarked AoE stack, dealing roughly 260,000 magic damage split between two players and inflicting a magic vulnerability debuff.
  • Eight Star: All eight players are targeted with an unmarked AoE, dealing roughly 130,000 magic damage and applying a magic vulnerability debuff.
  • Wicked Bolt: A multi-hit stack AoE on a random healer. Deals roughly 50,000 magic damage each hit for five hits.
4.3.

Phase One: Witch Hunt

Witch Hunt is a mechanic sequence with strict execution requirements.

4.3.1.

Witch Hunt Mechanics

The following mechanics are introduced in phase one.

  • Bewitching Flight: Her wings shoot lasers, which indicate a line AoE across the arena at that position. These line AoEs leave lightning lines that explode in a large AoE, with either the three inside lines or the two outside on east and west exploding in sequence. In addition, cubes on the east side of the arena shoot line AoEs across.
  • Witch Hunt: Wicked Thunder uses a symbol to either hit the furthest four players or closest four players with Witch Hunt, hitting them with an AoE that deals roughly 125,000 physical damage and applying a physical vulnerability debuff.
  • Electrifying Witch Hunt: Wicked Thunder hits four players in one role with Witch Hunt and applying the Forked Thunder debuff. This will explode around the player when it expires.
  • Narrowing or Widening Witch Hunt: Wicked Thunder will hit two players with Witch Hunt and do either a donut AoE or point-blank AoE four times in a row. The AoE and the bait type are the opposite from the previous every time. Narrowing will start with a donut, and Widening will start with a point-blank.
4.3.2.

Witch Hunt Strategy

Bewitching Flight

The fight begins with Wrath of Zeus, which does lethal damage if not mitigated. Keep the boss where she begins, as afterwards she will jump north and cast Bewitching Flight. Note both her wings as well as the cubes on the side as the arena, as they will both do line AoEs across the arena. Wicked Thunder's line AoEs leave behind lightning that explode in line AoEs, leaving either the inside line or outside line safe first.

Electrifying Witch Hunt

Wicked Thunder then jumps to the centre and does Electrifying Witch Hunt. Players need to note the safe spot and line up on either side in their light parties, making sure to also dodge the line AoEs from the cubes on the east and west. Have the tanks and melees closer to the boss and the healers and ranged further. Four players in one role will be targeted for damage and receive a vuln as well as Forked Lightning.

Witch Hunt markers

Wicked Thunder will then cast Witch Hunt as the other set of lightning AoEs explode. The role that wasn't hit will be "baiting" the mechanic. It will target either the closest four players (left mark) or furthest four players (right mark), meaning that role will need to be either the furthest or closest from the boss. The other role will adjust.

Electrifying Witch Hunt

In the above example, DPS were hit first, and Wicked Thunder is targeting the four closest players for Witch Hunt. Therefore, supports need to be close and DPS need to be far on the outside.

The next mechanic is the second Witch Hunt. Wicked Thunder will cast either Widening or Narrowing Witch Hunt, and she will also use the close or far bait indicator as seen previously. For each set, she will target two players to be hit with the AoE, and do a donut or point-blank. She will do four sets of this mechanic, each one alternating the bait (closest or furthest) and the AoE (donut or point-blank).

Narrowing Widening Witch Hunt

Start by having all players go to modified clock spots, with melees and tanks on cardinals and ranged and healers on intercardinals. Tanks and healers will bait the first two sets, and melees and ranged will bait the last two sets. In addition, the bait will change depending on close or far: tanks and melee will bait close, and ranged and healers will bait far.

Narrowing Widening Witch Hunt

For all sets, the six players who are not targeted stand in the opposite way as to not accidentally bait the AoEs. If far players are targeted, everyone else should stand as close as possible, and if close players are targeted, everyone else should stand as far as possible. This essentially creates static spots for the mechanic depending on whether it was Widening or Narrowing first. Use the diagram above provided by Team DN to quickly check where to stand.

Heal up for Wrath of Zeus and prepare for Electrope Edge.

4.4.

Phase One: Electrope Edge

Electrope Edge requires players to count beams of electricity while paying attention to arena mechanics.

4.4.1.

Electrope Edge Mechanics

The following mechanics are introduced in phase one.

