Shadow of the Earth Tree: Legendary Bosses Overview

Jul 15, 2024

Shadow of the Earth Tree: Legendary Bosses Overview

Introduction

  • Theme: Examination of 11 main legendary bosses in Shadow of the Earth Tree.
  • Purpose: Understanding the lore, origins, and stories of each boss, including guidance for combat.
  • Organization: Use timestamps to navigate specific bosses.

Dancing Lion Divine Beast

  • Location: Upper regions of Bellat in the Théâtre.
  • Background: Called upon by Hornsense Grandom, a protector entity associated with divine invocation.
    • Hornsense believes the protagonist to be an enemy from Mesma's army.
    • Transforms the tower's sculpted keepers into a formidable lion dancer.
    • Inspiration from the Chinese Lion Dance.
  • Combat: Very aggressive with elemental attacks.
    • Summon Freya for taking aggro.
    • Tip: Use Shadow Tree fragments to prep.
  • Story Elements: Initially ceremonial, later defensive against Mesma's army.
  • Additional Boss: A second lion with death blight breath in the Ruins of Raal.
  • Outcome: Defeating and earning equipment; convinces Grandom protagonist is an ally.

Rana Twin Moon Knight

  • Location: End of Castle Enis.
  • Background: Sister of Ranala, formerly part of Kian royalty, disavowed her title to side with Mesma.
    • Described as 'The Sword of Mesma.'
    • Twin Moons sorcery reflects the shared celestial encounter with her sister.
  • Combat: Twin blades and magical attacks.
    • Summon Liera for assistance.
    • Tip: Bleed build effective.
  • Story Elements: Tragic character, unrequited loyalty and love toward Mesma.
    • Twin moons vs. singular sorcery.

Mesma

  • Location: Critical boss impacting the expansion's progression.
  • Background: Led a crusade ordered by Marika for the glory of the Golden Order.
    • Motivated by a misunderstanding of Marika's true vengeance-driven motives.
    • Cursed with the Bile Serpent, locked away by Marika.
    • Radical use of destructive fire against horned cent people.
  • Combat: Extremely challenging; mid-fight transformation to unleash the Bile Serpent.
    • Strategies include careful timing and not being too greedy with attacks.
  • Story Elements: Moments of regret and realization of abandonment by Marika.
    • Fire-Knights: Failed attempts to bear his flame. Use of fire for dark experiments.
    • Aftermath: Grave dissonance with Marika's plan and personal loyalty strained.

Commander Ghas

  • Location: North of the Shadow Keep.
  • Background: Fallen to a curse, gaciliated due to being an Albenoric.
    • Historical bonds with Radahn and shared strengths in gravity magic.
  • Combat: Tough; uses gravity magic similar to Radahn.
    • Cheese strategy: Lure into corners for easier combat.
  • Story Elements: Friend and leader of Mesma's men; had loyalty conflicts.
    • Speculation on whether Ghas was excluded from Mesma’s purge due to deep bonds.
  • Significance: Guardian of a sacred site linked to Shadow Tree fragments.

Shadow Tree Avatar

  • Location: Below the Tree Worship Sanctum.
  • Background: Representation of chaotic nature and bitterness against Golden Order.
    • Several stages of the boss with constantly shifting attacks.
  • Combat: Managed in stages; requires precise timeliness and evasion.
    • Tips: Stay close initially and cause critical hits after each stage.
  • Story Elements: Connection with primordial nature and divinity much older than Earth Tree.
    • Blessed golden sap, origin theory related to the Crucible.

Romina, Saint of the Bud

  • Location: Ruins of Raal.
  • Background: Affiliated with Scarlet Rot and transformative power post church destruction.
    • Unlike Melania who resisted, Romina embraced the rot, making use of it defensively.
    • Bud and rotten butterflies symbolism.
  • Combat: Familiarity with Scarlet Rot as destructive yet transformative.
  • Significance: Highlights decayed transformation and power beginnings linked to Rot God.

Putrescent Knight

  • Location: Deep below in the Garden of Deep Purple.
  • Background: Transformed through St. Trina's nectar.
    • Connects decay naturally with sensual transformation.
  • Combat: Divided boss requiring tactical combat against knight and steed.
    • Assist: Summon Tia to manage aggro.
  • Story Elements: Bringing to life the abandoned creatures of rot using transformative nature.*

Matara

  • Location: Below Manis Matara Cathedral.
  • Background: First envoy associated with the greater will, now mother of all two fingers and creepers.
    • Tasked to plant the Earth Tree, but long-disconnected from the greater will.
  • Combat: Requires completion of Emir’s questline.
    • Item drops: Microcosm orb. Symbolic of interdimensional connections.
  • Significance: Original progenitor to finger entities, now abandoned, longing for communication.*

Bale, The Dread

  • Location: Jagged Peak region, a powerful dragon.
  • Background: Formerly loyal to Dragonlord Placidusax, turned traitor.
    • Battles reflecting ancient dragon societal clash.
  • Combat: Visually impressive, requires multiple attempts, and strategy to defeat.
    • Summon: Egon for assisting in the fight.
  • Significance: Connection to ancient dragon communion; transformative heart retains power post-defeat.

Midra, Lord of the Frenzied Flame

  • Location: Abyssal Woods.
  • Background: Hornsent leader afflicted with frenzied flame and eternal agony by golden barbs.
    • Significant personal cost for suppressing Flame’s spread.
  • Combat: Essential to manage madness-inducing moves.
    • Tip: Equip madness quelling items.
  • Story Elements: Reflects personal sacrifice and internal struggle tied to Mad’s Flame.

Consort Radahn

Final Boss: Located near the closing of the game.

  • Background: Revived by Micha to serve as a vessel for transforming Moog’s body.
    • Historical ties and combat against Warriors resisting being enthralled in Micha’s plan.
  • Combat: Extremely difficult with peculiar story-driven elements.
    • Utilize Miquella’s Great Rune and Golden Braid.
  • Story Elements: Tied to historical bond, conflicting ideals, and compelling fight dynamics.

Conclusion

  • Covered a lot of ground with each boss having unique stories and combat dynamics.
  • Speculation and theories on lore are encouraged and remain insightful for further exploration.