The Fourth Circle Normal Raid Guide

Hesperos, the Hemitheos, is the fourth and final raid boss fought in Asphodelos.

To unlock The Fourth Circle, players must complete the quest "Who Wards the Warders?" This is the fifth quest in the quest chain, starting from "The Crystal from Beyond," which can be received from Nemjiji in Old Sharlayan (x9.6, y11.9). There is a minimum item level restriction of 565 to enter through the duty finder in a matched party.

The perpetrator of the chaos in Asphodelos is revealed to be none other than its keyward Hesperos. Once known for his kindness to both warders and captives alike, he now appears before you as an amalgamation of mythic beast and man─a hemitheos. Drunk with devotion to Lahabrea and dripping venom for Erichthonios, Asphodelos's keeper may too be its most fearsome creation...

Hesperos is fought in a square arena. The wall will instantly kill players who stand inside or get knocked back into it. Many mechanics will instantly kill players if handled improperly, so positioning is of utmost importance.

Phase one has you do battle with Hesperos. This phase will introduce the player to mechanics in the fight.

• Elegant Evisceration is a tank buster.
• Decollation deals raidwide damage.
• Setting the Scene will transform one quadrant of the arena into an elemental field. The type of the field will show players what mechanic will come from the middle when Hesperos casts Pinax. Additionally, standing in the middle of the field will deal periodic damage to players. The middle will start spouting to indicate the order of mechanics if there are multiple stages in play. Players do not need to stand in the elemental field.
  • An electric field will indicate that Levinstrike Mekhane will be executed from the center of the arena. This deals proximity damage, so stand at the edge of the arena.
  • A water field will indicate that Well Mekhane will be executed from the center of the arena. This will knock players back from the center of the arena. Get knocked back into a corner of the arena.
• Hell Skewer is a line AoE that targets a random player. Move out of the way to dodge.

• Mitigate Elegant Evisceration and get ready for the first Setting the Scene, which is always Levinstrike Mekhane.
• Drag the boss to the edge of the arena where all players should stack. Be careful not to walk into the wall. In addition, avoid the center of the stage, as that deals periodic damage to players standing inside.
• The next Pinax will be Well Mekhane. Stand close to the center of the arena to get knocked back into a corner or use a knockback prevention ability.
• If Hell Skewer is pointed in your direction, move to the side to avoid the AoE.

In phase two, Hesperos will begin casting multiple stages in succession, and add a few new mechanics.

• Setting the Stage now has two new stages that do different mechanics.
  • A poison field will indicate that Acid Mekhane will be cast. This will mark all players with AoE, so spread out.
  • A fire field will indicate that Lava Mekhane will be cast. This is a stack marker.
• Bloodrake deals raidwide damage and absorbs aether. The boss will begin casting Belone mechanics afterwards.
• Belone Coils will summon four towers in the middle of the arena. These towers must be soaked by players, but each tower is marked with a role that cannot take that specific tower. A red sword indicates that DPS cannot stand in it, a blue shield indicates that tanks cannot stand in it, and a green cross indicates that healers cannot stand in it.
• Belone Bursts will summon orbs that tether to each player. These orbs must be popped, but again each orb is marked with a role that cannot soak with that specific orb. Popping an orb deals moderate damage and inflicts the player with Thrice-come Ruin, which will Doom the player upon reaching three stacks. This means that a single player can only soak two orbs at maximum.
• Northerly Shift, Southerly Shift, Westerly Shift, and Easterly Shift will teleport Hesperos to the indicated edge of the arena to a marked symbol. The symbol dictates what mechanic is executed as he teleports.
  • A sword is a large conal AoE towards the center of the arena. Move to the sides to dodge.
  • A cloak is a knockback from the teleport location. Stand directly in front to get knocked back to the center and not into the wall.

• Perform the three new stage mechanics in order. Acid Mekhane will be in this rotation, so spread out for that mechanic, taking care to dodge Hell Skewer. Move to the edge for Levinstrike Mekhane and get knocked back into a corner for Well Mekhane.
• Hesperos will then cast Bloodrake and start casting Belone Coils.
• Stand in these towers to prevent them from exploding, but do not stand in a tower your role is not allowed to stand on.
• The boss will then do Northerly Shift and Southerly Shift. Move to the teleport location as it is casting. Move to the sides if it is marked with a sword, and stand right in front if it is marked with a cloak.
• He will repeat these Shift mechanics twice before casting another Bloodrake.
• Belone Bursts follows this. Stand in the middle to ascertain which orbs are tethered to which player, and then fan out to soak orbs that you are allowed to soak. Ideally, each player soaks one orb, but players can soak up to two orbs in a pinch.
• Hesperos will then set four stages and cast all four Pinax mechanics in succession.
• After the third, he will cast Bloodrake and Belone Coils. After the third mechanic, spread out to the towers and soak one you are allowed to soak. After that, quickly get into position for the last Pinax mechanic.
• Hesperos will then repeat mechanics previously seen until he is defeated.

Coffers that appear after defeating Hesperos will yield tokens that can be traded in for gear. Additionally, one Unsung Blade of Asphodelos will be rewarded upon defeating Hesperos once per week.

• 2x Unsung Armor of Asphodelos;
• 1x Unsung Gauntlets of Asphodelos;
• 2x Unsung Chausses of Asphodelos;
• 1x Unsung Greaves of Asphodelos;
• 2x Unsung Ring of Asphodelos;
• 1x Nosferatu;
• 1x Hic Svnt Leones Orchestrion Roll (rare drop).