  • Electrope Edge 1: Divides the arena into a 4 by 4 grid of squares, matching the arena currently. Four Electromines spawn on the corners. Each hit of Witchgleam increases the size of the explosion it will do later.
  • Witchgleam 1: Hits all Electromines with a line AoE. Deals light magic damage.
  • Electrope Edge 2: Divides the arena into a 5 by 5 grid of squares. All players are inflicted with Electrical Condenser, with two players in each role receiving long debuffs and the other two receiving short debuffs. Each hit of Witchgleam increases the size of the explosion when the player's debuff expires.
  • Witchgleam 2: Now targets players instead.
4.4.2.

Electrope Edge Strategy

Wicked Thunder teleports to the middle of the arena and casts Electrope Edge. This spawns four Electromines in the corners of the arena, and she will hit them with line AoEs from Witchgleam, so stand on cardinals to be safe. Players need to look for the two Electromines that are only hit by 1 AoE, and there will be two.

Electrope Edge 1
Electrope Edge 1

Wicked Thunder then casts Sidewise Spark. One of the quadrants will have an Electromine that was only hit once and is also safe from the half-room cleave. Players need to then watch Wicked Thunder for her animation. If she has four orbs rotating around her, she will cast Four Star, and if she has eight orbs rotating around her, she will cast Eight Star. Either stack with a role partner or spread in the quadrant, but not the square the Electromine is on. Have group 1 go left facing the boss and group 2 go right facing the boss.

Wicked Jolt is immediately after. Tanks can choose to invuln this, but keep in mind there is a magic auto-attack after while the tank still has their vulnerability debuff. Either hit the invuln late into the cast bar, or swap afterwards.

Spread into standard clock spots for the second cast of Electrope Edge. Wicked Thunder will hit all players with Witchgleam multiple times. Players need to note how many times they were hit by Witchgleam. Players with long debuffs will be hit either 1 or 2 times, and players with short debuffs will be hit either 2 or 3 times. For long debuffed players, it may be useful to add an additional 1 to your counter to keep it consistent with short debuffed players, as they will get hit by another mechanic later that increases their count by 1.

Electrope Edge 2

AoEs then cover the arena and Wicked Thunder begins casting Lightning Cage. Orient yourself to match the diagram above; there will be one safe spot on the very north square, which all long debuff players will go to. Short debuff players will shortly explode in their square and surrounding squares based on the number of times they were hit by Witchgleam. Supports will go left relative to the safe spot and DPS will go right, and players hit thrice will go all the way south. If done correctly, this ensures no other players are hit by an explosion.

Electrope Edge 2

Next, Wicked Thunder will cast Sidewise Spark as well as Four Star or Eight Star. This time, the targeting for Eight Star is different: she will target four players with the same debuff length. Therefore, the stack needs to pair one short debuff player with one long debuff player. We do this by stacking based on the times you were hit by Witchgleam, with supports in front of boss and DPS in the back. For spreads, have the melees and tanks close to the boss and ranged and healers far away. The diagram below is just an example, as ranged players can go anywhere on the safe side as long as they don't clip anyone else.

Electrope Edge 2

Getting hit by Four Star or Eight Star will add one hit count to the Electrical Condenser debuff. Long players hit 1 time will become 2s, and long players hit 2 times will become 3s. Another set of Lightning Cage AoEs spawn, and again orient yourself to the north safe square. This time, players with no debuff will go to the safe spot, and players with the debuffs about to expire will go to their designated square, adding one number to their counter.

Return to the middle and mitigate Wicked Bolt, stacking up to ensure healing hits everyone. Drag the boss slightly north, as she'll jump north for the next mechanic.

4.5.

Phase One: Ion Cluster

Players will need to read debuffs and go to static spots to resolve this mechanic.

4.5.1.

Ion Cluster Mechanics

The following mechanics are introduced in phase one.

  • Ion Cluster: All players are inflicted with three stacks of Positron or Negatron. Players need to be hit by the charge of the opposite colour, which removes one stack.
  • Stampeding Thunder: Wicked Thunder will hit three columns of the arena for massive damage, breaking it eventually.
  • Electron Stream: Wicked Thunder raises her double-sided cannon, with one side having Negative charge (blue) and the other side having positive charge (orange). This will hit the closest player for 250,000 magic damage and players behind them for 150,000 magic damage if they have the correct debuff. This also gives all players a debuff.
    • One player on both sides will receive Remote Current or Proximate Current, which hits the closest or furthest player with a conal AoE.
    • One player on both sides will receive Collider Conductor, and they need to be hit by the Current to remove this debuff or they die.
    • Two players on both sides will receive either Spinning Conductor or Roundhouse Conductor. These are a small AoE or huge donut AoE, respectively.
4.5.2.

Ion Cluster Strategy

Wicked Thunder will cast Ion Cluster, and all players will gain either Positron or Negatron, with one tank, one healer, and two DPS receiving each debuff. She then charges up her cannon with Stampeding Thunder, and players need to quickly note which side the cannon is aimed towards as they all need to run towards the opposite side. Three or more hits will likely kill non-tanks, so pop Sprint and move quickly.

Wicked Thunder then jumps to the remaining column and begins casting Electron Stream, with both sides having opposite colours. Players need to head to the opposite colour of their debuff, with tanks standing closer than the rest of the party and mitigating. While these debuffs may seem daunting to figure out in the short amount of time they're active, they're very easy to solve as there is one static solution.

Ion Cluster

Players with either Roundhouse Conductor or Spinning Conductor will go to the inside of the boss on the sides, with DPS going towards the outside of the arena and supports going towards what was previously the inside. There are convenient dots placed on the arena marking where to stand. This solves both sets of mechanics, as players are spread for the AoE and the donut will not hit anyone.

Players with either Remote Current or Proximate Current will move back, standing on the middle of the arena. There is also a dot marking where they should stand. The player with Collider Conductor stands right behind them relative to the boss. If done correctly the current AoEs will always hit the closest player, which is the Conductor on the same side, or the furthest player, which is the Conductor on the other side.

Repeat this mechanic sequence three times, with massive damage each time. Keep in mind you may have to swap sides depending on the formation of the cannon. Once it's done, Wicked Thunder will cast Wicked Jolt, and jump to the middle of the arena for the phase transition.

4.6.

Phase One: Electrope Transplant (Transition)

Wicked Thunder uses her full powers, transplanting a new feral soul. This is a full uptime phase until she fully evolves.

4.6.1.

Electrope Transplant Mechanics

The following mechanics are introduced in phase one.

  • Lightning Field: Conal AoEs that repeatedly alternate. The AoEs hit the previous set's safe spot each time.
  • Conduction Point: A large AoE on all four players of one role that deals roughly 90,000 magic damage and inflicts a magic vulnerability debuff.
  • Forked Fissures: A wide line AoE on the role that was hit by Conduction Point. This needs to be blocked by players without a vuln, dealing roughly 130,000 magic damage to them and 25,000 magic damage to players standing behind them. This also inflicts a magic vulnerability debuff.
  • Soulshock: Deals roughly 140,000 magic damage to all players.
  • Impact: Deals roughly 40,000 physical damage to all players.
  • Cannonbolt: Deals roughly 150,000 magic damage to all players and knocks them back off the platform.
4.6.2.

Electrope Transplant Strategy

This phase is relatively easy to execute and serves as a breather before the second phase. All players should go relative to the boss and with a role partner, with melees and healers in the back and tanks and ranged in the front. Start between your colour markers and rotate to the intercardinal each time. After the third hit, the ranged and healers should move out while the melees and tanks stay on the boss's hitbox ring. One role will be targeted with Conduction Point. While still rotating, the players in the other role need to stand in front of them relative to the boss to protect them from Forked Fissures. All players will have to rotate again after they are hit.

Transition

Come back in for healing and mitigation. The mechanic will repeat, so begin rotating and check after the third hit who was hit. After this set, all players need to head true south and stand at the C marker at max melee or further. The boss will begin a series of hard-hitting hits beginning with Soulshock, and some mitigation is required. After two Impacts, she will cast Cannonbolt, knocking all players from where she is. This deals proximity damage from the centre, and players standing at or close to south will get knocked back onto the second platform. After a brief delay, she becomes targetable and the second phase begins.

4.7.

Phase Two: Introduction

In the second phase, Wicked Thunder becomes a wall boss and positional requirements are negated. The arena becomes a 4 by 3 grid and she is always north.

4.7.1.

Phase Two Intro Mechanics

Wicked Thunder introduces some new generic mechanics in phase two that are used throughout the rest of the fight.

  • Cross Tail Switch: Nine hits of roughly 120,000 magic damage. High mitigation and/or tank LB3 is all but required.
  • Sabertail: Exaflare-like circle AoEs that spawn on the arena and move across.
  • Wicked Blaze: Three large AoE hits of roughly 120,000 magic damage that inflicts a short magic vulnerability debuff. This is targeted on both healers and damage is shared.
  • Wicked Special: Wicked Thunder either holds a sword in the middle or holds up her tails on the sides. The former does a line AoE across the middle two columns, while the latter cleaves the outer two columns.
  • Mustard Bomb: Two tethers appear from Wicked Thunder that must be taken by tanks, dealing roughly 460,000 magic damage in an AoE and applying a debuff which deals magic fire damage in an AoE when it expires. This debuff can be passed. Additionally, four other players are hit with an AoE that deals roughly 140,000 magic damage and inflicts a fire vulnerability debuf.
  • Aetherical Conversion: Wicked Thunder's left and right tails glow in sequence. They will either charge red fire or blue ice. This sequence will be used for the next Tail Thrust.
  • Tail Thrust: Wicked Thunder slams her tails on the arena on the red dots east and west in the order they started glowing. Red fire does a large AoE, while blue ice knocks back and deals magic damage.
4.7.2.

Phase Two Intro Strategy

The phase begins with Cross Tail Switch, a massive nine-hit raid buster that deals 120,000 magic damage unmitigated per hit. Players will need to use all mitigation and heal through it, or use tank LB3 and some mitigation and still heal through it. Right afterwards, Wicked Thunder will spawn Sabertail marks and cast Wicked Blaze. Players will split into their light parties and move to the very side of the arena. Follow your healers for the initial spot as they will have the stack marker.

Look on the other side of the arena. In the first three rows of AoEs, there will be one AoE that is pointing outside and two that are pointing inside. Both light parties need to identify this row and move to it after the middle AoEs start going off to prevent getting hit by the moving AoEs. Immediately after, watch the boss to dodge Wicked Special.

Next, tanks need to head north and the party needs to spread on the back of the arena, with melees and healers on the second row and ranged in the third row. Tanks will take the tethers, mitigate, and spread out. Four players will get hit by an AoE, meaning they have a vuln and can't take the tank's debuff. The two players that weren't hit will take the debuff from the tanks, one each, by standing on top of each other. They will spread out where the tanks were to take the damage.

Aetherial Conversion

Finally, Aetherial Conversion will charge up Wicked Thunder's tails. Players need to identify which tail started glowing first and the colour. If it's red fire, go to the very north of the arena and dodge the first tail explosion, then move into it. If it's blue ice, stand on the inside of the red dot on the arena to get knocked back for the first tail and do the same for the second tail.

4.8.

Phase Two: Twilight and Midnight Sabbath

In the first Sabbath phase, Wicked Thunder uses clones to determine safe spots for mechanics.

4.8.1.

Twilight and Midnight Sabbath Mechanics

The following mechanics are introduced in phase two.

  • Azure Thunder: Deals roughly 160,000 magic damage to all players and turns the arena into a circle on the inside.
  • Twilight Sabbath: Summons four clones at cardinals. Two will spawn at a time and they will always be beside each other. These will cast Sidewise Spark.
  • Wicked Fire: Large ground AoEs under all players.
  • Midnight Sabbath: Summons eight clones at cardinals and intercardinals. Four will spawn at a time and they will always be at cardinals or intercardinals. Winged clones will do a donut AoE, and cannon clones will do a line AoE across the arena.
  • Concentrated Burst: Wicked Thunder will do an AoE on all four players of one role, dealing roughly 200,000 magic damage split between two players and inflicting a magic vulnerability debuff. She then does an AoE on all eight players dealing roughly 110,000 magic damage and inflicting a magic vulnerability debuff.
  • Scattered Burst: The same as Concentrated Burst but the spread is first and the stack is second.
  • Wicked Thunder: Deals roughly 120,000 magic damage to all players.
4.8.2.

Twilight and Midnight Sabbath Strategy

Return to the middle of the arena and mitigate Azure Thunder, preferably using targeted mitigation. The arena will become a circle with a death wall on the outside. Wicked Thunder will begin casting Twilight Sabbath and all players need to stack in the very centre. Two clones will spawn faster than others, and they will be casting Sidewise Spark. Look for the safe quadrant and when the AoEs appear under all players, everyone needs to move to the safe quadrant to not get hit by the ground AoEs.

Twilight Sabbath
Twilight Sabbath

Immediately after, the two other clones will show their safe quadrant and players need to move to that one as well. Everyone also needs to look at the boss at this time to dodge Wicked Special: use the lines on the arena as the outside two columns or inside two columns are safe.

Twilight Sabbath

Start preparing for Midnight Sabbath by going to your quadrants, with tanks and melees taking the north for uptime and healers and ranged in the south. Wicked Thunder will begin casting either Scattered Burst or Concentrated Burst. Players need to look at the clones that spawn first and see whether they have wings or a cannon. If it's a winged clone, players will go under that clone in their quadrant and either spread or stack depending on the mechanic. If it's a cannon clone, players will go to the other clone in their quadrant and either spread or stack depending on the mechanic.

Midnight Sabbath
Midnight Sabbath

The easiest way to remember how to execute this mechanic is look at the second set of clones. If they're the same, players will always rotate, and if they're different, players will stay in the same spot. Then, do the opposite of the first mechanic: if spread, then stack, and if stack, then spread. You can see examples of potential movements in the diagrams above. Immediately after the second set, Wicked Thunder will cast a Wicked Special, so run to the sides or move to the centre. This is followed by a raidwide, Wicked Thunder, so heal up and prepare for the next phase as the arena returns to normal.

4.9.

Phase Two: Chain Lightning

Chain Lightning is a simple mechanic set that tests the memorization skill of the party.

4.9.1.

Chain Lightning Mechanics

The following mechanics are introduced in phase two.

  • Flame Slash: Wicked Thunder slashes the middle two columns with a flaming sword, destroying them temporarily.
  • Raining Swords: Four towers appear on each row on the outside columns of the arena. These leave lightning rods.
  • Chain Lightning: Wicked Thunder will chain lightning to each side's lightning rods in succession. There will be one safe spot per chain set, and the lightning rod is being struck when the lightning arrows are pointing to it.
4.9.2.

Chain Lightning Strategy

The phase begins with Aetherial Conversion. Players will need to remember this sequence for later, so it is recommended to write it down somewhere. Next, split into light parties east and west for Flame Slash. Soak Raining Swords towers in a TMHR configuration from north to south. Players will then have to remember the order of which the lightning struck the rods that appeared after the towers. In each set, one tower will not be struck on either side, and that becomes the safe spot. Players will have to move to the rod that is safe four times.

To make remembering it easier, it's a good idea to write down numbers indicating the safe rod from north to south for both sides - assign one player to do so. As each safe spot only happens once, by the third strike all four safe spots will be known and players can move to the first one while typing the safe spot down. Continue to move from safe spot to safe spot, keeping in mind that the main tank will take heavy auto damage here.

Afterwards, the arena will be restored and Wicked Thunder will cast Tail Thrust. Players need to remember the mechanic sequence stocked by Aetherial Conversion earlier and do either the dodge or knockback. This is followed by Mustard Bomb, which is handled the exact same as the first one.

4.10.

Phase Two: Sunrise Sabbath

The final mechanic phase of the fight is fairly difficult and uses static spots with a priority system.

4.10.1.

Sunrise Sabbath Mechanics

The following mechanics are introduced in phase two.

  • Ion Cluster: Four players will receive long Negatron or Positron debuffs, and four players will receive short debuffs. These will be split into two supports and two DPS, and within their role they will always have opposite debuffs.
  • Sunrise Sabbath: Spawns four clones at intercardinals and two clones at opposite cardinals. The intercardinal clones will have a cannon that will glow orange or blue, signalling a positive or negative charge. These clones aim towards the closest player with a wide line AoE.
  • Soaring Soulpress: The two cardinal clones will look towards each other or diagonally. Where they look will indicate a two-person tower that spawns just before it goes off, so players need to pre-position.
  • Sword Quiver: Wicked Thunder slashes the ground, dealing four hits of roughly 40,000 physical damage. These leave behind line AoEs, with only one slash being potentially different.
  • Laceration: Targets four players of one role with a conal stack AoE from the centre of the arena that deals roughly 250,000 physical damage split between them and inflicts a physical vulnerability debuff.
4.10.2.

Sunrise Sabbath Strategy

This mechanic sequence begins with Aetheric Conversion as well, so the raid needs to remember what it is for later in the fight. Stack in the middle to mitigate Azure Thunder, again using targeted mitigation ideally. The arena is once again circular, and Wicked Thunder casts Ion Cluster, giving all players negative or positive debuffs of two different durations. Take note of your debuff duration as well as your colour as the boss casts Sunrise Sabbath spawning clones at each intercardinal and two clones on opposite cardinals.

Players with short debuffs will bait cannons first, while long debuff players will soak towers. To figure out which cannon to bait, supports will look NW and rotate CCW to take the first cannon that is opposite of their colour. DPS will look N and rotate CW to also take the first cannon that is opposite of their colour. This will ensure all four cannons are accounted for. The tower soak is functionally the same, with DPS always taking the north or east tower and supports always taking the south or west tower.

Sunrise Sabbath

The cannons need to be baited away from the players in the tower. These will lock onto the closest player and fire a wide line AoE towards them. We suggest the strategy of standing underneath the add and pointing them to the cardinals the towers aren't on, but keep in mind the adds spawn on the outside of the circle and therefore the cannon starts on the outside too. This means that if a player stands too close to the add, it'll strike the opposite intercardinal and potentially another player.

After the first set, Wicked Thunder will cast Wicked Special, so dodge in or out depending on her pattern. Another set of clones will spawn and players need to execute this set the first as the same one. Players with the long debuffs at the beginning will bait cannons, while players with short debuffs at the beginning will soak towers. The arena then returns to normal as Wicked Thunder begins casting Tail Thrust. Remember the sequence from earlier and either dodge or get knocked back.

Sword Quiver

The final mechanic sequence of the fight is Sword Quiver. Wicked Thunder slashes the ground repeatedly, forming an AoE down the middle and two X-shaped AoEs. She will then slash a final time with a horizontal AoE, covering one of the three rows on the arena. Players need to stack with their role partner for Laceration, with tanks and melees in the first two rows and healers and ranged in the last two going to light party sides.

Sword Quiver

A simple way to think about it is to always go to these spots unless the last slash hits your row: the first row for tanks and melees and third row for ranged and healers. If it does hit your row, go to the second row. Wicked Thunder will cast Sword Quiver and Laceration three times, and the pattern could change or stay the same each time, so watch out. After each dodge, go back to the middle for heals and mitigation. Kill Wicked Thunder before her enrage!

5.

Party Finder Strategies

Depending on the data centre and strategy used, party finder pugs may use different strategies for the fight. Here are the following differences that may happen.

  1. For Electrope Edge 2, the stack spots for Four Star may pair players in the same role hit twice and thrice, counting the hit from the stack. Consult with your party beforehand on how they want to stack there.
  2. For Ion Cluster 1, some parties have completely static spots with supports on the inside of the arena and DPS on the outside, while some parties have supports go left facing the boss and DPS go right facing the boss.
  3. Mustard Bomb has either the players not hit go pick up the tank tethers and replace them, or the tanks can choose a player to go to and go back to their spot. The latter requires all players to be spread in the first two rows to ensure tank uptime.
  4. Check what priority the partners have for Midnight Sabbath. Some data centres prefer the north group to rotate CCW, and some prefer to have the north group rotate CW, changing the safe spots for each partner group. Make sure the entire party is on the same page.
  5. Multiple strategies on how to bait the cannons in Sunrise Sabbath have emerged. We recommend staying close, but there are strategies where the baiting players stand on the closest waymark relative to the cardinal the tower doesn't spawn and bait the AoE across the room. Consult with your party beforehand.
6.

Loot

When Wicked Thunder is defeated, a treasure coffer will appear that contains a Dark Horse Champion's Weapon Coffer and a random Dark Horse Champion weapon. When opened by a player, this coffer contains an item level 735 Dark Horse weapon for the job the player is currently on. The amount of loot that appears depend on how many players have already cleared during the weekly lockout. If no players have cleared yet, both the coffer and random weapon will appear, as well as a Monowheel S1 Identification Key mount, Black Kitten minion, and A Risky Bet Orchestrion Roll. If one to four players have already cleared, either the random weapon or everything else will appear. If five or more players have already cleared, no treasure coffer will appear.

Players who defeat the encounter for the first time during the weekly reset will also receive an AAC Illustrated: LHW Edition IV token. Eight of these can be traded in for a Dark Horse Champion weapon of your choosing at an Arcadion gear vendor, as well as any other AAC Illustrated token from the raid tier at a 1:1 conversion rate.

7.

Changelog

  • 05 Aug. 2024: Added possible party finder strategies and explanations.
  • 02 Aug. 2024: Guide added.
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